Tuesday, August 2, 2011 | Last Updated Tuesday, August 2, 2011 10:57 Pacific/Honolulu
Establishing New Communities of Faith
Aloha!
I am most pleased about the possibility of a new ministry in the Diocese. During my years as the Priest at St. Luke's Church, I became convinced that we, as a Diocese, needed to do more to evaluate whether a Korean language ministry was still viable on Oahu. I began conversation with the Episcopal Church Korean Convocation. The first ministry in the Episcopal Church to Koreans was begun in this Diocese, and the first native Korean ordained in the Episcopal Church was from here. Much of the ministry here on Oahu is, in fact, older than work by Anglicans in Korea. There is a lively Korean community in Hawai'i, but the Episcopal Church has had very limited impact on it for a couple of decades. When Kahu Tom Van Culin served as vicar of St. Luke's, he reported much the same concern and strongly urged me to find a way to at least explore a new Korean language ministry. During the centennial of St. Luke's Church in April, 2009, I had a long personal conversation with Archbishop Paul Kim of Seoul, of the Anglican Church in Korea. He suggested that he would like to help send Korean clergy to help explore whether Korean language was viable in Honolulu and to help "save" the historic mother church of all Korean Episcopal ministries. He was quite well informed of the history of St. Luke's Church. He and individual priests of the Korean Convocation of the Episcopal Church contacted me regularly to encourage a new start to Korean language ministry in Hawai'i.
I held on to the idea until the House of Bishops meeting in March, 2011. Archbishop Kim was there to address the Episcopal Bishops. (He was most supportive of the Episcopal Church.) We talked several times and he told me of a clergy couple, David and Anna Oh, with good English skills, (Anna had studied opera at the Manhattan School of Music), who feel called to "mission" work. As soon as I returned home, I contacted the chairs of the Congregation Health and Growth Commission and the Mission Department, to ask about funding possibilities. The Oh's came for a visit during the last week of June. It was a very good visit. I would like them to come as missionaries to Hawai'i.
What would this be like? The Oh's would come on three-year religious workers' visas. The visa restricts how much they can be paid. I have strongly urged St. Luke's Church to help with housing and auto. This is a ministry opportunity that presented itself and I think worth the risk for three years, especially if partnerships can be formed and some additional funding of $60,000 a year can be secured from the Diocesan budget. I want a clear report on whether Korean ministry is vital and needed. At this time, I want to separate any emerging minsitry from a particular site or congregation. Though St. Luke's Church and the Judd Street site are the historic location of Korean language ministry, is it still the best venue for such a ministry in the Diocese today? Both David and Anna have been trained in congregational development, evangelism, and contemporary (and classical) music. If, at the end of two years, it is clear this is not needed and a Korean language ministry in the Episcopal Church in Hawai'i is not practical, I will help them move on. If there is a self-sustaining congregation in the works, I will help gain residency and establish the new "parish' at the St. Luke's site or where most needed. This is a three-year commitment to evaluate ministry and need. I will act as the direct supervisor. I hope we can use this as a model for other new ethnic communities for evaluation and development. There may be funding from other church sources for this ministry. The Oh's ministries require a partnership with other communities of faith (even schools) if another site is needed, or if their skills could be better used elsewhere during the three-year evaluation period.
We must work to establish new communities of faith (congregations) in new sites and in old buildings. My prayer is that every worship site (local church building) of the Diocese could have several Episcopal communities of faith reaching different populations with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Some of these ministries will be based on language or culture, but others on generation or a particular community. We have much to do to share the Good News of God's Love.
Please keep the Oh's in your prayers as this ministry unfolds.
"Therefore, my beloved, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord, because you know that in the Lord your labour is not in vain." 1 Corinthians 15:58
Aloha ma i Iesu Kristo, ko makou Haku.
+Bob
The Right Reverend Robert L. Fitzpatrick
+Keali'ikoakeakua