In this issue:
- A Message from Pastor Jeff
- NEW LCH Office Hours
- LCH OFFICE closed for New Year’s Day
- Committee/Interest Group Chairs
- Committee Chairs!
- Kitchen Items
- German Vespers for New Year’s Day
- Book of Faith Bible Study
- Mary Magdalene Society
- Angel Network In-Gathering
- Godly Play—Sunday School
- Leadership Roundtable
- Compline
- First Mondays: Yin & Yang featuring HI Arts Lab
- Punahou Academy Spring Term Parking
- Food for Thought
- Annual Congregational Meeting, Part 2
- Confirmation Preparation Classes
- LCH Office Closed for Dr. Martin Luther King Day
- IHS Meal Prep
- LCH Women’s Book Club
- Writers’ Workshop
- One Pot, One Hope
- Volunteers needed—Youth Fundraiser!
- An Easy Way to Donate
- Edward Shipwright Memorial Piano Fund
- HeartBeat Deadline
- Give Aloha and Electronic Funds Transfers for November
- Attendance and Offerings for December
- Prayer Requests
- January Birthdays
- LCH Worship Participants (8:00 am)
- LCH Worship Participants (10:30 am)
- Calendar: January 2020
A Message from Pastor Jeff
Endings and Beginnings
A dear friend recently toasted the Christmas season by bidding farewell and good riddance to 2019. It had been a rough year with family deaths and illnesses, and she was happy to see the back of it. She immediately (being a person of positive outlook) welcomed the new year with equal fervor. A new year is a time of saying farewell and hello, often in the same breath. As we exhale 2019 and breathe anew the freshness of 2020, may we share the blessing of God, of Jesus, and of our faith with those around us.
As we look forward to 2020, our congregation will have many opportunities for ministry and mission. In order to better discern God’s work for us and more faithfully shape LCH’s ministry for the coming years, the congregational council is organizing a strategic planning process. In January, we will solidify leadership for the strategic planning effort and begin to lay out a plan for moving forward. You will be key to a faithful outcome to the process.
Honestly, I have always been a bit wary to strategic plans. Having served on many strategic planning committees, it seems that after months of hard work, the plans produced tend to be put on a high shelf and ignored. This was not the case with our ministry plan completed several years ago. We actively used the results of that process to shape our ministry over the past several years. So why do another one? First, the opportunities and challenges facing our congregation and the larger church are quite different than just a few years ago. As more people move away from Hawai‘i and fewer families are moving here, we are likely to experience fewer persons in the pew. Also growing concerns about income inadequacy and lack of affordable housing are intensifying here in Hawai‘i, and that may have an impact on who and how we serve our community. As the ELCA “right sizes,” there may be realignment of synods and regions to better reflect the shifting population on the mainland. Second, it is always a great idea to listen. Our strategic planning process will give us an opportunity to hear clearly what your passions are as a congregation, listen for the needs of our neighborhood, and share more fully in the story of our community. Third, this process will help us to explore our overall model of ministry. Is the single congregation model best serving what God is up to in our community? Are there ways we can partner with other congregations and organizations to magnify God’s work in this place? Do we have the right staff to move into the future?
While strategic planning can’t offer definitive answers to these questions, it will help stir us to lively conversations that can only lead to an exciting future. God is the heart of our ministry, and you are the very heart of God. As we breath in this new year, I pray that God’s Spirit will continue to fill us with faithful and adventurous hearts as we proclaim the good news with hand, heart, and voice.
Blessings,
Pastor Jeff
NEW LCH Office Hours!
- Monday—9:00 am to 4:00 pm
- Tuesday—9:00 am to 4:00 pm
- Wednesday—9:00 am to 4:00 pm
- Thursday—9:00 am to 4:00 pm
- Friday–Sunday—Closed
We recommend calling the office (808-941-2566) before making a visit to see Pastor Jeff or the administrator as schedules may vary due to appointments, other work commitments, and lunch breaks.
