Aiea United Methodist Church sits along Laulima Street in the town of Aiea, on the island of Oahu, and has been a steady presence in the community for more than 125 years. The congregation calls itself the Rainbow Church: a real rainbow often arcs across the Aiea sky, and the metaphor carries through the pews, where members from Hawaiian, Japanese, Filipino, Samoan, Pacific Islander, Asian, and African heritages worship together as one ohana.
Sunday Mornings at 10:00
The main English-language worship service meets every Sunday at 10:00 a.m. It is a multi-generational gathering that blends contemporary and traditional music. A praise band leads on the third Sunday of each month; on other weeks the choir carries the hymnody. On the first Sunday of every month the whole congregation comes to the table for Holy Communion, with music from both the English and Samoan choirs. Hula and tropical flowers are regular touches, reflecting the Hawaiian setting.
A Samoan-language service follows at 11:30 a.m. on the third Sunday of every month, led by Samoan Choir Director Falefia Misiluti, who has been part of the church for more than 20 years. He composes, records, and layers his own music for worship and is building toward joint performances with the Rainbow Choir.
After the service, coffee, refreshments, and snacks are served on the lanai just off the main entrance. Visitors are encouraged to grab a bite, explore the campus, and meet the church ohana.
One Hundred and Twenty-Five Years on Laulima Street
The church was founded in 1900, making Aiea UMC one of the older continuous Methodist congregations on Oahu. The building sits behind a Wendy's along Laulima Street, with abundant free parking, an open sanctuary, and a newly renovated fellowship hall and lanai space for gathering after worship.
Rev. Suzana Kim, the church's pastor, is the fourth in a line of clergy she has served under across five congregations, four of them within the California-Pacific Conference of the United Methodist Church. She also serves as the Candidity Registrar for the Cal-Pac Board of Ordained Ministry and as President of the California-Pacific United Methodist Korean Clergywomen Association. Her husband, Rev. Stephen Kim, is also a United Methodist pastor.
Children, Youth, and Keiki
Families with young children are well cared for. Complimentary nursery care is offered during worship for children ages 0 to 4. A separate Kid's Church for ages 4 through sixth grade meets in the fellowship hall at 10:00 a.m., using Bible Story Basics from Cokesbury to walk through Scripture in chronological order. Check-in opens at 9:45 a.m. at the front entrance, where parents receive matching tags for secure drop-off and pick-up. The children's ministry team is Ministry Safe-certified, and the director, Mrs. Kobayashi, holds a Master's degree in Christian Ministry and has spent the past ten years teaching God's Word to children.
Older kids (sixth grade and up) are invited to help lead the younger children. Annual family events include a White Sunday celebration, Easter and Christmas programs, and a Halloween Hallelujah Night. The summer draw is Vacation Bible School, a week-long, high-energy program for children K through fifth grade, open to all of Aiea.
Kahea Subiono, the Youth Director, holds a Bachelor's degree in Music and Worship from Azusa Pacific University and previously served as Worship Director at IFGF Los Angeles. She is building a youth ministry shaped by expressive artistry, storytelling, and authentic encounters with God.
Do All the Good You Can
The church takes seriously John Wesley's charge to do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can. Locally, the congregation partners with organizations that provide for the less fortunate, care for kupuna, and serve the community's keiki. These include IHS Hawaii, Lanakila Pacific, Susannah Wesley, the Wesley Foundation Hawaii, Common Grace, and Hale Kipa. Members have helped distribute gifts at the annual Kahauiki Village toy drive and walked in Aiea's Christmas Parade.
The church also works with the houseless and with people adjusting to life after prison, and supports both keiki and kupuna in its mission programs.
Globally, the church partners with United Methodist churches and missionaries in Japan, Nepal, Vietnam, Uganda, Brazil, and Congo. Individual missionaries supported include Ronald Julian, Devorah Umipig, Claudia Genung Yamamoto, Ut Van To, Karen Vo-To, and Lester and Debbie Dornon. The church also contributes to the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR), which responds to natural and man-made disasters worldwide.
Membership in the Methodist Tradition
Two membership classes are offered each year, one in the spring and one in the fall. They are open to all, including long-time members who want a deeper look at Methodist distinctives, and cover Wesleyan theology, the mission of Aiea UMC, and how that mission is carried out.
Plan a Visit
Worship is at 10:00 a.m. on Sundays, with a Samoan-language service at 11:30 a.m. on the third Sunday of each month. The church is at 99-101 Laulima Street, Aiea, HI 96701, with abundant free parking. Visitors can fill out a Plan Your Visit form to be contacted, or simply stop by the Welcome Table by the main sanctuary entrance on Sunday morning.
Sermons are livestreamed on YouTube every Sunday at 10:00 a.m., and a sermon archive goes back several years. The Church Center app is the main hub for event sign-ups, online giving, the church directory, and small groups.
Office hours are Tuesday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to noon. The phone number is (808) 488-5354 and the email is info@aieaumc.org.