January 22, 2026

Adding to last issue's Visitation pictures at Christ Church on Hawai'i Island, is this issue's header photo in which the Bishop is pictured with those who were either baptized, confirmed or reaffirmed. In front from left are Catherine Brown, Kimberly Miller, Bishop's wife Bea Fitzpatrick, and Julia Lester. In the back row are Fanny Arbelaez Orosco, Jisoo and Euna Boggs, the Bishop, Father Dwight Brown, and Dennis Costa. (Contributed Photo)

Third Sunday After the Epiphany

Give us grace, O Lord, to answer readily the call of our Savior Jesus Christ and proclaim to all people the Good News of his salvation, that we and the whole world may perceive the glory of his marvelous works; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

IN THIS ISSUE:

FEATURE STORY:

St. Andrew's Schools: Onipa'a 2026

REGULAR FEATURED SECTIONS:

Bishop's Corner - Visitation on the Garden Island
Bishop Search & Transition - Meet & Greets in April
Growing in Grace - Formed for the Middle Way: Growing in Grace Through the Via Media; Reminder: Invitation to Join the Next Session of Insight Space - Sign up now!
Island Happenings - At the Cathedral: Organ Re-Installation; Hale Hau'oli at the Cathedral

ANNOUNCEMENTS & UPCOMING:

Standing Committee Message: Reduction in Elected Delegates
RIP Joanne Leilani Coon
Annual Chrism Mass & Spring Training: A Time of Discernment - Registration now open
Clergy Retreat reminders
AANHPI Leadership Retreat - Registration now open
The Episcopal Church Survey on Household and Relationship Diversity
Applications Open for 2026-2027 Episcopal Service Year for Young Adults
Travel to Germany and Prague: Exploring Reformation Moments
Coming Up: Maui - Renewal of Ministry, the Rev. Amy Crowe

THE BISHOP'S CORNER

Visitation on the Garden Island

The Bishop visited Christ Memorial Episcopal Church in Kilauea, Kaua'i, on Sunday, January 11. The historic stone church is one of the Diocese's most quaint and picturesque buildings, engulfed in a garden of exotic blooms and foliage, lovingly tended to by members. The Bishop is pictured above with their Vicar, the Rev. Catherine Amy Kropp. Below, the Bishop gives Communion and greets longtime church members. Below right during their post-service refreshments is Branch Lotspeich and Rev. Catherine Amy. (Photos by S. Nishioka)

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.

FEATURE STORY

St. Andrew's Schools: O'nipa'a 2026

(Wording from the St. Andrew's Schools Facebook page with screenshots of the short video clip. Click on the hghlighted llink to hear the powerful oli and moments captured.)

On Friday, January 16, we gathered as a school community to observe this year’s Onipaʻa Peace March, which commemorated the 133rd anniversary of the Overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi.

As the lāhui processed along Beretania Street, our students offered oli and mele – representing St. Andrew’s Schools’ sacred ʻaina, the aliʻi who once lived here, and all the memories associated with this special place. In return, many groups paused along the route to share their own oli, mele, and hula with our gathering of students, faculty, and staff.

As a school founded by Queen Emma Kalelelonālani, we recognize this moment as a gift: to remember history, to honor legacy, and to educate our students through aloha, kuleana, and mālama.

WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE DIOCESE

Visit the Diocese's Calendar page HERE for Diocesan events & activities.

The dates, locations, and times for the Ke Aloha Kākou candidate meet-and-greets taking place in April have been finalized. This is an opportunity for folks to meet the candidates and their spouses. For those who cannot make it in person, the gatherings will be on Zoom and/or livestreamed. It is recommended that your newly elected delegates attend a meet-and-greet.

Thursday, April 23 - Kaua'i: All Saints', Kapa'a

4:00 p.m. Welcome Reception

5:30 p.m. Meet & Greet

Friday, April 24 - Maui / Moloka'i: Good Shepherd, Wailuku

4:00 p.m. Welcome Reception

5:00 p.m. Meet & Greet

Saturday, April 25 - O'ahu: St. Timothy's, Aiea

10:00 a.m. Welcome Reception

10:30 a.m. Meet & Greet

Saturday, April 25 - O'ahu: The Cathedral of St. Andrew, Honolulu

2:00 p.m. Meet & Greet

Sunday April 26 via Zoom at 3:00 p.m. in Guam

(Actually Saturday, April 25 at 7:00 p.m., HST)

Sunday, April 26 - Hawai'i Island: Hawai'i Preparatory Academy Chapel, Waimea

1:30 p.m. Welcome Reception

2:00 p.m. Meet & Greet

The Bishop Search Committee thanks everyone for their prayers. Please continue to hold us in prayer as our journey continues. Stay informed about the status and related events on the Bishop Transition webpage HERE.

From the Standing Committee: Reduction in Elected Delegates

Did you notice a reduction in elected delegates for your church? Here's why.

