Hawaii Mission Bicentennial Kauai events set in May 2020

The Hawaii Mission Bicentennial weekend is set for Saturday, May 2, and Sunday, May 3, 2020, in Waimea. Missionaries Samuel Ruggles and Samuel Whitney, members of the pioneer company of American missionaries sent to Hawaii arrived at Waimea aboard the brig Thaddeus on May 3, 1820. They returned Humehume (George Prince Kaumualii) from the Foreign Mission School at Cornwall, Connecticut, to his father King Kaumualii.

Kaumualii welcomed the missionaries and promised them land to build their missionary station.

The Waimea Mission Church, known as the Stone Church, built in 1854, connects Waimea to the pioneer mission party.

Schedule of events (SUBHEAD)

All day Saturday and Sunday: An exhibition of artifacts from the time of the pioneer mission company will be on display at the West Kauai Technology & Visitor Center, Waimea;

Saturday, May 2, 8 a.m., Fellowship Prayer Breakfast at Waimea Plantation Cottages;

10 a.m. Reenactment at the Waimea Pier of the landing of the pioneer mission party. The 1854 copy of the Hawaiian-language Bible from the Waimea Mission Church will be brought ashore in an outrigger canoe.

Sunday, May 3

This day marks the bicentennial of the arrival of pioneer company.

10 a.m. Special worship service at Waimea Mission Church (Old Stone Church) with sermon by a minister from Park Street Church in Boston, hula, Hawaiian music, placing lei of remembrance on the grave site of Samuel and Mercy Whitney.

Noon, lunch at the historic Waimea Theatre with talk story about King Kaumualii by Aletha Kaohi, and the pioneer mission to Kauai by Chris Cook.

— Chris Cook