Old church opens doors to future

By Mary Kaye Ritz
Advertiser Religion & Ethics Writer

Kaumakapili Church president Trevor Maunakea examines the sanctuary of the 93-year-old church. The church has just undergone a $2.4 million renovation. An unveiling will take place at tomorrow's service. Bruce Asato • The Honolulu Advertiser Kaumakapili Church Renovation unveiling will take place at the 10:30 a.m. service tomorrow 766 N. King St. 845-0908

Ask church member Henry Maunakea if the 93-year-old building has ever had a major renovation and he releases a rumbling laugh.

"Not like this," said Maunakea, who's also overseeing a project chronicling the history of the church.

Though Kaumakapili was first settled in 1837 as the church of the maka'ainana (common folk), it has only been at its current location since 1911. In that time, the historic story glass — a kind of stained glass that tells a story, this one of the Rev. Lowell Smith, the founding missionary — managed to survive vandals and storms, but needed a good cleaning and some repair. Termites and wood rot had taken their toll on the wooden building, and upgrades were needed.

Tomorrow's festivities bring an end to the waiting and watching period. The church has been meeting since Easter in the nearby hall. Tomorrow, they'll meet there again, but this time, the barricades will be gone, the scaffolding will have been taken down and the plywood maze keeping nonessential personnel away will have been hauled out.

Henry Aarona Sr. and Martha Hohu, both in their 90s and longtime Kaumakapili members, will then untie the maile during a blessing ceremony, and the congregation will be welcomed back to the sanctuary, with its sparkling new gold-leaf on the organ pipes, the new paint job and new windows, some dedicated to late members of the church by their progeny.

Maunakea said he expects about 200 church members to attend the unveiling.