The E-Newspaper of the Episcopal Diocese of Hawai'i

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General Convention:

Worshipping with our Episcopal 'Ohana

By The Rev. Giovan King, St. Christopher's Episcopal Church, Kailua

Our Hawai'i team recently returned from General Convention.  My husband Tom and I went as volunteers (me in worship, him in the Houses of Bishops and of Deputies).  I also had media credentials and so I was taking a few notes for a potential article which, thanks to an extension from Sybil, you are reading now.  I also got some fairly decent pictures on my  iPhone that [are shown here] and can also be viewed at the St. Christopher's website.

  
I am struck by how different my notes about Convention read from the articles about it that I have since read.  I suspect it is the former Congregationalist in me.

The Revs. Marvin Foltz, David Jackson and Bill Miller with Bishop Bob Fitzpatrick at General Convention.

I attended most National Association of Congregational Christian Churches Annual Meetings from 1984 until 2005, as a Congregational minister.  And then, I was most fortunate and blessed to have the first General Convention held following my transition to the Episcopal priesthood in what was then my own backyard: Anaheim in 2009.  I was in search of a new call at that time, and little did I dream that I would be attending General Convention 2012 as a volunteer from the Diocese of Hawai'i! 

For me, national church meetings are family reunions, where rich, deep, and transforming worship happens.  In Congregational Christian Church Annual Meetings, neither the national office nor the Annual Meeting itself makes any statement or pronouncement ... about anything.  On the one hand it is nice: Congregational delegates rarely if ever return to their fold to face questions like: "What on earth were you all thinking when you voted on that issue?" and "How did you vote on that?"  There's very little to explain upon return from a National Association of Congregational Christian Churches annual meeting, except about how wonderful the worship was, the fabulous food served, and how so-and-so from the Michigan Association is doing, or to hear how such-and-such is going in the Massachusetts Association.

General Convention, on the other hand, is hard work.  And, you can tell that important work gets done there.  Important ministry is done as well.  We make a (good) difference in the world.  Hats off to our Bishop and deputies, who read mountains of material, go to countless hearings and meetings, and have to be present on the floor of their respective Houses at any  given time for a crucial (or non-crucial) vote.  But, know also that they participate in some of the most beautiful, deep, inclusive, transformative worship around.  We Episcopalians pull out all the stops when it comes to our worship at Convention.  We heard and sang music from all over the world.  We heard some powerful messages from true prophets.  We prayed powerful prayers.  And, every day, we received nourishment from sharing in the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.  I am convinced that one of the coolest things one can do at Convention is to accept the invitation to help distribute the elements at Holy Eucharist.  Anyone present may serve in this way.  I was usually quite busy in my volunteer role at worship services (one of my best friends, from Southwestern Virginia, whispered to me at one point, in his perfect Southern gentleman-speak: "Giovan, if this priest gig doesn't work out, I'll bet you can get yourself a job as an usher on Broadway.").  But, Tom and I both accepted the invitation to help distribute the elements on the last day, at the closing service, and, as always, it was a "chicken skin" moment. 

 
How many times have you shared Communion with thousands of members of your Episcopal ohana?  Now, that is transformative.

And all of us fortunate to attend General Conventions are able to build deeper relationships with those we already know, and get to know people we might never know but for Convention.  I loved the raucous parties held by my former Diocese of Los Angeles.  I had great laughs with several of my Virginia Seminary classmates.  (Tom won the Western weaved bowl that was the centerpiece on our table at the Virginia Seminary dinner.)  I loved getting to know some in our Hawai'i contingent better.  I reconnected with people I first met in Anaheim in 2009.  And, I was able to kiss and hug and laugh with close friends from around our national Church (including friends from the Diocese of Haiti - did you know that the Diocese of Haiti is the largest Diocese in our Episcopal Church?). 

