Category Archives: Fellowship

Farewell Celebration for Vicar Bree • Sat., Aug. 28 @ 4:30 pm

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microphone graphicIncredible as it may seem, Vicar Bree’s time with us as an intern is almost over. She has been a wonderful addition to this ministry, and we want to say thank you in grand (pandemic-appropriate) style. We hope that you will be able to join us to thank this exceptional vicar who has brought vitality and optimism to our congregation during this very challenging year.

What:     Farewell Celebration For Vicar

Where:   LCH Poki Lot

When:    August 28, 2021, 4:30–6:00 pm

RSVP:    lch@lchwelcome.org or 941-2566 by Wednesday, August 25

This will be a drive-in event with music, entertainment, presentations, and no sermons. For refreshments, BYOB and your own picnic to eat in your car. Hot dogs will also be available while supplies last.

Attendees are encouraged to bring lei with photos, memories, notes, prayers, and/or poems attached. These can be given to a volunteer on entry to the parking lot presentation to Vicar Bree during the program. Or, if preferred, you may send a photo, memory, note, prayer, and/or poem via email to lch@lchwelcome.org no later than Wednesday, August 25, to be added to communal lei. There will also be a calabash at the entry if you would like to drop off a card or gift.

COVID Precautions

  • This will be a drive-in event. Parking spaces will be designated, and volunteers will assist in directing participants to specific stalls.
  • Attendees need to be masked, except when actively eating or drinking, and remain in their vehicles for the entire time.
  • As appropriate and as time permits, Vicar Bree will be invited to walk the parking lot and greet attendees. Some of us have never met her in person. She’s not a bot!
  • “Pack out what we pack in,” especially rubbish. There will not be trash receptacles at the site.

Mother’s Day Garden Celebration • May 9 at 1:00 pm

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Josie Bidgood planting seedsA blessed Mother’s Day to all those who identify as mothers in body and in spirit!

For anyone interested in celebrating Mother’s Day by planting flower seeds, this Sunday offers the opportunity to you. Vicar Bree will be in the garden from 1:00 to 2:00 pm this Sunday, May 9th, planting various flower seeds, as well as some other vegetable seeds.

Aside from planting seeds, it will be a chance to gather in-person outdoors for conversation and community. All are welcome to join.

LCH Community Garden—February Update

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The seedling planted in January have flourishedThe seedlings planted just a few weeks ago on Martin Luther King Day (right) had flourished, and it was time for them to be “up-potted” so they would continue to grow. Once again, members of the congregation (below) joined Vicar Bree on the lanai to get their hands dirty and move the garden along

Peggy Anderson and Vicar Bree up-pot some of the seedlingsPaula Wheeler up-pots some of the seedlings

Josie Bidgood up-pots some of the seedlingsPeggy Anderson and Vicar Bree check out the planting bedAt right, Vicar Bree and Peggy Andersaon check out the planting bed ready ro be filled with soil to receive the plants have gotten a bit bigger.

LCH Community Garden Begins to Take Shape

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Vicar Bree and Jazz assemble the frame for the gardenSeven hearty souls gathered on a windy and rainy Martin Luther King Day to begin work on the LCH Community Garde. The garden, which fits into February’s Stewardship theme, Stewards of Creation, also meshes with the goals of Blue Zones.

Working on the nursery lanai because of the wind and rain, Josie Bidgood and Chuck Pearson, Peggy Anderson, and Phyllis Hörmann and Carol Langner (below) planted a variety of seeds in seeding flats. Once they begin to grow, the seedling will be transplanted for better growth.

Working on the concrete next to the lanai, Vicar Bree and her wife, Jazz, assembled the first of two raised planting beds (right). All the pieces had been precut to facilitate assembly. A second bed will be built at a later date.