Committee/Interest Group Chairs
| Committee/Group | Leader |
|---|---|
| Archive: | Jim Cartwright |
| Concert: | Scott Fikse |
| Communications: | Carol Langner |
| Community Life: | Larry Anderson |
| Council: | Josie Bidgood |
| Fellowship: | Mary-Jo Estes |
| Finance: | Steve Miller |
| Financial Review: | Dori Palcovich |
| Food for Thought: | Kathryn Klingebiel |
| Lay Ministers: | Carolyn Koehler |
| Learning Ministry: | Fred Benco |
| Mary Magdalene Society: | Bill Potter & Roy Helms |
| Process Theology: | Carol Langner |
| Property: | Richard Mundell |
| Scholarship: | Fred Benco |
| Social Ministry: | Jean Lilley |
| Stewardship: | Phyllis Hörmann & Willow Chang |
| Sunday School: | Laurie Leach |
| Worship & Music: | Roy Helms & Randy Castello |
| Writers’ Workshop: | Kathryn Klingebiel |
| Youth: | Pr. Jeff Lilley |
LCH Office Closed for New Year’s Day
Wednesday, January 1
Committee Chairs!
If you have not yet done so, please submit your committee’s yearly report to the LCH office—reports are now past due. It’s time to compile the Annual Report! Direct questions to the office at 808-941-2566 or email lch@LCHwelcome.org.
Kitchen Items
Are you missing some of your kitchen items? The LCH kitchen has built up a collection of items left behind from fellowship and festivities. Please see Mary Jo to locate dishes and utensils you may have left at LCH. Items that are not claimed by January 5, will be donated to a local charity.
German Vespers for New Year’s Day
Wednesday, January 1 • 4:00 pm
In celebration of the New Year and our congregation’s German heritage, we offer our annual German Vespers for New Year’s Day. The LCH Choir and members of the Bach Chamber Orchestra will join forces to present Cantata 122, Das neugeborne Kindelein, by J.S. Bach, Cantate Domino by Dietrich Buxtehude, Magnificat in D by Johann Pachelbel, and hymns auf Deutsch to create a wonderfully unique and culturally rich vespers service.
Join us for this perennial favorite, and ring in the Neues Jahr! We welcome back the Rev. Anke Flohr as presider for this festival worship. All are welcome. A free-will offering received.
Book of Faith Bible Study
Thursdays, 10:00–11:45 am • LCH Boardroom
The Book of Faith Bible Study meets on Thursday mornings in the Boardroom. All are welcome to join this lively discussion of the Biblical texts, relevant current events, and historical foundations. Please come for engaging fellowship and discussion!
Mary Magdalene Society
Saturday, January 4, at 6:00 pm • Riingen-Russell residence
LGBTQI and friends, please join our New Year’s/Epiphany potluck supper and social, which will be hosted by Rudy Riingen and Mark Russell. Mark or Rudy will provide directions and parking instructions. You’re also welcome to meet at LCH and carpool to their home.
We will have a small gift exchange for Epiphany before the board games begin. For more information, contact Bill at bill.potter808@gmail.com. Please share information of this gathering and an invitation to other LGBTQI and friends you know who may be interested in socializing with us. Thank you, Rudy and Mark!
Angel Network In-Gathering
Sunday, January 5
On the first Sunday of each month, an in-gathering of food and personal items is collected at LCH for Angel Network, a ministry based out of Calvary-by-the-Sea Lutheran Church. The items are taken to Angel Network during the following week. Over 2,500 individuals are served monthly through this program. We are grateful for your generosity and support.
Godly Play—Sunday School Continues!
Sunday School 9:20–10:20 am
LCH offers Sunday school for children from kindergarten through senior high. The older children (grades 6–12) meet in the Rainbow Room. The younger children (grades k–5) meet in the Godly Play room. All are welcome! Below is the schedule of Godly Play stories for January:
- January 5—Epiphany
- January 12—Holy Baptism
- January 19—Parable of the Great Banquet
- January 26—Parable of the Good Shepherd
Leadership Roundtable
Sunday, January 5, 11:45 am • LCH Boardroom
Committee chairs and team leaders, please plan to gather for a short (45 minute) meeting. 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!
Compline
Sundays, January 5 & 19, 7:30 pm
Join us on the first and third Sunday of each month for Compline, led a cappella by the LCH Men’s Schola. This is a peaceful experience of rejuvenation and prayer.
First Mondays: Yin & Yang featuring HI Arts Lab
Monday, January 6, 7:00 pm. Refreshments at 6:30 pm.
As part of our First Mondays concert series, join us as we seek to explore the human condition—as well as the physical world—for the opposites of each other. What does it mean to be opposite one another? To be diametrically opposed to another way of thinking? Or to be physicall so different from one another? One is starving; the other is abundant. One is overjoyed, the other overwhelmed. One is Native Hawaiian, the other Western European. Are we really that far apart from each other?
