Our Ministries at St. Clement
St. Clement’s School
A ministry of the Episcopal Parish of St. Clement in Honolulu
St. Clement's School is a preschool and kindergarten program in Honolulu, Hawai'i. It is the most extensive outreach ministry of the Episcopal Parish of St. Clement. The school strives to help children develop a strong foundation for future learning and growth. Our slogan—An Ocean of Possibilities—speaks for itself.
Our programs include preschool, kindergarten, before-school care, extended daycare, and chapel services. Our curriculum is tailored to each age group and features music, physical education, and creative movements.
The learning environment at St. Clement’s School is a safe and accessible space that nurtures curiosity and fosters relationships. Our philosophy is grounded in the Christian faith, as interpreted by the Episcopal Church—St. Clement’s School welcomes and respects children from all religious, ethnic, and economic backgrounds. We also accommodate children with disabilities within reasonable limits.
We are accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children and are members of the National Association of Episcopal Schools and the Hawaii Association of Independent Schools.
For more information, please visit our website, email us, or call us at 808-949-2082.
The Food Pantry at St. Clement
The Episcopal Parish of St. Clement in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, operates a food pantry that provides free food to those in need. The Food Pantry at St. Clement is open every Wednesday, with food distribution from 10 a.m. to noon. Please avoid lining up before 9 a.m. We are closed the week before and after Easter and Christmas. Be sure to check our website or e-announcements for notifications regarding any other closures.
We are located in the Parish House of the Episcopal Parish of St. Clement. The address is 1515 Wilder Ave, Honolulu, HI 96822. We are proud to partner with Hawaiʻi Food Bank and appreciate the generosity of our parishioners and others in the community. Currently, we provide our patrons with bags of canned goods and other shelf-stable food products.
Additionally, the Episcopal Parish of St. Clement proudly offers financial assistance through a $50 check per year to residents of the 96822 zip code and halfway houses. This assistance is available only during the operating hours of The Food Pantry at St. Clement, which are listed above.
For additional food assistance resources, please get in touch with The Hawaiʻi Food Bank. They offer various programs to help families access food throughout the State of Hawaiʻi. You can reach them at 808-536-4302 to find resources available near you. If you need general assistance, you can call 211.
We appreciate any support you can provide. If you would like to learn how to assist us through a financial gift, volunteering, or other means, please call us at 808-955-7756 or email us here. Mahalo for helping us help others.
The Chapel of Peace (Columbarium)
Adult Formation Groups
Adult Christian formation in the Episcopal Church is a lifelong process of growing in faith, community, and relationship with God, others, and creation. It includes learning, prayer, and service.
We practice this at the Episcopal Parish of St. Clement through study, reflection, conversation, prayer, and community building. It is important because it deepens our spiritual lives, allowing us to grow in our relationships with God and each other within a healthy, supportive, and strong faith community centered on the teachings of Jesus.
Currently, we have two Adult Christian Formation Groups that meet at 8:30 a.m. on Sunday mornings in the Parish House.
On Sunday mornings at 8:30 A.M., we offer our churchgoers two educational discussion groups:
Adult Discussion
and
Reading Between the Lines
Adult Discussion is open to anyone who wants to explore and expand their understanding of religion and spirituality by reading or watching selected non-Biblical sources and then discussing these in depth. We have been blessed to have participants with various backgrounds in literature, education, science, theology, and the arts who recommend books for the group and keep our conversations lively. Adult Discussion sessions are available via Zoom and in person in the Parish House.
Reading Between the Lines (formerly known as the Bible Workbench) is a weekly conversation built around scripture and a collection of short texts (a few pages of reading for each meeting). RBTL allows participants to engage with one of the week's lectionary readings, presents a central theme of that reading, and connects the biblical text to other writings on that theme. Participants take turns introducing the material and inviting responses, such as how the theme relates to events in the world and participants’ own lives. RBTL sessions are held in the Parish Hall.
Reading materials for these groups can be purchased from the church office for $10, and scholarships are available. There is no fee.
St. Clementʻs Choir
The music ministry at the Episcopal Parish of St. Clement is a vital component of our worship. It reflects our faith community's diverse character, including the native Hawaiian culture. The choir sings at the principal service during the 9:30 a.m. service of the Holy Eucharist each Sunday. They will also attend and sing at the Christian Church's significant feasts, including Christmas, Easter, Maundy Thursday, and Good Friday.
Interested in being part of our choir?
- We are open to all singers and instrumentalists.
- Music reading is helpful but not required.
- Instrumentalists should be able to read music and play with good tone and pitch. (We love the ʻukulele).
Attend a choir rehearsal to see if we are a match. Rehearsals are held on Thursday at 6 pm and Sunday mornings starting at 8:30 a.m. We will be excited to sing with you.
If you have any further questions, please email the choir director, Addison Omohundro.
Irwin Jiang is the musician for the Episcopal Parish of St. Clement.
