Category Archives: Congregational Life

Summer Gatherings Emphasize ELCA Project (July 3 & 24 and August 7)

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called forward together in Christ graphicOver the course of the summer months, LCH will join thousands of ELCA congregations in participating in Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton’s church-wide initiative “Called Forward Together in Christ.” The initiative is an ongoing conversation taking place at every level in the ELCA including the church-wide office, seminaries, synods, regions, and congregations. The intent is to shape the future of our ministry in light of God’s call, the cultures in which we find ourselves, and the current economic and ecologic realities of a changing world.

At our congregational level, we hope to engage in conversation about emerging ideas for ministry and engagement in our neighborhood, community, and membership.

In a moment of madness we came up with a plan. On the dates listed above, we will worship from 9:15 to 9:45 am. Immediately following the worship service, we will gather in the courtyard to share a light brunch—food will be provided—and engage in conversation. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to participate. This should be a truly fun, energetic, and meaningful time of conversation about how God is working in our midst, and how we hope to be at work and prayer in God’s midst. Please plan to be there!

Requiem and Hope: A Service for Olando (June 19 • 7:30 pm)

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votive candlesPlease join the LCH community in meditation, prayer, and music. Together we will mourn, pray, and honor the dead as a united community in the wake of this tragedy. Our service will include selections from the Gregorian Mass for the Dead, featuring men from the LCH Choir and cantors.

“These victims had their futures stolen … their dreams stolen … their potential contributions stolen from us all… Hate and separation continue to bring forth too much grief, too many stolen lives across the world. May we also have the strength to address and deal with the roots of hatred that target any minority community with violence anywhere in the world.”—The Harvey Milk Foundation.

Everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend this service as a sign of support for the victims in Orlando, and in solidarity with the LGBTQI community.

Meals for the Hungry

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Each month members of the LCH ‘ohana provide food for hungry people on the island of O‘ahu. You’re invited to be part of this important ministry.

Volunteers slice meatloaf and prepare to serve the guests at IHSOn Friday, May 20, we provide the evening meal at the Institute for Human Services (IHS) in ‘Iwilei. For more than 25 years, folks from LCH have shopped for, prepared, and served a special dinner on the third Friday of each month for as many as 300 individuals. The cost is underwritten by the LCH budget and by a grant from the German Benevolent Society of Hawaii. Shoppers, cooks, and servers are needed each month.

If you’d like to participate on May 20, contact Jimmy Castro through the Church Office (808-941-2566). The cooks begin work at 1:00 pm, and the meal is served at 5:30 pm.

In the picture on the right, volunteers slice the meatloaf and prepare to serve the guests at IHS.

On Saturday, May 28, folks from LCH and other churches from the ELCA’s Hukilau conference and other denominations in One Pot One Hope and prepare lunches for the homeless in Wai‘anae. The lunches consist of chili and rice, fresh fruit, granola bars, and water, and most recently, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. The volunteers feed between 100 and 125 people each month.

On May 28 (and on the last Saturday of each month) the carpool leaves LCH at 9:15 am and returns around 1:00 pm. In addition to helping out on the last Saturday, members can support this mission outreach project by bringing donations of designated items (gallon-sized cans of chili from Costco, fruit, granola bars, bottled water, peanut butter, jelly, and recycled grocery bags) and checks (payable to “One Pot One Hope”) to church on the third Sunday of the month.

Contact Peggy Anderson through the Church Office (808-941-2566) for more information.

Book and Media Exchange (May 7)

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book swap graphicJoin us on Saturday, May 7, for a free book and media exchange! Bring your used books, CDs, and DVDs—fiction, non-fiction, children’s, cookbooks, travel guides—all genres welcome. Feel free to browse and take home titles that catch your eye. Books remaining at the close of the event will be donated to the Friends of the Library.

This event takes place from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm in the Hörmann Courtyard and will be open to the local community as well. Contact Hope Jahren via the LCH office for more information.

Earth Day (Sunday, April 24)

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tree graphicFor many years, the Lutheran Church has observed Earth Day, in April, with special projects and worship. Sunday, April 24, is our 2016 Earth Day celebration.

The liturgy at both the 8:00 and 10:30 am services will be adapted to emphasize our communion with the earth, and in the face of climate change, the need to better care for the whole planet. Our theme this year is Trees for the Earth.

In addition to focused worship, there will be activities for children and an adult forum class.

25th Annual Honolulu AIDS Walk

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Volunteers slice meatloaf and prepare to serve the guests at IHSLCH will once again field a team for the Life Foundation Honolulu AIDSWALK.

Pastor Jeff is the President of the Board of Directors for this organization that is Hawai‘i’s largest provider of services for persons living with HIV/AIDS.

This year, our team hopes to raise $5,000 in support of Life Foundation. How can you help? Visit our Team Site to:

  1. Join our team and enlist friends and strangers to donate via your page, or
  2. Donate to the team or a member of the team.

Children’s Benefit Concert a Great Success

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The concert began with the F.R.O.G.S. Choir singing “Peace Life a River” and “Kumbaya”

The children of LCH offered their annual benefit concert on Saturday, March 5, at 4:00 pm in the LCH Nave. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the children’s very own fundraising concerts.

