DEAD HO

Tiny Bubbles composer, and Island goodwill ambassador Don Ho died yesterday in Hawaii. Although not a member of the LGM, the Ho's words were sung many times at LGM services. We will miss him. As I said in the Down River blog I ran into Alyson Grey at Mel Chin's opening the other night. Alyson and I always have good conversations. She's very giving in her comments. She told me how I'd always inspired her and Alex over the years, and asked how the church was coming? I told her how I wanted to provide the services of baptism, marriage and funeral for the community. She then told me of her and Alex's COSM and how they do monthly events. "Would you like to speak one evening?" she asked, adding the caveat that all participants must speak from the heart. She knew my cynicism all too well.
In my defense let me say my cynicism always comes from the heart. The act of burning a dollar for entry to a LGM service may seem on the surface silly or trite, but behind the uneasy laughter lys a serious protest. Dirty diaper baptisms or roasting send-up memorials dripping with sarcasm may, at first, look something less than sincere, but au contrare. We at the church take the theology of humor and poking fun deadly seriously. You will not get the simpy minister nod and fake smile at the front door. You will get a service that is as honest and heartfelt as any of the competeing major belief systems. As LGM patron saint Don Ho would say "Tiny Bubbles.....tiny bubbles......" You know the rest. R.I.P. HO.