Unity members coping after minister’s death

While the congregation at Unity Church of Hawaii accepts that their pastor has moved on to his "next big adventure" in eternity, many members are still stunned by the sudden death of the Rev. Sky Liko St. John, said Margie Hyatt, acting head minister of the Diamond Head church.

St. John died Dec. 19 at Straub Clinic & Hospital, a day after he went swimming and was found unresponsive in waters off Queen’s Surf. He was 65.

Hyatt said among the church’s 400 members, the most oft-heard response to the unexpected news has been, "I just wasn’t ready for him to leave."

A memorial service is set for 3 p.m. today at Central Union Church, 1660 S. Beretania St. The service will be viewed at Unity Church, 3608 Diamond Head Circle, by way of live-streamed video. The remote viewing aims to provide a "warm familiarity" for almost 200 members on the mainland and around the world who regularly attend Unity Church services by video. Doors will be open at both locations at 2 p.m.

Hyatt, who is in her second year of training as a minister, said holding the spiritual community together has been a challenge because "all the people felt incredibly close to him." Many are devastated over the loss of a man described as a dynamic speaker, visionary leader and "compassionate, loving human being," she said.

After services held on the last five Sundays, a team of pastoral counselors has met with mourners, and 30 congregants have signed up for a grief seminar.

While emotional and spiritual recovery continues, Hyatt said, the church is managing to carry out its regular agenda "without any wobble."

The church board is developing a new leadership plan and will likely start the search for a new minister by the end of the year. Hyatt said she intends to apply for the position.

Daniel de Castro, St. John’s partner of 33 years, hopes Hyatt gets the job because "in the midst of the turmoil and the insurmountable grief the congregation is feeling, Margie stepped in and most gracefully took everybody by the hand and said, ‘It’s OK,’" he said. "Her words of comfort were just what we needed at this time. I’m not sure how we would’ve done without her. Everyone was in a state of shock. She has done a beautiful job."

Born Patrick Lynn Dickson in Independence, Miss., St. John moved to Hawaii with his family after his father, an Army officer, was transferred to Schofield Barracks. He earned a master’s degree in public health administration from the University of Hawaii at Manoa and worked in various fields from education to nursing. As a licensed practical nurse, St. John cared for patients with Hansen’s disease at Kalaupapa.

De Castro said he and St. John joined Unity 25 years ago, noting that the church’s belief system satisfied St. John’s search for a God he could feel comfortable with.

When St. John became the church’s minister in 2005, his teachings stressed that people of all religious backgrounds have "a divinity within themselves, and they can tap into it at any time. It’s not outside of ourselves," de Castro said. "And I think he walked the talk. … He was very successful in changing people’s lives and the way they look at God."

When St. John became an ordained minister in 1994, to mark the change in his "shifting consciousness," he changed his first name to "Sky" because he always loved the name, and his last name to "St. John" after his favorite apostle, John, de Castro said.

As music director for the Hawaiian singing duo Keola and Kapono Beamer, St. John asked their mother, Nona Beamer, to select a Hawaiian middle name for him because he loved the culture. She chose "Liko," which means "a bud ready to bloom," because "I think she saw the potential in him," de Castro said.

Unity, a New Thought denomination, is based on the teachings of Jesus Christ as well as other "sources of wisdom," Hyatt said, explaining, "The energy of divinity that we call God has been prayed to in thousands of languages and known by hundreds of names."

During Sunday’s message Hyatt talked about death, contending, "We are eternal beings. Yes, we live as human beings on this planet, but our energy continues on. … We can accept that Sky has just moved on to his next adventure."

More information on the service and donations is available at www.unityhawaii.org.