Holy Apostles, Church of the

Church of the Holy Apostles is the only Episcopal parish in Hilo, Hawaiʻi.  It was founded in 1903 with funding from a parish in Pennsylvania called Holy Apostles, some of the money coming from the children of that parish donating their pennies to the effort.  In gratitude for their assistance the parish in Hilo took the name of its benefactor on the mainland. 

A parish building was established on Waiānuenue Avenue and later moved to its current location across the old gym at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo in 1963.  The parish has 130 families and in addition to holding regular worship, it endeavors to reach out to the community of Hilo to change lives and create a better, more peaceful world.  The parish is committed to social justice, and is known for being an open and affirming community. 

The Episcopal Church of the Holy Apostles offers a unique place in the spectrum of the Christian experience.  Having long stood for service to the wider community, we express our faith in outreach and social concern, striving to "walk the talk" of Jesus' teachings.

We are known for asking good questions, rather than necessarily providing pat answers for complex issues. We are not biblical literalists. That is, we study scripture in the context of history, and seek to interpret God's word in scripture for our own day. We have a willingness to live with diverse and changing interpretations of scripture. We see no contradiction between science and religion, but see them as part of an integrated whole.

We encourage diversity. We affirm our LGBT brothers and sisters. We seek to value each person's life and story, and invite each person to share in our Christian community.  We are known for our inclusiveness, recognizing that Christ's banquet is large enough to include every person.

Some words that describe the Holy Apostles ʻOhana:

• OPEN, and willing to live with ambiguity, knowing that truth is discerned by many paths.
• SEARCHING, questioning, and using reason to explore new insights and possibilities.
• INTUITIVE, affirming the metaphorical, paradoxical, and symbolic.
• BALANCED, holding the "middle ground" between extremes, always putting the work of love first. 
• HISTORICAL, valuing tradition and experience in understanding the present.
• JUSTICE, encouraging response to the cries of the poor, the hungry, the oppressed, and the alienated within our communities, the nation and the world.
• AFFIRMING, welcoming all to find a spiritual home in the Episcopal Church.