On April 19, we will celebrate Earth Day, and, as has become our custom at LCH, we will once again have tables set up for the sharing of “gifts from nature.” If you grow flowers, herbs, or any other type of plants, you could share those or some cuttings/seeds. If you have chickens, you could bring eggs. If you are crafty and have made something out of natural materials, you could share that. It’s also fine to pick up some fruits, nuts, etc. at the store if you live in an apartment and don’t grow anything.

At 9:00 am, Barbara Natale will lead the Adult Forum in the Boardroom. She holds a master’s degree from the Department of Urban and Regional Planning of the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP). She is currently a senior associate/planner at Group 70 International (G70), a local planning and design firm that does consulting work in Hawaiʻi and elsewhere. She has contributed to land-use and community-based planning in Hawaiʻi for over 20 years. Her work involves ahupuaʻa and watershed management and the integration of traditional Hawaiian stewardship principles with contemporary planning and environmental analysis. She was recently selected by Pacific Business News (March 13–19, 2026, edition) as one of “40 women who mean business.”

Worship at 10:00 am, will use a special Earth Day liturgy.

Monday, October 13, is the one-year anniversary of Pr. Jeff’s passing, and we will gather as a group to remember and to give back to the community in our work and in our shared time of joy. Please bring sunscreen, a hat, a trash bag, a chair, and pūpū sides to share. Please meet near the Natatorium beside Kaimana Beach. There is a circle drive with parking. It is also a state holiday, so please consider carpooling if possible.

• 4:00 pm—Service Project Cleaning up Queen Kapiʻolani Park. Bring a trash bag, wear a hat, and clean up the park.
• 5:30 pm—Affirm our Baptism.
• 6:00 pm—BBQ. Brats will be provided, share pūpū sides. Enjoy picnic fun!

Our worship service will include some of his favorite hymns and music, and after worship, we will go outside to plant a tree to remind us of the hope and the new life we have in God.

As a community, we will add dirt and water to the hole in which the trees will be planted. Water and dirt are things that are needed for growth. In providing the tree with elements needed for growth, we give thanks and remember that Pr. Jeff’s life was dedicated to the growth of faith and the growth of the proclamation of the Gospel for all people.

After the tree planting, we will have a pet blessing for those attending worship. You are invited to bring your pet to worship that Sunday, and we will have an area that is pet-free for those that have allergies or other reasons to need those accommodations. You will be invited to bring your pet outside with you as we plant the trees in Pr. Jeff’s memory, and then we will bless your pets immediately after the tree planting.

After the tree planting and pet blessing, you are invited into the courtyard for human treats (donuts, one of Pr. Jeff’s foods) and pet treats.

We hope you will join us in thanksgiving for Pr. Jeff’s life and ministry.

Before worship, the Adult Form will welcome Dr. Jonathan Scheurer to speak on water rights at 9:00 am in the Boardroom. Dr. Scheurer has twenty five years experience in public policy and land management in the public, non profit, and private sectors, in the Native Hawaiian and broader communities. He works with clients to develop strategies designed to avoid, manage, and/or resolve deep and complex conflicts over the control and management of natural resources.

In addition, sharing tables will be set up in the Hörmann Courtyard for members and friends to share nature’s bounty (plants, flowers vegetables, fruits, nuts, and crafts made of natural materials). The photo at the right shows one of the sharing tables from last year’s celebration.

Read about the history Earth Day, forms of climate activism, ways to get involved, and LCH’s commitment to creation care in the April HeartBeat.

To bring back some of what’s been lost, the Hawaiian Legacy Reforestation Initiative, also known as Legacy Trees, “works to preserve economically viable and sustainable endemic/native Hawaiian forests, protect Hawaii’s endangered species, sequester carbon, and recharge watersheds.” They have planted more than 600,000 endemic trees, and LCH can feel proud that we have joined the cause. Last year, a group of LCHers planted trees on land the organization leases from Gunstock Ranch. Since that parcel of land is almost fully planted now, Legacy Trees recently purchased a new plot of land in Hale‘iwa. The 400-acre parcel was originally owned by Princess Victoria Kamāmalu and will be home to 150,000 newly planted endemic and native trees. Besides the ecological benefits from reforesting the area in native/endemic vegetation, the Hale‘iwa land will have agricultural and cultural uses, too. In fact, the project director says that restoring this land will “serve as a world class example of how agroforestry can sustain both the community and the environment.”

This year, our adventure will be on Saturday, May 25, from 9:00 am to noon, and it promises to be just as exhilarating as last year’s. The present plan is to plant a tree dedicated to the LCH ‘ohana and then plant endangered ferns next to the Hale‘iwa Stream (since this year’s theme is water); we may even get to see Legacy Trees’ new healing garden that’s filled with medicinal plants traditional Hawaiian healers have used for centuries. If spending a Saturday morning submersed in the natural world appeals to you, please see Cindy in the courtyard after church to sign up or email her at cschein@iolani.org.

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.