Committees and Groups at LCH

Almost everything that happens at LCH takes place because a group within the congregation makes it happen. This page describes these various committees and groups that make the congregation function and explains ways that we all can become involved in the work of the church.

The bulletin board for our Ministry Fair (right) showcased the myriad opportunities for involvement in the work of LCH. (Click on the picture for a larger view of the bulletin board.)

Worship and Music Committee

Altar Guild—These are the people who set out and clean up the communion equipment every Sunday. This includes setting out the silver, cleaning the linens, caring for the candles, and dusting the altar. They also are in charge of keeping the paraments (altar hangings) in good condition. The duties are very simple, but necessary for the smooth running of the services.
- Responsibilities: There are three teams, so volunteers only serve once every three months, and most of the work can be done on Sunday in about 15 to 30 minutes. The teams will train volunteers, who will only be responsible for a part of any one Sunday’s duty. Volunteers will also get a list of what needs to be done that they can refer to. Team members often work in pairs or groups making the work more fun. If members are unable to help one of the Sundays of their assigned month, the other members of the team cover for them. It’s a concrete and easy way to help the church.
- Specific volunteer opportunities: Besides becoming a member of a team, Altar Guild could also use:
  - Someone to repair and clean the paraments seasonally.
  - Someone to repair and clean the acolyte robes.
  - Someone to oversee getting flowers for the credence table.
  - Someone to polish the silver before Christmas and Easter.
  - People to decorate the church for Christmas and Easter.
- How to get involved—Anyone interested can become a member of one of the three Altar Guild teams and be trained by the team leader.
- Contact: Linda Miller
Worship Assistants/Deacons—Worship Assistants serve as Deacons, Sub-Deacons, and Communion Assistants at LCH worship services.
- Responsibilities: At the more formal 10:30 service, Deacons and Sub-deacons wear robes and process with the minister(s). The Deacon reads the Gospel lesson and the Sub-Deacon reads the New Testament lesson. The communion assistants enter the chancel during the offering and assist the minister(s) with the set-up and distribution of the communion elements. One of the communion assistants (usually the one on the organ side) leads the offertory prayer and the post-communion prayer also. Additional worship assistants are always welcome. Those at the 8:00 AM service are usually scheduled once or twice a month; those at the 10:30 service are usually scheduled once every other month. Being part of the Holy Eucharist can be a moving and meaningful part of your worship experience. Please join us.
- How to get involved: Speak to Pastor or coordinator.
- Contact: Carolyn Koehler
Lectors—Lectors read the lessons for Sunday morning or special holiday services.
- Responsibilities: Lectors should be comfortable in front of a group, have adequate reading aloud skills, and be willing to serve about once every 10 weeks. An email address would be helpful as the church office will email lessons during the week prior to scheduled reading date. Monthly readings are also listed on the church website under Music List/Lessons.
- How to get involved: Speak to Pastor or coordinator.
- Contact: April Smith
8:00 Ensemble—The 8:00 AM Ensemble prepares hymns, psalms and communion pieces for the first three Sundays of each month at the 8:00 AM service. It is a mixed group of all ages and skill levels, who enjoy singing music for this informal service. Piano is the primary keyboard instrument, augmented by guitar, flute, and other melody instruments. Worship materials are taken from contemporary hymnals including With One Voice, Worship and Praise, Renewing Worship Songbook, and Gather Comprehensive.
- Responsibilities: In addition to participation in the 8:00 AM service the first three Sundays of each month, a rehearsal is held on the Wednesday immediately preceding the first Sunday of each month from 6:30 to 8:00 PM with a Sunday morning warmup at 7:20 AM.
- How to get involved: Speak with Carl Crosier.
- Contact: Carl Crosier
LCH Choir—The LCH Choir sings at the 10:30 AM service each week, special seasonal liturgies, vespers, and at least one concert per year.
- Responsibilities: In addition to participation in services and concerts as describe above, the choir rehearses regularly on Thursday evenings, September through May, 7:00 to 9:15 PM, and has a warmup Sunday mornings at 9:30 AM.
- How to get involved: Membership is by audition with the choirmaster.
- Contact: Carl Crosier
Compline Choir—The Compline Choir sings every Sunday night at 9:00 PM. Compline, the last prayer service of the day in the monastic cycle, contains verses and responses, short prayers, a lesson, and a canticle (Nunc Dimittis). The all-male Compline Choir specializes in plainchant and in music from the Renaissance in addition to music from our own century. Many of its members are professional choral conductors in other churches.
- Responsibilities: The choir prepares the music for each Compline service beginning at 7:30 PM.
- How to get involved: Membership is by audition with the conductor, Keane Ishii.
- Contact: Keane Ishii

