Minister Message – First Unitarian Church of Honolulu

September 3, 2026 Minister’s Message

09/02/2026/by Minister

Aloha!!

I am sorry. (I may not have answered your email, or you may not have gotten mine!)

Please forgive me. (I do not know how to repel hackers and phishers!)

Mahalo. (To Suzette and Sue Yamane-Carpenter for taking steps to restore our account.)

I love you. (And your forgiveness, generosity, and kindness feel like love to me.)

You probably recognize the Ho‘oponpono prayer above. I find it so calming, centering, and opening. This week I delivered a workshop at the Kapolei Onelau‘ena shelter to families on Digital Living and Learning. There is a great concern in families about the effect of digital life on youth mental health and isolation. We shared this prayer as a way to center ourselves and our children in the sometimes-fraught cellphone and screen-time conversations.

Hope to see you this Sunday for “Radical Kindness: Aloha in an Age of Scarcity.” I see what I consider radical kindness in our congregation daily, and it inspires me!

Mahalo for all you do,
Rev. Deborah

August 26, 2026 Minister’s Message

08/26/2026/by Suzette Tom

Aloha!!

After Lala, having seen “Mary Oliver, Saved By the Beauty of the World” the moving documentary on my trip to NYC, I thought of her poem…

Hurricane
It didn’t behave
like anything you had
ever imagined. The wind
tore at the trees, the rain
fell for days slant and hard.
The back of the hand
to everything. I watched
the trees bow and their leaves fall
and crawl back into the earth.
As though, that was that.
This was one hurricane
I lived through, the other one
was of a different sort, and
lasted longer. Then
I felt my own leaves giving up and
falling. The back of the hand to
everything. But listen now to what happened
to the actual trees;
toward the end of that summer they
pushed new leaves from their stubbed limbs.
It was the wrong season, yes,
but they couldn’t stop. They
looked like telephone poles and didn’t
care. And after the leaves came
blossoms. For some things
there are no wrong seasons.
Which is what I dream of for me.
— Mary Oliver, A Thousand Mornings

Let me know if you want to see the documentary here at church – I found a way :)

We are so lucky to be here, in this miraculous place, with each other.

Hope to see you this Sunday as our church, “Rediscovering Hawai‘i’s Soul,” shares the work of over 700 people (so far) gathering and working together to protect and sustain our rare Hawai‘i.

Mahalo for all you do,
Rev. Deborah

August 19, 2026 Minister’s Message

08/19/2026/by Minister

Aloha mai kakou!

Mahalo i ke Akua, ua hala aku ka makani pāhili.
Thank God the hurricane has passed.

Power off, trees down; we are grateful to be safe.
Others are struggling with devastated houses and communities.
O‘ahu emergency services and HECO have been working to restore service and order.
We are grateful and attentive to what we can do to reduce suffering in the areas most severely hit.

In the midst of danger and loss,
We see the power and beauty of our natural world.
And the importance of community and kindness.

Hats off to our many ingenious friends who found solutions to challenges.
Salutes to stores that kept doors open with no lights.
To HECO workers laboring through the night to bring back our power.
Times like this show the Hawaiian soul matching the devastating beauty and power of our environs.

I am grateful to be back before it hit.
To be here with you through the storm
And for what lies ahead,
Our work together to protect and support those in our congregation and our larger community.

Sunday we will address courage again.
As you and we all do continuously.

Mahalo for all you do,
Rev. Deborah

August 13, 2026 Minister’s Message

08/12/2026/by Minister

Aloha mai kakou!

Sunday, I stood on an overlook at Big Sur with my son Max and daughter, Gwendolyn, viewing the Mc Way waterfall. This is the only West Coast U.S. waterfall that descends directly into the ocean. The phrase “waterfall descends directly into the ocean” does not sound that impressive – until you actually see it. So I am providing a picture – though you will have to squint to see the fall behind us.

This Big Sur trip brought to mind words Pulitzer Prize-winning Mary Oliver said in an interview, which were quoted in the American Masters documentary Mary Oliver: Saved by the Beauty of the World.

“I got saved by poetry, and I got saved by the beauty of the world.”

We are so fortunate to be surrounded by such natural beauty here on Oahu. I know we all are influenced and grounded by our sea, mountains, flora, fauna, and ‘aina. And it is good to be reminded of the beauty in other parts of the world, in all the world. (It assuages the guilt some of us feel to be so rich in beauty here.)

As we close out the summer, I’d like to share a Mary Oliver poem –

Poem 133: The Summer Day:

Who made the world?
Who made the swan, and the black bear?
Who made the grasshopper?
This grasshopper, I mean—
the one who has flung herself out of the grass,
the one who is eating sugar out of my hand,
who is moving her jaws back and forth instead of up and down—
who is gazing around with her enormous and complicated eyes.
Now she lifts her pale forearms and thoroughly washes her face.
Now she snaps her wings open, and floats away.
I don’t know exactly what a prayer is.
I do know how to pay attention, how to fall down
into the grass, how to kneel down in the grass,
how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through the fields,
which is what I have been doing all day.
Tell me, what else should I have done?
Doesn’t everything die at last, and too soon?
Tell me, what is it you plan to do
with your one wild and precious life?
—Mary Oliver

I’ve gotten permission from the distributor to show the documentary (which is not scheduled for Oahu release) here at our church. Please let me know if you are interested in seeing it.

