Given the continuing rise in covid-19 cases this week, the Church Council voted to cancel our in-person worship event this Sunday. We will pause any in-person worship events until there is a consistent, downward trajectory in cases.
Thank you for your patience as we navigate the needed steps to practice at care-filled re-opening alongside the need to tend to the health of the community.
A 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 children and families gathered Saturday morning, April 24, in the church garden to celebrate and recognize Earth Day. Vicar Bree helped the children learn about caring for creation as they explored and tended the garden beds and all the creepy crawlers in them. They learned about the work of gardeners—seeding, weeding, watering, harvesting, and learning about soil and insects. It was a chance for everyone to get their hands dirty, to give back to creation that gives to us, and to mālama ‘āina.
The slideshow below gives you and idea of all the fun and learning that took place.
The month of March included two great volunteer days! The second bed, at the front of the church facing Punahou Street, is now complete and has even a few plants—some basil, chard and squash. We also planted an exciting variety of seeds from the Seed Lab at University of Hawai‘i. The seeds included Paukea cauliflower, U.H. Mānoa lettuce, kai choy, Koba green onion, Komohana grape tomatoes, Hawaiian chili peppers, and Ka‘ala bell peppers! So far, the peppers and a few green onions are peeking above the soil! Thank you gardeners! Look for upcoming volunteer days in April.
Our garden volunteer days will continue in April. We’ll plant the next bed in the shady area by the playground facing Punahou Street. If you have herb seeds, bring them! Garden volunteer days will be Easter Monday, April 5, at 5:30 pm, and Thursday, April 29, at 12:30 pm. Don’t forget your Blue Zones pledges!
The 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
At 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.
Seven 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
In anticipation of the Stewardship theme for the month of February—Stewards of Creation—and in tandem with the goals of Blue Zones, Vicar Bree will begin her internship project mid-January. The project is a small community garden at LCH.
Construction will begin this month! Thus far, the plans are for two, 4×10 foot raised garden beds on the site of the playground that fronts Punahou Street. If you have sources for healthy soil, 2x8x10 boards, 4x4x4 posts, or any garden tools like trowels, hoses, gloves, or seeding flats, let the vicar know. Additionally, if you have alternative ideas/suggestions or would like to help with the project, let the vicar know this too! Just email her at vicar.bree@LCHwelcome.org.
We’ll be limited to a small, outdoor group (under five people or a family pod), but we can find ways to work safely at a distance. After construction finishes, the hopes are to periodically gather individually or in small groups to help with seeding, planting, or watering—maybe even filling out our Blue Zones pledges along the way. Let’s grow (maybe something more than kale…)!
LCH is taking a break from our traditional German service this year. Instead, join us for a short service of music and prayer in English and Hawaiian to celebrate and welcome the New Year.
The service will feature a selection of Hawaiian mele and traditional chants for the new year, as well as a newly-composed oli written for our service by Joseph Leong. Cellist Aris Doike and pianist Reid Ishikawa are joined by members of the LCH Choir and some special guests from Nā Wai Chamber Choir.
New Year’s Day Vespers will be available on YouTube beginning January 1 at 3:45 pm. Order of Worship (PDF in a new window).
Join the LCH family for an evening devotional of art, music, poems, and prayers, featuring readers from the LCH Women’s Book Club and members of the LCH Choir. The event sums up of the themes of Advent and Christmas. To the traditions of the antiphons and the wreath, we add the richness of poetic voices and music and take a little quiet time to reflect on the meaning of these symbols of our faith.
This Zoom presentation will be given only once. Please email Vicar Bree to request a link to the Zoom meeting. The program for Circling Star Heavens is available as a PDF (new window).
The music feature Andrea Maciel, soprano, Marie Lickwar, alto, Tomás Ramos, tenor, Scott Fikse, bass, and Maika‘i Nash, piano.
For 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!