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Learning Ministry

Under the church’s bylaws, Learning Ministry is charged with Christian education within LCH. Pastor Steve Jensen gives us spiritual support, raises our horizons, seeks commitments, and gives us constant encouragement.

- Responsibilities: The Committee looks to the future, and plans the Christian education program as much as a year out. They find teachers within our midst, review the Christian learning materials, and help coordinate the special activities of the youth and adults. They deal primarily with LCH’s children, and as we all know, the Church has only a limited window or period of time to positively affect their journey into Christianity. Committee members ask all members and friends of the congregation to pray on it, and then actively join them.
- Specific volunteer opportunities: The Committee has three active members, and they need two more. In addition, the following volunteers are needed:
  - A confirmation coordinator to assist Pastor Steve.
  - An OYEA coordinator or two.
  - Special events volunteers.
- How to get involved: Get in touch with the committee chair.
- Contact: Fred Benco
Sunday School—A number of individuals are responsible for the Sunday by Sunday operation of our Sunday School.
- Responsibilities: Sunday School Coordinator Lois Swift coordinates the Sunday morning set-up, but because of a lack of physical help, she is actually doing a lot of the lifting herself. The Sunday School has a number wonderful, dedicated teachers: Stephanie Miller, Linda Miller, Laurie Leach, Anna Womack, Teresa McCreary, Fritz Fritschel and Sean D’Evlyn. They also have special events people (Vicki Gorman, Lori Takamiya, and Pam Buckley) who teach our children music appreciation (F.R.O.G.S. Ensemble), conduct the Seder meal, guide the children through the Jesse Tree program, and provide treats each Sunday for the children.
- Specific volunteer opportunities:
  - A co-coordinator to help Lois on Sunday mornings.
  - A volunteer to set up three tables on Sunday mornings.
  - An additional teacher for each Sunday School class, in case the primary teacher must miss a Sunday.
  - Volunteer to help with the F.R.O.G.S. Ensemberl, Seder meal, or Jesse Tree program.
- How to get involved: Get in touch with the coordinator.
- Contact: Lois Swift

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LCH Youth—The newly-reinvigorated LCH Youth Program seeks adults to provide support for their activities and to assist in guiding them through their Christian formation.