Altar Guild
The Altar Guild at the Episcopal Parish of St. Clement is a group that prepares the sanctuary for services and cares for the altar and related items. Their responsibilities include preparing the sanctuary for services, cleaning up afterward, caring for the altar, vestments, vessels, and altar linens, and setting out vessels such as wine, water, and chalices. They also place communion wafers and the priest's wafer on the paten, and assemble the Eucharistic ensemble. Additionally, they launder and iron the linens, maintain the cleanliness and quality of all vestments, and polish the silver and brass instruments of worship.
The Altar Guild's ministry aims to make each service as seamless as possible. It operates as a “quiet service” ministry, working behind the scenes. Additionally, the Altar Guild has a unique role as the priest's liturgical partner, ensuring that everything is prepared and ready for the priests and servers to conduct the church service.
If you would like to serve on the Altar Guild, please email us here.
Flower Guild
A Flower Guild at the Episcopal Parish of St. Clement is a group of persons who arrange flowers for worship services and special events. The guild's mission is to enhance the worship experience and glorify God.
The responsibilities include arranging flowers for Sunday services, weddings, funerals, and other special occasions. Select and arrange flowers that complement the liturgical season, vestments' color, and readings' content. Place flowers in the church to enhance the worship experience. Arrange palms for Palm Sunday, Easter lilies, Christmas poinsettias, and more.
Donations to the Flower Guild can be made in honor or memory of someone. Donations can also be made to help purchase flowers and underwrite the costs of communion items.
If you want to donate to honor a loved one or for a special occasion, please email us or donate online here.
If you want more information about serving on the Flower Guild, please email us here.
Lending Library
Our Lending Library is now open! Over the years, the Episcopal Parish of St. Clement has amassed some wonderful resources for our parishioners and others to expand their understanding of the Christian faith and beyond. Our free and open-to-the-public library aims to provide resources for spiritual learning, Bible study, and personal growth for church members and the wider community. If you have books that you would like to donate, please bring them to the Parish Office. If you want to view what we have to borrow, please see the bookshelf in the Parish House!
Eucharistic Ministers
A Eucharistic Minister at the Episcopal Parish of St. Clement is a lay person authorized to administer the Consecrated Elements at a Celebration of the Holy Eucharist. A Eucharistic Minister acts under the direction of a Member of the Clergy. The pre-requisites for the Eucharist Minister are that the person shall be a confirmed communicant in good standing of The Episcopal Church and an active member of the congregation who has been invited to this ministry by the congregation's clergy. Additionally, the Eucharistic Minister must be able to administer the elements of bread and wine in the context of public worship.
If this is a ministry you feel called to, please schedule a face-to-face appointment with Father Brian to discuss your desire.
Eucharistic Visitors
A Eucharistic Visitor is a lay person authorized to take the Consecrated Elements of the Holy Eucharist promptly following a Celebration of Holy Eucharist to members of the congregation who, because of illness or infirmity, could not be present at the Celebration. A Eucharistic Visitor should act under the direction of a Clergy member.
The prerequisites are the same as an Eucharist Minister, including that a Deacon of a congregation or the Clergy shall assist all applicants in discerning this ministry. Due to the importance of Christian formation, the Eucharist Visitor shall be a confirmed communicant in good standing of The Episcopal Church and the congregation of legal age (18 years old). Furthermore, such formation is understood to be an ongoing process. The Eucharistic Visitor must undergo Sexualue Diligence Training in a program approved by the Episcopal Diocese of Hawai‘i. Because of the greater responsibility entrusted to the Eucharistic Visitor, this ministry requires more theological education and preparation than the Eucharistic Minister.
If this is a ministry you feel called to, please schedule a face-to-face appointment with Father Brian to discuss your desire.
Acolytes
At the Episcopal Parish of St. Clement in Honolulu, an acolyte, sometimes called an Altar server, assists the priest and deacon during worship by performing ceremonial duties like carrying the cross, lighting candles, and preparing the altar. They vest (dress) in a liturgical robe called an Alb.
Acolytes play a vital role in the liturgy, assisting the priest and deacon with various tasks, such as:
Carrying the processional cross.
Lighting and extinguishing candles before and after the service.
Carrying and holding the Gospel book.
Assisting with the preparation of the altar.
Handling the offering plates during the Holy Eucharist.
Swinging the thurible (censer filled with incense).
Leading the procession in the church and out to the world.
Helping the congregation worship by modeling what we do.
Acolytes can be of any age and gender, with youth and adults often participating in this ministry. Acolytes will receive training and instruction on their duties and responsibilities. So, if you are interested in service in this ministry, please contact or email Father Brian. He would love to have you serve with him at God's Altar for God's 'Ohana!
Greeter and Ushers
The ushers and greeters at the Parish of St. Clement are vital to our 'Ohana live into shriving to love as Jesus loves. ' Our priest commented several times that his discernment to come and serve at St. Clement had to do with how he was treated at worship when he came with us, knowing that he was a priest. "I was treated with a smile, handed a bulletin, and welcomed no questions asked. I felt at home from day one."
