Mokuaikaua Church, Religious monument in Kailua-Kona, US

Mokuaikaua Church is a large stone structure with a tall white steeple located on the coast of Kailua-Kona, built from local lava rock and coral materials. The building has a simple, sturdy form typical of early Hawaiian missionary architecture and remains the oldest Christian church in the islands.

The church was built in 1837 after several wooden predecessors burned down and marked the first permanent Christian place of worship in Hawaiian Islands. Its construction represented a turning point when missionary faith became firmly established across the archipelago.

The name Mokuʻaikaua means "district acquired by war" in Hawaiian, probably referring to the upland forest where the timber was cut. The congregation was founded in 1820 by Asa and Lucy Goodale Thurston, who arrived on the brig Thaddeus; they taught with the permission of King Kamehameha II and Queen Regent Kaʻahumanu. Sunday services are held at 9:00 with the Praise Team and at 11:00 with the ʻOhana Choir.

The church stands on Aliʻi Drive, the waterfront road in Kailua-Kona, and is open to the public for tours, with artifacts on display including a scale model of the brig Thaddeus. Sunday worship is held twice, at 09:00 with the Praise Team and at 11:00 with the ʻOhana Choir.

The church's name, moku ʻaikaua, means "district acquired by war" in Hawaiian, likely referring to the upland forest where the original ʻōhiʻa wood was cut. Inside, a scale model of the brig Thaddeus, the ship that brought the first missionaries in 1820, is on display.