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WECOME TO CBTS
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LOCATION
ABOUT US
Calvary by the Sea is a group of people called by God to a life of service, sacrifice and worship. We are located on the Eastside of O’ahu, in the community of Aina Haina, in the city of Honolulu, Hawaii.
We seek to embody God’s diversity of humanity in age, race, ethnicity, gender, ability, language, family makeup, color, birthplace and tax bracket. Seeking to be little Christs to our ‘ohana.
We are a congregation with a Lutheran theological imagination that practices the sacraments of baptism and communion as Jesus did.
We are a Reconciling in Christ congregation that fosters inclusion of our LGBTQIA+ siblings in Christ.
Calvary by the Sea Lutheran Church is part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, ELCA and in mission partnership with the Pacifica Synod.
OUR STAFF
Senior Pastor- Calvary by the Sea Church
Moses Barrios
The Rev. Dr. Moses D. Barrios is the Senior Pastor of Calvary by the Sea Lutheran Church. Born and raised in Los Angeles, California with more than 22 years of experience, serving throughout California and Hawai’i. He has been married to his wife Brenda for 22 years, and they have three terrific children. Pastor Moses received both his graduate and post-graduate degrees from Fuller Seminary in Pasadena, California. His doctoral project titled, “Confronting the Lack of Racial Unity in the American Christian Church,” is the spirit behind his ministry work. Click here to read and download. His other theological studies derive from (P.L.T.S.) in Berkeley, (C.H.E.T.) in Compton and Luther in St. Paul. He is an Ordained Roster Minister of Word and Sacrament with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).
Additionally, Pastor Moses is the President of Faith Action, a faith-based non-profit organization in Hawai’i advocating for justice and equity for the last 40 years. Click here to learn more about Faith Action Hawai’i. He has extensive experience as a chaplain working with disproportionate people groups. Most notably with the skid-row houseless community in downtown LA and the LGBTQIA+ community in the Greater LA area. Moreover, he has served in numerous denominations such as the United Methodist Church (UMC), the American Baptist Churches USA (ABCUSA), the Reformed Church in America (RCA), the Foursquare Church (Pentecostal), the Evangelical Covenant Church (ECC) and his current home of the ELCA. This spectrum of theological and liturgical history has created a devotion to engage the healing and reconciling the local church and the world.
Moses enjoys speaking on racial reconciliation, LGBTQ inclusion outside and inside the church, church advancement strategies in an urban context, and the divine as the initiator and finisher. Furthermore, as an advocate and activist for inclusion, racial reconciliation, and the repair of all creation –he fully believes the Trinitarian flow of the divine is healing the world. Hope is here, joy is here, and healing is already happening. Enter the flow!
Head of School
Amber Dailey
Amber Dailey is the Head of School at Calvary by the Sea Montessori School. She was born and raised in Southern California where she spent many years serving the local church. She attended Los Angeles Harbor College while she was attended high school at Harbor Teacher Preparation Academy. It was here that her interest in teaching and school administration blossomed. Amber went on to receive her Bachelors in Anthropology from the University of California, San Diego and then received her Masters of Business Administration, General Management from the Hope International University. While she was working towards her MBA Amber focused on accounting, purchasing and management in Orange County. Her husband, Patrick Dailey, and her both served in a local church as the worship leader, office Secretary and Children’s Ministry Director. Ms. Dailey brings a wealth of knowledge on church administration, business, and children’s education and ministry. Ms. Dailey is honored to be able to serve the children and families of Hawaii at Calvary by the Sea Montessori School.
In her free time, Amber, her husband, and her sister collaboratively raise five beautiful children Aaron, Hunter, Garrett, Auriella, and Amelia in their home of Honolulu, Hawaii. She enjoys hiking, exploring, camping, and strategizing on how to meet, connect and share the love of Christ with the next generation.
School Ministry Director
Patrick Dailey
Patrick is the School Ministry Director at Calvary by The Sea Montessori School. He is married to his wife, Amber Dailey, and has five wonderful children together: Aaron, Hunter, Garrett, Auriella, and Amelia. He loves working with teachers and students to help provide a quality education, professional, fun and collaborative work culture and environment. Patrick lives by the concept that “in everything you do, you do in excellence for the glory of God by loving God and others.” Patrick loves learning, playing music, trying new food, meeting people, and traveling with his family.
