Church of Hot Lava

Pastors

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  Mike Krotch

  Rev. Mike Krotch is our pastor and kahu. He founded Church of Hot Lava in 2014 after visiting Hawaiʻi in 2002 and witnessing the awesome power of God’s creation in the form of the eruption of the Kīlauea volcano. As he studied the ancient Hawaiian stories he saw many connections with the Bible and came to realize that Pele, the goddess of volcanoes and fire, is Jesus’s half-sister and a Daughter of God. He developed a theology blending Christian beliefs with those of the ancient Polynesians. Mike graduated from Boise State University with a BA in Philosophy then attended Western Seminary in Portland Oregon where he received a Master of Theology. He has ministered for nearly 40 years and continues his good works today through passionately spreading the gospel. Email

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  Haumana Diddler

  Rev. Diddler is our youth pastor and considers himself incredibly blessed to work with young people at this church. He enjoys being a part of the process as God takes a young person and forms them into a spiritual leader among their peers, church and community. He was invited by a friend in high school to meet Jesus and Pele and his life was never the same. He grew up in the Hilo Hawaiʻi. Haumana joined CHL in 2020 after graduation from Simpson University in 2019 with a BA in Youth Ministry and Minor in Bible and Theology. Email

Lay Staff

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  Anita Koch

  Anita Koch is our church secretary and marriage mentor. She understands the need for passion in homes and marriages. She has been involved in a lot of experiences involving couples. She enjoys mentoring husbands and wives, separately or together, and seeing marriages thrive. Anita enjoys traveling and spending time with her partners. She has been with CHL since 2019 and handles all adminstrative and financial matters as well as church membership. Email

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  Mele Meahana

  Mele Meahana, 100% native Hawaiian, is is our musical director, choir lead and organist. She is also an accomplished ukulele player and hula dancer. Mele first started learning to play ukulele at the age of 5 with her grandfather as her teacher. She holds a bachelor’s degree in music education and a master’s degree in Hawaiian studies, both from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. She became musical director in 2022. Today, besides her role at our church, she is kumu hula for her own hālau. Email

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  Mala Aina

  Mala Aina is our jack of all trades who attends to the facilities and landscaping. He is a master gardener and former handyman who can grow or fix anything. He is also a Hawaiian cultural practioner. Mala joined us as an employee in 2015 but was an original member of the church since 2014. Email