St. Michael Church in Kailua-Kona will hold weekend Masses under a large tent on the parish grounds while plans for the seriously damaged 157-year-old building are made and carried out.

According to Tom Peters, the chairperson of St. Michael’s Planning and Building Committee, the church’s original plan to lease the nearby Hualalai Theatres for three years as a temporary church fell through. He said that the price of renovation, and a lower rental estimate from a group that had planned to sublease the property, made the arrangement too cost prohibitive.

St. Michael Church was closed on Sept. 24 after the structure was declared unstable due to the deterioration of the sand and coral mortar holding together its walls. The west Hawaii earthquake of Oct. 15, 2006, revealed the walls’ weak condition.

The parish has rented a 4,800-square-foot tent and erected it on part of the parish parking lot next to a shipping container that is now used as the church’s food pantry. Last weekend was the first time that Masses were held under the more permanent tent. Weekday Masses continue to be held in the parish’s Kamiano Hall.

Peters said that it is estimated that repairs or replacement of the church will take three years. Engineering drawings are being prepared and the next step will be to get cost estimates from contractors.

A few small leaks were discovered in the tent when it rained over the weekend but they will be repaired by the rental company. And while the parish is still trying to figure out the logistics of holding funerals or weddings at St. Michael, Peters said, “Most people, even in spite of the rain last weekend, are enjoying our outside Masses.”