This Sunday I will be back at our church, delighted to see you!

Mahalo for all you do!

Rev. Deborah

August 6th Minister’s Message

08/06/2026/by Minister

Aloha mai kakou!

NYC access to Culture
I saw “Mary Oliver: Saved by the Beauty of the World” – a new, moving feature-length documentary. It follows her journey from a lonely, often difficult childhood to becoming a Pulitzer Prize– and National Book Award–winning poet, highlighting her decades of walking the ponds and forests of Cape Cod/Provincetown, where attention to the natural world became a contemplative, almost mystical practice. Portraying her as an openly queer, intensely private, often sardonic “unlikely contemporary mystic,” living for nearly fifty years with her partner, photographer Molly Malone Cook, the film emphasizes how her work speaks to contemporary anxieties about attention, presence, climate crisis, digital distraction, and social fragmentation.

It is not booked to be shown on Oahu, though it is playing in Hilo now. So I have submitted a request to show it here at the church! If you have not read Mary Oliver’s poetry yet, dive in, you are in for a treat!

On the crazy funny side, I saw “Oh Mary” – a very different Mary, on Broadway. This is a recreation of the history of Mary Todd Lincoln and her husband, Abraham. It is a scream. If you have a chance, see it. If not, ask me about it and I will tell you the hysterical, though based on some truths, story.

California notes
My granddaughter Aurora and I spent the weekend painting, baking, and helping some of our ailing relatives. These were her first nights without her parents in her 5-year life! Her father and mother each kept texting me– “How is Aurora?”, “Is she upset?”, “What are you doing now?” “Could you get her to sleep?” Maybe her parents had trouble being without Aurora? As I lay with her and we told stories, she put an arm around me and said, “I love you more than you can imagine!” And I could feel the love my daughter and son-in-law have surrounded her with, flowing out of her to me. No worries. Blessed be!

Creative Women
Last night I met up with 3 women who built learning for students and teachers with me at TeacherUniverse. We had not been together for 16 years. They are each still building learning; one teaches PGE employees to climb towers and creates apprenticeships. They all loved hearing about UUHonolulu and about Oberon and want to come see!

Today I help my eldest daughter Gwendolyn move into a new apartment; tonight we celebrate birthday dinner for her and my son, Max, and tomorrow I help Max move into his new house.

Crystal and all the worship team are building another important experience for Sunday morning. I am enjoying laying it out in our Order of Service while listening to music choices. I wish I could be there in person to hear it, but I am also so glad to be participating in the lives of family and friends here in the SF Bay area.

I feel connected, though at a distance via emails, texts, planning, an OMG Zoom, and you all present in my heart and mind. Email me as needed – minister@unitariansofhi.org

Mahalo for all you do!
Rev. Deborah

July 30, 2026 Minister’s Message

07/29/2026/by Minister

Aloha from a perch above the Hudson River!

Traveling – expanding views!

After time with NY family, museums, shows, and seeing the magnificent dance of one great-niece and the great comedy of another– I am off to California on Friday. These young people give me hope and joy! (If you like, click the links for very short, very rough videos.)

In line with our focus on “Between Screen and Soul” and the many complex questions our various generations face:

Hawai‘i public schools announced a ban on cellphones in school yesterday. Along with other districts across the country, in response to lost focus in the classroom, our Board of Ed set, and our district HIDOE is implementing the new cellphone policy. Cellphones are banned for students in elementary and middle school, and high school principals can give some extra leeway for students to use phones before and after classes. 35 states and over three-quarters of U.S. public schools now ban cellphones during instructional time. These limits come as we all see the awesome and worrisome advances of AI. I believe this is a subject we will continue to wrestle with here.

I feel connected, though at a distance via emails, texts, planning, an OMG Zoom, and you all present in my heart and mind. Email me as needed – minister@unitariansofhi.org.

Mahalo for all you do!

Rev. Deborah

July 23, 2026 Minister’s Message

07/22/2026/by Minister

Aloha mai kākou,

Communications!
It has been wonderful to have our communications consultant (who is assembling this very newsletter), Andrew Laros (and his wonderful girlfriend Megan), with us over the last week. Andrew shared his “Between Screen and Soul” message along with me last Sunday. We ran long; I apologize! There was too much to share. I’ll find other solutions so it doesn’t run long again. But I was glad to hear, despite the length, that many of you felt this service was valuable to you.

Suzette, Marshall, Irina, and I met with Andrew in a communications workshop on Friday! We hope that some of you will join us in a communications team! Please email me if interested in helping us to spread our messages via Newsletter, social media, videos, pictures, PR, etc!

