Ala Wai Watershed Cleanup • Sat., April 27, 9:00 am

Cleaning up the Ala Wai watershedAs part of this year’s Creation Care theme of water, on Saturday, April 27, from 9:00 to 11:00 am, LCH will once again be partnering with students at ‘Iolani School to pick up trash along the portion of the Ala Wai Canal that runs behind ‘Iolani School, Ala Wai School, and the community garden.

If you’re wondering how this relates to water, keep in mind that trash tossed or blown near the canal often ends up in the canal. This not only contaminates the water there, but when the canal’s water reaches the ocean, the plastics and other pollutants negatively impact the sea creatures and those who use the ocean recreationally. This cleanup gives you an opportunity to stop this from happening.

Besides helping to protect a local watershed, you’ll have a chance to attend a Sustainability Fair following the cleanup. Our own Pastor Bree will have a booth at the fair presenting the faith and spirituality component of the conversation about creation care and environmental justice. The fair runs from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm. Come say “hi” to Pastor Bree and find out what’s happening on our island in the area of sustainability.

Help protect the water on our beautiful island for Earth Month 2024 by signing up for the cleanup with Cindy Scheinert in the courtyard after church or email her at cschein@iolani.org.

Lenten Wednesday Evenings • February 21 through March 20

Lenten SuppersLenten Soup and Salad Suppers at 6:00 pm in the Hörmann Courtyard

Please join in this wonderful time of fellowship and prayer, beginning each Wednesday of Lent with a simple soup and salad supper. Suppers are served at 6:00 pm, prior to 7:00 pm Lenten services in the nave. A sign-up sheet will be available in the courtyard for contributions to each week’s meal and for help with set-up and clean-up. See Mary Jo Estes or call the LCH office for more information.

Evening Prayer: Healing and Wholeness through Our Senses

Join us mid-week during Lent as we share Holden Evening Prayer. The sung prayer service begins at 7:00 pm preceded by a soup-and-salad supper at 6:00 pm in the church courtyard. This year’s Lenten theme, Healing and Wholeness through Our Senses, builds on our Stewardship theme for this year.

All are welcomed and encouraged to share this intimate prayer service and supper with us as we journey, in brokenness and healing, through the Lenten season.

Lenten Wednesday Evening are February 21 and 28 and March 6, 13, and 20, beginning at 6:00 pm in the Hörmann Courtyard. All are welcome.

Welcoming Pr. Jeff Back from Sabbatical

Pr. Jeff and familyAs the new year begins, we welcome back Pr. Jeff and Jean Lilley from Jeff’s three-month sabbatical in Texas. The sabbatical allowed Pr. Jeff to work on physical, mental, and spiritual health as well as music and visual arts. In addition, he was able to be with daughter Meghann for the birth of twin granddaughters in November. The photo shows Jeff and Jean with Meghann, her husband, the granddaughters, and their grandson.

First Half of Annual Meeting and Giving Thanks Dinner • Sat., Nov. 18, at 4:30 pm

Annual Meeting chickens graphicThe congregation of LCH comes together again on Saturday, November 18, in the Hörmann Courtyard, for the first half of our Annual Meeting. We will begin promptly at 4:30 so there will be enough time to do our business and then turn our attention to a grand party.

During the meeting at 4:30 pm, there are several items for our consideration.

  • Draft of the 2024 budget
  • Election of new LCH Council members
  • Proposal for Beckerath organ maintenance
  • 2024 Missional Objectives—Of the five original goals, two have risen to the top of the list.
    • Outreach to the LGTBT+ community
    • Planning for the 125th anniversary of the founding of LCH
  • Report on some preliminary plans the 125th anniversary of the founding of LCH in 2025 and how each member can get involved

At 6:30 we will enjoy a Giving Thanks dinner. There will be no thanksgiving dinner at LCH on Thursday, November 23rd. Here’s your opportunity to celebrate our partnership God’s grace and abundant mercy during the past year. David and Phyllis Hörmann will each prepare a roasted turkey for us, and there will also be a ham. Please augment with any side dishes you wish: potatoes, yams, vegetables, salads, desserts. There will also be beer and wine available with a LutherBucks donation. Proceeds will go to Maui Strong. Please come for both the meeting and feast. We all look forward to turkey!

LutherFest! • Sat., Oct. 28, 5:30 pm • Hörmann Courtyard

Pr. Jeff and Jean Lilley and MC Keane Ishii at LutherFest 2022Come celebrate our Lutheran heritage at our annual LutherFest, where we eat, drink, laugh, and have fun in the Hörmann Courtyard. Festivities begin at 5:30 pm with light pūpū and non-alcoholic punch provided. Beer and wine are available for a benefit donation, with proceeds going to Maui Strong.

Twenty-five pounds of freshly made brats are on order, and Grill Master Fred Benco is signed up to brave the smoky barbeque and turn out perfectly-grilled German brats for your enjoyment. Other dishes will be potluck.

Danke sehr and hope to see you there!