- Specific volunteer opportunities:
  - Join the Learning Ministry Committee as a youth advocate.
  - Spend time with our youth on a Sunday morning trip off campus.
  - Assist with confirmation, either the weekly meetings at Calvary by the Sea or the monthly joint events around the island.
  - Accompany our youth as a chaperone when they serve as volunteers in New Orleans and then go to Camp Wapo during the summer of 2007.
- How to get involved: If you even think you would enjoy mingling with our youth, you would be a blessing to God, LCH, the youth, and yourself. Speak with Pastor Jensen or Peggy Anderson.
- Contact: Peggy Anderson or Pastor Jensen
OYEA (Oahu Youth Events and Activities)—Recognizing a need for more opportunities to enable our youth to join together and serve the Lord, Lutheran churches from across Oahu formed OYEA earlier this year. The mission statement calls for us, first, to support today's youth (young adults) forming lasting bonds of faith through: service, witness, leadership, and mentorship/training and, second, to empower youth to be independent influential members of the community.
- Specific volunteer opportunities: Events are held about once each month. Please consider coming to help with a future event. See The Heart Beat, the weekly announcement sheet, or the website for information about the future events.
- Contact: Peggy Anderson or Pastor Jensen
Punahou Carnival Parking—LCH youth host the Punahou Parking Fundraiser in conjunction with the Punahou’s carnival the first Friday and Saturday of February each year. High school and Confirmation age youth from LCH who work two 3-hour shifts receive defrayed expenses for one LCH sponsored event or trip. In the past, LCH youth have participated in trips to neighbor islands, a work project in Mexico, Western States Youth Gatherings, and various confirmation camps and events. Adult and youth volunteers are needed for each of the three parking lots from 7:00 AM to 11:00 PM on Friday and from 10:00 AM to 11:00 PM on Saturday. Light refreshments will be provided. Meals are provided for volunteers working two consecutive shifts. It’s only two days a year, but it’s a great way to spend three hours with a LCH youth or other volunteers.
- Responsibilities: At least one adult and one youth volunteers are needed to work 3-hour shifts in each of the three parking lots. Volunteers collect donations for parking, issue receipts, and direct cars to available parking stalls with plenty of time to “talk story.”
- Specific volunteer opportunities:
  - Volunteers needed to rope off church parking lot on Thursday night.
  - Volunteers needed for 3-hour shifts during the day and evening on Friday and Saturday.
  - At least one counter with access to the safe is needed for the final shift on Friday and Saturday night to deposit money.
- How to get involved: Sign up to be contacted at the Ministry Fair, or schedule the shift(s) you available to work on the sign up sheets in the courtyard beginning in January.
- Contacts: Jeanne Castello and Pam Buckley

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Fellowship Committee

The Fellowship Committee organizes fellowship events throughout the year, such as the brunch potlucks held four or five Sundays a year. Other events have included stewardship banquets, aloha receptions for pastors and intern pastors, and ice cream socials. If you enjoy hosting and serving food, this is an exciting committee serving others.

- Responsibilities: Prior to each event, the committee shops for the paper goods, drinks, and the main dish. On the day of the event, they set up, decorate and host the events. The committee also meets three or four times a year.
- Specific volunteer opportunities:
  - Even if you are not prepared to become a permanent member of the committee, please consider volunteering to help with set up for one of our events.
- How to get involved: Get in touch with the committee chair.
- Contact: Jeanette Hanson

Property Committee

This committee’s mission is to maintain and improve the property of the Church for the benefit and use of our congregation members in their worship of God and our Lord Jesus Christ.

- Responsibilities: The Property Committee traditionally oversees the many and varied tasks necessary to the good functioning of our Church property. This supports not only the life of our Church community through its congregational activities but also the preschool which uses our facilities.
- Specific volunteer opportunities: Please consider volunteering some time and energy for one-morning work sessions or for more long-term participation:
  - Gardening, sprinklers systems, plumbing, carpentry, painting, locksmithing, roofing, electrical, lights etc.
  - The church office’s computer network.
  - Larger work parties to clean and decorate our church campus for special occasions.
  - Maintenance of our musical instruments, the audio/PA system, and lighting system in the Nave.
  - A few meetings each year to plan the best solutions and least costly procedures and time tables to accomplish our tasks.
  - Garden Club and Works Days—Opportunities to contribute to the maintenance of our church property (twice yearly, on a Saturday or Sunday, usually with lunch provided).
- How to get involved: Get in touch with the committee chair. Tools and experience are useful, but not necessary.
- Contact: Jean-Paul Klingebiel

