HeartBeat—August 2015

A Message from Pastor Jeff

Fueled by Volunteers, Fed by Hope

I am ever thankful for the wonderful volunteers and staff who shape and sustain the ministry at LCH. At the Congregational Council meeting a couple of months ago, one of our newer council members exclaimed, “I had no idea how much goes into the ministry here.” It really is true. Most people have no idea the number of hours spent keeping the grounds up, hiring employees, managing contractors, planning and executing special projects, and preparing for worship.

The Fellowship Committee is here early every Sunday morning, preparing coffee and food. The ushers set up the aloha table, sweep the courtyard, stuff worship booklets, and carry out dozens of other tasks before anyone arrives. The music staff spends hours of paid and unpaid time arranging and practicing music. Mark Wong helps almost weekly with technological issues and volunteers in setting up our information services.

Then there are the choirs. Any guess how many volunteer hours are put in by the two choirs, the 8:00 am musicians, and the music librarians each week? On average they contribute nearly 90 volunteer hours. That adds up to 360 hours per month or a whopping 3,240 volunteer hours per year!

Let us not forget the altar guild, counters, acolytes, readers, Sunday School teachers, and worship assistants who, while they are not spending huge amounts of time each week volunteering, must show up each and every week without fail for everything to work well.

Finally, let us give thanks for committee members, who plan and execute our programs; mentors and leaders, who shape our ministries; and especially our council members who meet monthly for inspiration, brain-storming, reporting, and making decisions both small and great.

There is a lot more that goes into “being the church” than most folks realize! Sometimes people work so far behind the scenes that we don’t realize they are there, and most of the time, we simply forget to say “Thank you” to them for all they do. So, from the bottom of our hearts, let us say mahalo!

But there is more to church than organizational structure and husbandry. While the church is fueled by volunteers, it is fed by hope. All the work done by countless hands to keep the church running would mean nothing if not for the folks who come each week to worship God, be renewed in the Word, and share in the Eucharist. LCH would be little more than a well-organized social club if not for the fact that we gather not only to do good things and experience fine worship, but to be the body of Christ in the world gathered around the hope born in a child named Jesus. We live and breathe that hope in our work, our family, our laughter, and our hurt.

When Jesus says, “I am the bread of life,” he is saying it to us. His hope becomes our hope in the sharing of the bread and wine of Eucharist. When he says, “Come, all who are thirsty…,” we are called to drink in the waters of Baptism, to be washed in its abundance, and gleefully splash its mercy on the world. For this reason, we gather together to hear the Word, sing the psalms, pray for one another and the world, and give ourselves, our time, and our treasure for the sake of all that God created.

We are more than a social club. We are the body of Christ, fueled by volunteers, and fed by hope—the hope of Christ.

From Scott Fikse, Music Director

Aloha! I’ve had the pleasure to meet many of you during my initial visit and in the last two Sundays, and I look forward to future introductions and gatherings with all of you. My partner Marcus and I are so happy to be here in this beautiful place, fulfilling a dream we’ve both had of departing from the familiar and experiencing life in Hawai‘i. Just this afternoon Marcus said to me over lunch while we enjoyed the trade wind breeze and some delicious fresh poke, “We’re never going to leave, are we?”

Tropical beauty aside, as your director of music and liturgy, I’m excited to get to work. The tradition of great music and the legacy built by those who came before me at the Lutheran Church of Honolulu are really what brought me here. I’m thrilled by the possibilities and eager to bring you music that truly lifts the soul and nourishes the spirit. Among other highlights, plans are underway for a major collaborative concert featuring the choir this October, and several guests will be joining our 8:00 worship group beginning this fall.

Until then, thank you again for inviting me to be a part of your faith community. Hawai‘i is already beginning to feel like home.

In harmony,
Scott Fikse

Stewardship of the Sacraments

How do we respond to God’s call to serve and love our neighbors? We faithfully steward the gifts God has so abundantly given us. Although some think of stewardship as only a financial response to God’s love, stewardship encompasses so much more than money. It is about how we use all that God has entrusted to our care—our time, our talents, and our treasurers—to love God and our neighbors, both inside and outside of the church walls and our homes.

“Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us; let us use them: If prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, and with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness” (Romans 12:6–8, ESV).

Let us look at The Sacraments. Like other Lutheran church bodies, the ELCA confesses two Sacraments: Communion and Holy Baptism (including infant baptism). In addition to the two, ELCA churches also practice acts that are sacramental in character, or sacramentals. These in include confirmation, ordination, anointing the sick, confession and absolution, and marriage.

How to use the Sacraments? Within our congregation, I use the Sacrament of Communion to give thanks for the forgiveness of my sins, the Sacrament of Baptism was given me as an infant and marked me forever with the sign of the cross to know that I am God’s child. Confirmation gave me the rites of the church and knowledge of the Holy Spirit. I provide laying on of hands in prayer as a gift I was asked to be a part of in trying to provide healing and gratitude to other congregants. Bringing the Spirit to each other is a major talent and each of us can do it.

When we look deep into ourselves, we each have gifts to provide spiritual help to each other. Sometimes someone might point them out to us or we may be asked to use our gifts by someone in the congregation.

Looking at the talents you have—and we all have some—ask yourself how you can serve to the betterment of my church and thusly, to my community.

Bob Zimmer (with help from the ELCA)

OYEA Dinner and Movie

Sunday, August 2, 6:00 pm at Calvary by the Sea Church

O‘ahu Youth Education and Activities (OYEA) invites all 6-12 graders to our first event of season! Join us for dinner and movie on the beach. Dinner is at 6:00 followed by the movie at 7:00 pm.

We expect to have youth from Calvary, Christ Mililani, St. John, and LCH at this event. Come see old friends and make new ones! You are welcome to bring your friends. Please let Pastor Jeff know how many will be in your party so we can plan for food. Email pr.jeff@lchwelcome.org.

August in the Godly Play Room

Sunday School starts in September, when LCH goes back to a two-service schedule. During August, look for “saint stories “and a sing along in the Godly Play Room after the service. Exact dates and more detail will be announced in the bulletin.

Community Life Committee Meeting

Sunday, August 2, 8:15–9:00 am in the Boardroom

We meet again to discuss our fall program plans: the LCH Congregational Picnic and arrangements for an inspirational speaker, etc. All who are interested and those who attended previously are encouraged to attend. Great things are in store for the coming season!

Holoholo Pick-Up

Thursday, August 4 and 18, 2:00–4:00 pm in the Boardroom

The Holoholo General Store is a Community Supported Agriculture organization, or csa, that works with the Lutheran Church to bring you fresh produce from multiple local farms. Want to join? Just check out their website and sign up; bi-weekly prices range from $25 on up, and LCH is a convenient pick-up location. Visit www.holoholostore.com.

Book of Faith Bible Study

Thursdays, 10:00–11:30 am · Series continues through end August

Book of Faith Bible study will view the NBC Series, A.D. This dramatic series follows the development of the early Christian Church, beginning with the crucifixion of Jesus. The writers draw from biblical, extra-biblical, and historic documents to form a more comprehensive picture of first century Christianity.

Join us each week for viewing and lively discussion in the LCH Boardroom.

Leadership Roundtable

Sunday, August 2, 10:45 am in the LCH Boardroom

Please plan to join congregation president April Smith for a short (45 minute) gathering of all committee chairs and team leaders. This is an opportunity for us to sit down together and share information on what is happening with all the ministries at LCH. If you are a committee or team leader, please be prepared to share a little information on your activities with the group. Mahalo and see you there!

Questions of Faith

August 9, 16, 23, & 30 at 10:30 am in Pastor Jeff’s office

All are invited to join in this Christian discussion group, “Questions of Faith.” We will use this opportunity to get to know a bit more about our ministry together at LCH. We will ask questions, share stories, explore theology and practice, and engage in fellowship with other members of the congregation and our leaders.

We hope you will join us for these gatherings!

LCH Women’s Book Club

Monday, August 17, 10:00 am

We will meet at the Murashige’s home for a discussion of the book Birds Without Wings, by Louis de Bernieres. The next meeting will be Monday, September 21, at Linda Miller’s home, to discuss The Invention of Wings, by Sue Monk Kidd.

