St. Benedict Houses

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If any of you are familiar with Harry Potter, you will have heard of the English house system that has existed in British schools. Many Classical schools have recovered this traditional way to build culture and community within the student body. Upon entering the school, each student is placed in a house to provide an opportunity for students to grow in leadership, foster relationships across age, and learn to collaborate on projects and activities.

Each house at SBH has a prefect (house captain), a lieutenant prefect (helper to the prefect), a pa'a kahili (the house standard bearer) and student members. For a quarter of the year a house will act as host of the school: organizing a feast for the school, special cleaning duties, and leading in processionals. Each house has a banner with their emblem embroidered on it. House loyalty is encouraged through eating together on Tuesdays, athletic and academic competitions through the year as well as serving and working together for the good of the school. Each house has a “house dean” assigned from the non-clergy faculty.

Over ten years ago a group of empty nesters set out on the ambitious task to plant a new Anglican church in Hawaii for the sake of seeing another generation be given the gift of a robust orthodox Christian faith.

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Above from left to right: Ann Ayling, Jimmy Tilton, David Chung, Lynn Tilton, and Paul Remington in 2010.

They began meeting in each others homes and prayed that God would grow a new Bible believing Anglican church in Hawaii. These founders remained committed to give their lives away for the next generation. Today there are dozens of children at Christ the Foundation and All Saints churches that are being raised according to that vision faithfully prayed for by these kapuna.

Because of this amazing story of our sacrificial founders, we at St. Benedict Hall wished to honor and remember them by naming our 4 houses after 4 of the early board members. Each of the Saint Benedict house icons represents a character of the namesake founder, and its house motto connects to a passage from either The Rule of St Benedict or Gregory the Great’s history of St. Benedict’s life.

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“In walking on water, Peter”

The key characteristic we drew from the Ayling family was their love of hospitality and the ocean. The Ayling family hosted the house groups in those early days as the founders were still looking for a church building to rent and they still regularly host events in their house. The Ayling’s have a particular love for the ocean and love to take people out on Kaneohe Bay in their beautiful Beneteau sailboat.

Their icon is reminiscent of waves. The Latin house motto is translated: “In walking on water, Peter”, which ties in with the Aylings nautical love. This references a story where St. Benedict is praying one day and he has a vision that Placidus, a young monk, is in trouble at the river. Benedict calls to one of his students, Maurus, to run down to the river and help Placidus. Maurus obeys Benedict without question and sprints down to the river. Immediately he hears the cries from his friend Placidus who had fallen into the raging river and was being swept downstream. Without thinking, and in the heat of the moment, Maurus runs out onto the top of the water and grabs hold of Placidus and drags him out onto the sandy riverbank. The story references the story of Peter’s faith as he ran out onto the water to follow Christ, believing in God’s mastery over the wind and waves…a reality all sailors remember often.

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“To fulfill God’s commandments daily in one’s deeds.”

The key characteristic that we drew from this family was their willingness to serve and bring the love to Christ to all- young and old, rich and poor. They have been a pillar and steadfast servants of the church from day one. David Chung serves as a deacon at Christ the Foundation, and is also currently serving as the treasurer on the SBH board of trustees.

Their icon is a chalice that refers to the servant-hearted deacon who traditionally administers the cup of wine at holy communion and is a symbol of giving life and hope to all. The latin house motto is translated: “To fulfill God’s commandments daily in one’s deeds.” This comes from the Rule of St. Benedict and was an instruction St. Benedict gave to his students to keep their eyes on Christ and our hearts desiring to glorify him.

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“Which he himself built upon the ruins”

Paul and Wanda Remington were early founders who had a particular love for beauty and culture. Paul was an accomplished architect and delighted in elegant design, and both he and Wanda had love for a cultivated aesthetic in their home and their lifestyle.

Their icon is a solid Roman arch symbolizing the realization of plans and hopes. The Latin motto translated reads, “Which he himself built upon the ruins” and ties into the Remington’s vision to build new and beautiful things: architecturally, culturally, and ecclesiastically. The motto comes from the story of St. Benedict who is walking through the hills one day and comes across a temple to Apollo atop a high hill. His dedication to the one true God, prompts him to tear down the temple stone by stone. He then begins erect a chapel to Almighty God, recovering that place for God’s Kingdom. The chapel, “which [Benedict] built upon the ruins” of the old temple, later became the site of medieval Monte Cassino Monastery in Italy. We must not despair as we live in a world that champions the worship of power and rivalry. Rather, God has called us to participate in his Kingdom work to rebuild upon the ruins things that are good, beautiful, and true.

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“Behold the tool! Work and be sad no more”

Jimmy Tilton was one of the initial signatories of the beginning of the new church. Jimmy passed away years ago and Lynn, his wife, now lives on the mainland, but we remember Jimmy’s love of taking risks in building new things from scratch- whether it be a new chair or a new church. He was a talented woodworker and would work with his woodworking plane, lathe, and saw to build all sorts of things.

Their icon is a picture of a woodworking plane used to smooth pieces of wood. The Latin house motto is translated, “Behold the tool! Work and be sad no more” and ties in with the Tilton’s love of tools. This references the story of St. Benedict and a newly joined monk. The novice was working with a scythe in a field one day next to a deep pond. As he worked, the head of his scythe flew off and sank into the waters of the pond. Despondent and agitated, the novice went and found St. Benedict and told him what had happened. As the story goes, Benedict takes the handle of the tool and dips it into the pond. The metal head began to move through the water and attached itself back onto the wooden handle. Benedict hands the fixed tool back to the young man and says, “Behold the tool! Work and be sad no more.” God has given us a calling to take risks, to build, and he equips us for that work.

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