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Social Ministries Committee

IHS Dinner—On the third Friday of each month, LCH shops, cooks, and serves over 300 meals at the Institute for Human Services (IHS), Honolulu’s homeless shelter in Iwilei.
- Specific volunteer opportunities:
  - Help shop for the meal on Friday morning (1.5–2 hour commitment).
  - Help cook Friday in the early afternoon (1.5–2 hour commitment).
  - Help serve Friday between 5:30 and 6:30 (1 hour commitment).
- Contacts: Chuck Huxel (shopping and cooking) and the Castros (serving)
Dress for Success—A collection of professional women's clothing to assist women-in-transition into the work force. Eligible women are referred to Dress for Success, housed in the downtown YWCA.
- Specific volunteer opportunities:
  - Donate “gently used” dresses, suits, mu‘umu‘u, sweaters and jackets, shoes, accessories, and toiletries in new or good condition. Bring items to LCH on the announced collection dates.
  - Help with sorting, packing and transporting clothing to YWCA (one Saturday morning commitment) after the collection dates.
- Contact: Carol Langner
Benefit Concerts—LCH has a tradition of offering one or two benefit concerts each year. All proceeds from such concerts (ticket sales, contributions and calabash, refreshment donations) go to the chosen beneficiary. Over the past 10 years, about $35,000 has been raised for local charities through the benefit concerts. And last year the LCH kids got into it with a concert to benefit the Heifer ARK. You can help in lots of ways!
- Specific volunteer opportunities:
  - Help usher at the concert (2 hours)
  - Help direct parking for evening events (45 minutes)
  - Help prepare special mailings (1.5 hours)
  - Offer hospitality at the concert by helping to provide and serve refreshments (2 hours)
- Contact: Carol Langner
Bake Sales—The Social Ministry committee has organized a bakery/fair trade coffee sale on Mother’s Day to benefit Bread for the World. Held in the courtyard between services, this event is a great way to socialize, show off your culinary skills and contribute to a good cause.
- Specific volunteer opportunities:
  - Help organize the event: call prospective bakers, order coffee and teas, chocolate bars, etc., etc. (working a few weeks ahead, 3–4 hours).
  - Provide home-made bakery items for the sale (breads, rolls, cookies, cakes, etc.; no store bought, please; 2–3 hours). Bring your items to LCH on the announced day.
  - Help set up for the sale (1.5 hours).
  - Help with sales and packaging in the courtyard during the sale (2.5 hours).
- Contact: Carol Langner
ELCA Hukilau Food Bank (Angel Network at Calvary by the Sea)—Lutherans throughout Hawaii jointly provide for the Food Bank at Calvary by the Sea. As LCH no longer has a food pantry on our campus, your donations will be taken to Calvary.
- Specific volunteer opportunities:
  - During your regular shopping, pick up canned meats, vegetables, fruits, bars of soap, small containers of sun creams and hand lotions. Bring to LCH on Sunday mornings.
  - Volunteer at Angel Network on Tuesdays and Fridays, stocking and bagging.
- How to get involved: Call Nikki Silverstein (358-6954) to volunteer at the Angel Network.
- Contact: Carol Langner
Bread for the World Letter Writing—From time to time, a letter writing campaign is held in the courtyard between services. Information and stationary items are provided to write to our congressional delegation asking them to support funding in the US budget for domestic and foreign food aid programs.
- Specific volunteer opportunities:
  - Stop by the table and write a letter (10 minutes).
- Contact: Carol Langner
fasting & feasting—fasting & feasting is an Advent devotional exercise with a social ministry twist. In response to the pressures of the holiday season, especially regarding the overabundance of food, a weekly day of fasting is suggested. Participants work within their own health needs, and set aside food money thus saved to help others. Collection is made at Epiphany and donated to the designated charity.
- Specific volunteer opportunities:
  - Decide to participate, determine how you will be involved (day of week to fast, level of fasting, etc.).
  - Figure out how much you spend each day on food and budget the portion you save by fasting for your fasting & feasting donation.
  - Set aside time during your fasting day for prayer and study, for intentionally slowing down during the busy Advent season.
  - Offer your prayers and food savings at the Epiphany service, first week in January.
- Contact: Carol Langner

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Communication Committee

This group endeavors to improve internal communication so the members are better informed of activities at LCH. Several new or improved methods of communication have been added in the past four years: new sets of pew cards and LCH courtyard brochures, an extensive website, informative bulletin boards, an updated Heart Beat with new design and content, and a new weekly Sunday announcement sheet. The committee also considers external advertising.