Writers’ Workshop

Monday, August 17, 7:00–8:30 pm

Writers’ Workshop is returning after our summer break. We will meet in the LCH Boardroom. All are welcome! For information, please call the LCH office at 808-941-2566.

Office Closed in Observance of Statehood Day

Friday, August 21

Let’s be Totally Cool by the End of August

Goal: Raise $10,000 for the Hörmann Courtyard cover

The LCH ‘ohana once again responds in amazing fashion to fundraising for the Hörmann Courtyard cover. At print time, we raised nearly $7,000. Our goal is to raise $10,000 by Labor Day.

Please remember there are multiple ways to give:

• Make checks payable to the Lutheran Church of Honolulu and put Hörmann Courtyard in the memo line.
• Donate $500 or more to earn a sailing excursion with Jeff and Jean Lilley—a priceless experience.
• Bring your loose change and drop it in the glass jar at the back of the sanctuary.

The congregation’s generosity has exceeded expectations. Check out the bulletin board every Sunday as we inch closer to our goal. Imagine how wonderful it will be when you can enjoy the great cover on the Hörmann Courtyard and know you were part of making it happen.

Thanks in advance for your dollars and devotion.

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Office Hours

The LCH office hours are being modified slightly. Office hours are from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm, Monday through Friday. The office is closed on weekends and holidays and no one is available to check messages.

If you need to contact someone regarding church business over the weekend, please contact the appropriate ministry or committee leader. Voicemail will be checked when the office opens Monday morning or the first workday following a holiday. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation!

Help Wanted!

The LCH Property Committee (currently Jean-Paul Klingebiel and April Smith) desperately needs your help! We are looking for a few folks who are willing to spend a little time helping to arrange needed service calls for the church and Luther Place apartments. You don’t need to be “handy,” just willing to make some phone calls and coordinate with Anne in the church office to schedule service when needed. It would also be helpful if you could occasionally be on site—depending on the service required—when repair people are on the property.

We will provide guidance for you to get started in this very important ministry of stewardship for our property. Please see Jean-Paul or April for more information.

Give Aloha Returns September 1!

LCH Org Code: 78224

We are registered again this year to participate in the Give Aloha Program sponsored by Foodland/Western Union. During the month of September, donations to Give Aloha will be accepted, up to $249, at any Foodland or Sack ’n’ Save. Don’t forget your Maika‘i card and use the LCH Organization Code (78224) at the time of your donation. Foodland and Western Union will match at least a part of every gift received up to $300,000 for all combined participating organizations.

Punahou Academy Student Parking at LCH

Punahou Academny starts classes on Thursday, August 27. Fall semester student parking will commence on that date. Please observe reserved student parking stalls in our church lot (diagram at right). All 59 spaces in the Poki Street Lot (between Dominis and Nehoa Streets) and the church lot spaces along the Poki Street side of the lot, as well as one additional space—CL-A near the dumpster—are reserved for students, Monday through Friday, from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm, except holidays.

Please observe the posted “Reserved Parking” signs and review the Church Lot diagram for guidance when parking in the church lot during regular school and business days.

ELCA Youth Rise Up to Help Residents of Detroit

Chicago (ELCA News Service) • July 22, 2015

Participants of the ELCA Youth Gathering held in Detroit July 15–19 responded to the event’s theme “Rise Up Together” by taking part in neighborhood service projects throughout the Detroit metro area.

The projects included helping clean up neighborhoods and boarding up abandoned houses, creating community gardens, painting and cleaning schools and community centers, packaging food into family-sized portions for distribution, and helping install mosaics on the backstops at a neighborhood baseball field.

The youth and adults at the Gathering also collected nearly one million diapers to help kick-start the city’s diaper bank. Starfish Family Services helped manage the collection and has partnered with 37 agencies that provide early childhood care in Detroit. Starfish will also distribute diapers to families.

In preparation for each ELCA Youth Gathering, participants are asked to make in-kind donations of non-perishable items that are needed in the host city.

In addition to addressing the need of Detroit residents, the youth and adults at the Gathering also learned about global needs, such as clean water. In response, the ELCA World Hunger’s Walk for Water exhibit raised more than $402,000 during the event. The exhibit at Detroit’s Cobo Center simulated the experience of women in Sub-Saharan Africa who walk an average of three miles each day to get water for their families.

