Aloha & Welcome!

We are one congregation with two worship spaces: St. John's in Eleʻele and St. Paul's in Kekaha. Both churches serve the West Kauaʻi community. We welcome visitors to join our ʻohana for Sunday worship.
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Praying you have a blessed Lenten Season.

This photo of St. John's was taken by the Shotliff family right before the start of the Christmas Eve candlelight Eucharist.

​6:15 pm Dec. 24, 2022.

​Vicar's Report to the 2023 Annual Meeting of ECWK

An Annual Report usually summarizes the accomplishments of the past, pinpointing any problem areas, and offering recommendations for the future.  I have been with the ECWK for just under twelve months and will leave the statistical accomplishments to the Treasurer, Bishop’s Warden and Bishop’s Committee Reports.  It is sufficient to say; that I am very grateful to be among you and the growth of the parish is encouraging to me.
We have strategically focused as a leadership team on the following areas:

1. Church growth- The Children’s Sunday School has been populated with a teaming group of 8-18 kids with larger fellowship events on Sundays drawing 22-24.  Our dedicated teaching team in Godly Play has executed weekly lessons in Bible with a rotation of 9 teachers between our two locations.  Two teachers will begin teaching new children in Kekaha upon completion of the Treehouse at St. Paul’s in early Spring.  Thank you to the Teaching Team or Iolani Guild. 
We have also seen an increase in attendance at St. John’s with an average church capacity of 38 persons and 14-18 at St. Paul’s.  The Installation of the Vicar, Baptisms, Weddings, Funerals, and other major services moved our averages above those numbers by doubling our populations.  An Evangelism plan similar to the one implemented at St. John’s will begin at St. Paul’s upon completion of the Treehouse Sunday School structure. Thank you to the Junior Warden’s Team or St. Joseph’s Guild. 
An important aspect of Outreach and Growth was our Vacation Bible School which drew children from our region and approximated 45-56 children per day last June through Praying Pelican Ministries in cooperation with the United Methodist Churches on West Kauai.  The team that served us was Presbyterian from Sandia Presbyterian Church, 10704 Paseo Del Norte, Albuquerque. Our deep thanks.

2. Worship- Contemplative opportunities for worship weekly, Sunday morning Eucharists, Prayer Meetings, Children’s Songs, Hula, Haka, Liturgical Dance, Folk offerings, Morning Prayer, Distributed Eucharist, Anointing for Healing, Confession & Absolution, Laying on of Hands, Invocations, Viaticum or the Dying Receiving Communion, Litanies at the Time of Death, Prayers on Zoom at Deployment for the Military, Intercessions, Prayers for Vigil, Prayers of Commendation for the Departed, House Blessings, Work Blessings, Chant, Community Blessings, Anthems, Hymn Sing, Poetry, Spontaneous Prayer, Fasting, Seasonal Prayers, Praise, Alms, Celebration Ribbon Banners for the Children, Pastoral Prayers at the Nursing Homes, Festivals of Lessons, Home Eucharist have comprised our worship together over the past twelve months.  Thanks be to God!
Worship in music is a significant ministry in guitar, song, hymn, chant, sound, originality, familiarity and agape.  Please thank our brilliant and kind Music Team!  Mahalo nui loa.

3. Fellowship-Feasts have grown in our fellowship as have the network of relationships both widely and deeply.  Our highlight was the “Evening to Remember,” “A Christmas Family Reunion,” wherein despite the weather over 120 attended.  The evening enjoined violin, a Yule fire, St. Nicholas’ visit to the children, delicacies of traditional foods, children’s anthems, piano, Christmas caroling, games, prizes, and merriment.  A roaring success. 
Other important fellowship events were a reintroduction of the Coffee Hour (still in progress) following Covid prohibitions for several years.  The naming and implementation of a fellowship guild and chairperson in St. Brigid’s Guild.  Thank you to the Guild.
Another aspect the larger body may not know about is the Guild’s gift of hospitality to the sick, dying, and bereaved.  Over 4 dozen robust sized meals were served to families struggling with Covid, in a state of bereavement or need. All home cooked with aloha. 
Fellowship foods were also provided to Baptisms, Weddings, Funerals, Birthdays, Holidays, and Anniversaries.

4. Christian Education- Our greatest growth has been the reopening of our Church School under the leadership of the Teaching Team.  A second area of growth has been seasonal Adult Education offerings such as the Advent Series, Lenten Series, and individual formation studies for Baptism and Holy Matrimony.  Ongoing educational growth is a vital part of the Wednesday Centering Prayer Group and happens every mid-week.  Thank you to our education leaders.

