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Beyond the sanctuary
First Methodist celebrates
an anniversary by feeding
the poor
The focus is on the building as First United Methodist Church celebrates an anniversary. But after the festivities tonight and tomorrow, the congregation will continue its tradition of reaching out beyond the four walls to the unfortunate.
Although the "First Church" history dates to 1855, they are celebrating the 50 years people have worshipped in the airy sanctuary across the street from the Honolulu Academy of Arts. The 10:30 a.m. service tomorrow will direct attention to the theology contained in the design, which won an architectural award for the late Alfred Preis.
"It is so intentional. ... We are reminded of what is important to us as Christians," said the Rev. Amy Wake, associate pastor. There is the 30-foot cross of translucent glass brick behind the altar -- not a decoration, but part of the load-bearing wall, symbolic of the foundation of Christianity.
Other features accent openness and outreach. Not stained-glass windows, but sliding doors open out to lush green plantings -- and to the traffic noise. "We don't worship in a vacuum, so the noise is welcomed as a reminder that the church is in the world," Wake said.
The pews are set at an angle to the center aisle, which puts other people always in view, symbolism that speaks for itself.
The architect consulted with 1950s members, and "they didn't want a traditional church," said Joyce Warner, a retired librarian who took on the task of church archivist.
The Rev. Earl Kernahan, pastor when the sanctuary was consecrated in 1954, will speak at the service tomorrow, which will combine the usual schedule of English and Tongan language services. About half of the 400 members are Tongan, Wake said.
Wake and the Rev. Eddie Kelemeni, senior pastor, both of whom grew up in Hawaii, returned from mainland posts earlier this year to lead the congregation.
One thing not put on hold for the weekend is feeding the poor. A Sunday pancake breakfast is served after a brief 8 a.m. prayer service and usually draws 50 people from the urban Honolulu area. And tomorrow night, the H5 Ministry will deliver a hot dinner to homeless people in Chinatown, Keehi Lagoon Park, Ala Moana Beach Park and Mother Waldron Park in Kakaako, as usual.
H5 -- "Hawaii Helping the Hungry Have Hope" -- serves hot meals five nights a week. In a month's time, its organizer, Utuloa Langi, reckons 2,300 meals are served.
The core group of eight volunteers who prepare food at the First Church kitchen and deliver it to the highways and byways includes six homeless men.
"I was in a park homeless, and my friend Sam asked if I wanted to eat," said head cook Dayven Aikau. "I like to cook, so I volunteered to help. I never thought I'd be doing something like this for other people.
"I'm from the streets, and I know if you go to sleep hungry and wake up hungry, you don't have much hope. Just to go out and see them so happy to eat makes the Lord's work worth doing," said Aikau, now a church member.
The Rev. Eddie Kelemeni and the Rev. Amy Wake stand in the award-winning sanctuary at First United Methodist Church. The 30-foot cross of translucent glass brick behind the altar is not a decoration, but part of the load-bearing wall, symbolic of the foundation of Christianity.
"I asked the pastor to tell people there are people sleeping out in the cold. That first time, we came up with 22 blankets. It took about 20 minutes to give them away in downtown Honolulu." A large laundry supply company contributed used blankets as the project grew.
Next, Langi and other church volunteers began dishing out hot soup in downtown Honolulu and under the freeway overpasses near Honolulu Airport.
"Last year, I got a few guys together," said Langi, and the kitchen crew started grinding out hot, meaty meals like hamburger stew or chicken, vegetables and rice. Safeway Stores is a major food contributor, and monetary donations from individuals help buy food from Hawaii Foodbank. On Wednesdays volunteers distribute meals at a Kuhio Beach pavilion. On Thursday nights it's Ala Wai Community Center. Friday afternoons, they go to the Magic Island parking lot, and that night, to Hau Bush beach in Ewa.
"Saturdays, I take the family along," said Langi. He and wife Samiani and their three children take food to the Leeward Coast. "We start at Kaena Point and come back, 13 to 15 stops, wherever people are.
"I want my kids to be thankful for what they have and realize they are always in a position to help someone, regardless of what they have," Langi said. "You don't need to have a lot of material things to start giving.
"This is my way of saying mahalo to the Lord for what he has done to me," said Langi, who describes a life that included a jail term in Tonga at age 13 and felony drug convictions here. He is now taking classes at Hawaii Pacific University on a track to a seminary and ordination as a minister.
"I am here to tell folks that God loves them," he said, but the spiritual message is not crammed down their throats with the food. "Some Christians say, 'You don't preach much.' People who are hungry say, 'Sometimes people talk too long.' We get there, say a prayer, and we eat. If there are people who want to talk about spiritual stuff, they come around afterwards."
After an 8 a.m. service at First United Methodist Church, H-5 head cook Dayven Aikau starts preparing some shoyu chicken for cooking later in the day. Aikau has been homeless for three years but says the program has "brought me closer to the Lord."
"Homeless people are the new Negroes of society, widely discriminated against and with no powerful groups to lobby for them," said Morley, who was born in South Africa. "It's an outrage that the church in general doesn't become an advocate. My goal is to generate wider participation. Christ's work is not just any one church's work."
Upstairs from the kitchen is the food pantry, where volunteers hand out 400 bags of packaged and canned food monthly. Church member Lissi Chadwick started it about 25 years ago, collecting donated canned goods on a few shelves in a church office closet. The church now dedicates three rooms in the complex for the project.
"People are so desperate when they are hungry," said volunteer Pat Miller, who comes in from Ewa Beach to work there. "I think feeding people helps reduce crime, just by taking away the desperation."
The new associate pastor said: "The United Methodist Church has a long tradition of social justice concerns. This church has been where every other inner-city church has been," with involvement through the years in social issues concerning immigrants, low-income housing and troubled youth.
"Christ spoke to us about doing justice and caring for our neighbors," Wake said. "There has always been so much commitment by lay people at First Church. They are here all the time. They are always volunteering."
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