Christ Memorial Episcopal Church

History

 

 

The Episcopal Church in Hawai'i began in 1862 when King Kamehameha IV and Queen Emma invited the Church of England to Hawai‘i. The King and Queen supported the Church's establishment throughout the islands with gifts of land, and by founding the Cathedral of St. Andrew in Honolulu. Queen Emma also founded Queen's Hospital (now Queen's Medical Center) and St. Andrew's Priory School for Girls in Honolulu.

As early as 1888 worship services were held in Kilauea under the direction of lay leadership and Bishop Willis. Bishop Willis had been sent to Hawai`i by the Church of England and on occasion, confirmed people in Kilauea. By 1924 the time had come for a permanent church in Kilauea, and under the leadership of Bishop LaMothe and the Rev. Henry Wyllie, Episcopalians in the area started worshipping in a frame building owned by the Hawaiian Congregational Church.

In 1939 the Kilauea Sugar Company deeded the churchyard to the Episcopal Diocese of Hawaii and gave the native stone used in the erection of our present building. The chief benefactor, however, was Mrs. Robert Shapard, of Griffin, Georgia, in memory of her husband, and on the Second Sunday after Epiphany on January 19, 1941, the Right Rev. Harrington Littell consecrated the church.

The graveyard surrounding the church dates back to the earliest days of the original Hawaiian Congregational Church, with many graves dating back over 100 years. Unfortunately, many graves are unmarked and the number of people buried here will probably remain a secret known only to God.

 

The Altar
Of the many memorial gifts given to the church, four are especially worth noticing. One is the Altar, hand carved by Mrs. Harrison Rice. It shows four basic symbols of Christianity: the cross, grapes, wheat and the passion flower. The others are the magnificent stained glass windows, all executed in England and re-worked in 1968.

A beautiful locally hand-carved Honduran Mahogany Altar Rail was given to the church by Mrs. Dorothy Bridges in memory of her husband Lloyd Bridges. The rail was dedicated in the presence of Mrs. Bridges and her family on Easter Sunday 2000.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Stained Glass Windows (see slides above)
Christ Memorial Episcopal Church is one of the most picturesque Episcopal churches in the Hawaiian Islands. It is noted for its' magnificent stained glass windows that many people come to photograph. The windows were executed in England and are of the very best design and workmanship. They were reworked in 1968 to insure their long life. The rose window over the front door is of a traditional design and is basic to traditional Anglican Church architecture. The side and front windows portray the life of Jesus Christ, beginning with the window over the Altar and continuing in a counter-clockwise direction: The Infant Jesus and His Mother; Christ in the Temple; The Baptism of Jesus; The Sower; The Good Shepherd; Christ as Priest; Christ in Gethsemane; The Crucifixion; The Resurrection; The Ascension of Christ. 

EPISCOPAL "101"
The word “Episcopal” refers to government by bishops (from the Greek “episcopoi” meaning “bishops”). The historic episcopate continues the work of the first apostles in the Church, guarding the faith, unity and discipline of the Church, and ordaining women and men to continue Christ’s ministry.

WHAT IS AN EPISCOPALIAN?

• An Episcopalian is a person who belongs to The Episcopal Church, a branch of the worldwide Anglican Communion.
• As Episcopalians, we are followers of Jesus Christ, our Lord, and we believe in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
• We strive to love our neighbors as ourselves and respect the dignity of every person.
• We celebrate our unity in Christ while honoring our differences, always putting the work of love before uniformity of opinion.
• All are welcome to find a spiritual home in the Episcopal Church.

WHAT ARE THE BELIEFS?
As Episcopalians, we believe:

• The Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament are the revealed Word of God “containing all things necessary to salvation,” and as being the rule and ultimate standard of faith.
• The Apostles’ Creed is the Baptismal Symbol; and the Nicene Creed, is the sufficient statement of the Christian faith. These Creeds were adopted by the Church in the fourth century. The Apostles’ being said at Baptisms and at Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer. The Nicene Creed is said every Sunday at celebrations of the Holy Eucharist in Episcopal and Anglican churches around the United States and world. (http://www.creeds.net/ancient/nicene.htm).
• There are two Sacraments ordained by Christ Himself—Baptism and the Supper of the Lord ministered with unfailing use of Christ’s words of Institution, and of the elements ordained by Him. In Baptism (with water in the name of the Holy Trinity), we renounce Satan, repent of our sins, and adopt Jesus as our Lord and Savior. In the Holy Eucharist (with Bread and Wine), the center of our worship life, we remember and participate in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ until his coming again.
• The basis of ordained ministry is the Historic Episcopate (with bishops, priests and deacons), locally adapted in the methods of its administration to the varying needs of the nations and peoples called of God into the Unity of His Church.

For further exploration of the teaching of the Episcopal Church can be found in the Church's Catechism: (http://www.bcponline.org, click on "The Catechism"). Here the teachings and beliefs of the Episcopal Church are articulated in this "Outline of the Faith." It is designed in a question and answer format.

The Anglican Communion
The Anglican Communion, of which the Episcopal Church is a part, comprises those parts of the Holy Catholic Church which are in communion with and recognize the leadership of the See of Canterbury in the Church of England. It consists of the Member Churches of the Anglican Communion: See Link

Services are held at Christ Memorial Episcopal Church every Sunday at 9:00 AM as well as special services on Ash Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Christmas Eve.