Category Archives: Congregational Life

LCH Garden Volunteer Opportunities

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Vicar Bree by the first garden bedThe 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!

Peggy Anderson and Vicar Bree transplant into the second garden bed

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

LCH Community Garden

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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…)!

New Year’s Day Vespers • Jan. 1 at 4:00 pm

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new year bells graphicLCH 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).

Circling Star Heavens: A Seasonal Presentation • Dec. 27, 7:30 pm

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Circling Star HeavensJoin 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.

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!

Welcome Intern Pastor Brianna Llyod

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Intern Pastor Brianna Lloyd

On September 1, Lutheran Church of Honolulu welcomed Intern Pastor Brianna Llyod for a one-year, full-time internship. Vicar Bree is a “terminal year intern,” meaning that at the end of her internship she will be eligible for call to a congregation. During her year at LCH, she will have the opportunity to experience the full range of pastoral duties, including worship leadership, pastoral care, teaching, youth ministry, administration, stewardship, and finance. In addition, she will undertake an internship project of her own choice. This internship will be somewhat unique given the pandemic. Many of your interactions with Vicar Bree will be via phone, Zoom, or other technology. Pastoral care, committee meetings, and even personal interactions will require some intentionality and care to make this the best experience possible. LCH is a great community in which to learn and develop pastoral skills and a healthy pastoral identity. Please remember, Vicar Bree is a student who is learning all the time. At the same time, we will learn a great deal from her as she brings her unique gifts to bear on God’s ministry through LCH. I pray you will welcome Vicar Bree with your customary enthusiasm and joy!

Vicar Bree has a lay committee with whom she will meet monthly. The initial committee members include Mary Fastenau, Bobby Broyles, Hunter Nishimura, and Olivia Arnold. Vicar Bree will have the opportunity to add one or more other members over the next several weeks as she gets to know our community. The lay committee serves as a sounding board for the vicar, but does not have a supervisory role.

Vecar Bree was formally installed during online worship on Sunday, September 6

Gospel of Mark • Sundays, August 2–23 • 6:30 pm

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St. Mark graphicPerformed by one actor who speaks directly to the audience as if delivering the “good news” for the first time, this theatrical presentation brings to life the words, deeds, and story of Jesus directly from the Bible. This multi-year collaboration between Maseeh Ganjali (director) and Mark Branner (actor) was to have been performed at LCH during the Feast of Saint Mark, in April 2020. Now, the entire Gospel of Mark will be presented over four weeks, live-streaming on the LCH Facebook page during the first four Sundays in August.

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.