Churches turn Kukui offices into worship space

By Karen Blakeman
Advertiser Staff Writer

Tears, food, music, and greetings in many languages and dialects marked the blessing day of the Kukui Building, now the home of two immigrant churches and the offices of Pacific Gateway Center, a nonprofit immigrant assistance organization.

The three-story, 15,000 square-foot building at the corner of Queen Emma and Kukui streets was renovated by the Hawai'i Conference United Church of Christ and Foundation. More than $1 million went into the transformation.

"We were worshiping in the parks before this," said The Rev. Rensiper Lalimo, pastor of the Marshallese Ministry of the United Church of Christ.

Lalimo's Marshallese congregation now worships on the Kukui building's second floor, where the Hawaiian blessing ceremony, led by Kahu Kaleo Patterson, began. A Marshallese choir sang enthusiastic songs of greetings. Guests were presented with shell and woven grass necklaces, and haku-style head lei.

Pastor Tolenna Langu's congregation, immigrants from Kosrae in Micronesia, now worship on the third floor. At the reception that followed the ceremony, guests and parishioners — several hundred people in all — filled plates high with island-style food.

Rev. Don Sevetson, Interim Conference minister of the Hawai'i Conference United Church of Christ, told the congregations that the sharing of their faith and cultures was a great blessing. "You bring us treasures beyond measure," he said. "We are grateful."

Dr. Myaing Thien, executive director of the Pacific Gateway Center, led tours to the first floor offices of the nonprofit organization with damp eyes.

"We could never have afforded anything like this," she said. "And in our old offices, nothing matched. It was all donations."

In the Kukui building, the center's offices were decorated in the colors of their logo: dark purples, representing the ocean depths, moving into light teals, the color of the waters near the shore.

To contribute to the Kukui building organizations, contact John Derby of the Hawaii Conference Foundation at jderby@hcucc.org or 791-5638.