- Responsibilities: Members of the committee meet about 6 times a year to discuss issues related to communication—both within the congregation and to the general public—and to coordinate activities. Individual members of the committee and others take responsibilities for specific activities..
- Specific volunteer opportunities: Please consider volunteering some time and energy for one-morning work sessions or for more long-term participation:
  - Serve on the Communications Committee (6 meetings a year, other small tasks)
  - Help write press releases, other promotional information (as needed)
- Contact: Carol Langner
Greeters—Greeters welcome both those who attend regularly and newcomers in the courtyard and elsewhere on the LCH campus.
- Responsibilities: Arrive well before the service, greet everyone coming to worship, help newcomers with directions, and give firstimers lei. On special occasions when many newcomers are expected, additional greeters are stationed near entrances to give extra help with directions.
- Specific volunteer opportunities:
  - Serve as a Sunday morning Greeter before one of the services (.5 hour).
- Contact: Brian Weis
Heart Beat—Our church newsletter is published on a monthly basis and keeps us informed about everything going on at LCH.
- Responsibilities: Church Administrator Coleen Howard prepares and duplicates The Heart Beat (with layout help from Kathy Crosier), but the writing is done by our members. Once copies are made, volunteers fold them and prepare the bulk mailing.
- Specific volunteer opportunities:
  - Write articles or take digital photographs about LCH activities you are involved in for The Heart Beat.
  - Help with editing or layout. (Experience with InDesign would be very helpful for layout.)
  - Help with Heart Beat preparation once a month (folding, labeling; 2 hours).
- Contact: Coleen Howard
LCH Website—The LCH website provides information for both members/friends and visitors about every aspect of our congregation.
- Responsibilities: Gather information about the congregation, prepare text and photos, code in html format for the web, transfer files to the server, and monitor the site for technical problems.
- Specific volunteer opportunities:
  - Write articles or take digital photographs about LCH activities you are involved in for the website.
  - Give your ideas for enhancing the LCH website to the webmaster.
  - Tell the webmaster about any typos, broken links, or other problems with the website.
- Contact: Bill Potter

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Small Groups

Food for Thought—An occasional gathering for shared food and stimulating discussion.
- Meetings: Meetings take place irregularly, usually on Friday evenings.
- Contact: Linda Miller
In Stitches—Members of this craft group are finishing up needlepoint pillows and making ribbon and yarn lei for visitors, but most of all they are having fun. Everyone is invited to come and learn to make several kinds of lei, or work on a church pillow or their own craft, or come for the fellowship.
- Meetings: Every second and fourth Saturday.
- Contact: Linda Miller
The Lunch Bunch—This group that meets for lunch at a variety of locations.
- Meetings: After the 10:30 worship on the third Sunday of each month. The usual meeting time is 12:30.
- Contact: Stephanie Miller
Mary Magdalene Society—The Mary Magdalene Society is a social ohana for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, and questioning members of LCH.
- Meetings: The Society meets for socials somewhat irregularly and has had some service projects for the church as well.
- Specific volunteer opportunities:
  - The Society could always use some volunteers to plan individual activities to increase the number of occasions on which they meet.
- Contact: Jim Cartwright
Writers’ Workshop—Writers’ Workshop, created in September 1992, welcomes all who write and those who hope to write, all ages and persuasions, beginner and expert alike. Several of the founding members are still active in the group, which over the years has welcomed several dozen participants. Members of the group encourage and motivate each other to keep writing, or to write out that first line or idea—long thought-about but not yet actually written. First-time participants often come just to listen, or bring a favorite text to share.

Over the years, Writers' Workshop has heard just about everything: parts of novels, short prose pieces, vignettes, word histories, short stories, master’s theses, memoirs, poetry, cheer songs, jazz songs (both lyrics and tunes), rock ’n’ roll (to live guitar), letters to the editor, and writing done in conjunction with photos, artwork, woodworking, even handwork. What seems to work best for all of us is having a safe forum in which to share our writing.
- Meetings: Monthly meetings are held from August through May, with time out for the summer. The Fall schedule is announced in August, the Spring schedule in January.
- Contact: Kathryn Klingebiel
Young Adult Bible Study—This group of "twentysomethingish" people gathers each week to study and share thoughts on a different passage from the New Testament, focussing primarily on Paul’s letters.
- Meetings: Mondays from 7:30 to 9:00 PM in the Board Room
- Contact: Keane Ishii

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