Hawaii Conference

Hawaii Welcomes New Pastors

Pastor Andre Weston

Pastor Andre Weston received a call to the Hawaii Conference in February of 2020. He has been serving in pastoral ministry for 4 ½ years. Weston received his Master of Divinity degree from the Seventhday Adventist Theological Seminary at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan, in 2015 and also holds a Master of Arts degree in Public Communication from American University in Washington, D.C.

Weston is passionate about community engagement, evangelism, and creating nurturing space within the local church for youth and young adults to grow in Jesus. In a previous district assignment, Weston worked with the local church to create a

quarterly youth Sabbath program, which led to the baptisms of six youth. Weston is very excited to be part of the Hawaii Conference and to join the Pacific Union Conference family. He firmly believes that Hawaii is a wonderful mission field for service to Christ. Weston is married to his wife of seven years, Dr. Nicole Weston, and together they have enjoyed learning about their community on the Big Island, experiencing the island’s bountiful natural beauty, and writing songs and poems together.

Coming to the Hawaii Conference certainly happened in unusual times. Due to COVID-19 risks, Weston’s arrival was delayed, and he began his tenure with the Hawaii Conference via digital ministry from Mississippi. When he finally arrived in Hawaii, he continued digital ministry from home at first due to the state’s mandatory quarantine for new arrivals. Learning to serve through distance and digital ministry required using new technology, coordinating across time zones, and coming up with a systemic communications plan to keep the churches engaged while they worked toward reopening.

Weston looks at “quarantine” ministry as one of the many adventures that come when you follow the clear instructions of the Lord to the mission where He wants you. He and Nicole are happy to be in God’s will and about His business on the Big Island.

Pastor Enoch Brownell

Pastor Enoch Brownell was born and raised in California. The youngest of four children, Brownell gave his life to Jesus Christ and followed Him into ministry at the age of 17. He served as a literature evangelist, Bible worker, youth pastor, and high school chaplain over the next few years.

In 2005, Brownell graduated with a B.A. in Religion from Weimar College. Just a few weeks later, he married the woman of his dreams,

Weston looks at “quarantine” ministry as one of the many adventures that come when you follow the clear instructions of the Lord to the mission where He wants you.

Brownell's philosophy is that we are all called to be “priests”—that God has given us the privilege and responsibility to seek after the lost and bring them to the feet of Jesus for healing and salvation.

Melissa, and began full-time pastoral ministry in the Northern New England Conference. After serving as a district pastor for four years, he moved his family to Berrien Springs, Michigan, to attend the seminary at Andrews University. In 2012, Brownell received an M.Div. degree and began eight years of ministry serving in the Northern California Conference.

Recently, Brownell was called to the Hawaii Conference to pastor the Honolulu Japanese church in Manoa, Oahu.

He shares 15 years of marriage with Melissa, and they have been blessed with four beautiful children: Taliah, Titus, Tessah, and Taten.

His philosophy is that we are all called to be “priests”—that God has given us the privilege and responsibility to seek after the lost and bring them to the feet of Jesus for healing and salvation.

Postponement of Hawaii Conference Constituency Meeting

The Hawaii Conference Executive Committee voted to postpone for one year the 2020 Constituency Meeting. This means that all other related or accompanying meetings are also being postponed—Area Town Hall Meetings, Organizing Committee, Nominating Committee—in addition to the planned meeting on September 27, 2020. This decision has been a difficult one to make.

Below is the Executive Committee action that was taken:

Whereas, the 2020 General Conference session has been postponed for one year due to the prevalence of Covid-19,

Whereas, the Hawaii Conference Executive Committee voted to postpone all 2020 convocations until next year,

Whereas, some churches have indicated they will not be sending any members to attend the Hawaii Conference Town Hall Meetings, neither delegates to the Organizing Committee nor to the Constituency Meeting, due to Covid-19,

Whereas, conventional wisdom is discouraging airline travel due to risks in contracting Covid-19,

Whereas, some churches are still not physically meeting on Sabbaths and most, if not all, have significantly reduced their Sabbath School and Worship times in efforts to reduce Covid-19 exposure,

Whereas, a significant amount of individuals continue choosing to "attend" Sabbath School and Worship services through Zoom or other electronic platforms,

Whereas, the State of Hawaii is presently experiencing a surge in Covid-19 cases,

Whereas, the Hawaii Conference takes its role seriously in seeking to protect the safety of members and of the community at large,

Whereas, the constituency meeting process involves multiple meetings such as Town Hall Meetings, an Organizing Committee, a Nominating Committee, as well as the constituency meeting itself,

Whereas, it is the desire of the Hawaii Conference to safeguard the dignity, purpose, and integrity of its constituency meeting and to thus ensure the largest possible participation of its delegates,

VOTED, that the Hawaii Conference postpone its regularly-scheduled 2020 constituency meeting for one year.