Community and Food!
Kudos to Paul Davis for originating, Marie Anne for orchestrating hospitality and lunch without debacle, and the Social Justice Team for laying out a delicious spread for “Free Lunch” last Sunday. It was delightful to be with joyful, congenial folks in a relaxed setting with a truly delicious lunch. I know it is an awesome task for the Board to be the next host of “Sunday Three/Free Lunch” (third Sunday) on August 16th. I hope to see you there!

Music and Pain!
We are all wincing with Peg Neva at her broken hand. The accident came while running – seems to me anyone who runs should only be rewarded, not punished by pain. This brings her guitar playing to a halt for a while– and so our music will be limited on Sundays for the next few weeks. Noe will be back August 16th.

Our OMG (Oh My God!) gang gathered for our second time Tuesday at 4 pm. Scheduling in-person with disparate schedules is tough, so we are a smallish group. Since I will be traveling, our next in-person Study meeting will be Tuesday, August 18th at 4 pm. We have a shared website with resources we are gathering theological, philosophical, and religious notes, links, and videos on concepts and thinkers. We will meet on Zoom next Tuesday at 3 pm to make sure all can navigate and add to our shared site. If you would like to join our group, you may join the Zoom with this link on July 28th at 3 pm, or you may join us in person on Tuesday, 8/18, at 4 pm in the study.

My time away
I leave Thursday 7/23 to see my great-niece dance with the American Ballet Theater and visit with my extended family in NY. Then I will be in CA with my family there and will conduct a memorial for a dear friend and civil rights heroine, returning 8/15. Look forward to seeing you all 8/16!

I will be managing Sunday services and emergencies while on the road. So, go ahead and email me as needed – minister@unitariansofhi.org.

Mahalo for all you do!
Rev. Deborah

July 16, 2026 Minister’s Message

07/15/2026/by Minister

Aloha mai kākou,

“Free Lunch” on Sunday, July 19th, will be our first after-service communal meal in a while. Free Lunch will recur on the 3rd Sunday of each month, hosted by committees in our church. The Social Justice Team is hosting our first. (Donations welcome, but NOT required.)

The Social Justice Team has been mighty active – last Tuesday the first episode of the “SocialJustice@Heart” discussion group was held. John-Paul Chaisson-Cardenas, one of our valiant SJTeam members and executive director of Hawai‘i Kids Can, led the discussion on the important and dangerous national anti-DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) actions. You can watch and listen on our UUHonolulu YouTube channel. Here is the direct link: SocialJustice@Heart Episode 1 DEI

Join SocialJustice@Heart Episode 2 IMMIGRATION

Tues, August 4 @ 6:30 pm to learn and discuss Immigration. John-Paul is organizing a panel of experts.

Link to join monthly SocialJustice@Heart discussions

Our “OMG” discussion/study group met Tuesday for our first in-person meeting in the church study. We will meet again next week, then we will have a 3 week summer break, with the next meeting on and members will each get set up with access to an online sharing area– where links to articles, videos, notes on meetings, members’ interests and reflections are housed.
You are welcome to join us next Tuesday, 7/21 @ 4 pm.
We will resume on Tuesdays at 4 pm 8/18, 8/25, 9/1, and 9/8.
Email me if you want to join at any time so that I can give you access to our online sharing area.

Intriguing Guest: Andrew Laro, our remote communications pro who has just earned his MDiv and MSW, is joining us for the next two Sundays. He and his partner Megan will be with us for this week and next.

You are invited to a communications/media meeting on Friday, 7/17, at 3 pm. Our goal is to reach more people through videos, events, posts, and information, seeking to raise awareness of UUHonolulu and to foster peace and unity in our larger community.

My summer travels: From July 24th to August 15th, I will be in NYC, DC, and SF with family and friends, seeing my niece dance and conducting a memorial for a heroine.

Together at church: Let me know if you can join me during my church “office hours” on Wednesday, 1:30-6:30 pm! I would love to see you!

Mahalo for all you do!

Rev. Deborah

July 9 Minister’s Message

07/09/2026/by Minister

Aloha mai kākou,

I’d like to share some “Firsts” —

No sermon – The clock said 11 am on Sunday morning, and the “Courage- the Uprising Heart” service had been so rich and heartfelt that the sermon and meditation still lay ahead. I looked at our bright and loving congregants and thought— we have all gained enough, from Gabe’s moving and dynamic story of the courage and valor of Queen Liliuokalani, from the beautiful music delivered by our choir with Peg on guitar, from the representative of the Pacific Gateway Center, our share-the-plate beneficiary this month. So I put my sermon aside for another day, canceled the meditation, and we moved to hearing Eddie Vedder sing “Hawai‘i 78” as a prayer, and to sing our own closing song. A new kind of leadership for me, to NOT DO when enough has been done.

