Holy Week and Easter Worship at LCH

March 24 + 10:00 am + Palm Sunday

Palm Sunday marks the beginning of Holy Week. The service begins in the courtyard as a brass quartet leads worshippers in a procession with palm leaves around the church, recalling Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem. The service then moves inside for a reading of the Passion Gospel and Holy Communion.

March 28 + 7:30 pm + Maundy Thursday

We remember Jesus’ command to “love one another” as we wash feet and share communion. Music includes Duruflé’s “Ubi caritas” and “Tantum ergo” by Jessica French.

March 29 + 7:30 pm + Good Friday

This powerful service recalls the bitter suffering and death of Jesus that leads to new life. The story of the Passion will be told through William Byrd’s setting of the “The Passion according to St. John” sung by the LCH Choir.

March 30 + 7:30 pm + Easter Vigil

Following the service of readings and the kindling of the New Fire, we move from darkness into the light of resurrection. The resurrection will be welcomed with Will Todd’s “Jazz Missa Brevis,” with full jazz combo, traditional Easter hymns, and the first Eucharist of Easter.

March 31 + 10:00 am + Easter Sunday

Christ is risen! Join us for our 10:00 am festival choral service, featuring a brass quintet to add a celebratory element to worship.

Lenten Wednesday Evenings • February 21 through March 20

Lenten SuppersLenten Soup and Salad Suppers at 6:00 pm in the Hörmann Courtyard

Please join in this wonderful time of fellowship and prayer, beginning each Wednesday of Lent with a simple soup and salad supper. Suppers are served at 6:00 pm, prior to 7:00 pm Lenten services in the nave. A sign-up sheet will be available in the courtyard for contributions to each week’s meal and for help with set-up and clean-up. See Mary Jo Estes or call the LCH office for more information.

Evening Prayer: Healing and Wholeness through Our Senses

Join us mid-week during Lent as we share Holden Evening Prayer. The sung prayer service begins at 7:00 pm preceded by a soup-and-salad supper at 6:00 pm in the church courtyard. This year’s Lenten theme, Healing and Wholeness through Our Senses, builds on our Stewardship theme for this year.

All are welcomed and encouraged to share this intimate prayer service and supper with us as we journey, in brokenness and healing, through the Lenten season.

Lenten Wednesday Evening are February 21 and 28 and March 6, 13, and 20, beginning at 6:00 pm in the Hörmann Courtyard. All are welcome.

Ash Wednesday Worship + Wed., Feb. 14 + 7:30 pm

Imposition of Ashes on Ash WednesdayThe season of Lent begins with a very special worship on Ash Wednesday, February 14 at 7:30 pm in the Nave.

This beautiful evening service begins the Lenten season of reflection, prayer, and preparation as we hear the words from Genesis 3:19, “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” Ashes, a sign of mourning and repentance, are placed on our foreheads as a reminder of our mortality, but the ashes are in the shape of a cross, a sign of promise, and life, and hope.

Ash Wednesday—and the whole season of Lent—calls us to reflect and remember the precious gift of life and love that God has given us in creation and community and to re-center our thoughts and spirit on what truly matters.

As we gather around the communion table in worship on Ash Wednesday, we see our neighbor with the same smudged cross on her head, recall that our mortality is joined to hers forever in Christ, and remember that together we share the joy of life with all of God’s world.

A Season of Celebration—Christmastide at LCH

Join Us this Christmastide

Blue Christmas
Wednesday, December 20

7:30 pm • A Service of Grief and Remembrance
In-person only, no livestream

 
Christmas Eve
Sunday, December 24

10:00 am • Choral Eucharist for Advent IV

5:00 pm • Family Worship

7:00 pm • Festival Prelude

7:30 pm • Choral Eucharist
with music provided by the LCH Choir

Christmas Day
Sunday, December 25

10:00 am • Choral Eucharist
featuring the tenors and basses
of the LCH Choir
 
 
 

 
New Year’s Eve

Sunday, December 31

10:00 am • Choral Eucharist
A Service of Lessons and Carols

 
All are welcome to these services. In the spirit of mutual care, we encourage those attending in person to wear masks. All services,
except for the Blue Christmas worship, will also livestream on the LCH Facebook page and our Worship Services page.

49th Annual Advent Procession • Sun., Dec. 3, at 7:30 pm

advent graphicJoin us for Lutheran Church of Honolulu’s annual Advent Procession, a beloved Hawai‘i tradition since 1975. This year the service, led by Barry Wenger, our organist and director of music, will include seasonal readings, hymns old and new, and glorious choral selections by the LCH Choir.

Music this year includes selections by Wilbur Held, Peter Hallock, Hildegard of Bingen, and Arvo Pärt. The full list of music to be performed is available on the December music list.

For those not attending in person, the concert will be livestreamed on our Worship Services page and the LCH Facebook page and then archived on the LCH Facebook page

Pet Blessing Service in Celebration of the Feast of St. Francis • Sun., Oct. 8, at 5:00 pm

Pr. Margrethe KleiberJoin us Sunday, October 8, for a special worship service to bless any of your furry friends and to remember dear pets who have died.

Bring your pet or a photo or memento of your pet to church. For those worshipping online, email a photo of your pet, along with the name of your pet, to willowchang@hotmail.com.

The service will be held in commemoration of Francis of Assisi, who is widely regarded as the patron saint of animals and ecology.

We will have water dishes in the courtyard. Join the fun and probably a bit of chaos!

