Christmas Eve Hawaiian Style 2023

This was an evening of highlighting the Birth of Christ with a Hawaiian Focus and featured the Wesley Ukulele Band, led by Tina Urata (far right) and the Choir led by Mark Teagle (speaking). The WUB sang and played Haleluia in Hawaiian and was accompanied by the choir and featured Mark on the cello. They also led the Christmas song, “Mele Kalikimaka. The liturgy telling the Nativity story was presented by our members from Hawaii.

Karri and Ricardo Murillo and Family lit the Christ candle proclaiming, “We light these candles, the candle of joyous hope, of proclaimed peace, of deep everlasting joy and today of presence that speaks of love, as a sign that no matter our circumstance, we know we are not alone.”

Our church was a packed house as we had over 200 in service including Warren and Rosie Shimonishi. Warren is from Hawaii and both showed their holiday spirit.

While singing "Silent Night" in English, Japanese, and Hawaiian, and the house lights off, amidst the pitch black sanctuary, there was a sea of glorious candle light, shining through the darkness warming our hearts. Our community of light breaks the hold darkness can have on each of us, but together, we become God’s servants and the light of the world.