“SocialJustice@Heart” had its first monthly Zoom meeting last night. John-Paul Chaisson-Cardenas presented historical context and current repercussions of Anti-DEI. This was his PhD topic, and we all benefited from his clear and layered understanding. Throughout the discussion, participants raised questions and penetrating insights. This was a valuable evening. You can find the video on the Justice tab of our website. Next month, on the first Tuesday, August 4th, John-Paul is assembling a panel of experts on Immigration. Register at that same tab.

“OMG” (Oh My God!), the discussion group will meet for the first time on Tuesday, 7/14 at 4pm. This group grew out of our service last month. Congregants shared their views and beliefs. Many of us were captivated by the depth we saw in each other. We will be sharing with each other, and I will offer optional videos and books for us to peruse. Based on group interest, current themes in the spiritual/social/psychological sphere we may explore are Collective Trauma, the Great Turning, trauma-informed education and counseling, the “SBNR” (spiritual but not religious) movement, Quantum Convergence, as well as UU history and theology. More people identify with UU beliefs, yet UU church membership is down nationally. We may find ways the church can enrich life in ways that spur membership.

“Free Lunch” on Sunday, July 19th, will be our first after-service communal meal in a while. Free Lunch will recur on the 3rd Sunday of each month, hosted by committees in our church. The Social Justice Team is hosting our first. (Donations welcome, but NOT required.)

Mahalo for all you do!
Rev. Deborah

P.S. Some crazy emails are reaching some of you, purporting to be from me, and asking for things I would never ask. Please, if you get an email that seems like it is from me, your minister, click on the email address of the sender– if it is anything but “Minister@UnitariansofHI.org” – it is NOT me! I regret we all have to deal with these fraudulent emails and phishing schemes!!!

July 2nd Minister’s Message

07/01/2026/by Minister

Aloha mai kākou,

What a beautiful day in Hawai‘i. I am writing with over-the-top gratitude today. Mahalo nui loa to you all, to my beloveds beyond, and to our precious place. It is my birthday today (yesterday, as you read this). And on our birthdays, we likely all reflect on life. For me, it was unforeseen that I would have the opportunity to serve this church. I feel privileged, honored, and grateful.

When the church is full of people, I feel an energy and an eagerness to join together for good. When it is empty, I feel opportunity. It has been wonderful to see other groups come together here for shared objectives.

We are fortunate to have this congregation, this church foundation from which to derive strength, support, and the mana to help others. In these challenging, concerning times, that is a real blessing. I am grateful to inhabit it with you.

And today is the first day of our new church year. We are entering it with a new board: president Jim Wood, vice-president Mary Mackay, treasurer Sue Yamane Carpenter, secretary Karen Fothergill, and directors Leanne MacIntire, Juliet Begley, and Peg Neva..

Mahalo nui loa to this past year’s president Sue Yamane Carpenter, VP Catherine Graham, Treasurer Dave Hafner, and Secretary Karen Fothergill! Thank goodness Sue is staying on, now as treasurer, and Karen continues to support us as secretary. Our volunteers carry this church on their backs with whole hearts, and we are so thankful for them.

We are going to begin an “Oh My God” discussion group this week, exploring the divine we each see and sharing thoughts and beliefs. There will be a bit of optional reading. But mostly it will be deep sharing. I sent a Doodle poll to each of you to see when and if you might want to join. We have about 8 signed up so far; some will miss weeks due to travel. The preferred day and time is Tuesday from 4 – 5:30 pm. Please email me if you wish to join. We will meet July 7, 14, 21, and 8/18, 25, 9/1, and will see if there is interest in continuing beyond then. I hope you join!

> Sunday, we will consider COURAGE. I hope to see you then.
> At 9:30 am, Keif Arriola will host a meditation in the study.
> Tuesday evening at 6:30 pm, consider the impact of “Anti-DEI,” our member, executive director of HCAN, John-Paul Chaisson-Cardenas, will lead the first of our Social Justice Team-initiated Social Justice@Heart on Zoom. Read about it in the SJ Column by Francine Less in this newsletter.

In my photo today, you see my birthday roses sent by beloved kids and long-distance husband. It is a wonderful birthday so far, and you are part of what makes it so!

Mahalo,

Rev. Deborah

June 24th Minister’s Message

06/24/2026/by Minister

Aloha mai kākou,

You have a team working with Rediscovering Hawai‘i’s Soul now!

A few months ago, I began speaking with the leaders of Hawai‘i Soul about our church participating in learning, workshops, and activities to explore, sustain, and protect what is precious about our home, ‘aina, people, and values. They seek teams from organizations here to work together for our common good.

Jim Wood, Catherine Graham, Gabe Tiogangco, John-Paul Chaisson-Cardenas, and I are a team, and we have been reading their website and brochures, watching videos, and participating in an introductory Zoom session. Thursday and Friday, we will be in face-to-face workshops in Honolulu. We will be reporting back to you on what we learn. One of their bywords that I love is “Relationships are not the tool, they are the point.” I know the five of us feel the relationships we are already gaining are valuable. I will paste a graphic of their concept here.