 
The House of Bishops and House of Deputies each have chaplains who lead them in prayer at the beginning and end of each session, as well as before they vote on what they sense may be a difficult issue.  There is pastoral care and a respect for the dignity of every human being everywhere you look at Convention.  Okay, I'd be lying if I didn't admit that some conversations can get heated.  But I believe people almost universally spoke a language of love, and spoke their truth with the knowledge that it was not necessarily another person's truth.

One of the chaplains for the House of Deputies was Dr. Jenny Te Paa, Principal of Te Rau Kahikatea, College of St. John the Evangelist, Auckland, Zealand.  She will be with us for our Sesquicentennial Celebration in the Fall.  I remember walking through the House of Deputies near the close of one of their morning sessions, and she was praying at the microphone, and after her prayer some beautiful Hawaiian (or at least Polynesian) music began to play.   I was homesick!  The first but not the last time that I will be homesick for Hawai'i, I'm sure.

And, that moment reminded me that probably the biggest transformation for me, personally, at this General Convention came as I said over and over again: "I'm Giovan King and I am from the Diocese of Hawai'i;" or "I live in Hawai'i;" or even a time or two: "I paddle in a six-person outrigger in the ocean by my house, year in and year out."  You say it and live it long enough and it is true.

So, if you want to know more about some of the critical issues decided at General Convention, this was not your article and I am not your enlightener.  If you want a cheerleader who will tell you over and over again how wonderful it is and what a privilege it is to be at General Convention, I can be that person.  The Holy Spirit moves in wonderfully mysterious ways.  And, she really breathes her magic breath of life, every three years, whenever a few thousand Episcopalians are gathered together in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.   Amene.

Shots from General Convention L-R: The Rt. Rev. Bob Fitzpatrick, Rev. David Jackson, and Rev. Bill Miller at work; Rev. Heather Mueller at dinner; the Hawai`i delegation at dinner; The Very Rev. Walter Brownridge. All photos in this article by Rev. Giovan King.

How to leave a Bequest to your Church

By Jane Tonokawa, Chair, Planned Giving Commission

Some of you may be interested in leaving a bequest to your Church, the church that has meant so much to you over the years. How can you do this with very little trouble? You may be thinking that it will take much energy and time to effect a change to your will, but in reality, it will take hardly any time at all.

Here's the language you need, and it can be handwritten, signed, and witnessed:

Codicil to Last Will and Testament. You can simply draft a short codicil, or amendment, to the existing document, using this or similar language:

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have signed, published and declared this instrument, to be a codicil to my Last Will and Testament, at _______, Hawaii, on this _____ day of _________, 20xx.

                                                                    ____________________________

                                                                     JOHN Q. TESTATOR (your name) 

Signed, published and declared by JOHN Q. TESTATOR as and for a codicil to his Last Will and Testament, in the presence of us, all being present at the same time, who, at his request, in his presence and in the presence of each other, have hereunto signed our names as witnesses on the day and year last above written.

Witness                                              Honolulu, Hawaii

This is just an example. Common options are: 

* Leaving real property or stocks

You may want to consult your attorney to review this language or to discuss other types of planned gifts. If you have any questions, please contact Peter Pereira, the Diocesan Treasurer at pcpereira@episcopalhawaii.org. 

Even though Tongans are dispersed around the world, they still value traditional Tongan tapa, particularly at rites of passage times.  Since the passing of Father Saimone Lino in early January, two handsome Tongan tapas have been given to the Diocese. 

 
Tapas are a sign of traditional wealth that are accumulated but also repurposed and re-gifted for another event.  For a funeral, there is insufficient time to make a new tapa, so an accumulated one can be re-given to the family of the deceased or someone who was important to the family.  The Lino family presented Bishop Fitzpatrick with a large Tongan tapa in honor of his services to the family and the Tongan community.  There are twelve Tongan members of Saint Elizabeth's church including a vibrant Tongan Choir.

