Week of Prayer for Christian Unity - Ecumenical Vespers
Episcopal Cathedral of Saint Andrew
Honolulu, Hawaii
January 20, 2010, Wed, 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
(L) The Right Reverend Robert L. Fitzpatrick
Bishop of the Episcopal Church in Hawaii
(R) The Most Reverend Clarence (Larry) Silva
Bishop of the Roman Catholic diocese of Honolulu
IOC First Hierarch, Most Rev. Daniel J. Dahl and Most Rev. Stephen Randolph Sykes, IOC Orthodox Bishop of Hawaii attended an ecumenical service celebrating the "Week of Prayer for Christian Unity" at the invitation of Bishop Robert L. Fitzpatrick of the Episcopal Church in Hawaii. The event was held in the Episcopal Cathedral of Saint Andrew where an Ecumenical Vespers and Evensong were conducted with many Oahu Christian leaders, numerous clergy and several hundred persons in attendance. The theme for this year's ecumenical week was "You are Witnesses of These Things," (Luke 24:48) and was celebrated with prayer in most Christian churches throughout Hawaii.
The Rev. Charles Buck, Conference Minister of the United Church of Christ in Hawaii gave a thought provoking sermon based on the year's theme of "Witness." There were also prayers for and a special collection taken up among all the attending clergy and faithfull to benefit the Haitian people who are suffering from the recent Great Haiti Earthquake.
Immediately following vespers a paina reception was held in the Cathedral's annex hall. IOC Archbishop Daniel was honored to meet and speak with the Most Rev. Clarence (Larry) Silva, Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Honolulu. Their cordial conversation centered around ecumenical relations between the Honolulu Roman Catholic Diocese and the Inclusive Orthodox Church in Hawaii.
The IOC Bishops were also pleased to meet with the Rev. Murray D. Finck, Bishop of the Pacifica Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the Rev. Dr. Woong-Min Kim, Hawaii Superintendent for the Methodist Church, the Episcopal Church's Very Rev. Timothy W. Sexton, Saint Andrew's Cathedral Provost, the Rev. Canon Liz Beasley, Episcopal Diocese Canon for Ministry Development, and the Rev. William Kunisch, Ecumenical and Interfaith Officer of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Honolulu. Father Kunisch kindly extended invitations to the IOC Bishops to attend the Annual "Red Mass" for the opening of the 2010 State of Hawaii Legislative Session.