Held every three years, ELCA Youth Gatherings brings tens of thousands of youth, adult leaders, volunteers, and other Lutherans from around the world for leadership development, faith formation, service opportunities, and more. The 2018 Gathering will be in Houston. The location was announced at the closing worship July 19 at Detroit’s Ford Field.

In her sermon at the closing worship, ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth A. Eaton told those assembled that there are “thin spaces … where we come into those places that are out of our normal elements and somehow the supernatural seems to be a normal thing to happen.”

“I think that happened to us this week,” Eaton said. “We were taken out of our normal places wherever they were across this country and the Caribbean and we were set down here in Detroit, and we were just ready—ready to see what was going to happen. The spirit could come in because we didn’t have our defenses up.”

Eaton recounted the day’s Gospel reading from Mark 6: 30–44 and said the crowds that came to Jesus for healing understood that he was not just “some super healer with super powers. Instead this was the living God, the God incarnate, God in the flesh, God with us, who would, to complete his mission, be broken on the cross and by that death and resurrection we have justice. The world has been reconciled; we have our peace.”

Eaton emphasized to the gathering that “Jesus is more than just a miracle worker or a justice worker, because if that were all he was, all the stuff that we’ve been doing this week, and what I hope you will continue back in your hometowns, would be for nothing.”

“The work that we do catching up with where God has already reconciled the world to God’s self is not always going to be perky and upbeat and fun,” she said. “There’s a lot that’s going to be difficult. There will be a lot of times when we feel that we’re not making any change, but we’ve got to trust and believe that the change has been made. And that resting in that confidence, resting in the crucified and risen Christ, we might know true joy.”

The presiding bishop closed her sermon by posing a question to those gathered, asking whether they would still find that joy when faced with difficult decisions once they return home.

“Now here’s the thing, brothers and sisters: can we sing hallelujah particularly and especially when it gets hard, when we’re weary and we think we can’t do this anymore?” asked Eaton. “When we’re in the company of friends or classmates or coworkers and they start in with some racial slur, can we still have the strength to say, ‘No, that’s a child of God. We won’t talk that way.’ Can we be busy in our communities when people think, ‘Well, you’re just a bunch of do-gooders. You don’t realize how the world really works.’ And when we’re weary from helping people who have food insecurity or people who don’t have homes or when we try to talk to our town councils or even our congregations and say we’ve got to get busy, can we still sing hallelujah?” asked Eaton.

Heidi Hagstrom, who is leaving her position as director of the ELCA Youth Gathering, was recognized during the closing worship for her years of service to the event. Hagstrom, who has served as director since 1994, is leaving her position to participate in the Theological Education for Emerging Ministries program at Wartburg Theological Seminary in Dubuque, Iowa. Wartburg is one of eight ELCA seminaries. Hagstrom will serve in the ELCA Southwestern Minnesota Synod.

“When you came to this community, we rejoiced to receive you in this ministry,” said Eaton. “In this community of faith, you have heard the preaching of God’s word, which reveals God’s loving purpose for you and all creation. God has blessed you in this community, and God has blessed us with you through your ministry and presence among us.”

Molly Beck Dean, the new director for the ELCA Youth Gathering, was installed during the service.

In an encore appearance, Natasha T. Miller, a spoken-word poet from Detroit, recited a poem that she wrote for the closing worship.

“You are something bigger, you are part of something bigger, me who lost my brother from the streets, you who lost your aunt to cancer, and you who lost your faith in the fire of your life, we have to know that all of our scars create a road map that leads us to our own resurrection.

“We are never lost, just discovering new paths. We know that death is a part of life, suicide don’t cure depression, judgment is for the weak, and we, we are strong and in it even when we are alone together. Thank you ELCA, you have been amazing. Thank you,” said Miller.