Pet Blessing Service in Celebration of the Feast of St. Francis • Sun., Oct. 8, at 5:00 pm

Pr. Margrethe KleiberJoin us Sunday, October 8, for a special worship service to bless any of your furry friends and to remember dear pets who have died.

Bring your pet or a photo or memento of your pet to church. For those worshipping online, email a photo of your pet, along with the name of your pet, to willowchang@hotmail.com.

The service will be held in commemoration of Francis of Assisi, who is widely regarded as the patron saint of animals and ecology.

We will have water dishes in the courtyard. Join the fun and probably a bit of chaos!

LCH Welcomes Pastor Margrethe Kleiber

Pr. Margrethe KleiberPastor Jeff Lilley has been granted a period of sabbatical beginning October 1 and extending through the end of the calendar year. He will concentrate on physical, mental, and spiritual health, including working with a spiritual director. In addition, he plans to work on music and visual arts. He is thankful for the opportunity for renewal, and he and Jean plan to spend significant time with family (especially twin grand-daughters due in November).

The Rev. Margrethe Kleiber has graciously agreed to serve part-time as pastor of the congregation during the sabbatical. Pastor Kleiber, a former member of the congregation whose service in the ministry has taken her around the world, will attend to the core areas of preaching, teaching, and pastoral care. You can learn more about Pastor Kleiber on our Leadership page.

Having Pastor Kleiber with us while Pastor Jeff is on sabbatical presents an opportunity for volunteers (and staff), to take on additional responsibilities over the course of the next three months. Please speak with Congregational President Dan Dennison if there are areas in which you would like to volunteer.

First Mondays: A Journey through the Ages from Bach to Barber • Mon., Sept. 11, at 7:00 pm

image: Sundown on Maui. licensed from shutterstockThe First Mondays Concert Series remembers September 11th with a concert of sublime and transcendent music. An orchestra of outstanding local musicians led by Alexander Peña will be joined by soloists Helen Liu (violin), Alex Hayashi (oboe), and Kathleen Long (cello). The program includes Adagio for Strings by Samuel Barber (1910–1981), Concerto for Violin and Oboe in c minor, bwv 1060r, by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750), Klid (Silent Woods or Waldesruhe), Op. 68, by Antonin Dvorak (1841–1904), and Siegfried Idyll, wwv 103, by Richard Wagner (1813–1883).

All are invited to gather for pūpū in the Hörmann Courtyard and 6:15 pm. The concert is free, with a suggested donation $20. In addition, we will continue to collect packaged, unopened dry goods (e.g., cereal, flour, sugar, pasta, etc.) and canned food donations for the Angel Network at each concert.

Due to increased levels of covid 19, wearing of masks is strongly encouraged.

Through the generous sponsorship of the Arthur and Mae Orvis Foundation and support from other individual supporters, this concert is free. Additional donations to support this concert and the entire series are gladly accepted online (details below) or at the concert.

First Mondays 2023–2024 Concert Series




Help Make “First Mondays” a Success by Becoming a Sponsor

Your tax-deductible donations make it possible for us to offer these free concerts to the community. Please consider a donation by sending a check (payable to “Lutheran Church of Honolulu”) to the church at 1730 Punahou Street, Honolulu HI 96822 or using the button to the right to make a secure donation via PayPal. Mahalo for your support.

Maui Aid Benefit Concert a Huge Success




The LCH Nave was full of generous people for our benefit concert to help those who have been affected by the horrific wildfires on Maui. “Music for Maui” featured local musicians of Oʻahu: Galliard String Quartet, Makani Quintet, Brass Quintet, members of the LCH congregation, and Duane Padilla to name a few. All the musicians donated their performances to bring people together to aid in the raising of funds.

As of August 27, at least $16,000 has been raised for the Maui Strong Fund of the Hawai‘i Community Foundation.

We continue to accept monetary donations, and 100% of the proceeds will be donated to the Maui Strong Fund of the Hawai‘i Community Foundation. Mail checks made payable to “Lutheran Church of Honolulu” to Lutheran Church of Honolulu, 1730 Punahou Street, Honolulu, HI 96822; or donate using the secure PayPal button above.

Maui Aid Benefit Concert—Wed., Aug. 16, 7:00 pm




Join us for a benefit concert to help those who have been affected by the horrific wildfires on Maui. “Music for Maui” will feature local musicians of Oʻahu: Galliard String Quartet, Makani Quintet, Brass Quintet, members of the LCH congregation and Duane Padilla to name a few. Please join us in person Wednesday August 16, at 7:00 pm in the Nave at Lutheran Church of Honolulu. Donations will go to Maui Strong. Musicians will be donating their performance to bring people together to aid in the raising of funds.

We will be accepting monetary donations only, and 100% of the proceeds will be donated to the Maui Strong Fund of the Hawai‘i Community Foundation. Cash and checks made payable to “Lutheran Church of Honolulu” will be accepted at the concert, or make your donation using the secure PayPal button above.