In spite of the weather, this initial gathering we quite a success and got the community garden off to an auspicious start. In the weeks to come, the hopes are to periodically gather individually or in small groups to help with seeding, planting, or watering

Josie Bidgood and Chuck Pearson plant seedsPeggy Anderson plants seedsPhyllis Hörmann and Carol Langner plant seeds

Virtual LutherFest 2020 • October 31 at 6:00 pm via Zoom Meeting

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LutherFest graphicFor 2020, LutherFest will be a virtual event via Zoom on Saturday, October 31, from 6:00 to 7:30 pm. Join us online to enjoy some great company and entertainment from the comfort of your own home.

LutherFest wouldn’t be the same without traditional bratwurst. Paradise Brats has agreed to supply us with their very German bratwurst. The brats will be packaged into 5 per package and must be pre-ordered between October 20 and 29 (or until we sell out). Place your order by emailing Vicar Bree at vicar.bree@lchwelcome.org. We will have a drive through Bratwurst pick up at church on Friday, October 30, 4:00 to 6:30 pm. If you are unable to pick them up at this time, we will do our best to make alternative arrangements. You will have to cook them yourself, but it will be worth it!

We will have live entertainment broadcast from the courtyard featuring a surprise musician and music from our own community (subject to quarantine rules). This will be a live event through Zoom, and we will send out a Zoom link a week or so before the event.



Even though we will not be having a contest or pouring LCH wine, in keeping with tradition, we welcome your generous donations, which will benefit organization Waikīkī Health Center Youth Outreach. Donations may be made in person during brat distribution, via PayPal using the link to the right, or mailed to the church office.

Danke sehr and hope to see you there!

COVID-19 Update

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Like many organizations throughout Hawai‘i, LCH continues to operate on a modified schedule in response to the covid-19 pandemic. Our primary concern is the safety and health of everyone using the campus. While groups are being allowed to return to campus, they are required to follow CDC, state, and local guidelines for social distancing and sanitization, as well as holding LCH harmless for any covid-19 related illness or injury. Here are some updates on recent developments at LCH:

  1. Worship
    1. The congregational council has directed that in-person Sunday worship be delayed until after August 31, 2020. Online streaming worship will continue.
    2. Limited in-person worship at midweek vespers may commence beginning in July. These services will be held in the courtyard observing all current recommendations for physical distancing and mask use.
    3. The worship committee has appointed a working group to develop a plan for return to in-person worship which will include policies and procedures.
  2. Office Hours—Staff continue to work from home with limited presence at the church office. Anne Sing monitors email daily from home and checks phone messages in the LCH office during twice weekly visits for necessary administrative tasks and supervision of contractors. We do continue to ask for your patience as some inquiries and requests may take longer to respond than usual. Carolyn Koehler keeps us up to date on billing and drafts check payments weekly. Pastor Jeff is in the office almost every day to assure campus security and maintenance. Scott Fikse is working mostly from home.
  3. Community Groups/Tenants: Some community groups have requested permission to begin meeting on the LCH Campus. The council is allowing some groups to return with very stringent guidelines.
    1. Western Presbyterian Church of Hawai‘i (WPCH) has begun in-person worship on Sunday afternoons and Wednesday evenings. They are a very small group and are diligently following the guidelines set forth by the congregational council.
    2. Alcoholics Anonymous—one group initially asked to resume meeting at LCH, but due to leadership adjustments has had to postpone the resumption of meetings. They are cleared to begin as soon as they are ready.
    3. Habitat for Humanity has resumed limited use of their office.
    4. Christiansen Educators tutoring has resumed limited use of the campus.
    5. Organ lessons will be allowed to resume on a limited basis.

Lenten Suppers and Worship (Wednesdays through April 1)

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The serving line for Wednesday evening soup and salad suppers.The serving line for Wednesday evening soup and salad suppers.

Each Wednesday evening during the season of Lent, members and friends of LCH will gather for table fellowship and worship.

The evenings begin with a light supper of soup, salad, and bread beginning at 6:00 pm in the Hörmann Courtyard. The meal is provided by volunteers, and all are welcome to join in fellowship and conversation around the table. If you feel moved to contribute to the meal, please sign up in the courtyard on Sunday morning.

Worship follows the meal at 7:00 pm using the music and prayerful song from Marty Haugen’s Holden Evening Prayer.

