History of St. Elizabeth's Church
In 1902 Deaconess Emma Britt Drant began a new ministry among the growing Chinese population of Honolulu's Palama district at the request of The Rt. Rev. Henry Bond Restarick the first American Bishop of the Missionary District of Honolulu. As a Missionary Diocese, Emma Britt Drant had to find her own funding sources. William A. Procter, of Cincinnati, Ohio, generously donated $5,000 toward the purchase of the property at 720 N. King St. and the establishment of St. Elizabeth's House, which first served as a school and settlement house. Deaconess Drant, with the help of volunteers from St. Peter's Church, set up English language and vocational training classes for young men and women. Bible classes and a youth choir were developed. On September 16, 1904 ground breaking ceremonies were held for St. Elizabeth's Church, the wooden-frame parish church having been named in honor of Elizabeth Procter, the benefactor's wife, and in honor of  St. Elizabeth, the mother of St. John
the Baptist.
The Rev. William E. Potwine (d. 1917) was appointed as St. Elizabeth's first vicar. Although the majority of its membership was Chinese, St. Elizabeth's Mission continued to reach out to other ethnic groups: the Japanese, the Hawai'ians, and the Koreans. St. Luke's (Korean) Church on Judd Street had its beginnings at St. Elizabeth's. The Rev. Woo Yee Bew and Rev. Keib served the growing congregation.

In 1945, under the energetic and inspiring leadership of the Rev. Canon Wai On Shim, St. Elizabeth's Church became a self-supporting parish in the Missionary Diocese of Honolulu. As the congregation grew rapidly, thanks to its unique Church School program and the high birthrate during the post World War II era, the need arose for a larger church building. On Palm Sunday 1952 the present church was dedicated by Bishop Harry S. Kennedy. It was the first church building in Hawai'i to be equipped with central air- conditioning. The original, termite-eaten church was demolished to make room for Shim Hall, a school building which housed St. Elizabeth's kindergarten and elementary school (through grades 4).

In the early 1960s, as its members were moving into more affluent neighborhoods of Honolulu, St. Elizabeth's Church ceased to be a neighborhood church. Consequently, the School was no longer viable. Shim Hall was to be put to a different use. The Palama Inter-Church Council and its successor, the Immigrant Center, began operations during the rectorship of The Rev. Edwin Bonsey, serving the needs of some 20,000 individuals and families every year. The Rev. Dr. Gerald G. Gifford II, the previous rector, further developed the urban ministry aspects of St. Elizabeth's Church. Moreover, a Chinese language ministry was begun.The Rev. Peter S.M. Fan, of Hong Kong, was called as Chinese Missioner in 1985.
The original church building interior, 1905.
St Elizabeth's Episcopal Church

In 2004, the Rev. Gerhard Laun, rector, retired. After a six-month interim pastorate with the Rt. Rev. Bob Jones, retired bishop of Wyoming and former Dean of St. George's College, Jerusalem, The Rev. Jodene S. Hawkins was called to serve as Priest-in-Charge. She was then called to serve as Rector in September 2006.
The original church building exterior.