Centennial of Southern Baptist work in Hawaii

[Jerome]

https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2026/06/23/olivet-baptist-church-celebrates-100-years-honolulu/

"It all began in the heart of Honolulu in 1926 when a group of missionaries started meeting with a few local residents. 'When that little group first formed on July 4th of 1926, they gathered together under the name of Mission Church'....the name of the church was later changed to Olivet Baptist."

"longtime church member Pearl Arashiro recalls why she became a member of this congregation. 'When WWII started, the missionaries from Japan came here. They could also speak Japanese, so they impressed our parents being that they were Caucasian and they are all speaking Japanese. We all started coming to church', Arashiro recalled."

 

[Jerome]

Rearview: Hawaii organizations mark important anniversaries | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Each year, I write about key companies and nonprofits that pass important milestones in the year. In February I wrote Part 1. Here’s Part 2.

www.staradvertiser.com

"The Olivet Baptist Church traces its roots to July 1, 1926, when Joseph and Mary Tyssowski and 18 other worshippers bought a property on the corner of Artesian and Young streets in McCully for $8,500. In 1941 the Mission Church formally aligned itself with the Southern Baptist Convention and became the Olivet Baptist Church. Olivet refers to the Mount of Olives in Israel. As the 'Mother Church' Olivet started 10 other Southern Baptist churches spread throughout the Hawaiian Islands. Today Olivet Baptist Church is the oldest and largest Southern Baptist church in Hawaii."

 

[Jerome]

Honolulu Star-Bulletin, July 23, 1927, p. 10

 

[Jerome]

Honolulu Star-Bulletin, May 14, 1927, p. 11

 

[Jerome]

As reported in the 1942 Annual of the Southern Baptist Convention:

"Olivet Baptist Church...was started about fifteen years ago as a mission by Joseph G. Tyssowski, a Baptist lawyer-preacher. Six years ago Mr. Tyssowski died while preaching to the prisoners in the penitentiary in Honolulu. His wife, who was his constant helper in evangelistic work, felt led of the Lord to carry on the mission after his death."

"Our greatest physical need is for an adequate church building. We were overjoyed to hear of a generous gift from Mrs. L. W. Alexander and one from the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. We had planned for a special offering toward a new church building the day Dr. Maddry was scheduled to speak at our church. That was the fateful December 7, and the meeting was not held because the Japanese attacked the Islands early Sunday morning. On the following Sunday, after Dr. Maddry had returned, our small congregation met and, after prayer, decided, in spite of the war, to go ahead with our plans. What was our joy when we counted up the pledges and found that they went beyond one thousand dollars!" [Charles Maddry was head of the Foreign Mission Board, 1933-44]

 

[Jerome]

According to the 1941 Annual of the Southern Baptist Convention, Mary Tyssowski was present at the SBC Annual Meeting in Birmingham:

"Mrs. J. G. Tyssowski, Honolulu, Hawaii, was introduced and spoke briefly. The Convention sermon was preached by the appointee J. Clyde Turner, North Carolina, on “The Gospel of the Grace of God” (Acts 20:24). With the singing of “Amazing Grace” and the benediction, the Convention adjourned."

Report in the 1943 Annual of the Southern Baptist Convention:

"PREACHING IN PRISON, PARK, AND CHURCHES
Each Sunday morning the Baptist message of evangelism is being carried by Mrs. Mary Tyssowski into the only federal and territorial prison in the islands....The responses to the gospel invitation range from four to ten each Sunday. Olivet Baptist Church has ordered and will present one hundred hymnals to the prison. Situated in the heart of the slum district is Aala Park where, on Sunday afternoons, Mrs. Tyssowski assisted by service men and war-workers conducts an open-air service through a loud speaker system. Another important feature of this work is the distributing of Christian literature. Invitations to speak in other churches throughout the city have been more numerous than have been the available speakers from the Mission."