Waiakea Mission Station-Hilo Station
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The Waiākea Mission Station was the first
Christian mission A Christian mission is an organized effort for the propagation of the Christian faith. Missions involve sending individuals and groups across boundaries, most commonly geographical boundaries, to carry on evangelism or other activities, such ...
on the eastern side of the
Island of Hawaii Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii ) is the largest island in the United States, located in the state of Hawaii. It is the southeasternmost of the Hawaiian Islands, a chain of volcanic islands in the North Pacific Ocean. With an area of , it has 63% of th ...
. Also known as the Hilo Station, the latest structure is now called Haili Church.


The first mission

The
American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...
missionaries A missionary is a member of a religious group which is sent into an area in order to promote its faith or provide services to people, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care, and economic development.Thomas Hale 'On Being a Mi ...
Asa Thurston Asa Thurston (October 12, 1787 – March 11, 1868) was a Protestant missionary from the United States who was part of the first company of American Christian missionaries to the Hawaiian Islands with his wife Lucy Goodale Thurston. Asa Thurston B ...
, Artemis Bishop, Joseph Goodrich and English missionary William Ellis toured the island in 1823 and planned to establish a network of several posts. The first two were
Mokuaikaua Church Mokuaikaua Church, located on the "Big Island" of Hawaii, is the oldest Christian church in the Hawaiian Islands. The congregation dates to 1820 and the building was completed in 1837. History The congregation was first founded in 1820 by Asa a ...
in the
Kona District Kona is a ''moku'' or district on the Big Island of Hawaii in the State of Hawaii, known for its Kona coffee and the location of the Ironman World Championship Triathlon. In the current system of administration of Hawaii County, the ''moku'' o ...
(western coast), and this one on the east side. On May 19, 1824, a simple grass hut was dedicated as the first church of the
American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions The American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions (ABCFM) was among the first American Christian missionary organizations. It was created in 1810 by recent graduates of Williams College. In the 19th century it was the largest and most imp ...
with Joseph Goodrich as preacher and Samuel Ruggles as teacher. The Hawaiian village at the time was called Waiākea, in the district called
Hilo Hilo () is a census-designated place (CDP) and the largest settlement in Hawaii County, Hawaii, Hawaii County, Hawaii, United States, which encompasses the Hawaii (island), Island of Hawaii. The population was 44,186 according to the 2020 United ...
. The name of the village came from ''wai ākea'' in the
Hawaiian language Hawaiian (', ) is a Polynesian language of the Austronesian language family that takes its name from Hawaii, the largest island in the tropical North Pacific archipelago where it developed. Hawaiian, along with English, is an official language o ...
meaning "broad waters", and was located in what is now the southeast part of the city of Hilo. In December 1824, Goodrich met
Chiefess Kapiolani Chief may refer to: Title or rank Military and law enforcement * Chief master sergeant, the ninth, and highest, enlisted rank in the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force * Chief of police, the head of a police department * Chief of the boa ...
at the