LCH Welcomes Pastor Margrethe Kleiber

Pr. Margrethe KleiberPastor Jeff Lilley has been granted a period of sabbatical beginning October 1 and extending through the end of the calendar year. He will concentrate on physical, mental, and spiritual health, including working with a spiritual director. In addition, he plans to work on music and visual arts. He is thankful for the opportunity for renewal, and he and Jean plan to spend significant time with family (especially twin grand-daughters due in November).

The Rev. Margrethe Kleiber has graciously agreed to serve part-time as pastor of the congregation during the sabbatical. Pastor Kleiber, a former member of the congregation whose service in the ministry has taken her around the world, will attend to the core areas of preaching, teaching, and pastoral care. You can learn more about Pastor Kleiber on our Leadership page.

Having Pastor Kleiber with us while Pastor Jeff is on sabbatical presents an opportunity for volunteers (and staff), to take on additional responsibilities over the course of the next three months. Please speak with Congregational President Dan Dennison if there are areas in which you would like to volunteer.

Holy Week and Easter Worship at LCH

Celebrating the Cross and Resurrection
HOLY WEEK AND EASTER
at the Lutheran Church of Honolulu


Christ showing wounds

PALM SUNDAY   †   Sunday, April 2

10:00 am

PROCESSION WITH PALMS AND HOLY COMMUNION

The service moves from the commemoration of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem to the reading of the story of Jesus’ passion and death in the Gospel according to St. Matthew. Music by Franz Schubert and Johann Sebastian Bach accompanies the service. List of music for this service

7:30 pm

PALM SUNDAY COMPLINE

Contemplative Palm Sunday meditation offered by the LCH Men’s Schola. Candlelight illuminates the Nave for this short service of prayer, chant, and a cappella singing. List of music for this service


robe and wash basin for Maundy liturgy

MAUNDY THURSDAY   †   Thursday, April 6

7:30 pm

CHORAL EUCHARIST AND MAUNDY LITURGY

We remember Jesus’ command to “love one another” as we wash feet and share communion. Music includes a unique piano motet by Gjeilo, traditional antiphons, and a Gospel acclamation by Hurd. List of music for this service


crown of thorns

GOOD FRIDAY   †   Friday, April 7

7:30 pm

GOOD FRIDAY LITURGY AND ADORATION OF THE CRUCIFIED

This powerful service recalls the bitter suffering and death of Jesus that will lead to new life. John Rutter’s Requiem will bring the story to life. List of music for this service


empty cross and Paschal candle

EASTER EVE   †   Saturday, April 8

7:30 pm

EASTER VIGIL AND SOLEMN CHORAL EUCHARIST

Following the service of readings and the kindling of the New Fire, we move from darkness into the light of resurrection. The resurrection will be welcomed with Will Todd’s Jazz Missa Brevis, traditional Easter hymns, and the first Eucharist of Easter. List of music for this service


Chi Rho and empty tomb

EASTER SUNDAY   †   Sunday, April 9

10:00 am

FESTIVAL CHORAL EUCHARIST

Christ is risen! Our festival choral service features the Hallelujah Chorus from The Mount of Olives by Ludwig van Beethoven and music by Gabrielli, Sigfrid Karg-Elert, and others. List of music for this service


The Reverend Jeff Lilley, Pastor   †   Bree Lloyd, Associate Pastor   †   Barry Wenger, Director of Music and Liturgy and Organist

Lenten Suppers and Worship • Wednesdays in March at 6:00 pm

soup graphicLenten Soup and Salad Suppers

Wednesdays, March 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29, at 6:00 pm • in the Hörmann Courtyard

Please join in this wonderful time of fellowship and prayer, beginning each Wednesday of Lent with a simple soup and salad supper. Suppers are served at 6:00 pm, prior to 7:00 pm Lenten services in the Nave. A sign-up sheet will be available in the courtyard for contributions to each week’s meal and for help with set-up and clean-up. See Mary Jo Estes or call the LCH office for more information.

Lenten Wednesdays: Healing a Broken World

Lenten Vespers graphicJoin us mid-week during Lent as we share Holden Evening Prayer. The sung prayer service begins at 7:00 pm in the Nave. This year’s Lenten theme will follow the Stewardship theme for the year: Healing a Broken World. Each week will have a focus on this theme. The schedule is:

  • March1: Loneliness
  • March 8: Injustice
  • March 15: Violence
  • March 22: Hopelessness, Despair
  • March 29: Dis-ease

All are welcomed and encouraged to share this intimate prayer service and supper with us as we journey, in brokenness and healing, through the Lenten season. For those not able to attend in person, Holden Evening Pray Compline will be livestreamed on our Worship Services page and the LCH Facebook page.

Ash Wednesday Worship + Wed., Feb. 22 + 7:30 pm

Ash Wednesday cross graphicThe season of Lent begins with a very special worship on Ash Wednesday.

This beautiful evening service begins the Lenten season of reflection, prayer, and preparation as we hear the words from Genesis 3:19, “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” Ashes, a sign of mourning and repentance, are placed on our foreheads as a reminder of our mortality, but the ashes are in the shape of a cross, a sign of promise, and life, and hope. Ash Wednesday—and the whole season of Lent—calls us to reflect and remember the precious gift of life and love that God has given us in creation and community and to re-center our thoughts and spirit on what truly matters.

As we gather around the communion table in worship on Ash Wednesday, we see our neighbor with the same smudged cross on her head, recall that our mortality is joined to hers forever in Christ, and remember that together we share the joy of life with all of God’s world.