The Rev. Jan Rudinoff served as pastor at St. Michael and All Angels’ Episcopal Church in Lihu‘e for 30 years, leaving his leadership position at the church in February. Rudinoff is now serving with the Bishop of the Diocese of
The Rev. Jan Rudinoff served as pastor at St. Michael and All Angels’ Episcopal Church in Lihu‘e for 30 years, leaving his leadership position at the church in February.
Rudinoff is now serving with the Bishop of the Diocese of Kootenay in British Columbia Canada. He said in an e-mail sent to The Garden Island that he and his wife Paula came to know the bishop while snowboarding in the western Canadian province.
“He called and asked if I would do an interim ministry in Nelson, British Columbia at St.
Saviour’s Anglican Church,” Rudinoff said. “The priest had unexpectedly decided to retire, and I began as a half-time interim on August 1.” He has committed to be for one year the “Incumbent” Rector at St. Saviour’s, and the Dean of the Kookane Region, consisting of seven churches in seven communities: Nelson, South Slocan, Willow Point, Balfour, Kaslow, New Denver and Nakusp.
“Paula and I have made a home in Nelson on the West Arm of Kootenay Lake,” Rudinoff said. “The Lake is 100 miles long.
The town also sports a ski hill, Whitewater, reported to be the best powder skiing in the Canadian Rockies.” He said he doesn’t miss the warm weather of Kaua‘i as yet.
“Our weather here has been spectacular and the lake water is warm…a pleasant surprise,” he said. “Friends of long standing are missed as well as a familiar spiritual community. I missed the wisdom of the Rev. Malcolm Miner, Hobey Goodale, Senior Warden Emeritus, and Charlie King, Senior Warden, sharing my ministry and buying me breakfast at Ma’s Family Restaurant each Wednesday. I have not attempted to institute that Episcopal Tradition here in the Anglican Church…yet!” “Of course I miss family, who remain in Hawai‘i and on Kaua‘i,” he said. “Finally, the Kaua‘i Police Department, those sworn and those who support them, are missed. I serve as one of the chaplains and miss those relationships.
Looking back on his 30 years of serving as a priest at St.
Michael and All Angels’, Rudinoff said the experience “left me with many good feelings and memories.” “I came to the church in February 1974,” he recalled, “when it was a small struggling mission sheltered by a redwood building.
There had been four clergy serving as vicar from its inception in 1964 prior to my arrival. A church doesn’t become what St.
Michael and All Angels’ is now without the Holy Spirit of God touching the hearts of those who attend. They supported me in the such diverse activities as hospital chaplain, the Rev. Stan Bain, Lihu‘e United Church and myself, with the support of Ms. Betty Bell, then hospital administrator established the Wilcox Hospital Chaplaincy. It continues today.” Rudinoff also recalls some community activism that led to his being arrested with the late Stanford Achi at “the Battle of Nukoli‘i” when plans for development of a resort at the East Side coastal area became the focus of protests in the 1970s.
“The congregation bit its tongue as did Bishop Browning of Hawai‘i, who later became the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church,” he said.
He also remembers social action that has helped the Kaua‘i community: “Outreach has been a constant ministry of St.
Michael and All Angels’, we settled a Laosian Family, assisted in establishing a homeless shelter, housed several 12-Step Programs, and managed a food outreach program, Loaves and Fishes, now managed by Ms. Ann Leighton, who is preparing to become a Deacon in the Episcopal Church.” Rudinoff helped veterans, too, serving as the Vietnam Veteran’s Counselor on Kaua‘i for three years.
“This was both difficult and rewarding; I value the relationships made during those years with several vets, who finally returned from Nam.” Welcoming the Jewish Community of Kaua‘i to worship and use the church for its services was another memorable event, he said. “They have been good friends for over 20 years. After all, Jesus was a Jew and had only the Hebrew Bible.” The church provided outreach activities in times of need, such as the aftermath of Hurricane ‘Iwa and ‘Iniki, and “the people of St. Michael’s built a modern church and parish hall, paid off the mortgage, established endowments to support its ministry, opened its facilities to the community and in their daily lives serve the community of Kaua‘i in amazing ways.” “Kaua‘i’s leadership both in the non-profit and business sectors is peopled by worshipping Christians who call St. Michael and All Angels’, “my parish,” he said.
