Give
Watch Live

About Us

Waialua United Church of Christ

We are a community

At Waialua United Church of Christ (Waialua UCC), you will find an inter-generational community from all walks of life, with a little something for everyone. The hospitality is warm, and the people are friendly. We believe building community is far more important that religiosity. Come be challenged and refreshed, and find a place where YOU can make a difference in the world. You'll be glad you did.

What we believe

We covenant with God and with each other, binding ourselves together to encourage each other to follow Jesus Christ in love and faith wherever He chooses to lead us, in accordance with the Holy Scriptures, and through the enabling power of the Holy Spirit.

We believe in God, the Eternal Spirit, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and our Father, and to his deeds we testify:

He calls the worlds into being, creates man in his own image and sets before him the ways of life and death.

He seeks in holy love to save all people from aimlessness and sin.

He judges men and nations by his righteous will declared through prophets and apostles.

In Jesus Christ, the man of Nazareth, our crucified and risen Lord, he has come to us and shared our common lot, conquering sin and death and reconciling the world to himself.

He bestows upon us his Holy Spirit, creating and renewing the church of Jesus Christ, binding in covenant faithful people of all ages, tongues, and races.

He calls us into his church to accept the cost and joy of discipleship, to be his servants in the service of men, to proclaim the gospel to all the world and resist the powers of evil, to share in Christ’s baptism and eat at his table , to join him in his passion and victory.

He promises to all who trust him forgiveness of sins and fullness of grace, courage in the struggle for justice and peace, his presence in trial and rejoicing, and eternal life in his kingdom which has no end.

Blessing and honor, glory and power be unto him.

Amen.

Where we fellowship

Waialua United Church of Christ

67-174 Farrington Hwy
PO Box 663, Waialua, HI 96791
(808) 637-6688

Info
Directions
SIGN THE CHURCH GUESTBOOK
Pastor

E.J. Ravago

All Church Staff
Sunday Worship Service

10:30 am – 12:00 pm

If you are a first time visitor, or returning after a long time gone, please SIGN THE CHURCH GUESTBOOK!

All Church Events

Harry and Jeanette Weinberg
Community Center

67-174 Farrington Hwy
Waialua, HI 96791 (behind the Main Campus)
(808) 637-6688

Info
Directions
schedule for rental
Administrative Assistant

Mia Calaro

All CHURCH STAFF
Event / Facilities Use Rental

Available all year round!

For rental use of the facilities at the Community Center, please click the SCHEDULE FOR RENTAL button on the left.

All Church Events

Our membership

All church members are ministers.

The Reverend E.J. Ravago is the current Pastor and Teacher of the Waialua United Church of Christ.  Called by the congregation to serve on April 15, 2024, his ministry at Waialua UCC started on July 28, 2024.

A graduate of North Park Theological Seminary and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Pastor E.J. previously served as the lead pastor of New Abbey Church in Waukegan, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, which he planted in 2016.  He is married to J.L. and has three children.

The Rev. Lauren Buck Medeiros – Jan. – Mar. 2024 (Bridge)
The Rev. Nan Riddle – 2021-2022 (Designated)
The Rev. Scott Furukawa –  2017-2020
The Rev. Dr. Norma Nomura DeSaegher – 2016-2017 (Interim)
The Rev. Dr. Grant S.C. Lee –  2005-2015
The Rev. Dr. David Hirano – 2004-2005 (Interim)
The Rev. Dr. David S. Milotta –  1987-2003
The Rev. Carol Song –  1983-1986
The Rev. Ruth Senter – 1975-1979
The Rev. Paul Robinson – 1971-1974
The Rev. Hidemi Tsutsui – 1961-1970
The Rev. James Davis – 1957-1960
The Rev. Donald Fujiyoshi (from the Waialua Pilgrim Church) – 1956
The Rev. Jacob Jansen (from the Filipino Evangelical Church of Waialua) – 1956 

Our social media and newsletter

Since the church’s days in the plantation, The Beacon newsletter has provided members and visitors of the WUCC with the musings and ongoings of the church. 

Check out what’s going on in the spiritual livelihood of the church thru our quarterly newsletter! 

