A “Gift of Hope Charity Concert” featuring Moanalua High School’s acclaimed orchestra and New Hope Oahu’s singers scheduled for Friday night at the school was canceled after complaints that it crossed the line between church and state.

“This award-winning orchestra that has performed at Carnegie Hall could do a fundraiser any time they wanted for all sorts of great causes, including raising money for their own school or for the Red Cross,” said Mitch Kahle, founder of Hawaii Citizens for the Separation of State and Church. “This is a very improper use of a public school orchestra to support the religious mission of a Christian mega-church.”

Superintendent Kathryn Mata­yo­shi decided to cancel the event after hearing from both Kahle’s group and the Freedom from Religion Foundation, based in Madison, Wis., which objected that the concert violates the U.S. Constitution by involving the public school and its students in church fundraising.

“It appears that the church is using the stellar reputation of the Moanalua High School Orchestra to raise money for itself,” Andrew Seidel, foundation attorney, wrote in a letter Monday sent via email and regular mail to Mata­yo­shi.

“It is inappropriate for a public school to promote a Christian organization,” he wrote. “If Moanalua High School Music Department continues to raise money for and perform with this Christian church, it shows that the District has an unlawful preference not only for religion over non-religion, but also Christianity over other faiths.”

Asked why the concert was canceled and what the public schools’ policy is regarding such concerts, Mata­yo­shi responded with a statement emailed to the Star-Advertiser on Tuesday:

“The Department applauds both the students who were hoping to provide this concert, as well as the charitable purpose behind it. However, after some consideration, we realized that the concert could have been better structured, which we are now looking into. In the meantime, the concert is cancelled until further notice.”

For several years the “Gift of Hope Charity Concert” has been a collaboration between the school and New Hope Oahu, with proceeds directed to Mercy Ships, a charity that provides medical care to the world’s poor. It usually sells out with about 1,200 tickets. They were priced at $10 and $15 this year.

“What was different this year was there was no charity listed,” said Kahle, who decided to follow up to see whether it was a fundraiser for the church itself. He contacted the school to buy tickets and was referred to Chad Brownstein, a Moanalua alumnus who volunteers as coordinator of the concert and also works at New Hope Oahu. Kahle said Brownstein advised him to attend a weekend church service to get tickets.

“We had to go inside the church service in order to buy the tickets,” said Kahle, whose associate bought three tickets Sunday. “We were told to write out our check to New Hope.”

Brownstein stressed to the Star-Advertiser that the event was a school concert, not a church function, and that funds would go to charity.

“The plan was to give 100 percent of ticket sales and donations received to Mercy Ships,” Brownstein said. “Our goal was to raise $30,000, which in West Africa can go a really long way.”

“I volunteer, the singers volunteer their time and there are also some volunteers that help with sound and lighting and set-up,” he said. “It’s not a New Hope event. It’s a Moanalua event. We volunteer for it, and we happen to be part of the church. It’s not like it’s a church event.”

In previous years, publicity for the event on the church website said all proceeds would go to Mercy Ships. This year it did not specify a charity, and simply advised people to “Pick up your tickets at our Farrington Campus or by calling Chad.” New Hope Oahu holds services at Farrington High School, and the concert has been held there in the past. 

Brownstein told the Star-Advertiser that tickets could be bought through the school music department or the church or at the door. He said about 600 tickets had been sold so far, including 200 that were sold at a school concert on Saturday, and that refunds would be issued.

“We’re definitely disappointed,” said Brownstein, a 2001 Moanalua graduate who was music department president during his senior year. “There were a lot of people that put in a lot of time, a lot of volunteers, and most importantly there were a lot of students that rehearsed hours and hours to put on a great concert for a great cause.”

Moanalua High School Principal Darrel Galera did not respond to a phone call and email seeking comment. Kahle said there had been proselytizing at previous “Gift of Charity” concerts, but Brownstein said that was not the case.

“Last year at the concert, Pastor Wayne (Cordeiro) sang a song, and he said thank you for coming,” Brownstein said. “That was it.”