This performance is produced by HI Arts Lab, Honolulu’s newest performing arts company, bringing a variety of art forms together to create innovative and collaborative experiences. Visit www.hiartslab.org for more information. This is a free concert, and free-will offerings are gratefully received.
Punahou Academy Spring Term Parking
Monday–Friday • Church Lot & Poki Lot
The Punahou Academy spring semester begins Tuesday, January 7. Student parking resumes in the LCH Poki Street and church parking lots. All Poki Street lot spaces are reserved for Punahou student parking, Monday through Friday, from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm on school days only, through May 28, 2020. There are ten spaces reserved for Punahou students in the church lot for the spring semester. All spaces along the Poki Street side of the church lot and two spaces in the gravel area nearest to the dumpster are reserved. Please do not park in the designated student spaces Monday through Friday, from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm on school days only, through May 28, 2020.
Please do not park in the Poki Street lot during regular business hours, Monday through Friday. Even if spaces are empty, they are paid for by and reserved for Punahou students. It is recommended that you observe posted “Reserved Parking” signs and park in the church lot, facing the LCH office building, during office hours when visiting LCH on regular business days. The church lot parking diagram is included here for guidance. Please be aware that cars parked in the church lot after 10:00 pm will be towed at the owner’s expense. (DIAGRAM graphic)
Food for Thought
Saturday, January 11, 5:30 to 8:00 pm
Food for Thought meets at the home of David Hörmann. All are welcome for potluck supper, video, and discussion. For more information, please contact the LCH office at 808-941-2566.
Annual Congregational Meeting, Part 2
Sunday, January 12, 9:15 am • LCH Courtyard
Part 2 of the 2019–20 Annual Meeting is scheduled for January 12. The main business is to approve a final budget for the new year. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend, but only members in good standing may vote. Please plan to attend!
Confirmation Preparation Classes
Sunday, January 12 & 26, 11:45 am • LCH Rainbow Room
Confirmation is voluntary for youth, grades 6 and up, who would like to confirm their faith. At baptism we promise to “place in (your child’s) hands the Holy Scripture and provide for their education in the Christian Faith.” In confirmation class we study scripture, the Reformation, and Christian history, but we are more interested in helping young people develop as persons of faith. For more information, please contact Pastor Jeff.
LCH Office Closed for Dr. Martin Luther King Day
Monday, January 20
IHS Meal Prep
Friday, January 17, 1:00 pm prep/5:30 pm serve
LCH will shop, cook, and serve our monthly hot meal to Honolulu’s homeless. This is part of our 25-plus-year tradition of providing dinner on the third Friday of each month. Volunteers are needed to serve as shoppers, cooks, and servers. Check the bulletin board by the kitchen for more information about IHS and our long involvement with this human service agency. You may also visit the Institute for Human Services website: www.ihshawaii.org.
Please direct any questions to Carol Langner at church, or call the church office, 808-941-2566, for details. Mahalo to all who help with this ministry to Honolulu’s homeless.
LCH Women’s Book Club
Monday, January 20, 10:00 am
amThe LCH Book Club will at the Murashige’s home to discuss The Color of the Ocean, by John Hamamura. Our theme for the years revolves around migration, ethnicity, and belonging. All are welcome. Please contact the church office if you have questions, 808-941-2566.
Writers’ Workshop
Monday, January 20, 4:00 pm
Writers’ Workshop meets in the boardroom at LCH. All are welcome. For more information please contact the LCH office at 808-941-2566.
One Pot, One Hope
Saturday, January 25, 9:30 am
A consistent group of LCH volunteers helps feed 100 to 125 people each month in Wai‘anae. Help support this mission outreach project by participating or by bringing donations of designated items—Costco gallon-sized cans of chili, fresh fruit, granola bars, bottled water, recycled grocery bags, and large cardboard boxes—or checks payable to “One Pot, One Hope.” Bring donated items to church on the third Sunday of the month. See Peggy Anderson for more information, including volunteering and carpool. Chili donations are appreciated, #10 sized cans (from Costco or Sam’s Club).
Volunteers needed—Youth Fundraiser!
Punahou Carnival Parking • Friday & Saturday, February 7 & 8
Each year, the LCH youth request your help with their Punahou Carnival parking fundraiser. The carnival begins annually on the first Friday of February and lasts for two days. We need adult and youth volunteers for three-hour shifts during the carnival on both days. Event coordinators provide snacks and drinks, flashlights and safety vests, and you provide the fellowship! Sign-up sheets are available in the Hörmann Courtyard after the 8:00 and 10:30 am services. Volunteer shifts on both Friday, February 7, and Saturday, February 8, are: 10:30 am–1:30 pm, 1:30–4:30 pm, 4:30–7:30 pm, and 7:30–10:30 pm. Thank you!