Want to send in an article/picture for the next newsletter?  Scan the QR code to upload your files!

Facebook – WaialuaUCC
Instagram – @WaialuaUCC
YouTube – Waialua United Church of Christ

Our church's history

A small band of immigrant Japanese plantation laborers at the Waialua Sugar Mill answer God's call to form the Waialua Japanese Christian Church.
1901creation of the Waialua Japanese Christian Church
1901
Forty immigrant Filipino plantation laborers from the Waialua Sugar Mill answer God's call to form the Filipino Evangelical Church of Waialua.
April 16, 1921creation of the Filipino Evangelical Church of Waialua
April 16, 1921
Over a six-year period, the Waialua Japanese Christian Church, the Waialua Caucasian Church, and the Waialua Korean Church merge to form the Waialua Pilgrim Church - a church open to all Christians from all racial backgrounds.
1940 - 1946Creation and growth of the Waialua Pilgrim Church
1940 - 1946
Witnessing Jesus's call to become one (John 17:21), the Waialua Pilgrim Church and the Filipino Evangelical Church of Waialua merge to become one as the "Waialua United Church of Christ"
June 3, 1956Establishment of the Waialua United Church of Christ
June 3, 1956
The Waialua UCC joins the newly-established Hawaii Conference of the United Church of Chris (HCUCC).
1957WUCC Joins the Hawaii UCC Conference
1957
The Waialua UCC purchases and relocates, section-by-section, the Wheeler Field Chapel building to Waialua, replacing the old Pilgrim Chapel built in 1924, at a cost of $25,025 - the building was $25, while the disassembly, relocation, and reassembly was $25,000.
1968 - 1969Purchase and relocation of a new church building
1968 - 1969
A time capsule, buried in 1924 at the Waialua Japanese Christian Church, was opened at a ceremony fifty years later with 450 people present representing 18 churches from around Hawaii. The Rev. Dr. Abraham Akaka provided the blessing for the service.
February 2, 1975Waialua Japanese Christian Church Time Capsule is Opened
February 2, 1975
The Waialua UCC formally establishes a youth ministry.
1978 - 1981Establishment of the Youth Ministry
1978 - 1981
The Waialua UCC congregation votes on the purchase of land from the Waialua Sugar Mill and the building of a new church campus.
May 1981WUCC votes on buying land for a new church campus
May 1981
After many years in a small plantation chapel, the Waialua UCC completes and dedicates it's current sanctuary and administrative building next to Waialua High School, on the foothills of Mount Ka'ala.
January 1989DEDICATION OF CURRENT CHURCH SANCTUARY AND ADMIN BUILDING
January 1989
Established in memory of a dedicated Waialua UCC youth member, the Sherwin Gervacio Memorial Scholarship seeks to financially aid the congregation's youth in their educational endeavors.
1995Establishment of the Sherwin Gervacio Memorial Scholarship
1995
The congregation decides to vision and plan for the building of a preschool and community center with a price tag of $2.85 million.
1996Commencement of the Community Center Building Project
1996
After six years of fundraising and a generous grant by the Weinberg Foundation, the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Community Center was built to assist and serve Waialua UCC's wider community outreach.
May 26, 2002Dedication of the Harry and Jeanette weinberg community center
May 26, 2002
A group of mostly-retired church members form the Yard Fellowship, meeting weekly to volunteer in the upkeep of the campus's four acres of landscaping. As a result, Waialua UCC won local landscaping awards in 2006 and 2008.
2005The Yard Fellowship
2005
The Waialua UCC celebrated its 50 year anniversary as one church with various events thru the year, concluding with a banquet showcasing skits, dances, and storytelling by longtime members of the congregation.
2006Waialua UCC celebrates 50 years as one church
2006
Created as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic shutdowns, Waialua UCC transitioned to a primarily online presence for five months - first as pre-recorded YouTube videos, then as livestream events on Facebook, which has successfully been integrated as part of our regular in-person worship service.
March 2020Waialua UCC GOES VIRTUAL
March 2020
To foster community and to offer a place for local business to gather and sell their goods, Waialua UCC established a farmer's market running on Tuesdays in their parking lot. In 2025, the market transitioned to events-based community outreach events.