I am reminded of a church service I led about 10 years ago that aligned the HI DOE Hawaiian basis for learning, Na Hapeno A‘o, with our UU 7 principles. Now we have eight, and they still relate!

We will be reporting to you on what we learn!

Don’t forget the Saturday, June 27, Aids Walk, “a short walk around Kapiolani Park.” The event hub and gathering area are at the bandstand in Kapiʻolani Park. Walk from 8:00 am to 12:00 pm. Honolulu AIDS Walk

Later Saturday at 5 pm, join us for the “How to Help Trans Teens Survive Hate and Find Joy” panel in our sanctuary – Nico Lang, the author of “American Teenager – How Trans Teens Are Surviving Hate and Finding Joy,” will serve on the panel with Kim Coco Iwamoto our friend in the Hawai‘i legislature, Sandra Harjo-Livingston, Chair, LBGTQ+ Commission, and Mika Inoue, LBGTQ+ Advocate and Mental Health Professional, and Randy Soriano, Executive Director of the Hawai‘i LBGTQ+ Legacy Foundation. We are honored to host such an impressive panel!

Before our Sunday service, led by Nico Lang and Gabe Tiogangco, Keif Arriola will open the study at 9:30 am for meditation. I hope you may join him, and this may be a regular happening!

Mahalo,
Rev. Deborah

June 18th Minister’s Message

06/19/2026/by Minister

Aloha mai kākou,

“To Err is Human, to Forgive, Divine.” William S said it, but that’s how I feel about my invitation to you all to join me at my house this Saturday at 2 pm to watch the Rt. Rev. Marian Budde deliver our UUA annual Ware Lecture.

Carla Allison kindly warned me that I was breaking a rule! I had not realized that the Ware lecture is only to be seen by paying UUA General Assembly participants. I was surprised. I have not attended UUA GA in many years, and was not aware of the rules. I appreciated her heads-up and wrote to the GA organizers, noting that I am the minister of First Unitarian Church of Honolulu and would like to host members and friends who might like to watch Rev. Budde on my home screen. The UUA organizers wrote back immediately, thanking me for asking and noting that “no,” we cannot share the Ware lecture. I looked into it and found that Ware’s lectures are not available on YouTube (or anywhere I can find them), even years later. I could only find 2019 and 2015.

We are in such a fearsome and dangerous time that I feel inspiring examples of the kind of insight and courage we need should be shared with the widest possible audience. Carla and I have been watching the GA meetings and panels despite her high fever! And the messages and speakers are inspiring and informative, and they make me proud and hopeful about our denomination.

I do not want to be discouraged by this rule, but I do want to support our UUA. So…

You are invited to my house to watch some of Rt. Rev. Budde’s finest messages that model clarity, kindness, and bravery — and hear a recap of the Ware lecture.

“Sharing the Courage of Rt. Rev. Budde”
3 pm on Saturday, just AFTER the Ware lecture
46-173 Kalai Place, Kaneohe
Pupus (RSVP to minister@unitariansofhi.org, so I have enough pupus)
And of course, this Sunday is our Annual UUA General Assembly Sunday Service with an honoring of Juneteenth and a “Fathers” Story for all Ages. The service will be followed by our Annual Meeting. We hope to see you Sunday!

Philip Riley’s Gallery on the Pali show, promoted by Marshall Heaney’s online video, opened last Saturday and brought joy with its beauty, depth, and wonderful words for each landscape and portrait. Please visit the Gallery and do not miss reading Philip’s title cards! Above are some pix of Philip with Marshall, Waipahu VP Gary Chun, and Waipahu’s Art and Drama leader, Thelma Madriago. Philip has long been a Special Ed teacher at Waipahu HS, and Marshall and I talked with his friends about a possible Waipahu student show in our Gallery!

Our visiting author/journalist, Nico Lang, arrived Monday, dined with Marie and me, and met Oberon. Today they are off to Kauai, Hawai‘i, and Maui to speak and sign books. Next week, they will rejoin us for the 6/27 5 pm Saturday panel with Kim Coco Iwamoto and others, and for the 6/28 Sunday service. See Nico and Oberon here.

Mahalo for all you do!
Rev. Deborah

June 10 Minister’s Message

06/10/2026/by Minister

Aloha mai kākou,

June is a very big month for us, it is Pride Month, and much is happening- highlights:

6/14 – Sunday service by Pastor Keola “Come Home: A Pride Sermon on the Body as Holy Ground.”

6/19 – Juneteenth – some of us are chatting about an honoring on Friday, as well as at the beginning of our Sunday GA service. Let me know if you are interested.

6/21 UUA GA Sunday service – we will watch together in the Sanctuary, we will honor fathers, and Juneteenth.

6/27 – “How Can Trans Kids Survive Hate and Find Joy” Panel with Nico Lang, Kim Coco Iwamoto, Sandra

6/28 – Sunday Service – Nico Lang, LGBTQ+ journalist and author of “American Teenagers- How Trans Kids Survive Hate and Find Joy”.

