St. Columba's Blesses Renovations for Mission and Outreach
(Press Release from St. James' dated January 18, 2024)

[January 25, 2024]  St. Columba’s Episcopal Church in Pa’auilo has plenty to sing about! After years of dreaming, planning, and eight months of construction, "renovations for mission and outreach" were blessed by the Right Rev. Robert Fitzpatrick, the Bishop for the Episcopal Diocese of Hawai’i, during their Sunday service on January 14. The build includes a new certified kitchen, multi-purpose keiki building, storage room, ADA compliant bathrooms, and outside grill and wok area. 

​​Established in 1954, St. Columba’s church gradually dwindled in numbers after the closure of the sugar cane plantation. While the congregation decreased in attendance, its spirit remained strong. Thirteen years ago, the St. Columba’s congregation united with St. James’ Church in Waimea. During the height of the COVID pandemic, 400 meals were being cooked by the Community Meal at St. James’ and distributed at St. Columba’s to the Hamakua Coast community. However, after a year of transporting meals from Waimea to Pa’auilo, it was clear this was not logistically feasible in the long-term.​

“The Pandemic confirmed the need in community and opportunity for outreach,” said the Rev. David Stout, Rector of the St. James' Parish of which St. Columba’s is a part. “What we needed was a kitchen at St. Columba’s. Through lots of financial gifts from generous donors, grants secured by parishioner, Tim Bostock, and using the parish’s own reserves, the construction began.”

Six years ago, the Rev. Linda Lundgren and her husband Bob, were called to the St. Columba’s congregation. Rev. Linda, as she is called by her church members, states, “Our God-inspired mission is to bring families together again, through cultural and ethnic cuisine. There is much knowledge and stories that flow from the kupuna. Sitting and talking story over a meal of pancit, chicken long rice, adobo, or Sinangag, the stories of the ‘cane days’ flow. This heritage will be lost forever if we do not tap into that resource. Kupuna can teach the children, and the children will learn their heritage through food and recipes.”

​Following Sunday’s blessing and worship service, the new kitchen facilities were in full swing, as the congregation fed the 150+ folks in attendance. One church member, Patricia Anderson, happily stated, “This luncheon is our first Community Meal!”

The Rev. Linda made sure to recognize the support of a neighboring church. “Our parish is immensely thankful to Our Lady of Lourdes Roman Catholic Church of Honoka’a for graciously providing space at St. Anthony’s parish hall for the St. Columba’s congregation to worship during the construction.”

Sunday’s service was filled with singing, laughter, and smiles. “I call it a miracle,” said Rev. Linda, “because we were a church of around 15 souls, and we were given this massive, seemingly unattainable dream. Well, with God nothing is impossible, and that unattainable dream is now realized.”

St. Columba's is located at 43-1425 Hauola Rd, Paʻauilo, HI 96776, just below Paʻauilo Elementary & Intermediate School.

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​(Contributed photos by Paul Lee and the St. James' Facebook page)
Related article: https://www.episcopalhawaiinews.org/2020-08-21-stjames-meal-ministry.html​