Parish Administrator
Mieko Takada
Associate Minister of Student Ministries
Eric Hasha
Eric Hasha is the Associate Minister of Student Ministries. He grew up in the suburbs of Birmingham, AL where he attended Samford University with a major in Sociology. He is married to Cristy, a fourth grade teacher at Hawaii Baptist Academy, and they have two kids, Abigail (12) and Everett (9). Eric received his Master of Divinity degree from Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond (VA). Beginning in 2002, he has served in various positions in churches in Alabama, Virginia, Tennessee and Hawaii. The church members of Tabernacle Baptist Church, who belong to the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship denomination, ordained Eric on April 25, 2010. Although Eric now serves as the youth minister, he also works full-time as the President of Restoration Services Hawaii, a full-service restoration company serving residents all over Oahu. Besides enjoying most of his time with his wife and kids in the Kamehameha Heights area, he also enjoys watching college and professional football, as well as Formula 1 racing and taking his dog, Rosie, a mini golden doodle on long neighborhood walks.
Associate Minister of Family Ministries
Grace Lee
Grace was born and raised in Honolulu, HI. She is a graduate of Kaiser High School, The University of Hawaii and Fuller Theological Seminary. While in seminary, Grace was called into hospital chaplaincy. She’s been a chaplain for 6 years and has served at Hoag Hospital in Newport Beach, CA, Kapiolani Medical Center for Women and Children and is currently serving at Straub Medical Center. She is married to her wife Debbie and they enjoy traveling, cooking, listening to podcasts and spending time with their niece Piper. Some of Grace’s hobbies include playing the guitar, watching movies and checking out new restaurants.
Audio Associate
Fletcher Young
Fletcher Young has been working at Calvary by the Sea since 2008 as Worship Production Support. Primarily an audio engineer, he was part of the team that transitioned Sunday worship services to an online Zoom format when the pandemic of 2020 hit and services were shut down for most of that year. When it comes to the worship service, his philosophy is that the goal of the sound engineers is to be unnoticed; if people enjoy the service without noticing the microphones or problems with the music, their job is a success.
At CBTS he has run the sound for most special events, notably the “Love is but a song we sing” fundraisers, the Hawaii Homeless Companion, and the Performing Arts at Calvary musicals. He is married to Ina Young, and they have two beautiful and talented children. During the week he works in IT at Hawai’i Pacific Health.
OUR CONGREGATIONAL COUNCIL
The Congregational Council is made up of a group of people who are called by God and the local parish to provide spiritual support and missional leadership. A member of the council cares for the spiritual well-being of the congregation, regularly attends worship services, is involved in the congregational life, financially supports the church and its ministries and prays for discernment about what is best for the congregation.
Currently our congregational council consists of the following members:
Please be in prayer for your council in such a season as this.
If you would like to contact the Congregational Council, please send us an email, CLICK HERE
ABOUT OUR COMMUNICATION
The Calvary Caller is our weekly email communication that includes our upcoming events and gatherings, a note from the desk of the Senior Pastor and other announcements for the congregation. Our desire to keep you informed of all the happenings at Calvary by the Sea Lutheran Church.
If you would like to subscribe, please send us an email, click here
ABOUT OUR HISTORY
The idea of a new Lutheran Church in Hawaii came from Dr. Phillip Dybvig, Director of Home Missions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, and Dr. Gaylord Falde, Bishop of the South pacific District of the ELC. The funding of the new church was handled by the Churches of the Austin Circuit in Southern Minnesota in late 1953. On the day that the Austin circuit decided to sponsor the mission by providing loan money, Dr. Falde and Dr. Dybvig gave Stan Gjervik the Letter of Call to become the mission pastor in Honolulu.
