RIP: The Rev. Dallas Decker

The Reverend Dallas B. Decker (age 85) died following a long illness on Sunday, June 1, 2025. Dallas last served as the Vicar of St. Jude’s Church, Ocean View, from 2008-2011. He was ordained a deacon and priest in the Diocese of Long Island in 1976. He served in churches in that Diocese, and congregations in New Mexico and Montana before moving to the Big Island. He retired to California to be near family. He was predeceased by his wife, Cynthia. He is survived by four children and grandchildren.   

Service times are pending.

ALMIGHTY AND ETERNAL GOD, to whom there is never any prayer made without hope of mercy, be merciful to the soul of your faithful servant, Dallas, being departed from this world in the confession of your Holy Name that he and all the departed may be welcomed into the company of thy saints, through Christ our Lord. Amen.  

Rest eternal grant him, O Lord, and let light perpetual shine upon him. May our brother, Dallas, rest in peace. Amen.

The Right Reverend Robert L. Fitzpatrick

(Pronouns: he, him, his)

Bishop Diocesan 

The Episcopal Diocese of Hawai'i

The Episcopal Church in the Hawaiian Islands, Guam and Saipan

From June 1, 2025, until the 6th Bishop of the Diocese of Hawaiʻi is ordained and takes office (scheduled for November 14, 2026), Bishop Fitzpatrick has asked that all donations and special collections at visitations and Diocesan liturgies be designated for the “Kealiʻikoaokeakua Fund.”

The following is the official explanation of this special Diocesan fund:

The “Kealiʻikoaokeakua Fund” is a Diocesan donor designated fund, and it is to be used for the compensation (salary, housing and benefits) of any resident Bishop serving the Episcopal Church in Hawaiʻi (after the ministry of the 5th Bishop Diocesan of Hawaiʻi) and, if additional funds are available, of the executive assistant (by whatever title) supporting the ministry of such Bishop. The fund is named in honor of the Rt. Rev. Robert L. Fitzpatrick, 5th Bishop Diocesan of Hawaiʻi, who was bestowed a variation of the family name of “Kealiʻikoaokeakua” (“Kealiʻikoa” having been granted to the family by King Kalākaua and which translates into English as “Royal Warrior”) by Paulie Keākealani Jennings and her family (on August 12, 2007), and in consultation with Master Kumu Hula Nona Beamer who directed the slight change to “Kealiʻikoaokeakua” (“Royal Warrior of God”). Money from this Fund may be expended in keeping with the current policy of the Diocese as long as no draw from the Fund exceeds 5% in any calendar year. This Fund was initially established by a donation from Mr. Walter Shigeo Oshiro.

Aloha,

Beginning in 2015, the Diocese of Hawaiʻi began setting aside Trinity Sunday of every year as a time to collect a special offering to support Camp Mokulē'ia. This year, Trinity Sunday is on June 15, and I write to encourage you to use this opportunity to support this valuable ministry of the Diocese.

Mr. Darrell Whitaker, the Executive Director; the camp staff; the Board members; and volunteers, work incredibly hard at our Camp. As a place of ministry, Camp Mokulē'ia historically, has annually welcomed more than 15,000 guests on site. Through its operations, facilities and programming, the Camp strives to be a place that emphasizes the values of mālama, pono and mana that we have identified as part of our Diocesan identity.

Your financial support at this time would be a particular blessing to our Camp and will go towards supporting summer camp for many young people in 2025.

I hope every congregation will dedicate the loose plate offering to, and welcome a special collection for the Camp on Trinity Sunday, June 15, 2025.

If you’re at worship, please make checks payable to “Camp Mokulē'ia” with a memo of “Trinity Sunday offering” and put the check in the collection (your church will mail the checks to the Camp). If you want to mail your check today, send your check directly to the Camp at:

Camp Mokulē'ia

68-729 Farrington Hwy.

Waialua, HI 96791

You can also donate online at https://www.campmokuleia.org/support.

Thank you for being generous in support of our Camp and the children.

Yours faithfully,

+Bob

Robert L. Fitzpatrick, Bishop

Be sure to stay informed with the Bishop's latest messages by clicking on the button shown. All video messages also appear on the Dioceseʻs YouTube Channel and Facebook page.

Arthur "Art" Kusumoto was born in Honolulu, June 6, 1927, and died in Indian Springs, Nevada, May 9, 2025, at the age of 97.

Arthur was married to Julia Takitani (family from Kaua'i) at the Cathedral of St. Andrew. While living on O'ahu, he worshiped at Holy Nativity Episcopal Church and worked as an accountant and an insurance executive. He served Holy Nativity and the Diocese in many ways; as a Vestry member, convention Delegate, a member of the finance committee, Diocesan Council, the Standing Committee, and a Bishop Search Committee. Nationally, he was a delegate to General Convention (serving as a Senior Deputy to the House of Deputies), a member of the Asian Ministries (EAM), and served on the Church Pension Fund Board for 12 years.

Arthur and Julia moved to Maui in the late 80s and joined St. John’s where he remained deeply involved, once again serving on their vestry and as a convention delegate. Arthur was very supportive of the clergy serving on Maui and would gather them and their spouses together for meals that he would generously sponsor.

The family is planning a Celebration of Life gathering for Arthur most likely in March 2026, where he will be buried at Punchbowl with Julia, his brother Earl, and his sister-in-law Mary.

ALMIGHTY AND ETERNAL GOD, to whom there is never any prayer made without hope of mercy, be merciful to the soul of your faithful servant, Arthur, being departed from this world in the confession of your Holy Name that he and all the departed may be welcomed into the company of your saints, through Christ our Lord. Amen.  