As churches prepare for this year's Annual Meeting season, many congregations across the Diocese have noticed a change: many of their numbers of elected lay delegates to Diocesan Convention have been reduced by one. This adjustment is the result of a constitutional amendment approved at two successive Diocesan Conventions, as required by our governing documents. As a result, most of the congregations have had their number decreased.

The amendment updated the formula used to determine how many lay delegates each congregation may elect. While the previous structure allowed for a slightly higher baseline number of delegates, the revised language streamlines representation by reducing the minimum number of delegates allotted to each church by one. The goal of this change is to create a more balanced, proportional, and sustainable delegate body across the Diocese, especially as congregational sizes and demographics continue to shift.

Every church continues to elect delegates based on its number of confirmed communicants in good standing, ensuring that representation remains fair and reflective of actual membership.

READ FULL MESSAGE HERE

RIP Joanne Leilani Coon

Joanne Leilani Coon, widow of the late Rev. Canon Dave Coon, died peacefully on Thursday, January 8, 2026. Joanne was born and raised in Hawaiʻi and attended Hawaiʻi Episcopal Academy, where she met her husband of 70 years. Joanne was a faithful and active member of St. James’ Episcopal Church on Hawai'i Island, serving in the Thrift Store Ministry, on the Altar Guild, and in countless other ways, both within the parish and in the wider community.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, February 14, at 10:00 a.m., at St. James' Episcopal Church in Waimea, with a light reception to follow.

Notes of care and sympathy may be sent to the Coon ‘ohana via Deb Hall, 64-5276 Mokuloa Drive, Kamuela, HI 96743.

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, Joanne, 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, Joanne, rest in peace. Amen.

Coming Up! Annual Chrism Mass & Spring Training:

A Time of Discernment

With Holy Week and Easter arriving early this year, our annual Chrism Mass and Spring Training event will also be taking place earlier than usual on Saturday, February 28 2026, at The Cathedral of St. Andrew. This year's theme is "A Time of Discernment" as the people of the Diocese and all of God's people are facing crossroads. While details are being finalized, our opening plenary speaker will be the Rev. Anne Kitch, who has been serving as our consultant from the Presiding Bishop's Office during the search for our new bishop. There will be two more speakers/sessions. Folks will also be able to attend an optional and very special post-Spring Training event thanks to the generosity of the Hawai'i Theater for Youth. Free admission for attendees will be available for a 4:00 p.m. performance of Pā Ka Makani in Tenney Theater. For more information and to register for Chrism Mass & Spring Training, visit the event webpage HERE or scan the QR code.

Annual Clergy Retreat Reminders

The Diocese's Annual Clergy Retreat is coming up next week at Camp Mokulē'ia, and for those who signed up, you should have received an email from Nani Carroll with updates and ride sharing information. If you have any questions, please contact her via email HERE, or call (808) 536-7776, ext. 302.

Registration now open!

Asian, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Leadership Retreat: "Let It Not Happen Again"

Registration is now open for the Asian, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Leadership Retreat taking place in Seattle, Washington, April 15-17, 2026. Based in the Episcopal Diocese of Olympia in cooperation with the Church’s Asiamerica Ministries, this retreat offers a sacred space for clergy and lay leaders of Asian, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander heritage to explore AANHPI history, worship together, and translate collective stories into advocacy for migrant communities.

For more information and to register, click HERE.

The Episcopal Church Survey on Household and Relationship Diversity

All Episcopalians are invited to complete a 15- to 20-minute survey offered by the Task Force to Study Household and Relationship Diversity and designed to help the church better understand and support all its members.

Created by General Convention in 2022, the task force seeks “to create opportunities for discussion, reflection, and deepening of understanding about existing diversity of family relationships and households among congregations, dioceses, and throughout The Episcopal Church.”

Participants are encouraged to learn more and complete the survey by March 1. CLICK HERE TO TAKE THE SURVEY NOW.

Applications Open for 2026-2027 Episcopal Service Year for Young Adults

Young adults interested in a transformative outreach experience in the U.S. or abroad are encouraged to apply for unique opportunities with the Episcopal Service Corps (ESC) and Young Adult Service Corps (YASC). Apply online HERE.

Formed for the Middle Way: Growing in Grace Through the Via Media

By the Rev. Canon Andrew J. Arakawa, Canon for Ministry Formation

Over the long Martin Luther King, Jr. weekend, I thought a lot about the via media. Although not an Anglican, Dr. King’s life and theology embodied a disciplined “middle way” between passive acceptance of injustice and violent retaliation, grounded in active, cruciform love. His nonviolent practice held together prophetic urgency and patient hope in a way that resonates strongly with our Anglican instincts about balance, tension, and formation over a lifetime. The via media is our way of being Christians that is not a lukewarm faith or an avoidance of hard truths. Rather, the via media names a disciplined, demanding path that seeks faithfulness by holding together what can feel like opposing truths. It is the place of holy tension, where Scripture, tradition, and reason remain in living conversation, and where Christian formation unfolds over a lifetime. READ FULL ARTICLE

Reminder: Invitation to Join the Next Session of Insight Space

I am pleased to share that we will be offering another session of Insight Space, a four-month program designed to support individuals discerning a call to ordained ministry as well as those seeking to serve as licensed lay ministers.