An Easy Way to Donate
Did you know you can donate to Lutheran Church of Honolulu while shopping without spending any extra money? Shop at smile.amazon.com and increase donations to Lutheran Church of Honolulu! Any Amazon purchase can be made through LCH’s unique charity-link, which will take you directly to smile.amazon.com in support of LCH. Just type this URL in your browser and start shopping: smile.amazon.com/ch/99-0079975.
Edward Shipwright Memorial Piano Fund
The church has an ongoing need for maintenance of our current piano, which is on generous loan from Mark Wong. We also need to plan for eventual purchase of an excellent, permanent piano for LCH.
Therefore, we have established the Edward Shipwright Memorial Piano Fund. Dr. Shipwright was the head of the piano division of the Music Department at UH Mānoa. Many people associated with LCH were students or friends of Ed. The fund will be a fitting memorial to his 50 years of teaching and playing.
HeartBeat Deadline
Tuesday, January 21, 9:00 am
It is time to refresh the Prayer Requests list for the new year. If you have a friend or loved one who should remain on the list into 2019, we are glad to keep them in prayer. Please call or email the office to let us know who we should keep in prayer.
Arnold, Bobby, Carol M., Charlotte, Colleen K., Frank, George, Greg, Kathy S., Keahi, Kendra K., Margaret H., Patricia, Penny, Resi, Shirley S., Vonia
| Day | Date | Event and Time | Wednesday | January 1 | LCH OFFICE Closed—New Year’s Day 4:00 pm, German Vespers |
|---|---|---|
| Thursday | January 2 | 10:00 am, Book of Faith Bible Study 2:30 pm, Weekly Staff Meeting |
| Saturday | January 4 | 6:00 pm, Mary Magdalene Society |
| Sunday | January 5 | Ephiphany of Our Lord Angel Network In-Gathering 8:00 am, Holy Communion 9:20 am, Christian Education—all ages 10:30 am, Choral Eucharist 11:45 am, Leadership Roundtable 7:30 pm, Compline |
| Monday | January 6 | 7:00 pm, First Monday Concert |
| Thursday | January 9 | 10:00 am, Book of Faith Bible Study 2:30 pm, Weekly Staff Meeting |
| Saturday | January 11 | 5:30 pm, Food for Thought |
| Sunday | January 12 | Baptism of Our Lord 8:00 am, Holy Communion 9:15 am, Second Half of the LCH Annual Meeting 9:20 am, Sunday School 10:30 am, Choral Eucharist 11:45 am, Confirmation Class |
| Monday | January 13 | 6:00 pm, Worship & Music Meeting |
| Wednesday | January 15 | 12:00 noon, Finance Committee Meeting |
| Thursday | January 16 | 10:00 am, Book of Faith Bible Study |
| Friday | January 17 | 1:00 pm, IHS Meals Prepared 5:30 pm, IHS Meals Served |
| Saturday | January 18 | 7:30 pm, Dueling Bachs Concert at LCH |
| Sunday | January 19 | 8:00 am, Holy Communion 9:20 am, Christian Education—all ages 10:30 am, Choral Eucharist 7:30 pm, Compline |
| Monday | January 20 | LCH OFFICE Closed—Martin Luther King Day 4:00 pm, Writers’ Workshop |
| Tuesday | January 21 | HeartBeat Submissions Deadline |
| Thursday | January 23 | 10:00 am, Book of Faith Bible Study 2:30 pm, Weekly Staff Meeting |
| Saturday | January 25 | 8:30 am, Hukilau Clergy Boundaries Workshop at LCH 9:30 am, One Pot One Hope 7:30 pm, Early Music Hawai‘i Concert |
| Sunday | January 26 | 8:00 am, Holy Communion 9:20 am, Christian Education—all ages 10:30 am, Choral Eucharist 11:45 am, Confirmation Class |
| Tuesday | January 28 | 6:00 pm, Executive Council Meeting 6:30 pm, LCH Council Meeting |
| Wednesday | January 29 | 5:00 pm, Early Worship Ensemble Rehearsal |
| Thursday | January 30 | 10:00 am, Book of Faith Bible Study 2:30 pm, Weekly Staff Meeting 7:00 pm, LCH Choir Rehearsal |