HONOKOWAI – Six Kamehameha Schools Maui Deputation Team members, along with Kahu Kalani Wong, led Sunday’s worship service at the Lahuiokalani-Ka’anapali Congregational Church on February 19, 2012.
“They [the students] did well. If there were any signs of nervousness, you couldn’t tell,” Kahu Wong said.
The Deputation Team members, dressed in their dress whites, arrived at the church by 9:40 a.m. to begin mass at 10:00 a.m.
Students were assigned different roles. Some of these parts included, reciting the call to worship, offering the bread and cup and opening and closing the service through prayer.
Freshman Samantha Hill said that leading services is always a fun thing to do. “I was excited to do it,” she said.
The homily was given by senior Naomi Holokai, who spoke about making decisions. She shared her own personal experience on a tough decision that she recently had to make.
“Making any decision is better than making none,” she said. After contemplating what to do, she said trusting in the Lord guided her in making the best decision.
It was Holokai’s second time speaking at the church, but she still felt nervous.
“I was nervous, but I knew that God was supporting me,” Holokai said. “I hope God worked through me to touch the people that were there listening.”
Each person attending mass was given the opportunity to introduce themselves. Many were not locals to Hawai’i, but there were some Lahaina residents there, too, like Addy Cabreras. She said that after Holokai’s homily, she learned to trust in the Lord more when making decisions.
“To see the youth have a hunger in church and leading worship services revives my spirit because the youth today don’t know God,” Cabreras said.
Everyone was invited to have beverages and lunch, provided by church member Aileen Trout, outside of the church when service ended.
Lahuiokalani-Ka’anapali Congregational Church was established in 1929 and has been passed on through generations of Trout’s family. She took on most of the responsibility after her mother became too old to carry on the duties of the church.
Kahu Wong believes that allowing high school students to lead worship services is beneficial. “It gives them an opportunity to contribute out through worship experience of others, to put to practice things they learned at the deputation retreat in August and serve as ministers,” he said.
Part of the Deputation Team’s responsibility is to serve other churches on Maui and to share God’s word, so others will get to know who He is.
Kahu Wong and the Deputation Team have held worship services at other churches in the past, and they hope to hold one more service before this school year ends.
