Posted on: Tuesday, May 20, 2003

Search for new kahu starts again

By Mary Kaye Ritz
Advertiser Religion & Ethics Writer

It could take 12 months to select a new kahu for Kawaiaha'o Church, following the rejection of Kaleo Patterson Sunday in a vote by the congregation, a church leader said yesterday.

Frank Pestana, the church's moderator (a position akin to administrator), said a new nine-member search committee will be assembled, representing Hawaiians and non-Hawaiians, young and old members and other demographics. That will take about three months, he said. The second task — picking a candidate — will take perhaps another nine months.

"We'll be repeating our steps we took for the last year and a half," Pestana said.

If he agrees to the request that is expected to be made today by Pestana, the Rev. James Merseberg will postpone his retirement and stay on as interim pastor.

"The interim is there just to calm the waters, shall we say," said Brickwood Galuteria, a lifelong member of the church and former moderator. "We feel as if we have a wonderful interim. However, he deserves a good retirement, too."

Merseberg did not return phone calls yesterday.

Sunday's vote continues an unsettled leadership picture at the 160-year-old church, Hawai'i's oldest Christian church. The Rev. William Kaina retired in 1997, and his successor, the Rev. James Fung, held the position for only 18 months.

"Our organization is such that we're not in danger of collapsing," Pestana said. "Kahu Merseberg is keeping us together, but we can't even develop a new strategic plan without a kahu. ... We (hope) to try to improve the facility, to help programs move along, but it would be better if we have our kahu first."

Galuteria said, "If this power vacuum goes on, it can really divide a congregation. ... The congregation's really gotta bear down and make it through. ... We're 'mother church,' (but we have) the same problems other churches have. It's a question of faith and spirit. It doesn't matter how much money you have, you're still a church, not the Kawaiaha'o corporation."

Pestana and Galuteria said the rejection of Patterson shrinks the pool of applicants who are of Hawaiian ancestry and speak Hawaiian. During the search that resulted in the selection of Fung, bylaws were rewritten to say those were "preferred" conditions, rather than requirements. Fung did not speak Hawaiian fluently, Pestana and Galuteria said.

"The reservoir doesn't get much bigger," said Galuteria. "With Patterson, you remove one name. With Kahu Fung, you remove another name. Those who turn you down, remove another. The reservoir is diminished, (which raises) the question of going outside the Hawaiian community. What's most important? Kawaiaha'o is a Hawaiian church, but is it a church just for Hawaiians?"

Church member and staffer Buddy Naluai said he wouldn't be averse to a non-Hawaiian kahu, "but you need to have an associate or assistant kahu who is (Hawaiian), who can take care of Hawaiians' needs. ... Our Christian walk is more important than our Hawaiian walk."