As iIn years past, the children sang and performed on trumpet, violin, cello, organ, and piano. The photo at right shows the F.R.O.G.S. Choir singing “ Peace Life a River” and “Kumbaya” at the beginning of the concert Additional photos are available inn the slideshow below.

The beneficiary of donations at the concert and from others who could not attend is the ELCA Good Gifts program. The children ask the members of the congregation to make a pledge od $1 a day during Lent which will be added to the money children have contributed during Sunday School. After the concert, the Sunday School will decide which particular gifts to fund. The Good Gifts program enables individuals or groups to sponsor gifts of farm animals, clean water, health care, and education to help communities around the world transcend poverty and hunger. This tradition offers our children a chance to practice stewardship by donating their time and talent toward a worthy cause and a chance for adults in the congregation to model stewardship for the children by making contributions in connection with the concert.

If you were not able to attend the concert and would like to be part of this effort, donations are welcome through Easter Sunday.

Lenten Suppers and Worship (Wednesdays beginning Feb. 17)

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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. 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. This year’s worship will focus on feminine images of God through Bible lesson drawn from the prophets, wisdom literature, and the Gospels and through meditations prepared by members of our Writers’ Workshop. This focus was suggested by our Jahreslosung (“year verse”), “As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you” (Isaiah 66:13). The Jarreslosung was introduced during German Vespers on New Year’s Day.

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 place the lighted candle at the beginning of worship.The cantors place the lighted candle at the beginning of worship.

12th Annual Faith and Arts Sunday

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Members look at examples of the art work of children and adults submitted as part of the annual Faith and Arts Sunday

LCH celebrated its annual Faith and Arts Sunday on February 8. Held each spring, this is a time when members of the congregations recognize the many ways the arts enrich our lives and honor the artist of all ages who call LCH home.

Works submitted this year represented a wide variety of media. There were examples of needle craft, paintings, digital media, poetry, prose, photography, drawings, woodworking, and even action figures.

Participating artists included young children, working adults, and retirees. Some, like members of the Writers’ Workshop, meet regularly as a group, but many work at home and share as part of this annual event.

At right, members look at examples of the art work of children and adults submitted as part of the annual Faith and Arts Sunday.

The slideshow below includes photos of most of the works shared. Click on any of the slides to open up a larger version in a new window.

Read poetry and prose written by members of the Writers’ Workshop.

“Ying Yang,” and “Mt. Fiji” (ceramics) by Diana SellnerItems Displayed at Faith and Arts Sunday (clockwise from top left)—“something” (something) by Jean-Paul Klingebiel; “something” (something) by Kathryn Klingebiel; “Lace Sampler Sweater” (linen) and “Two-tone Blanket” (cotton) by Linda Miller; “Heart Pillow” (hand sewn) by Samantha LuuloaItems Displayed at Faith and Arts Sunday (clockwise from top left)—“Arizona” (photograph) by Richard Cook; “Side Table” (Broken LCH pew) and “Carved Travel Cribbage” (teak) by Jeff Lilley; “Trophy for Nana” (clay) by Azure Sueda; “Winnie’s Family” (Wooden puzzles and photo) by Don JohnsonMembers read the poetry and prose shared by participants in the Writers’ Workshop.Items Displayed at Faith and Arts Sunday (left to right)—“Tree of Life” (wood, copper, and gold leaf), “Gathering Light from Above and Below” (painting and wood sculpture), and “Like a Tree” (carved wood) by Don JohnsonItems Displayed at Faith and Arts Sunday (top to bottom)—“Untitled” (tempera) by Carol Langner; “Sophie” (charcoal) by Fritz FritschelItems Displayed at Faith and Arts Sunday (left to right and top to bottom)—5 unidentified; “Progeny—80 and Counting” (photography) by Don JohnsonItems Displayed at Faith and Arts Sunday—“Scenes in Honolulu #1 through #7” (photography) by Jim CartwrightItems Displayed at Faith and Arts Sunday (top to bottom and left to right)—“Scenes in Honolulu #8 and #9” (photography) by Jim Cartwright; “Nudibranch-Lungs (left), Smelling Horns (right),” “Anna’s Chromodoris Nudibranch,” “Christmas Tree Worm,” “Yellow Sea Cucumbers with 5-Tentacle Mouths,” “Grey Gill Nudibranch (note horns),” “Gold Mouth Sea Squirt Tunicate” (photography) by Steve MillerItems Displayed at Faith and Arts Sunday (top to bottom and left to right)—“Sleepy Network Pipefish,” “Banded Coral Shrimp (3 pairs of claws),” “Squirrel Fish and Friends” (photography) by Steve Miller; “Still Life” and “Aspens and Pines” (charcoal) by Fritz FritschelItems Displayed at Faith and Arts Sunday—“Action v. Interaction” (posed action figures) by Robert Tellander

Lent Begins with Ash Wednesday (Feb. 10)

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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 10 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. This year’s worship will focus on feminine images of God through Bible lesson drawn from the prophets, wisdom literature, and the Gospels and through meditations prepared by members of our Writers’ Workshop. This focus was suggested by our Jahreslosung (“year verse”), “As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you” (Isaiah 66:13). The Jarreslosung was introduced during German Vespers on New Year’s Day.

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. The liturgy used during Wednesday worship will incorporate the music and prayerful song from Haugen’s Holden Evening Prayer.