Last laugh… Sunday, we looked at how religions use humor “on us” (to communicate with us). For the last bit of my message, I shared how we can use humor on religion, in other words, I told jokes. You can get right to the jokes by clicking here to be on our YouTube channel at that Sunday service. Scroll to 46 minutes in to just listen to the jokes. Hope you enjoy them!

Mahalo for all you do!

Rev. Deborah

June 4th Minister’s Message

06/04/2026/by Minister

Aloha mai kākou,

Seeing more sunlight? It’s June!

And with this June brightness, we have more opportunities to honor, celebrate, study, and support together!

“What’s Laughter Got to Do With It” – This Sunday, we are looking at how humor lifts our spirits and our lives, and considering how religions have employed it from Jesus to Mohammed to Buddha to Ganesh. Come have a hearty (spiritual) laugh with us!

June is National and Hawai‘i State Pride Month
(Here on Oahu, our main celebration and march is in October.) So, we celebrate both and all ways!

On June 14th, Keola will deliver the service: “Come Home: A Pride Sermon on the Body as Holy Ground.”

We have been working with Nico Lang, LGBTQ+ journalist and author of “American Teenager – How Trans Kids Are Surviving Hate and Finding Joy in a Turbulent Era.” They will be delivering our Sunday service on June 28th, and we have organized a panel discussion and Book Signing for Saturday, June 27th, at 5 pm.

OMG! Our “Oh My God” service generated interest in more exploration together of meaning, the divine, theology, history– what moves us. So we are going to have a series of meetings, I am calling them “Divine Discussions.” We are thinking this series should be in person and we are considering the day/time that is best for most of us. If you are interested, please email me your available days/times.

More good news…

“SocialJustice@Heart – Interfaith Conversations on Social Justice, Democracy, and Belonging” will meet on the first Tuesday of each month beginning July 7th at 6pm. These are instigated by your Social Justice team, sponsored by The Interfaith Alliance of Hawai‘i, UUHonolulu, and Hawai‘i Children’s Action Network, and facilitated by member John-Paul Chaisson-Cardenas.

Click here for more information and to sign up!

Hope to see you in church this Sunday!
Rev. Deborah

May 28th Minister’s Message

05/29/2026/by Minister

Aloha mai kākou,

The buzz in our sanctuary last Sunday was palpable!
It was delightful to see and hear congregants chatting about concepts of the divine before the service began, listening to the wonderful, unique statements from 14, continuing in the Gallery, and with some of us in a Talk Story after.

If you missed “Oh, My God” on Sunday, you can watch it on our YouTube Channel.
You can find this service by clicking that link above, or find any service or any of our “reels” (short outtakes from Sunday services and other events) by going to YouTube and typing “UUHonolulu” or “First Unitarian Church of Honolulu” into the search box.
(You can also find us on Facebook, Instagram, or YouTube in that way.)

Please visit our YouTube channel and click “subscribe.”
It will help us to get more YouTube reach.
We have grown to 115 subscribers in the past few months.
If we can hit 500, a whole host of new communications tools will become available to us.
Below are the specific minutes and seconds for specific members’ statements.
When you get to the “Oh, My God” video, move the scrolling red ball below the video to the minute for the part you want to see. The screenshot shows Jim Wood at 59:12 :)

Call to Worship – 6:30 – 18:46 = 12 min 10 sec
Message Intro – 31:30 – 32:36
Marie – 32:30 – 36:19 = 4 min 11 sec
Catherine – 36:22 – 40:05 = 3 min 43 sec
Rev. Dr. Thomas – 040:18 – 47:27 = 7 min 9 sec
Abby – 47:45 – 51:29
Janice – 51:48 – 56:46
Dan – 56:58 – 59:01
Jim – 59:12 – 1:03:50
Kathryn – 1:04 – 1:08:22
Beth – 1:09:10 – 1:10:52 (video sideways! – sorry!)
Melany – 1:11 – 1:13:10
Francine – 1:13:35 – 1:15:40
Sue – 1:15:25 – 1:19
Zac – 1:19 – 1:21:20
Nancy – 1:21:28 – 1:21: 48
Prayer – 1:22:00 – 1:25:10

Looking forward to seeing you for our new member, John-Paul Chaisson-Cardenas’ worship service this Sunday!
Rev. Deborah

Congregant initiatives are growing!

05/13/2026/by Minister

Aloha mai kākou,

Congregant initiatives are growing!

Social Justice Learning Circles

In June, new member John-Paul Chaisson-Cardenas will begin a series of monthly Zoom Social Justice sessions featuring informative presentations and conversations. Stay tuned for more info on these weekday evening events. Email SocialJustice@unitariansofhi.org if you want to brainstorm topics or be involved.

Lay Pastoral Care

Seeing and hearing each of our lay pastoral care team address describe their approach to deep listening and support was awesome. If you missed it, you can watch them here beginning at 33:51 (33 minutes and 51 seconds into the service). Email Care@unitariansofhi.org to connect with one of our caregivers, Martina, Nancy, Jim or Gabe.