Rest eternal grant him, O Lord, and let light perpetual shine upon him. May our brother, Arthur, rest in peace. Amen.

Roberta "Tutu" DuTeil died on May 15, 2025, at the age of 103. Tutu and her husband, the Rev. Claude DuTeil, founded what would become one of Hawai‘i’s most impactful social service organizations: the Institute for Human Services (IHS). Their grassroots effort to support the unhoused and underserved grew into a trusted and vital part of the community.

Born and raised in Alabama, Tutu’s early life was shaped by the Great Depression and, soon after, by the outbreak of World War II. Answering the call to serve, she joined the United States Navy, where she worked as a decoding officer. In a time when few women held such roles, Tutu played a vital part in military intelligence, helping to decipher communications that guided U.S. strategy and saved lives. Her role was not only critical but trailblazing—paving the way for future generations of women in both the military and technology.

After the war, Tutu and her husband felt a different kind of calling. Guided by faith, they moved to Hawai‘i to serve as Christian missionaries. What began as a simple mission to help one person at a time soon evolved into a life of dedicated service to the community.

Tutu was a beloved member of the Episcopal Church of the Annunciation in Lewisville, Texas, for over 30 years. A service is being held there today, June 5, at 11:00 AM.

In Hawai'i, a service will be held at The Cathedral of St. Andrew in Honolulu on Saturday, September 6, 2025, at 3:00 PM.

ALMIGHTY AND ETERNAL GOD, to whom there is never any prayer made without hope of mercy, be merciful to the soul of your faithful servant, Roberta, being departed from this world in the confession of your Holy Name that she and all the departed may be welcomed into the company of your saints, through Christ our Lord. Amen.  

Rest eternal grant her, O Lord, and let light perpetual shine upon her. May our sister, Roberta, rest in peace. Amen.

(Excerpts from https://www.savemylegacy.com/post/tutu; photos: Facebook pages of daugher MayAnn and Episcopal Church of Annunciation)

The Episcopal Diocese of Hawai’i's Social Justice Task Force is co-sponsoring a special online webinar this Saturday, June 7, at 8:00 AM (HST). The guest speaker is the Rev. Dr. Allan Boesak, author, global human rights activist, and South African theologian who played a leading role in the anti-apartheid struggle. Dr. Boesak has received numerous awards and accolades for his work. These include the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award, the Martin Luther King Jr. Peace Award, and the King Hintsa Bravery Award from the Royal Xhosa House. He also holds twelve honorary degrees from prestigious institutions such as Yale University and the University of Geneva.  

Along with our Social Justice Task Force, this webinar is cosponsored by Hui Aloha ‘O Hawaii Indivisible, Kaua’i’s Justice and Witness Committee, and the HCUCC Justice & Witness Missional Team. This webinar will take place on Zoom and will include a Q & A session. Click HERE for the Zoom link.

In-person workshops are taking place on each island. Listed below are the remaining scheduled workshops. Note that there are two workshops being held on O'ahu that anyone may attend. If you have questions, email Canon Sandy Graham HERE.

• Kaua'i, Saturday, June 7, 10:00 AM-11:30 AM, All Saints' Church, 4-1061 Kuhio Hwy., Kapa'a. Click HERE for the informational flier, and HERE to register.
• Big Island, Saturday, June14, 10:00 AM-11:30 AM, St. James' Church, 65-1237 Kawaihae Rd, Kamuela. Click HERE for the informational flier, and HERE to register.
• Windward O'ahu, Saturday, June 21, 2:00 PM-3:30 PM, St. Christopher's Church, 93 N. Kainalu Dr, Kailua. Click HERE for the informational flier, and HERE to register. 
• Honolulu, O'ahu, Saturday, July 5, 10:00 AM-11:30 AM, The Cathedral of St. Andrew, 229 Queen Emma Square, Honolulu. Click HERE for the informational flier, and HERE to register. 

FIRST SUMMER SPEAKER SERIES NOW AVAILABLE FOR VIEWING

The Diocese's Huli team kicked off its special online Summer Speaker Series on Saturday, May 24, with Dr. Kamanamaikalani Beamer on the subject “Waiwai: Water and the Future of Hawaiʻi.” You can view the fully recorded session on the Huli webpage HERE or on YouTube HERE. There are two speakers remaining in the summer series that takes place online Saturday mornings from 9:00 AM-11:00 AM. Click HERE to register and receive the Zoom link. Your remaining speakers are:

• July 26 - The Reverend Rachel Taber-Hamilton, a Shackan First Nation person and an Episcopal priest
• August 2 - Robin Wall Kimmerer. “What Does the Earth Ask of Us?”



Beach Party Every Wednesday at Camp this Summer!

Beginning on June 18, the folks at Camp Mokulē'ia will be organizing an evening beach party every Wednesday through July 16! It's a relaxed all-camp dinner activity with a cookout, fun beach activities, sunset photos, and even a hula lesson or two! Visit their website HERE for more about their programs.

REGISTER NOW! ANNUAL CLERGY CONFERENCE ON THE BIG ISLAND - All clergy in the Diocese are invited to attend the annual Clergy Conference being held August 25-27, 2025, at the Grand Naniloa Hotel in Hilo, on the Big Island. We are delighted to have as our guest speaker, the Rev. Canon C. K. Robertson, Ph.D., who has served for many years as Canon to the Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church, as well as Distinguished Visiting Professor at General Theological Seminary. Special hotel group room rates have been secured. Visit the event webpage HERE for more information and to register.