Insight Space is an initial step for individuals seeking lay or ordained ministry in our diocese and the wider Church. It provides a dedicated time for individuals to explore the meaning of lay and ordained ministry. Insight Space is open to anyone in our congregations. The experience is tailored to the specific paths of ordination and licensed lay ministry to ensure meaningful formation.

Our first session will begin on Saturday, February 14, 2026, from 9:00 am to noon via Zoom. Here are the dates for our gatherings:

Saturday, February 14, 2026 – 9:00 am to noon
Saturday, March 14, 2026 – 9:00 am to noon
Saturday, April 11, 2026 – 9:00 am to noon
Saturday, May 9, 2026 – 9:00 am to noon

Click HERE to register. The deadline to register is Saturday, January 31, 2026.

If you feel called to participate in our cohort starting this February, please make sure to reach out to your rector, vicar, priest-in-charge, or senior warden/bishop’s warden – if there is no sitting clergyperson at your congregation – to get his/her/their endorsement and assurance of support as you go through Insight Space.

We look forward to another season of deep listening, exploration, and formation in ministry.

Travel to Germany and Prague: Exploring Reformation Moments

The Rev. Ruth Peterson of St. Peter's Episcopal Church invites you to join with others from Hawai'i who will be traveling to Germany and Prague to explore the roots of an important part of Reformation history. The tour dates are May 24 - June 5, 2026, and will be shaped by Christian Tours Europe and led by a local Lutheran pastor and church organist with deep roots in Germany. The focus will be on the theology of Martin Luther and the rich musical history of the Reformation time. For more information email Phllshrmnn7@gmail.com.

OPPORTUNITIES

ORDAINED POSITION OPENINGS:

(Visit the Diocesan website HERE for more information.)

Part-time Vicar - Grace Episcopal Church, Ho'olehua, Moloka'i
Full-time Priest-in-Charge/Rector - St. Elizabeth's Episcopal Church, Honolulu, O'ahu

LAY POSITION OPENINGS:

(Visit the Diocesan website HERE for more information.)

Part-time Church Office Administrator - Lutheran Church of Honolulu, O'ahu (Note: The Episcopal Church and ELCA are in a relationship of full communion.)

Annual Clergy Retreat: January 26-28 - Camp Mokulē'ia
Annual Chrism Mass & Spring Training: Saturday, February 28 - Cathedral of St. Andrew
Ke Aloha Kākou Candidate Meet-and-Greets: April 23-26, all islands! More info HERE.
SPECIAL MEETING OF CONVENTION: Saturday, May 16 - Election of new bishop, 'Iolani School

ISLAND HAPPENINGS

Visit the Diocese's Community Calendar page HERE for ongoing activities in your neighborhood.

AT THE CATHEDRAL...

Organ Re-Installation has Begun!

The moment we’ve been waiting for is here! The Great Organ restoration is truly underway. The crew arrived on Saturday, January 17, and one by one, the newly restored pipes will make their way back home to the organ chamber. This is joyful, careful, holy work — and when complete, the organ will be more vibrant and playable than it has been in decades. Some worship and open hours have been affected including Wednesday Noonday Prayers which are temporarily being held online.

Welcoming Hale Hau'oli Adult Day Care to the Cathedral of St. Andrew

The Cathedral of St. Andrew is excited to open our doors to a kūpuna day care service called Hale Hau'oli or "happy place." Their mission is to provide a safe, welcoming environment for our senior citizens. They will be using Davies Hall, Monday-Friday, from 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. The Cathedral is the fourth Hale Hau'oli site on O'ahu. Spread the word! Visit their website HERE for more information.

The Cathedral of St. Andrew: 229 Queen Emma Square, Honolulu, HI 96813

www.cathedralhawaii.org

Coming Up January 31!

MAUI - Renewal of Ministry, the Rev. Amy Crowe

Bishop Robert Fitzpatrick will be celebrating The Renewal of Ministry and Welcoming of a New Vicar for Trinity By-the-Sea's new Vicar, the Rev. Amy Crowe. The service will take place on Saturday, January 31, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. A catered lunch will follow. Please RSVP by January 15th to joan@trinitybts.org.

The Episcopal Church & Beyond...

Episcopalians ‘protest faithfully’ against authoritarian abuses, bearing Christian witness

(1/20/26) This month, after ICE’s killing of a 37-year-old Minnesota woman led to escalating clashes between protesters and federal immigration authorities, The Episcopal Church encouraged Episcopalians to review its “Protesting Faithfully” toolkit. READ MORE

Reminders (Previously Announced)

Required Safe Church Training - This is a reminder that Safe Church training is mandatory for all clergy, employees, vestry members, and most volunteers. Please read The Episcopal Diocese of Hawai‘i Safeguarding Policy and the Diocesan Safe Church Training Webpage. This training needs to be renewed every three years. Contact your church's Safe Church Administator or priest for more information, or if you have questions, email Nani Carroll.