“The church is becoming much more active today,” says Keoki. “There is a generational shift occurring, and younger members like myself are becoming more involved and active in leadership at the congregational level, the conference level, even up to the national setting, as well as in the many different organizations to which we belong like the Association of Hawaiian Evangelical Churches and the State Council of
The mothers of Pukaÿana Church posing for a photo in preparation for the church's Mother's Day-themed Höÿike, March 2017. (Photo by Keoki Kïwaha) photo courtesy of Pukaÿana Church
(Left-right) Bonnie Gilles, Sharon Matsuyama, Glenn Kaiawe, Patricia Mejia, and Keoki Kïwaha as delegates representing Pukaÿana at the 2016 ÿAha Paeÿäina in June 2016. (Photo by Hawaiÿi Conference UCC) photo courtesy of Pukaÿana Church
KeOlaMagazine.com | November-December 2017
Hawaiian Congregational Churches. Our youth have been steadily growing; we average 10–15 children. The church has a Sunday school for its younger members and has organized several community events. “In the past we have had free movie nights for the entire community that were
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held monthly.” Keoki adds that within the last three years Puka‘ana Church has hosted Halloween pumpkin carving events, Operation Brown Bag Blessings for Thanksgiving where they give out free lunches, a Christmas community dinner, and marched in the Kailua-Kona Christmas parade. Looking toward the future, Keoki says the church is planning on restoring its sanctuary in the near future, as the building is over 100 years old. “And we’re doing our best to raise up new leaders in the church who will receive the torch from the kūpuna (elders) and carry it into the future.” Among those new