Services to Support our Members

We are looking for volunteers to pick up congregants for church services, drive them home after evening meetings, and, if needed, to appointments. The first volunteer to step up to lead this can name the team– possibly “Holy Drivers”, “Holy Rollers”, “UUber” or ??
I drove one of our volunteers from an appointment last week, and it was delightful to get to know him. Driving another in the car provides such a lovely meeting space and time! Please email me minister@unitariansofhi.org.

Spaghetti lunch, Pancake Breakfast, Sunday Sliders?

Many of us have talked about how much we enjoyed the Pledge Dinner and how we’d like more opportunities to share a meal with each other. Would you like to share your cooking and hosting with us? We will get a group together to lead this– in the meantime, please email me minister@unitariansofhi.org.

Summer Services

The worship and RE teams are discussing summer services and programs. We would love your input. Musicians, poets, thinkers, storytellers– please share your ideas or requests! Email any of us!

Outreach to Oahu Military

Are you interested in spreading the word of our congregation to military personnel? So many wonderful members and friends have joined us in the past while on military duty here. You may know more about the bases and communities than I do. Please share your insights as we prepare to reach out, emailing, calling, and visiting religious centers, chaplains, community and family service offices, and distributing brochures and invitations to our events.

Mahalo for all you do!
Rev. Deborah

P.S. In Sunday’s service, my background slide showed Oberon, the peacock who adopted me, who was taken away, but miraculously found his way back to me. See his picture above and ask me about this amazing true story!

Rev. Deborah minister@unitariansofhi.org 808-367-0710
Office hours: Wednesday, 1:30 pm – 6:30 pm
Or schedule a meeting for another day and time.

Supporting the Work of Justice

04/29/2026/by Minister

Aloha mai kākou,

Sunday, we enjoyed a moving, personal, impassioned, rousing service by Zac Fraser – you can see it, and any of our services, on our website or in our YouTube channel. By the way, it would be great if you would go to our UUHonolulu YouTube channel and click “subscribe.” We have 109 subscribers so far. Please help us expand our reach by subscribing!!

Community Talk Story – We invited leaders of organizations working to help others in critical areas to come and share their organization’s mission, progress, and strategy. Over 30 joined for a lively and highly informative Talk Story – and all the bento boxes were eaten!

Rev. Dr. Cynthia Lynch, president of The Interfaith Alliance of Hawai‘i board, is also a member of our church as are her fellow board members, Rev. Dr. Thomas Lynch, Marie Anne, and me. TIAH leads and supports interfaith events across the state with the support of the Interfaith Alliance national organization, which “educates Americans about the threat of authoritarian theocracy, building interfaith communities who are showing up, and equipping them with the tools to defend our constitutionally-protected freedoms.” See their “Choose Love Not Ice” video here. Contact TIAH here.

Gaye Chan, conceptual artist and community leader introduced us to Oahu Rapid Response Coalition. ORRC educates the public about our rights, operates a hotline to intake and verify ICE sighting, dispatches Rapid Response volunteers to observe and document ICE activities, distributes community alerts and refers victims to support. Gaye gave us a mini demonstration of how to video ICE actions and Gaye will come here to do a 1 hour workshop on easy quick ways for us to use our phones to support due process- email me if you are interested.

Zac Fraser represented the Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL Hawaii) and the Democratic Socialists of O’ahu (DSO Insta), and ANSWER which stands for Act Now to Stop War and End Racism. This umbrella group consists of many anti-war and civil rights organizations. Follow the links or speak with Zac about how you may join or support these groups.

John-Paul Chaisson-Cardenas is the new executive director of Hawai‘i Childrens Action Network. For 30 years, HCAN has led Hawai‘i efforts to support children and families. Their focus now is how to make Hawai‘i the best place in the world for children. And for 30 years John-Paul has led education and civil rights programs across the country and in Latin America. We are so lucky to have him here. Talk to John-Paul or check out HCAN.

I (Rev. Deb, as Catherine likes to call me) spoke for Parents for Public Schools of Hawai‘i which I co-founded 16 years ago. Today I met with parents at Nanakuli Elementary school on the benefits of our Hawai‘i HĀ program which creates a framework for life in our schools Belonging, Responsibility, Excellence, Aloha, Total Wellbeing and Hawai’i and Social Emotional Learning. PPS-Hawaii advocates for families and schools and delivers family engagement programs across the state. To join (it’s free) or donate just go to ppshi.org.

Francine Less spoke for our UUHonolulu/First Unitarian Honolulu Social Justice Team, chaired by Marie Anne. For years Marie and Francine have led continuous food distribution and support for non-profits serving the houseless and others. John-Paul, Paul Davis, Zac Fraser, Keif Arriola, and I are on the team to expand our policy and partnership efforts. We expect to launch “Social Justice Learning Circles” facilitated by John-Paul very soon. Talk to Francine or Marie or any of us.

