Rev. Dr. Gary Percesepe – Kahu
On February 25, 2024, Rev. Dr. Gary Percesepe was called to be Kahu of Keawala’i Congregational Church. Kahu Gary and his wife, Resea, reside in Kihei together with Ashton, Elizabeth (Resea’s mom), and Søren, the dog of the family!
Formerly of New York City (Bronx), Kahu Gary was ordained to pastoral ministry in 1996 and holds his ministerial standing with the United Church of Christ. Together, Gary & Resea are the parents of adult children living in Baltimore (Morgan), Atlanta (Jae Marie), and Washington, DC (Vinny), and have six grandchildren, including a set of twins.
Rev. Percesepe holds a master’s degree in theology from Denver Seminary, a master’s in philosophy from University of Denver, and a Ph.D. in Philosophy from Saint Louis University, and has done postgraduate study at Collegium Phenomenologicum, Perugia, Italy. He has taught philosophy and theology at many universities, including Fordham University, University of Dayton, Wittenberg University, and Saint Louis University.
In his twenty-seven-year pastoral ministry Kahu Gary has served Congregational, Presbyterian, and American Baptist (ABC) churches. Throughout his ministry he has demonstrated his ability to adapt, lead, and persevere though challenges that were unique to each church. Each setting has shaped his diversified skill set which we believe makes him uniquely qualified to serve Keawala’i Congregational Church at this time.
Gary is the author of eleven books, including Moratorium: Collected Stories, named by Kirkus Review as one of the top 100 Indie books of 2022, and several collections of poetry. Excerpts from his spiritual memoir-in-progress have been published recently in The Sun Magazine. He is an avid golfer, paddler, reader, and skier.
Kahu Gary would love to spend time “talking story” with you! Call the church office or send him an email at garypercesepe@gmail.com to set up a time for a visit!
Thomas Goedecke, PhD – Choir Director
Thomas Goedecke (PhD, Music Composition), based in Pukalani, Hawaiʻi, is most known for his work intersecting sound worlds from western and Pacific non-western voices. He specifically finds joy in working with indigenous languages of the Pacific and combining them with traditionally western ensembles, advocating for the proliferation and celebration of Polynesian, Asia-Pacific, and American indigenous art.
In over twenty years of professional music making, Goedecke has served a wide variety of congregations as a choral scholar, section leader, resident composer, and choral director. Before his arrival on Maui, Goedecke served as the Compline Director at Lutheran Church of Honolulu. In 2023, he served as interim director for Central Union Church shortly after the premiere of Messiah i ka ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi, Goedecke’s text setting of Handel’s Messiah in the Hawaiian language. He served as a choral scholar for Central Union Church, writing anthems and larger works for Ke Aloha Pau ʻOle, the Hawaiian Choir of Central Union Church. From 2015 to 2021, Goedecke served as Orvis Choral Scholar and Composer in Residence at the Cathedral of St. Andrew in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi.
Goedecke is currently the tenure track instructor of music at the University of Hawaiʻi Maui College in Kahului. Before his current position, he has taught at a number of campuses including the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, the University of Hawaiʻi West Oʻahu, and Brigham Young University Hawaiʻi. He has studied composition with Michael Remson while in Houston, with Frank Ticheli, Stephen Hartke, Morten Lauridson and Veronika Krausas while earning his Bachelor’s of Music at the University of Southern California, and with Donald Womack, Thomas Osborne, and Takuma Itoh during his Masters and PhD in Music at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa.
Andrea Yepez – Administrative Coordinator
Andrea Yepez has been the Keawalaʻi Administrative Coordinator since December of 2018. She enjoys serving others and has been a constant resource for Keawalaʻi through these past years of transition. She is also our Outreach Coordinator, helping us reach our mission to financially assist others in Maui County in times of need. Andrea holds a Master of Management Degree in Human Services with a focus on children, youth and families. She is here to help in any way she can so please feel free to call or email the church office if you need anything.