Kīlauea Kīlauea ( , ) is an active shield volcano in the Hawaiian Islands. Located along the southeastern shore of the Big Island of Hawaii, the volcano is between 210,000 and 280,000 years old and emerged above sea level about 100,000 years ago. Hi ...
volcano, for a dramatic demonstration that the new faith was acceptable. In June 1825 arrived, and Goodrich guided a party to the summit of
Mauna Kea Mauna Kea ( or ; ; abbreviation for ''Mauna a Wākea''); is a dormant volcano on the island of Hawaii. Its peak is above sea level, making it the highest point in the state of Hawaii and second-highest peak of an island on Earth. The peak is ...
. In 1825 a larger grass structure was built on present-day
Kalakaua Park Kalākaua Park is the central "town square" of the city of Hilo, Hawaii. It is surrounded by historic buildings and includes a war memorial. History The area was originally the site of the first Christian Mission in the area known as Waiakea Mis ...
. Goodrich brought some
coffee trees Coffee is a drink prepared from roasted coffee beans. Darkly colored, bitter, and slightly acidic, coffee has a stimulating effect on humans, primarily due to its caffeine content. It is the most popular hot drink in the world. Seeds of th ...
here some time after 1825, and Samuel Ruggles brought some to the other side of the island (the first
Kona coffee Kona coffee is the market name for coffee ('' Coffea arabica'') cultivated on the slopes of Hualalai and Mauna Loa in the North and South Kona Districts of the Big Island of Hawaii. It is one of the most expensive coffees in the world. Only coff ...
) in 1828 when he was transferred to the
Kealakekua Church Kahikolu Church is one of only two stone churches from the 19th century on the island of Hawaii. It was built from 1852–1855 on the site of an earlier building known as Kealakekua Church that was built around 1833 in the Kona district. History ...
.
David Belden Lyman David Belden Lyman (July 28, 1803 – October 4, 1884) was an early American missionary to Hawaii who opened a boarding school for Hawaiians. His wife Sarah Joiner Lyman (1805–1885) taught at the boarding school and kept an important journal. Th ...
and his wife, Sarah Joiner Lyman arrived in 1832 to established and teach at a new boarding school. Over the next few years, the boarding school, a larger thatched church, and other buildings were built in that area, which now is the town square surrounded by civic buildings such as the historic
District Courthouse and Police Station The East Hawaii Cultural Center (EHCC) is an art gallery, community theater, and cultural center in downtown Hilo, Hawaii, Hilo, Hawaii. EHCC features regular art exhibitions with free or suggested donation entry to the general public. Administer ...
and
Hilo Federal Building Kalākaua Park is the central "town square" of the city of Hilo, Hawaii. It is surrounded by historic buildings and includes a war memorial. History The area was originally the site of the first Christian Mission in the area known as Waiakea Miss ...
. In 1835, Rev.
Titus Coan Titus Coan (February 1, 1801 – December 1, 1882) was an American minister from New England who spent most of his life as a Christian missionary to the Hawaiian Islands. Early life and family Titus Coan was born on February 1, 1801 in Killingwort ...
and his wife Fidelia arrived. He learned the Hawaiian language, so he could travel through the districts of Puna and Kaū to the south, gathering converts. His writings describe avoiding the perils of the dense
tropical rainforests Tropical rainforests are rainforests that occur in areas of tropical rainforest climate in which there is no dry season – all months have an average precipitation of at least 60 mm – and may also be referred to as ''lowland equator ...
, and observations of the Kīlauea volcano.