Stan and Doris Gjervik arrived in Honolulu on July 26,1954. They were ready to work the afternoon they arrived. First, they met with real estate agents to scout the Aina Haina area for possible church sites. Sven Anderson at M’s Ranch House offered the use of his banquet facility for a place of Worship and Sunday School. The first service was scheduled for October 17,1954. The big day came. Dr. Phil Dybvig was a guest. Forty-two people were present at the first service. Attendance was down a little the next two Sundays, but it climbed gradually until there were about 95 by Christmas and 120 by Easter.
While Dr. Dybvig was here, the congregation began negotiating for property. A realtor by the name of Mr. Wright found the present site. For four days we worked with a Mrs. Wild and her advisors at the Hawaiian Trust Building. The bank was wonderful. We explained that we had $90,000 to invest, but that this would have to include the purchase price of the land and the first unit of the church (now Ohana Lani). The result was that the church purchased 63,000 square feet of land for $60,000. Later, the church received a gift of 10,000 square feet where Hale Aloha is located. An additional 10,000 square feet of land on the highway end of the property was a gift in 1955.
In 1956, a pledge of $10,000 covered a promissory note to Mrs. Wild. Plans for the parsonage (now Hale Aloha) were started. Harold Hicks was the builder but was assisted by Nolan Wold, a volunteer who came in January, 1955. Paul Jones of Wimberly and Cook was engaged as the architect. Plans were soon ready, and the church accepted a bid from C. W. Winstedt for under $24,000. By the end of September, 1955, we were in our new building. Special gifts came for the finishing touches.
We continued to meet at the Hind Company Office Building behind M’s Ranch House. Sunday School started on October 24, 1954. Children’s programming began on Thursday afternoons in November when we moved to the new church site. Women of the church began meeting once a month. Later we started a regular weekly Wednesday morning Bible Study. Everybody seemed to take hold of the work, and to support the congregation seemed to be a natural thing to do. In fourteen months, we began carrying our own weight, and no longer needed the monthly Home Mission Grant in Aid.
The church was active from the beginning. Visitors were abundant during those years. Participation in Kiwanis and P.T.A. became an important community service. In 1958, we began broadcasting our worship service on KAIM FM. Additions were built to both sides of the sanctuary in 1953. The church had taken its place in the community
The spirit of the first congregation still exists. Words of early pastors continue to describe Calvary by the Sea Lutheran: From our first pastor Stan Gjervik (1954-1961): “Every car that drove up was a miracle.” From James Bergquist (1961-1964): “Calvary Lutheran has always been a unique and wonderful congregation.” From Obed Sunde (1964-1967): “Thanks to God for the blessings He has showered on the congregation.”
In 1967, Doug Olson became the senior pastor at Calvary, ushering in a period of strong growth in membership, church programs and community service. This included a unique program called Clown Sunday, which used theatre to reach out to members of the church and community at large who were burdened by emotional and spiritual problems. This fruitful ministry continued for 20 years. Pastor Olson’s wife Ivy launched Angel Network Charities (ANC), which was dedicated to helping those in need with housing, counseling, and food assistance.
In 1978, Calvary by the Sea membership voted to affiliate with the new Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, or ELCA. Then in 1979, planning began for a new sanctuary to be situated where those attending worship services can look out over the beautiful seascape of Moanalua Bay. The facility opened in 1982.
In 1991, the parsonage (now Hale Aloha) was renovated to provide space for ANC’s program. Today, Angel Network Charities focuses exclusively on feeding and nourishing our ‘Ohana in partnership with other ministries and organizations. The need for nourishment has grown steadily over the years, and grew exponentially during the covid-19 global pandemic. At the peak of the pandemic, ANC was providing food weekly for more than 1,000 families!
Early in Pastor Olsen’s 25 years as senior pastor, Calvary started a preschool with 30 students and 2 teachers. The school later became a Montessori School and its enrollment increased to nearly 70 students shortly before covid restrictions went into effect. At about the same time, Calvary began offering weddings to couples in Hawaii, mainland USA and countries around the word, another program that continues to this day (with a pause during the covid global pandemic.)
In 2004, Tim Mason began a nearly 15-year term as senior pastor.
In early 2021, Calvary by the Sea’s current pastor, Moses Barrios, arrived with bold intentions to expand Christ’s love and grace in Honolulu, Hawaii through the called people of God at Calvary by the Sea Lutheran Church.