Our Lenten theme for 2020 is “Compassion.” Readings for worship each week will include a psalm and one other selection, with the psalm receiving primary emphasis. Carol Langer will provide art work based on each week’s psalm. Members of the Writers’ Workshop and Pastor Jeff will provide artistic and engaging meditations based on a different verse or verses each Wednesday. Poetry, prose or reflective meditation are all possibilities.

As we all move forward on our Lenten journey and prepare for Easter joy in the resurrection, all are invited to come together at the table, to be fed and nourished in body and soul, and to worship together as a faith community.

The cantors lead worship.The cantors lead worship.

Lent Begins with Ash Wednesday (February 26)

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Pastor Jeff Lilley marks the foreheads of members of the congregation with ashes during the Ash Wednesday Liturgy.Pastor Jeff Lilley marks the foreheads of members of the congregation with ashes during the Ash Wednesday Liturgy.

LCH begins the observance of Lent on February 26 with the traditional Ash Wednesday Liturgy with imposition of ashes.

Throughout the Lent, members and friends will gather on Wednesday evenings for table fellowship and worship. Beginning on March 4 and continuing through April 1, members and friends will gather at 6:00 pm for a light supper of soup and salad, followed by worship at 7:00. This year’s worship will focus on the theme “Compassion.” The liturgy used during worship will incorporate the music and prayerful song from Marty Haugen’s Holden Evening Prayer.

As our congregations prepares for our Easter joy in the resurrection, all are invited to come together at the table, to be fed and nourished in body and soul, and to feast together as a faith community.

Thanksgiving Eve Worship and Thanksgiving Dinner

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pie graphicThanksgiving Eve Joint Worship

Wednesday, November 27, 7:00 pm • St. Clement Church

St. Clement Church is hosting the Thanksgiving Eve worship this year. Pastor Jeff Lilley is scheduled to preach.

The annual pie reception will follow immediately after worship. Sign-up sheets for the pie reception will be made available starting Sunday, November 4.

Annual Thanksgiving Dinner at LCH

Thursday, November 28, 3:30 pm • Isenberg Hall and Hörmann Courtyard

turkey dinner graphicAll are welcome to join the LCH ‘ohana for our annual Thanksgiving Dinner in the courtyard. This is a potluck meal for anyone who would like to attend. Please bring your friends, neighbors, college and university students, and folks who would like some fellowship and food. Pastor Jeff and Jean will prepare the turkeys and bring fresh-baked rolls. A donation of ham would be appreciated. Please plan to bring your favorite dish in quantities to feed at least six persons. Pupu, side dishes, casseroles, desserts, or any other dish is very welcome! Please sign up in the courtyard beginning November 6 so we can plan accordingly.

LutherFest! • Saturday, October 27

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beer garden graphicCome celebrate our Lutheran heritage at our annual LutherFest, where we eat, drink, laugh, and have fun in the Hörmann Courtyard. Festivities will begin at 5:30 pm with light pupus and non-alcoholic punch provided. Beer and wine are available for a donation. A German themed potluck follows at 6:00 pm. Brats will be provided, but please bring a German dish, if possible. To help ensure a balanced table, we suggest the following guidelines:

  • A thru H—salad or side dish
  • I thru Q—dessert
  • R thru Z—main dish

You can look online for suggested German dishes like sausages and sauerkraut, sauerbraten, roast chicken, potato salad, potato dumplings, spätzle, and many other options.

Following dinner, we will enjoy a rousing game of Lutheran Jeopardy! (You Betcha). Brush up your knowledge of the Bible, Martin Luther, favorite hymns, and all things Lutheran so that you’re ready to compete.

Donations for beer and wine will be by LutherBucks, so bring a check or cash to exchange for your LutherBucks. And don’t worry about purchasing too many LutherBucks since all donations will go to the Waikīkī’s Youth Outreach (YO), which serves as a safe haven for homeless youths. YO offers medical care, social services and non-judgmental support along with food, hot showers, and clothing.

More details will be forthcoming in future Sunday announcements. Danke sehr and hope to see you there!