Later buildings

By 1840 the congregation had grown, and a wood-frame building was built on a stone foundation. The wood had to be dragged by hand down from the slopes of
Mauna Loa Mauna Loa ( or ; Hawaiian: ; en, Long Mountain) is one of five volcanoes that form the Island of Hawaii in the U.S. state of Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean. The largest subaerial volcano (as opposed to subaqueous volcanoes) in both mass and ...
since no horses or oxen were available, and no roads suitable for wheeled carts. Labor was provided by hundreds of Hawaiians, with the blessing of Royal Governor
John Adams Kuakini John Adams Kiiapalaoku Kuakini (1789–1844) was an important adviser to Kamehameha I in the early stages of the Kingdom of Hawaii. He was responsible for contributing to the infrastructure among other changes in the Kona District during this era. ...
. All these previous buildings had suffered damage from the heavy tropical rains in this area, so a more substantial building was planned. The present structure was started in 1854 near the Lyman house and dedicated on April 8, 1859 by Rev. Coan. The name of this church comes from the forest where the ōhia (''
Metrosideros polymorpha ''Metrosideros polymorpha'', the ''ōhia lehua'', is a species of flowering evergreen tree in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae, that is endemic to the six largest islands of Hawaii. It is a highly variable tree, being tall in favorable situations, ...
'') wood was gathered for its construction. The main interior space has a ceiling high spanning . The architectural style is simplified
Greek Revival The Greek Revival was an architectural movement which began in the middle of the 18th century but which particularly flourished in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, predominantly in northern Europe and the United States and Canada, but ...
, as was popular in
New England New England is a region comprising six states in the Northeastern United States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It is bordered by the state of New York to the west and by the Canadian provinces ...
meetinghouses at the time of its design. Coan served as pastor, but was often
proselytizing Proselytism () is the policy of attempting to convert people's religious or political beliefs. Proselytism is illegal in some countries. Some draw distinctions between ''evangelism'' or '' Da‘wah'' and proselytism regarding proselytism as invol ...
on circuits through the countryside or showing visitors to the volcano, when Lyman performed services. The flexible wooden building survived an 1868 earthquake that damaged many stone buildings and plaster walls. Pews made from koa (''
Acacia koa ''Acacia koa'' or commonly known as koa is a species of flowering tree in the family Fabaceae. It is endemic to the Hawaiian Islands, where it is the second most common tree. The highest populations are on Hawaii, Maui and Oahu. Name The name ...
'') wood were installed in 1900. In 1902 Harry K. Naope Sr. founded the Haili Church Choir, which sang
a cappella ''A cappella'' (, also , ; ) music is a performance by a singer or a singing group without instrumental accompaniment, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. The term ''a cappella'' was originally intended to differentiate between Ren ...
in the Hawaiian language. In 1908, two
stained glass Stained glass is coloured glass as a material or works created from it. Throughout its thousand-year history, the term has been applied almost exclusively to the windows of churches and other significant religious buildings. Although tradition ...
windows from Tiffany Galleries in New York City were installed. A
pipe organ The pipe organ is a musical instrument that produces sound by driving pressurized air (called ''wind'') through the organ pipes selected from a keyboard. Because each pipe produces a single pitch, the pipes are provided in sets called ''ranks ...
was installed in 1929, and the tower and roof were rebuilt. Repairs were made after a July 1979 fire destroyed a portion of the tower and interior. The original 1859 bell was cracked in the fire, and is now on display in the church. Several eruptions of Mauna Loa (the most recent in 1984) have threatened the city of Hilo, but stopped short.
Tsunami A tsunami ( ; from ja, 津波, lit=harbour wave, ) is a series of waves in a water body caused by the displacement of a large volume of water, generally in an ocean or a large lake. Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and other underwater explo ...
s devastated the areas along the coast, with the largest in 1946 and
1960 It is also known as the "Year of Africa" because of major events—particularly the independence of seventeen African nations—that focused global attention on the continent and intensified feelings of Pan-Africanism. Events January * Ja ...
, but the new site of the church was far enough inland to avoid destruction.


Today

Haili Church is still in operation and offers both in-person and virtual services. The congregation also operates another chapel in Hilo, named Kuhio ChapelHaili Congregational Church
official web site
and a primary school known as Haili Christian School. Some families have had members in the choir for four or five generations. The choir was honored in 2001 by the Hawaiian Music Hall of Fame. The church is located at 211 Haili Street and its current Hope Kahu is Daniel Kawaha. The Current Church Leadership (Council) Members are (Moderator) Lyndell Lindsey (Vice-Moderator) Enola-Gay Osorio (Secretary) LeeAnn Lindsey (Treasurer) Cindy Lee (Diaconate) Carol Hughes-Okada (Missions) Lorna Bufil (Evangelism) Daniel Kawaha (Delegate) Cynthia Akimseu It was added to the
National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...
on April 23, 2002, as site 02000387, and the state list as site 10-35-7417 on November 17, 2001.Historic Places in Hawaii County
on official state web site
Across the street (named for the church), the home of some of the early missionaries is now the
Lyman House Memorial Museum The Lyman House Memorial Museum, also known as the Lyman Museum and Lyman House, is a Hilo, Hawaii-based natural history museum founded in 1931 in the Lyman family mission house, originally built in 1838. The main collections were moved to an ad ...
.


References

{{Christianity in Hawaii Religious buildings and structures in Hawaii County, Hawaii Properties of religious function on the National Register of Historic Places in Hawaii Churches completed in 1855 United Church of Christ churches in Hawaii Buildings and structures in Hilo, Hawaii 1824 establishments in Hawaii National Register of Historic Places in Hawaii County, Hawaii