There are others who wanted to join us but were booked. We will organize another Social Justice Talk Story soon. Let us know if there are groups you want to hear from. We will have representatives from ACLU and, CAP, Cat Brady’s Community Alliance on Prisons here again soon as we have partnered with both for years.

It is a joy to work with you, mahalo for all you do!

Rev. Deborah
minister@unitariansofhi.org
808-367-0710
office hours: Wednesday 1:30 pm – 6:30 pm schedule a meeting

A Great “Talk Story”!

04/22/2026/by Minister

Aloha mai kākou,

Our Talk Story after our “Mind, Heart, & Soul Continuum – from Youth to Elder” service was lively and productive! Here are 5 ideas that came from about 20 of us gathered in the Study, talking about opportunities and acknowledgment we might offer across the age continuum.

In Talk Story:

1) Restoring “singing the children out” in our church services – I will discuss this with the choir today. 🙂
2) Beginning “Story Circles” convened for folks to share personal stories that would deepen understanding of their experiences and intimacy – please email me if you would like to join a monthly “Story Circle” group, noting whether you prefer in-person or Zoom, and day and time best for you.
3) Need for deeper theology and understanding of UU – We discussed ways adult education may help. We may elicit information to direct the focus via a Sunday service discussion with a survey administered during the service, or through an online survey. Stay tuned and please share your ideas.
4) Collaboration with community groups – This Sunday, our member, Zac Fraser, leads the “Revolutionary Optimism” service. We have decided to add a bento box lunch and a “Community Talk Story” session, and we are inviting community groups hoping to spur dynamic, positive collaboration. Please tell your friends, all are welcome!
5) Pastoral care and other services that could help our members. This past week we convened our group, including Martina Queenth, Gabe Tiogangco, Nancy Schildt, Jim LoPresti, Lorraine Fay (as senior advisor), and me. We decided to create a church service on May 10th to introduce our members to what pastoral care can be. We are also creating an online resource guide to provide members with easy-to-find information on community services, and we will begin considering services in addition to pastoral care that we hear are needed, such as rides to church services and meetings. Please share your ideas on any of this.

It is a joy to work with you, mahalo for all you do!

Rev. Deborah

Rising Resilient

04/15/2026/by Minister

Aloha mai kākou,

Just landed last night from Sacramento and environs!

It was an honor, a pleasure, and an opportunity to represent our congregation at the UU Pacific West Regional Assembly “Rising Resilient.”

I wanted to connect with other congregations, meet folks for ideas and mutual support, and especially to learn how they are handling the challenges we face — with resilience! I wanted to feel together with other UUs in our region. All this came true. And I got to stop to see my granddaughter on the way!

Looking forward to seeing you this Sunday to explore the richness of living and appreciating the ages — infancy, youth, adult, and elder.

Rev. Deborah


z

A Spring in Our Step

04/01/2026/by Minister

Aloha mai kākou,

On the heels of these damaging floods, this past week, our church has been active together and in our larger world in many ways. Spring is here, and we have a spring in our step as we encounter challenges and blessings and seek to care for our church community and beyond.

On our church level, skilled workers came to prune our mighty Monkey Pod tree and began removing the dangerous, overgrown schefflera trees along our Pali Highway border yesterday. You will see wide open space when you next arrive. Greenery will be restored over time, and our church will be more visible to all.

Caring for our Church Home – pruning our Monkey Pod tree	Zac Fraser at the Capitol “No Dictator’s Day” rally
Rev. Deborah with clergy	A few of us UUs at the march

Over 30 of us gathered in a clergy, youth and more march, partnered with The Interfaith Alliance Hawai‘i, the ACLU, and others. A bomb threat forced us to parade down the sidewalk towards Iolani Palace, delaying arrival at our Capitol until the bomb sweep was complete. Proud aunties, uncles and friends looked on as our member and one of our Social Justice leaders, Zac Fraser, took the stage. It is with genuine respect and mahalo that I opine, Zac delivered the most authentic, caring, insightful speech of the day. I am filled with pride at the value of the activity of this church in protecting and restoring safety and dignity for all.

At the Supreme Court, the ACLU argued for birthright citizenship this week. We can support this critical national work by the ACLU HERE. We support Hawai‘i ACLU, which many of us know was founded at our very church, in partnerships like our shared march on No Dictator’s day, their powerful explication of dangers to immigration rights to over 100 at our church some weeks ago, and daily opportunities to work together to protect our people and the rule of law.

Friday at 4:30 pm, we gather for a magic show by a renowned magician, a gracious meal together, and the opportunity to reflect on the value of our church to consider what we might each contribute to nurture our growth together. I hope to see you there.

For Sunday service, we have a UU Easter, celebrating spring, the flower communion first initiated by Norbert Čapek in Prague, our energy to resist threats to safety and dignity, and of course, an Easter Egg hunt. Please join us!

Mahalo for all you do,

Rev. Deborah

First Unitarian Church of Honolulu

Log In