Godly Play and Compline Return

Linda Miller telling a Godly Play storyThe beginning of the new school year marks the return of Godly Play, LCH’s Sunday School program for children from kindergarten though 5th grade.

What is Godly Play, you ask? Godly Play is more than a program or a curriculum. Godly Play is a way of learning that offers children (and adults) the opportunity to live into the sacred stories of the Bible and the church. Children will be welcomed and loved, and they will have opportunities to playfully and creatively learn about God in Jesus.

While we are are not meeting in person, Godly Play is gathering via Zoom Meeting for Godly Play stories and crafts. Godly Play is taught by Linda Miller. Contact the church office at lch@LCHwelcome.org to be added to the list.

e LCH Men’s ScholaSeptember also brings the return of Compline, or Prayer at the Close of the Day.

We warmly invite all people in all places of faith and life to Compline. Offered on the first and third Sundays of each month at 7:30 pm, this beautiful candle-lit service is a meditative experience of a cappella singing and chanting to commemorate the day’s end. Led by members of the LCH Men’s Schola, musical selections include Gregorian chant, Taizé chant, Renaissance polyphony, and more.

Compline will be livestreamed on our streaming page and the LCH Facebook page and then archived on the LCH Facebook page.

Cancellation of August 1 In-Person Worship

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.

In-person Sunday Morning Worship (RSVP Required) • August 1, 10:00 am

choir graphicLCH staff and the Worship and Music Committee have carefully planned an in-person worship event for this Sunday, August 1. The number of attendees is limited to 35 to accommodate the 6-foot CDC distancing guideline. We will meet outside in the courtyard. RSVPs and masks are required. RSVPs can be made vis Eventbrite.

We strongly recommend attendees be fully vaccinated. Volunteers will be present to check tickets and help with distanced seating. Singing from the congregation will be in robust spirit and heart as we listen to the choir! We joyfully anticipate these steps toward gathering in person again as we also move forward with thoughtful patience, considering the care and health of one another.

For those living off island and others who are not ready for or cannot attend in-person worship, worship will also be livestreamed on our Worship Services page and the LCH Facebook page.

In-person Compline • June 6, 7:30 pm • RSVP Required

prayer graphicThe LCH Music and Worship Committee and LCH staff are carefully planning an in-person Compline service for June 6 as we begin our considered transition back to in-person worship. The number of attendees is limited to 35 to accommodate the 6-foot CDC distancing guideline. RSVPs and masks are required. Please use this link to RSVP.

We strongly recommend attendees be fully vaccinated. Volunteers will be present to take temperatures, check tickets, and help with distanced seating. We joyfully anticipate these steps toward gathering in person again as we also move forward with thoughtful patience, considering the care and health of one another.

For those living off island and others not ready for in-person worship, Compline will be livestreamed on our Worship Services page and the LCH Facebook page.

This will be final Compline for the season. Compline will resume on the first and thirds Sundays of each month beginning in September.

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, March 28

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. Mark. Music by Georg Friedrich Händel, Juan Bautista Comes, and Ginés Pérez. List of music for this service


robe and wash basin for Maundy liturgy

MAUNDY THURSDAY   †   Thursday, April 1

7:30 pm

CHORAL EUCHARIST AND MAUNDY LITURGY

A joyous celebration of the Eucharist meal quickly changes to one of love through humility in the washing of feet. The service concludes with the stripping of the altar, dramatizing Christ’s betrayal, stripping, and mocking by his captors. Music by the Taizé Community, Peter Hallock, and Johann Michael Haydn. List of music for this service


crown of thorns

GOOD FRIDAY   †   Friday, April 2

7:30 pm

GOOD FRIDAY LITURGY AND ADORATION OF THE CRUCIFIED

This service celebrates the triumph of the cross. The service features the singing of the Passion Gospel and concludes with prayer around the cross. Music includes Zachary Wadsworth’s setting of the St. John Passion and motets by Sergei Rachmaninov and Nikolay Kedrov. List of music for this service


empty cross and Paschal candle

EASTER EVE   †   Saturday, April 3

7:30 pm

EASTER VIGIL AND SOLEMN CHORAL EUCHARIST

Kindling of a new fire, the story of deliverance from the Hebrew Scriptures, and renewal of Baptismal promises lead to the proclamation of Easter Victory and a joyous celebration of Holy Communion. Music by Alexander Gretchaninoff and Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov. List of music for this service


Chi Rho and empty tomb

EASTER SUNDAY   †   Sunday, April 4

10:00 am

FESTIVAL CHORAL EUCHARIST

We celebrate the empty tomb, the central mystery that through death comes new life. Christ is risen! Christ is risen indeed! Festive music for Easter including A Little Jazz Mass by Bob Chilcott. List of music for this service

7:30 pm

EASTER COMPLINE

Contemplative Easter 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


The Reverend Jeff Lilley, Pastor   †   Bree Lloyd, Vicar   †   Scott Fikse, Director of Music and Liturgy

Midweek Lenten Vespers • Wednesdays at 7:00 pm

prayer graphicPlease join us for streaming midweek Lenten services. Holden Evening prayer will begin at 7:00 on Wednesday evenings during Lent with the theme “From Darkness into Light.” Each service will approach the theme from a different perspective including spirituality, care of earth, and mental health using music, imagery, art, and proclamation to draw us deeper into God’s presence. Members of Writers’ Workshop will provide much of the proclamation texts.

You are encouraged to prepare for the service ahead of time by setting your worship space with a candle to light during evening prayer. We pray you will join us each week as we prepare for the joy of Easter.

The Midweek Lenten Vespers will be livestreamed on our Worship Services page and the LCH Facebook page.

Ash Wednesday Worship • Feb. 17 at 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.” Physical distancing keeps us from receiving ashes, a sign of mourning and repentance, on our foreheads this year. But we are reminded of our mortality through the 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. We recall that our mortality is joined to God’s forever in Christ, and remember that together we share the joy of life with all of God’s world.

While we are not able to gather for our traditional Lenten soup and salad suppers this year, we look forward to a time when we will be able gather in person again.

The Ash Wednesday Liturgy will be livestreamed on our Worship Services page and the LCH Facebook page.

Compline • January 3 and 17, 7:30 pm

prayer graphicWe warmly invite all people in all places of faith and life to Compline. Offered on the first and third Sundays of each month, this beautiful candle-lit service is a meditative experience of a cappella singing and chanting to commemorate the day’s end, featuring the LCH Men’s Schola. Musical selections include Gregorian chant, Taizé chant, Renaissance polyphony, and more.

Access on the Worship Services page, or on the LCH Facebook page at facebook.com/LCHwelcome.

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

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

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.