Electronic Funds Transfers for June

Offering Fund	Amount	Offering Fund	Amount
Offering	$7,244	Mission Campaign—Courtyard	$75
Music Fund/Instruments	$160	Wounded Warriors	$25

Attendance and Offerings for July

Date	Worship Service	Attendance	Offering Fund	Amount
July 5	9:15 am Service	97	Offering	$12,033
			Wounded Warriors	$765
			Hörmann Courtyard	$1,300
July 12	9:15 am Service	75	Offering	$2,493
			Social Ministries	$10
			Hörmann Courtyard	$250
			Music/Instruments	$10
July 19	9:15 am Service	86	Offering	$2,531
			Hörmann Courtyard	$180
			Social Ministries	$64
July 26	9:15 am Service	93	Offering	$2,734
			Hörmann Courtyard	$220

HeartBeat Deadline

Tuesday, August 18, 9:00 am

Cheri, Dan, Denise, Diane, Fran, Gene, Gianna, Irene, Irmgard, Jennie, Karen, Kelly, Kent, Quentin, and Sandi

August Birthdays

08/03	Elizabeth Pearson
08/05	Nedra Walker
08/06	Sissy A.
08/13	Alexa Sueda
08/14	Benjamin Fay
08/17	Gordon W.
08/18	Jean-Paul Klingebiel
08/24	Dennis Hethcote
08/27	Peggy Khan

LCH Worship Participants

Holy Communion (9:15 am)
DATE	August 2	August 9	August 16	August 23	August 30
LECTOR	Jim Sullivan	Chuck Pearson	Peter Flachsbart	Kathryn Klingebiel	Peggy Brandt
ASSISTING MINISTER	Peggy Anderson	Josie Bidgood	Jim Cartwright	Teresa McCreary	Bob Tellander
COMMUNION ASSISTANTS	Bobby Broyles Mary Fastenau Teresa McCreary	Chuck Pearson Phyllis Hormann Bob Tellander	Chuck Huxel Stephanie Luuloa Kyra Takamiya	Wayne Gau Peggy Anderson Mary Fastenau	Sheena Lim-Urban Bob Zimmer Sophia S.
ACOLYTE	Reid W.	TJ H.	Hunter N.	Coco J.	Scarlett S.
LAYING ON HANDS		Bob Zimmer
USHERS	Fred Benco Chuck Huxel Bill Fay LaVerne Rickard		ALTAR GUILD	Linda Miller Sheena Lim-Urban Josie Bidgood Lois Watanable Juditha Murashige
COUNCIL IN CHARGE	Georgine Stark

Calendar: August 2015

Day	Date	Event and Time
Sunday	August 2	Angel Network In-Gathering 8:15 am, Summer Choir Rehearsal 9:15 am, Summer Eucharist 10:45 am, Leadership Roundtable 6:30 pm, OYEA Movie Night
Tuesday	August 4	2:00 pm, Holoholo pick-up
Thursday	August 6	10:00 am, Book of Faith Bible Study 2:30 pm, Weekly staff meeting
Sunday	August 9	8:15 am, Summer Choir Rehearsal 9:15 am, Summer Eucharist
Monday	August 10	6:30 pm, Worship & Music Meeting
Wednesday	August 12	12:30 pm, Finance Committee Meeting
Thursday	August 13	10:00 am, Book of Faith Bible Study 2:30 pm, Weekly Staff Meeting
Sunday	August 16	8:15 am, Summer Choir Rehearsal 9:15 am, Summer Eucharist
Monday	August 17	10:00 am, LCH Women’s Book Club 7:00 pm, Writers’ Workshop
Tuesday	August 18	Heartbeat Deadline! 2:00 pm, Holoholo pick-up 6:30 pm, Council Meeting
Thursday	August 20	10:00 am, Book of Faith Bible Study 2:30 pm, Weekly Staff Meeting 7:00 pm, LCH Choir Rehearsal
Friday	August 21	Statehood Day—Office Closed 1:00 pm, IHS Meals prepared 5:30 pm, IHS Meals served
Sunday	August 23	8:15 am, Summer Choir Rehearsal 9:15 am, Summer Eucharist
Thursday	August 27	10:00 am, Book of Faith Bible Study 2:30 pm, Weekly Staff Meeting 7:00 pm, LCH Choir Rehearsal
Saturday	August 29	10:00 am, One Pot One Hope
Sunday	August 30	8:15 am, Summer Choir Rehearsal 9:15 am, Summer Eucharist