Bishop Bob and Bea Fitzpatrick are trying to figure out the best location to display this splendid work of art, which is 18 by 30 feet.  When Bea Fitzpatrick asked me to photograph the tapa, it was folded in half.  Even doubled over, it covered a large portion of the floor of the Von Holt Room.  A classmate of mine, Maile Drake, of Tongan ancestry, specializes in researching and writing about Tongan tapa.  She granted Bea and me a Saturday morning to explain the significance of the designs.  There are vertical rows with squares depicting the crest of the royal Tongan family with symbols of the crown, cross, spears and flags.  On each crest is the phrase: "Koeotua Motongakoha Tofia" which means "God and Tonga is my heritage." 

The vertical rows on each side on the tapa feature scenic designs with rows of pine trees, star, moon and sun.    Maile explained that pine trees are of course trees introduced from Europe, but that design alludes to the rows of pine trees leading up to the royal palace.  With all of these symbols of the royal Tongan family, this tapa is appropriate for any occasion and worthy to give to someone in high position, such as our Bishop.

Tapa given to St. Elizabeth's from the Lino family.

Another aspect of this tapa that makes it so traditional is that it is constructed with wauke or paper mulberry bark.  It takes a tremendous amount of time to harvest, prepare and pound into sheets.  In today's world where many Tongans are spread across the Pacific and the mainland and working full-time jobs, they do not have the necessary time to start from scratch.  Contemporary Tongan tapa is often based upon what Maile refers to as "Viline".  In Hawai'i non-fusible (non-adhesive) polyester interfacing is used to simulate tapa as it is in Tonga.  Fabric stores in Hawai'i carry Pellon, a brand name that Hawaiian hula hālau use as a substitute tapa for costumes because it has the "poof" (body) and takes dyes well.  Modern day Tongans often start with Pellon or "Viline" for the background fabric using dye to paint either traditional designs or contemporary pictures. 

These tapas, both the one given to Bishop Fitzpatrick and the one given to Saint Elizabeth's church, are truly traditional in use of paper mulberry background material and design patterns.  Mrs. Fane Lino cut a 12' by 12' section from a larger tapa, which was stapled onto a wooden dowel to support its weight while hanging.  Members of the Pacific Islander Ministry Committee assisted Charles Steffey, carpenter, in hanging the tapa high on the back wall of Saint Elizabeth's nave.  This deep-toned tapa is truly a dramatic addition to Saint Elizabeth's Church.  Both tapa, the one hanging in Saint Elizabeth's and the one still in need of the right display location are gifts of great value from the Lino family to the Diocese.  They both represent the best of traditional Tongan art in the use of material and design. 

The following two articles and photos are from the Good Shepherd Facebook site.  

 

 

The General Convention which took place in Indianapolis in July, offered new and creative responses to the call of the gospel in our day.  We saw gracious and pastoral responses to polarizing issues, as well as a new honesty about the need for change.

18 Young Adult Episcopalians serve as missionaries throughout the Anglican Communion

Eighteen young adults from 13 Episcopal Church dioceses will be serving as missionaries in the Young Adult Service Corps (YASC) for the 2012-2013 term in locales throughout the Anglican Communion, including eight new ministries.

This year's group of missionaries boasts the largest number of YASC volunteers ever. YASC is a ministry for Episcopal young adults, ages 21 - 30, who are interested in exploring their faith in new ways by living and serving in communities around the Anglican Communion.

The Rev. David Copley, Mission Personnel Officer, noted that while the day-to-day duties of each placement vary, the experiences of the YASCers are life-changing.  "YASC brings young adults into the life of the worldwide Anglican Communion and into the daily work of a local community," he explained.

"YASC offers young adults an opportunity to live out their Baptismal Covenant by seeking and serving Christ in people all around God's world," commented Elizabeth Boe, Global Networking Officer.

Each YASCer maintains a blog, detailing their service, reflections and adventures. Boe, a former YASC volunteer who served in Tanzania, reported that blogs provide an ideal means for connecting with others in the Episcopal Church and around the world.

To read more about each of the missionaries, click HERE.

CONTACT INFORMATION