Category Archives: Congregational Life

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.

12th Annual Faith and Arts Sunday (Feb. 7)

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Members look at examples of the art work of children and adults submitted as part of 2015’s annual Faith and Arts Sunday

LCH will celebrate its annual Faith and Arts Sunday on February 7. 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 displayed each year represent a wide variety of media: needle craft, paintings, digital media, poetry, prose, photography, drawings, woodworking, and more. Participating artists included young children, working adults, and retirees. Some, like members of the Writers’ Workshop an the In Stitches craft group, 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 for Faith and Arts Sunday 2015. Photos from 2015 are available on the 2015 Faith and Arts Sunday page, as are poetry and prose written by members of the Writers’ Workshop.

German Vespers · January 1 · 4:00 pm

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German Vespers posterWelcome the new year with German Vespers for New Year’s Day, a tradition at the Lutheran Church of Honolulu since 2002. The service honors the church’s heritage as a congregation founded by German immigrants to Hawaii‘i and the the German practice of ushering in the new year with religious celebrations.

This year’s German Vespers features a cantata by J.S. Bach, Herr Gott, dich loben wir, BWV 16, and Johannes Brahms’ ”Ihr Habt Nun Traurigkeit” from Ein Deutsches Requiem, Op. 45. Music we be performed by the LCH Choir, soloists, and the Bach Chamber Orchestra, all under the direction of Scott Fikse. The sermon will be offered (in German, with translation) by the Rev. Anke Flor.

The worship service is free, and a freewill offering will be received to benefit the church’s music program.

Advent Means Preparing for Christmas

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The season of Advent has begun, and all around the church preparations for Christmas are underway. The children are practicing their skit for Christmas Eve worship, and the choirs are working on their music. Each Sunday of Advent we will light another candle on the Advent wreath during worship, and there aren’t any Christmas carols.

Plans are already being made to decorate the Nave for Christmas on the morning of December 24. The antique crèche (imported from German in the 1920s) will be brought out from storage, poinsettias unwrapped and placed around the Nave, a wreath of greens assembled and hung by the entrance, and a tree decorated. With the help of many hands, we will be ready for two worship services on Christmas Even and one on Christmas Day.

All are welcome to the three Christmas worship service:

  • Family Worship on Christmas Eve at 5:00 pm featuring a Christmas skit by the children, familiar carols, and Holy Communion.
  • Festival Choral Eucharist on Christmas Eve at 11:00 pm featuring the LCH Choir, familiar carols, and Holy Communion. Come early and enjoy music of Egil Hovland and Gustav Holst sung by the LCH Choir at 10:30.
  • Choral Eucharist on Christmas Day at 10:30 am featuring the men of the LCH Choir, familiar carols, and Holy Communion

Above, an acolyte lights one of the candles on the Advent wreath.

At left, Steve Miller and the kids unwrap poinsettias.

Barbershop Quartet for the Last Summer Sunday

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August 30, the last summer Sunday with only one worship service, Scott Fikse, our new director of music and liturgy, brought along the other members of his Barbershop Quartet to provide music for worship. Pastor Jeff joked that the roof might cave in because LCH is not used to this kind of music, but God was cool with it all, and the roof is still intact.

Society Dues, which includes Scott and three friends, is beginning their second year of competing within the Barbershop Harmony Society, so when Scott moved to Honolulu this summer to join the staff at LCH, they decided to rehearse here for the upcoming Evergreen District competition in October. (The sacrifices one makes for the sake of music!) Everyone at LCH was glad to welcome them to worship on Sunday and to hear their uplifting renditions of spiritual songs.

Outdoor Worship and Picnic July 5

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Worship

God’s People gather for worship

The LCH ‘ohana worshipped outdoors on Sunday as we dedicated the new eco-shade covering for the Hörmann Courtyard. The ensemble choir lead the congregation in worship as we heard God’s word and shared God’s supper. Following worship, everyone enjoyed a picnic lunch on the lawn.

Grillers

Grillmasters Craig and Walter at work

 

Hamburgers, hotdogs, watermelon, and a variety of side dishes made for a festive meal.

The congregation also had a chance for some friendly competition of Cornhole and Lawn Darts
We give thanks to everyone who helped make the Hørmann Courtyard Eco-shade covering possible. The courtyard is now usable in all weather conditions allowing us to better serve our community.IMG_1541

A Joyful Easter Celebration

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Members and friends gather for a joyful celebration Easter Sunday morning. Between two festive worship services at 8:00 and 10:30 am, the younger children enjoyed a puppet show and then headed out to hunt for Easter eggs that the older children had hidden, and everyone enjoyed a bountiful potluck brunch.

Children’s conversation on Easter morningThe younger children enjoy a puppet show while the older children hide the Easter eggsHunting for Easter eggsA girl with her basket of Easter eggsA young baby with her grandmotherA family with their children and cousinsTwo children decked out for EasterThe bountiful Easter potluck

Children’s Benefit Concert a Great Success

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Members and friends of the congregation gathered for the 9th (mostly) annual Children”s Benefit Concert on Saturday afternoon, March 7

In keeping with tradition, the concert began with “Hittite Hints,” an original poem by Pr. Fritz Fritschel, read by Peggy Brandt because Pr. Fritz was out of town. Following the poem, more than a dozen children presented their musical talent. They performed on the trumpet, guitar, piano, violin, drum, and organ; one sang a solo, and all the children joined together to sing the finale.

The first Children”s Benefit Concert took place during Lent 2006, and except for last year, has taken place every Lent. Each year the children challenge members of the congregation to pledge $1 a day for the 40 days of Lent to be used to help families in need around the world. At the early years, donations were made through Heifer International, but in 2013 and again this year, donation will go the ELCA”s Good Gifts program.

Pastor Jeff welcomed the audience to the 9th Children’s Benefit ConcertPeggy Brant read “Hittite Hints,” a new poem by Pr. Fritz Fritschel written for the event.A boy played Jeremiah Clarke’s “Trumpet Voluntary.”A boy played a guitar arrangement of Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy.”A girl played “Go Tell Aunt Rhody” on the violin.A girl played “What Can I Share” by Palmer, Manus, and Lethco on the piano.A boy played “Hip Little Sixteen” by Murray Hollif on the snare drum.A boy played Beethoven’ “Für Elise” on the piano.A boy played “Toccotina” by David Schaap on the organ.A girl played “Vivace” by Ferdinando Carulli and “Minuet in G minor” by J.S. Bach on the piano.A girl sand “New York, New York” by Kander and Ebb.A boy played “Sicilienne and Rigaudon” by Fritz Kreisler on the violin.A girl played “Morning Vista” by Melody Bober on the piano.A boy played the second movement of Diitri Shostokovich’s “Sonata in D minor” on the cello.A boy played “Toccata” form Suite Gothique on the organ.The concert ended with the F.R.O.G.S. Choir singing “Elijah Rock!”