Our ushers are usually the first to arrive before the services and prepare for church worship services. They greet everyone who comes to church, hand them service bulletins, help those with needed assistance, answer questions like 'Where are the restrooms,' assist with the offertory, direct people to receive Holy Communion, direct people to the Parish House for fellowship and coffee, and more.
If you love talking to people and helping them feel comfortable in new settings, this might be a ministry that feeds your soul. Talk to one of the ushers or greeters, or email us for more information about being part of this ministry.
LGBTQ+ and Allies Ministries
In the first century, Jesus of Nazareth inspired a movement. A community of people centered on Jesus Christ and committed to living the way of God’s unconditional, unselfish, sacrificial, and redemptive love. As Episcopal Christians and members of the Episcopal Parish of St. Clement in Honolulu, we believe in a loving, liberating, and life-giving God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
We believe in following the teachings of Jesus Christ, whose life, death, and resurrection saved the world.
We have a legacy of inclusion here in The Episcopal Church, the Episcopal Diocese of Hawai'i, and at St. Clement, aspiring to tell and exemplify God’s love for every human being. Ordinations of bishops, priests, and deacons are open to all without discrimination. Laypeople and clergy cooperate as leaders at all levels of our church. Leadership is a gift from God and can be expressed by all people in our church, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, or gender identity or expression. We believe that God loves us all – no exceptions.
With the recent attacks of hate on the security of many venerable populations in our communities, queer people have been targeted by hate and discrimination, including other people that use Jesus as a weapon. So to combat hate with love, we are enlivening our ministry for Queer people here at St. Clement. Come and join us for LGBTQ+ Talk Story Pot Lucks. Our agenda is only to have space for people to be safe and open about who God made them to be! Check our calendar or email us for more information. And feel free to join us at worship. We think you will be pleasantly surprised.
God loves you just the way you are... no exceptions!
Native Hawaiian Ministries
Anglican presence in the Hawaiian Islands essentially started in 1861, when King Kamehameha IV invited the Church of England to send missionaries. Accordingly, Thomas Staley was consecrated bishop in London and sent to Honolulu in 1862. Before this, the islands did have a long missionary presence, primarily from American Congregationalists and French Catholics, and most of the native Hawaiians had been converted to Christianity. Congregationalist missionaries had educated the King himself but became more enamored of the Anglican Church after a trip to Britain. It may be assumed that missionary activity by the three nations (Britain, France, and the U. S.) was often closely tied to attempts to gain political influence in the country.
The Anglican Church in Hawaii remained under the control of the Church of England until the United States annexed the Hawaiian Islands in 1898. In 1902, the Church was transferred to the jurisdiction of the U.S. Episcopal Church and has remained so ever since.
The first Book of Common Prayer in the Hawaiian language appears to be a "straight" translation of the 1662 Book of Common Prayer of the Church of England - that is, little or nothing is left out of the services, and nothing is added. This Book is unique in that King Kamehameha IV translated it. Further information on the history of the Anglican / Episcopal Church in Hawaii may be found courtesy of Project Canterbury. Click here to view the online version.
Parts of the updated Book of Common Prayer 1979 that The Episcopal Church uses have been partially translated into 'Ōlelo Hawai'i (Hawaiian Language). The Eucharistic Prayer and other supporting material can be found here.
In the last year, the 'Ohana of God at the Episcopal Parish of St. Clement has recommitted itself to truth-telling about our story with the native people of this 'āina (land) and how we can move forward in reconciliation and aloha! We have also adorned our church with photographs of the Holy Sovereigns of Hawai'i, King Kamehameha IV, Queen Emma (November 28), and Queen Lili'uokalani (November 9), the last Ali'i (Royal). They are there to remind us how these faithful Christian people lived in their faith in Jesus Christ and loved their people. To us at St. Clement, they are Holy Women and a Holy Man.
We are proud to celebrate their Feasts Days here at St. Clement. Sing hymns and make music to Akua (God) in Hawaiian. To teach the language of the island, to share with the kama'āina (the people of the land) the Good News of Christ.
Fellowship Event Hosts
If anyone knows how to throw an event with food, it is the good people of the Episcopal Parish of St. Clement in Makiki! We have several events each year when the wider community is always invited to eat with us and talk story—just like Jesus did!
Some of these event include, but are not limited to:
Pancake Sunday Dinner on the Sunday before Ash Wednesday
Agape Meal during Maundy Thursday on Holy Week
Aloha Mai Kākou Sunday in September
The Commereration of King Kamahamaha IV and Queen Emma
The Commereration of Queen Liliʻuokalani
BBQ at St. Clement that happens about every other month
If you'd like to attend, please add your name and email address to our email list here. And if you would like to get involved with helping at and hosting our event, please email us here!
Bon appetite!
Coffee Hour Hosts on Sunday
Ministries that are in Discernment and Development
Lay Weeders and Creation Care
