Photos and written by Dr. Alyssa Fisher, Director of Communications, California-Pacific Annual Conference

In January, hymns echoed from the property at Lahaina United Methodist Church for the first time in two and a half years. The church building burned down in the Lahaina fire on August 9, 2023, and since then, the congregation has been worshipping at Lahuiokalani Ka’anapali Congregational Church. But on January 30, 2026, the newly-built Garden Sanctuary was consecrated on the property, and regular worship began in the space on Sunday, March 1.

Five active and three retired episcopal leaders from the Western Jurisdiction College of Bishops participated in the service. Presiding over the naming of the building and consecration of the building, pulpit, and communion table were Bishop Dottie Escobedo-Frank of the California-Pacific Annual Conference, Bishop Kristin Stoneking of the Mountain Sky Episcopal Area, Bishop Carlo Rapanut of the Desert-Southwest and New Mexico Conferences, Bishop Cedrick Bridgeforth of the Greater Northwest Episcopal Area, Bishop Sandy Olewine of the California-Nevada Annual Conference, Bishop Warner Brown, Bishop Grant Hagiya, and Bishop Bob Hoshibata, retired.

Lay members Roz Baker, Church Council chair, and Sione Malamala, lay leader presented the space for consecration and prayed for the church and its new building. Rev. Dr. Tom Choi, Hawaii District Superintendent provided introductions and welcome.

Pastor John Crewe delivered a lesson titled “The Joy of the Lord is Our Strength,” from Nehemiah 8:1-10. He spoke about the ways that the church community cared for one another in the days, months, and years since the fire, from Sione Pasikala, the property caretaker who saved several buildings on the church property during the fire, to the congregation who came back to the property to sing together days later, to those on the other side of the island who provided shelter to those who displaced.

During a tour of the property before the service, Pastor Crewe shared that it was a church member, Doreen Davis, who helped him and his family escape the fire that day: “She said “the fire’s here,” and when I opened the door, I saw the fence was on fire (across from the church) and embers flying all over the place.” While sharing about Pasikala’s commitment to saving the property, Crewe shared “whatever buildings are here, it’s because of him. He stayed here all night.” Pasikala was later hospitalized from injuries sustained during that night, but has made a recovery and returned to living on the property.

After the service, the Bishops, DS Choi, and others visited a memorial set up along the bypass into Lahaina. Marked by an iconic teardrop sculpture that lights up at night and features a cutout heart shape in the middle, the memorial site includes photos of each person who was lost in the fire. Flags from many countries fly above the photos, memorializing the many nations represented in those who passed away.

The garden sanctuary was full to overflowing with members of the congregation and Lahaina at large, including interfaith leaders. The church choir shared hymns in Tongan, blessing the new space with joyful song. Brad Hurte played trumpet, sharing Great is Thy Faithfulness, and accompanying the closing hymn. Three quilts hung on the wall behind the choir, a beautiful recreation of the stained glass in the building that was lost in the fire.

As the service concluded, the group sang the closing hymn “We are the Church,” the lyrics filling those present with a range of emotions, but mainly joy to be together:

I am the church! You are the church
We are the church together
All who follow Jesus
All around the world
Yes, we are the church together

The church is not a building, The church is not a steeple
The church is not a resting place
The church is a people. 

We’re many kinds of people, with many kinds of faces
All colors and all ages, too
From all times and places. 

Sometimes the church is marching, Sometimes it’s bravely burning
Sometimes it’s riding, sometimes hiding
Always it’s learning.

And when the people gather, There’s singing and there’s praying
There’s laughing and there’s crying sometimes
All of it saying.

At Pentecost some people, Received the Holy Spirit
And told the Good News through the world
To all who would hear it.

I am the church! You are the church
We are the church together
All who follow Jesus
All around the world
Yes, we are the church together

Pastor Crewe shared the church’s plans to make a few additions to the space before regular worship began on March 1, including a sound system and upgraded seating. The day was a milestone in healing for both Lahaina UMC and the wider community.