5. Stewardship & Finance- Significant funding from Sloggett Funds has accompanied the reintroduction of the Ilocano services the second Sunday of each month, the music ministries of the ECWK, and the pilot Christian Education project of reopening our Church School.  Our two current needs connected to our Church School and its growth are a transportation vehicle of a van that can host 16-18 persons and a team of people who will cook for the Bible School kids every Sunday. Currently they are getting sandwiches  made with love, however a team is needed with coordination. 
Special fundraisers have occurred with a Bake Sale to send hundreds of dollars to St. Stephen’s Birmingham, following the tragedy of the Episcopal Church’s shooting last summer.  Other fundraisers have included bake sales to benefit tornado and hurricane victims in the wake of the Florida Gulf storms.
Please turn in your pledge card for 2023 if you have not already done so to Mr. Greg Williams. Thank you to the Stewardship and Treasurer Team. 

6. Outreach- Habitat Outreach continues with proud Homeowners meetings, seasonal parties for families, feeding ministries, Interfaith Fellowship Events with the Westside Ministerial Association.  Further Outreach is in the works with a change in vision and implementation of the St. Paul’s garden, currently in progress with congregational members.  The Community Garden LLC is no longer a partner on the land but has amicably moved on to other venues. The water account with the County of Kauai has been transferred back into the church’s name. We are applying for the agricultural rate for continuing ministry in Stewardship in Sustainability.  Thank you to the Outreach Guild.
Multicultural Ministries continue with a strong connection with the Kanaka community and collaborative meetings with Kahu Evan Lewis’ Church “Family in Christ,’ at St. Paul’s.  These ministries are developing well.

7. Building and Grounds- We have landed a new Junior Warden in our ministry midst.  The Building and Grounds is very busy with projects completed in the roofing of the Administration and Education Building of St. John’s; including its new flooring and painted interiors.  The rental property is undergoing some renovations in the flooring and window dressings.  We are addressing the needs of the artisan doors of St. Paul’s, which are still a great challenge to do with integrity and historicity.  Please pray for this specialized need.  Upcoming projects will include an approach to lowering temperatures inside the vicarage in Kekaha and ‘tenting,’ St. John’s.
The ’Holy Grass,’ project has greened our lives and occurs every morning with watering, fertilizing, cutting and tending.  More volunteers are needed for the grasses of St. John’s and St. Paul’s. Kudos to the ‘Holy Grass,’ Team! Also, to the beautification with landscaping we are all enjoying so much.    

8. Celebrations- There has been a great deal of hope discussed at renewing our Pancake Community Fundraiser. A good bit of interest is in renewing larger fellowship events with food and fundraising.
Another celebratory and significant ministry is the Altar Guild, the Flower Guild and all its beauty and help in praising God through vessels, cloths, vestments, silver, candles, flowers, bread, wine, colors, Holy Water, cleaning, polishing, tidying, ordering, reordering, seasonal flowers, banners, and storing.  Thank you, Altar Guild and Flower Guild Team.

9. Pastoral Care- A team was formed to address Covid needs during the hardest months of the pandemic.  A medical outreach team to addresses questions of health, vaccination health, food insecurities, etc. was formed and reached out to many Westside families.  The Vicar visited Pastors and other community members in the ICU during this time, when others were not allowed entrance into hospitals due to immunization protocols. Home Communions, Anointings, Special Prayers, Laying on of Hands for God’s Healing happen regularly across the church. 
Newcomer visits are part of our Pastoral Care Team with newcomers receiving a note of welcome in the mail, a visit from a member, a visit from the Priest and an addition to our mailing lists after a visit to St. John’s or St. Paul’s.  This team needs to be expanded.

10. Administration- St. Bede’s Guild works regularly in mail-outs, expanded communications, emailing, the Newsletter quarterly, and updating of the Church Directory. We do this ministry on Tuesday and Thursday mornings at St. John’s Church.  It is a quiet but important, vital ministry.  We also do filing, cleaning, and maintenance.  Forms, compliance, Diocesan deadlines and reporting, etc. are also part of St. Bede’s work.  Treasury and bulletin making weekly, correspondence, bills, and ordering supplies…budgeting and compliance, bids, and contracts…thank you Admin Team!  We need more people in the cleaning area and administration areas of the churches.  This is an ongoing need for expansion.  Please consider doing your part.  Each family needs to represent so ‘many hands make light work.” Thank you to the admirable hands serving us now. 
Peter and I are very pleased to serve you.  There are wonderful ways in which you teach me as your Priest.  I am honored to serve here.  I make mistakes and I grow in my profession and my calling among you.  Please do not hesitate to communicate with me about anything.  I have a great deal of love for you in Christ Jesus.  Thank you for your prayers particularly during this difficult time, at the last moments I am sharing with my family in Florida. 

In Him, Kahu Kerry Holder Joffrion+, Vicar ECWK
We offer Holy Eucharist every Sunday at 8:00 a.m. at St. Paul’s, Kekaha, and 10:00 a.m. at St. John’s in Eleʻele.

Ilokano language services are every 2nd Sunday of the month.

​Pray for the people of Ukraine. Pray for all people undergoing suffering around the world including from the recent hurricanes.

If you have a pastoral emergency, please call Kahu Kerry+ at 256-679-3854. God's blessings to all.

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