History
The Windows
Christ Memorial Episcopal Church is one of the most picturesque Episcopal churches in the Hawaiian Islands. It is recommended in many tourist guides as a “stopping place” for visitors who come daily. 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.
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The History
There is also an interesting history attached to the church itself. 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 Christ Memorial Church and gave the native stone used in the erection of the 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.
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 King Kamehameha IV & Queen Emma Lectures
Realizing a great need for church teaching from all perspectives on the Island of Kaua`i, Christ Memorial Episcopal Church, Kilauea and St. Thomas Episcopal Church, Hanalei have joined forces since 1999 under the founding leadership of The Rev. Donor Macneice (Retired) to sponsor a series of lectures most years entitled the King Kamehameha IV & Queen Emma Lectures. Prominent Church Leaders and Speakers have been brought to the island to lecture in this series. The first lecture was in December 1999 when the inaugural speaker for the series was The Right Rev. George Hunt, Bishop of Rhode Island (Retired). In 2000 The Right Rev. Richard Shimfky, Bishop of El Camino Real, The Right Rev. Richard S. O. Chang, Bishop of Hawai`i and The Right Rev. E. Don Taylor, Assistant Bishop of New York, and Bishop/Vicar for the City of New York came to speak. In 2002 The Right Rev. J. S. Spong, Bishop of Newark (Retired) came and in 2004 The Right Rev. Riah Abu El-Assal spent a week offering a much needed perspective on the Christian presence in Israel where he serves as the Anglican Bishop in Jerusalem.
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 8:30 AM as well as special services on Ash Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Christmas Eve.
We are an open church who welcomes all visitors and is encouraging new membership.