November 2021Establishment of Tuesday Market Waialua
November 2021
1901
A small band of immigrant Japanese plantation laborers at the Waialua Sugar Mill answer God's call to form the Waialua Japanese Christian Church.
Creation of the Waialua Japanese Christian Church
April 16, 1921
Forty immigrant Filipino plantation laborers from the Waialua Sugar Mill answer God's call to form the Filipino Evangelical Church of Waialua.
Creation of the Filipino Evangelical Church of Waialua
1940 thru 1946
Over a six-year period, the Waialua Japanese Christian Church, the Waialua Caucasian Church, and the Waialua Korean Church merge to form the Waialua Pilgrim Church - a church open to all Christians from all racial backgrounds.
Merger of churches to form the Waialua Pilgrim Church
June 3, 1956
Witnessing Jesus's call to become one (John 17:21), the Waialua Pilgrim Church and the Filipino Evangelical Church of Waialua merge to become one as the Waialua United Church of Christ.
Establishment of the Waialua United Church of Christ
1959
The Waialua UCC joins the newly-established Hawaii Conference of the United Church of Christ (HCUCC).
Waialua UCC joins the Hawaii UCC Conference
1968 - 1969
The Waialua UCC purchases and relocates, section-by-section, the Wheeler Field Chapel building in Wahiawa, replacing the old Pilgrim Chapel built in 1924, at a cost of $25,025 - the building was $25, while the disassembly, relocation, and reassembly was $25,000.
Waialua UCC purchases Wheeler Field Chapel Building
February 2, 1975
A time capsule, buried in 1924 at the Waialua Japanese Christian Church, was opened at a ceremony fifty years later with 450 people present representing 18 churches from around Hawaii. The Rev. Dr. Abraham Akaka provided the blessing for the service.
Opening of the Waialua Japanese Church Time Capsule
1978 thru 1981
The Waialua UCC formally establishes a youth ministry.
Waialua UCC establishes a youth ministry
May 1981
The Waialua UCC congregation votes on the purchase of former sugarcane land from the Waialua Sugar Mill and the building of a new church campus.
Waialua UCC votes to build a new church campus
January 1989
After many years in a small plantation chapel, the Waialua UCC completes and dedicates the current sanctuary and administrative building next to Waialua High School, on the foothills of Mount Ka'ala.
Dedication of the Waialua UCC Sanctuary and Administration Building
1995
Established in memory of a dedicated Waialua UCC youth member, the Sherwin Gervacio Memorial Scholarship seeks to financially aid the congregation's youth in their educational endeavors.
Establishment of the Sherwin Gervacio Memorial Scholarship
1996
The congregation votes to vision and plan for the building of a preschool and community center on the campus for a price of $2.85 million.
Commencement of the Community Center Building Project
May 26, 2002
After six years of fundraising and a generous grant by the Weinberg Foundation, the Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Community Center was dedicated to assist and serve Waialua UCC's wider community outreach.
Dedication of the Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Community Center
2005
A group of mostly-retired church members form the Yard Fellowship, meeting weekly to volunteer in the upkeep of the campus's four acres of landscaping.
The Yard Fellowship
2006
The Waialua UCC celebrated its 50-year anniversary as one church with various events thru the year, concluding with a banquet showcasing skits, dances, and storytelling by longtime members of the congregation.
Waialua UCC celebrates 50 years as one church
March 2020
Due to the onset of the COVID-19 lockdowns, Waialua UCC transitioned to an all-virtual worship service for five months. Later on, during allowances for in-person worship, the first online-streamed service was made, which is now integrated into our normal worship services.
Waialua UCC goes virtual due to the COVID-19 Pandemic
November 2, 2021
To create a community that is better together, the Waialua UCC established a weekly farmers market on Tuesdays. Held regularly for three consecutive years, in 2025 the Tuesday Market Waialua became events-based for community outreach.
Establishment of the Tuesday Market Wailua

E komo mai! We hope to see you soon!

Plan Your Visit
Watch Live

67-174 Farrington Highway
Waialua, HI 96791
P.O. BOX 663
– CONTACT US –
A MEMBER OF THE HAWAII CONFERENCE OF THE UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST
Facebook Instagram Youtube