Houses of worship all around

By H. Murray Hohns
Special to The Advertiser

I took a seminary course here in Honolulu a dozen years ago. It was fun, and I enjoyed getting to know the teacher, a nun whose primary responsibility was teaching at Chaminade University. She was a delightful lady, though busy beyond belief — what with this special class and her other projects, one of which was locating all the places in

Honolulu where people met for worship. She assembled detailed maps for her project. Until I saw her mapping efforts, I had no idea that our city had that many places where worshippers gather.

I was so impressed with the overwhelming number of these that I started to constantly look for churches, temples and other places where we worship as I went about my daily activities. There are far more than you think there are, and I can tell you that Honolulu is not unique in this regard.

I found that some places where we worship are magnificent structures, awe inspiring to both member/attendee and passer-by with their size, place of prominence and skillful architecture. Others rent space to meet in our schools, hotels, warehouses and office buildings.

Many congregate in little storefront meeting places. These are so unremarkable that the average passer-by will not even notice they are there, but I assure you that seemingly insignificant, tiny houses of worship with strange, unfamiliar names are located all over our community.

Some may wonder: What could possibly happen in one of these little innocuous looking storefront meetings? How could anything of value be experienced or found there?

Moreover, I know that many of us wonder if anything valuable or significant happens even in our more physically striking churches and temples. Many of us don't even bother to go to such a meeting place.There are more important things to do on Sunday mornings, or whenever worshippers gather.

Yet I know that heaven comes down like a lightning strike each time those small and larger bands of worshippers gather and begin to sing to and about the God.

Our refrain, as inept as it may be with our fallible voices and hearts, blends in perfect harmony with the eternal voices of the myriad angels, seraphim, cherubim and the redeemed that continually cry "Holy, Holy, Holy" in the glorious throne room of our creator, the one to whom we owe all. And we, in that joined worship, end up transported and changed forever.

If this is true, it is most astonishing thing that will happen on our island today and every day. And you and I, all of us, are welcome and wanted in that chorus.

H. Murray Hohns of Makiki is a retired engineer and an associate pastor at New Hope Christian Fellowship.

Expressions of Faith is a column that welcomes written works by pastors, priests, laypeople and other leaders in faith and spirituality. E-mail faith@honoluluadvertiser.com or call 525-8036. Articles of 500 words or less are preferred. Articles submitted to The Advertiser may be published or distributed in print, electronic or other forms.