PASTOR’S PEN
Pastor Cheri began her ministry at Lihue Christian (LCC) on Oct. 1, 2023 as the intentional interim pastor and later became the designated term pastor which then, at the end of 2025, led to the Settled Pastor call. She was installed on Feb. 1, 2026 as LCC’s Settled Pastor. She answered God’s call to ministry after many years as a medical secretary and later as an accountant. Cheri and her husband, Keith, have two adult children and four grandchildren spread between Canada, North Carolina, and South Carolina. She is a graduate of the University of Illinois, UNC-Charlotte, and Union Presbyterian Seminary – Charlotte, a PC(USA) Seminary. Cheri as been in active in church leadership since her teenage years in church music programs, teaching adults and children, and leading various board. She is a trained Stephen Minister. She volunteered for 20 years with Kairos Prison Ministry International, helped build Habitat for Humanity Homes, and generally enjoyed life. While not a life-long member of the UCC, when she answered God’s call to the ministry, she became a member of the United Church of Christ. Her first call out of seminary was to Holy Covenant UCC in Charlotte, NC, where she was only going to be for a few short months. Then, as happened to many folks, COVID intervened and the part-time, short-term position became a full-time 3 ½ year position.
A Message from Pastor Cheri
Coming to Hawaiʻi was never in my future. Growing up and living on the East Coast, Hawaiʻi was not even a place a wanted to vacation. Afterall, we had mountains and an ocean in North Carolina. But after 3 ½ years, when Covid was over, Holy Covenant resumed their search for a Settled Pastor. It just so happened (exactly as God planned it) that the new pastor was coming from Hawaiʻi. When I met him, he mentioned that Hawaiʻi had a few openings so, with the blessing and urging of my husband, I checked it out. And the rest is history. With a lot of God kisses thrown in. Before moving to Kauaʻi, I checked out the island and found out that there was a Costco here. I’d never had a Costco membership but thought it might be a good idea to have one living on the island. So my husband and I went to the local Costco to get one. The customer service rep put our new cards and some paperwork in a bag and handed the bag to us. On the front was this message: Let Costco plan your next Hawaiian vacation! We both broke out laughing. Think God is saying something to us?! I would not call my ministry here a “vacation” but I love it – the people, the church, the island vibe. It is wonderful and challenging at the same time but God has been and will be with me and with us – as a church and a community. Come worship with us or stop by my office to “talk story.” You are welcome here.