ROSEMARIE BERNARDO / RBERNARDO@ STARBULLETIN.COM
First Christian Church held Sunday services yesterday despite a fire last week that damaged some Bibles, computers, a piano, school supplies and furniture. The pastor, the Rev. Vaughn Beckman, is an activist for gay-rights causes.
Church unites in
wake of arsonMore than 50 people attend
the first service since a fire
damaged a church in Makiki
Kaimuki resident Josephine Chang said she sobbed after learning that a fire at a Makiki church last week was intentionally set and possibly motivated by the congregation's support of homosexual rights.
"I have a gay son. I was really struck by this," said Chang, who attended a service at First Christian Church yesterday to show support for the congregation.
More than 50 people attended the first service at the church's pavilion at 1516 Kewalo St. since a fire charred the ground floor early Wednesday.
Damage was estimated at $150,000 to the building and its contents.
Fire Department officials said the fire was intentionally set. Several civil rights groups immediately labeled the arson as a "hate crime" -- a federal designation for violent crimes motivated by bias.
However, federal law enforcement officials have not made that determination and are continuing their investigation.
Hate crime or not, congregation members and supporters who attended yesterday's service described the fire as an act of ignorance.
"This just frightened me," Chang said. "I hope that there will be a real committed investigation for the arson."
The Rev. Vaughn Beckman, pastor of First Christian, based his sermon on the fire that damaged Bibles, Sunday school supplies, computers, a piano, the kitchen and furniture.
"Let's pray for those that committed this arson act. ... Let's pray regarding this act of hate," he said.
Beckman is an activist for gay-rights causes and recently joined the ACLU in its lawsuit against the city for allowing the exclusion of gay organizations from the July 5 Family Day Parade.
Since the fire, Beckman said he has received e-mails, letters and phone calls of support from people in Hawaii and throughout the world.
Downtown Honolulu resident Don McCuiston attended the First Christian service for the first time after he received an e-mail letter from a friend about the fire.
"It just really saddens me," said McCuiston. "You just don't think something like this will occur in Hawaii."
Others noted that a "silver lining" arose from the blaze.
"It just brings the community together even stronger. ... A lot of people who normally wouldn't be here are here," said Richard Rivera, chairman of the Gay & Lesbian Community Center in Honolulu.
Rivera said he had felt a mixture of sorrow, anger and disgust after he heard about the fire.
"It's a shame," he said. "This didn't have to happen."
Michael Golojuch Jr., who is also involved in the ACLU lawsuit against the city, described the fire as a "horrible incident."
He said that the fire has pushed Beckman to fight harder for gay rights.
"This is not going to silence him," he said. "We're not backing down. We're going full speed ahead."
