Hewsletter 08012011

It’s hard to believe a whole year has passed since we have moved back to Hawaii to start our ministry.  If my records are accurate, I have not posted an update since November 2010.

Family News:

On June 10^th 2011 we welcomed Kamryn Michiko Kay Hokulani Hew into the world.  She was very similar in size to Aubrey, but her temperament is a little more fussy than Aubrey.  She is doing well and keeping us on our toes.  We are very happy about our new addition.

Aubrey just turned two last weekend and we had family and friends over to hang out and celebrate.  She is talking A LOT and according to everyone it is “payback” for me being a talkative child.  I like to consider it a thirst for knowledge.  Her vocabulary is growing, her body is growing and of course, her two year old personality is growing.  We just signed Aubrey up for her first swimming lesson.  She loves to be in the water.

Overall we are blessed with two great little girls. 

We have been blessed to be in a situation where Emily is able to stay home with the girls.  She is still actively pursuing her MFT licensure.  She is a part of a two mom’s groups, MOPS and a local Mom’s Group.  She is starting to get a little restless and is considering when it would be a good time to seek a part time employment.

After a few months of doing the chaplaincy job at the Hawaii State Hospital, I am letting it go.  While I loved the ministry there, it was too much of a challenge to do that and the church.  A couple of big challenges were having to come in on Sunday evenings after church and also the feeling of pasturing two churches, one being Southern Baptist and the other interfaith.  I decided it was not going to work and we had to stick with the church to where we were called. 

Ministry News:

Since November we have remain to be a nine member church and we lost two Watchcare members to a need for them to return to their home church.  Every Sunday we have Sunday School that is led by Larry Smith.  All who attend are so blessed by the experience and are challenged to look critically at the inspired scriptures of the Bible. 

This summer we had a summer intern.  Ikaika Higa blessed us with his worship leading on the ukulele and preaching every other week.    

We continue to meet and cast visions for the future of the church.  One of the recent thoughts centers around the theme of healing.  It seems fitting to consider Kahalu’u Baptist Chapel a place of healing as the environment surrounding it has that feel.  We see the need for healing in a holistic perspective and having all of it centered on what we see as the ultimate healing of the spirit through a reunification with our Creator through Jesus Christ.

We want as a first priority to look into the development of a structure closer to the road.  As the property currently is our buildings are not visible from the road side.  Most people drive right past our property and never even know we are there.  A second reason to build closer to the road is to keep people from having to climb the flight of stairs that lead to the church.  There is little parking at the top of the hill and the driveway is not in the best condition.  If we have our worship services toward the bottom, we will keep people from having to climb those stairs. 

As we think about a structure, I do not imagine a church building.  Kahalu’u is a rural area and is a community that prides themselves on avoiding overdevelopment.  When I imagine a structure I envision an open-aired pavilion that is inspired by the tradition Hawaiian Hale.  With that inspiration I want to look into using modern materials and contemporary design techniques to make it visually pleasing and durable.  My hope is that we would be able to offer the space to community members for different events and perhaps we might even be able to offer workshops and other educational venues there.  This project will require a lot of work and a lot of resources.  We know that if this is where the Lord is directing, it will all come together. 

We have been so blessed to have received the support of many that have even been outside of our church membership.  So many people from the Convention and other Baptist churches have lent a hand for different projects and support.  Financially we had received significant support from Take Terada and Florence Doi, Priscilla Yamada (Washington), Peggy Pierce (Oklahoma), James and Brandy Pierce (Oklahoma), Woodward Baptist Church Adult Sunday School (California), and so many other that have never even been to our site and yet have invest so much here at Kahalu’u.  We thank you for all of your support. 

Emily and I have been told by many that church planting is a significant and challenging work.  One conference told us that you can most likely not expect to see much significance until the third year.  Then, being here we see that even more challenges come with this being more of a restart.  The community have their perceptions of who were are and we need to allow time and effort to show them that it is a new initiative here at KBC and we have a new vision for the community and to glorify God through discipleship and worship.  We see the blessings that the Lord had provided thus far.  The people that have come to KBC are some of the most amazing people I have met and I know God has led them here with a purpose.  In the midst of struggle we stand firm and have faith that we are where we are supposed to be, as long as He wants us here.  We are encouraged by the people that surround us locally and abroad.  We will be encouraged by the words of James, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”

Aloha,

Jason