Pastor Amanda is currently at King of Kings Lutheran Church in Oceanside, CA, where she has been serving for five years.

During a visit this month, many LCH members and attendees discovered her close ties to Hawaiʻi and familiarity with our church. Amanda was born and raised in Honolulu. She grew up as an active member of Calvary by the Sea Lutheran Church. She is a Kalani High School graduate and has family on Oʻahu, Maui, and Hawaiʻi Island. From an early age, she recognized that many of her gifts and passions were similar to her pastor. She’s felt called to pastoral ministry since age 14. LCH’s late Pastor Jeff Lilley was one of her confirmation teachers.

Pursuing her calling, Amanda attended California Lutheran University, double majored in theology and Christian Leadership and global sudies, with a music and worship minor. In her time there, she sang in all three university choirs, played in the wind ensemble, and served as a musician for many worship services on campus. She studied abroad at Oxford University, and graduated summa cum laude with university honors. In her summers, she worked at three Lutheran bible camps in Wisconsin and Texas, serving as a counselor, worship leader, ropes course director, and high school ministry coordinator.

Pastor Amanda met her husband, Cole, in college. He is also a Lutheran pastor currently serving at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church and School in San Clemente, CA. He also serves as an IMA reserve chaplain in the Air Force at Joint Base Charleston. Pastor Cole is attending Officer Training School this summer, which means the McGlynns won’t be moving to Hawai‘i until September. Following OTS, Cole is taking a position as Chaplain at Pohai Nani in Kāneʻohe.

The McGlynns have two children, Rowan and Nora, whom many of us had the joy of meeting during their visit last month. They also have two rescue dogs—an Australian Shepherd named Banjo and a Great Pyrenees mix named Cricket.

Deepest thanks to the members of the LCH call committee for their hard work in identifying a pastoral candidate who we believe is an excellent fit for LCH. A huge mahalo to the members of our congregation, who demonstrated the LCH welcome so wonderfully. Also, thanks to everyone who helped organize, donate, prepare food, and clean up for the meet and greet, pūpū, ice cream social, and silent auction. The spirit of the Lord was certainly present throughout this entire process.

Higa is one of Hawaiʻi’s most distinctive jazz voices—a trumpeter equally at home in hard-swinging post-bop, groove-based modern jazz, Latin colors, funk, and more exploratory electric textures. His career has taken him from Hawaiʻi to New York and beyond, with performances in major venues including Birdland, Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and Radio City Music Hall. As a composer and arranger, he has written for a wide range of ensembles and currently serves as an official composer and arranger for the historic Royal Hawaiian Band. His musical world is broad: sophisticated but never stiff, modern but still connected to melody, groove, and emotional clarity.

For this concert, Higa brings together his jazz quartet Quadpod, an ensemble built on conversation, risk, and trust—essentials in jazz. The group features Patrick “Paka” Whitehead on piano and keys, Mark Tanouye on bass, and Abe Lagrimas Jr. on drums. Together, they move through bebop, hard bop, post-bop, funk, Latin, soul, and original music with the kind of flexibility with the ease of seasoned and gifted musicians. It is alive, interactive, and built in the moment.

Drummer Abe Lagrimas Jr. brings a remarkable musical range to the bandstand. Known internationally as a drummer, vibraphonist, ʻukulele artist, composer, educator, and Nā Hōkū Hanohano Award winner, Lagrimas has worked across jazz, Hawaiian music, world music, and contemporary creative settings. His drumming brings both fire and elegance—deep pocket when the music needs to sit, explosive lift when it needs to fly.

At the center of the evening is Rocky Brown, whose voice carries decades of experience across Broadway, jazz, folk, pop, R&B, and American song. A former member of the Broadway cast of Miss Saigon, Brown brings theatrical depth without overstatement, soul without gimmickry, and a storyteller’s instinct for lyric and phrasing. She has performed on major stages, recorded in both the Philippines and Hawaiʻi, and built a respected career not only as a performer but also as a voice teacher and mentor through her successful vocal studio. Whether singing a jazz standard, a folk-inflected ballad, a pop classic, or something more soulful and blues-drenched, Brown sings with warmth, nuance, and lived-in musical honesty.

This 80-minute concert will showcase the many sides of these artists: original compositions, reimagined standards, deep grooves, lyrical ballads, spontaneous improvisation, and the unmistakable sound of musicians who know how to listen. Expect a night that honors jazz tradition without treating it like a museum piece—music with history, heart, humor, swing, soul, and a few surprises.

Set in the beautiful acoustic space of the Lutheran Church of Honolulu, DeShannon Higa + Quadpod featuring Rocky Brown offers an evening for serious jazz listeners, longtime fans, and anyone who simply loves great musicians making real music together.

Below are several of the wonderful items being offered at the silent auction. Proceeds from the auction will support the visit by our candidate and their relocation.

Green bowl

Stunning square glass bowl made by John Watt.
Value: $60. Opening bid: $30.
So many uses for this piece.

Glass ship on the ocean

Stunning square plate made by John Watt.
Value: $95. Opening bid: $40.
Think of the people in your life who love boats.

David Hormann original collage artwork

The process is to take colorful postcards and create landscapes.
It is amazing in a photo but even more interesting in person.
David says the value is $60. We think it is much more.

Trader Joe’s bag of goodies

The value of the treats is more than $100. Starting bid: $50.
We know in Hawai‘i that the value skyrockets as we all need a Trader Joe’s fix.

Phillips Electric Pasta Maker (Never been used)

You could always have the most popular dish at the potluck
with this machine helping you.
Value: $300. Starting bid: $100.

Plenty Hawaiians (1965) by Madge Tennent

One hundred copies were made for the Hawaii Watercolor & Serigraph Society.
This is print number 50 and comes in a koa frame.
The value is priceless, but we’re going to start the bidding at $125.

Gorgeous stained glass art made by Randy Castello

It features Manu o Kū, the beautiful white terns that often visit the church
and are featured on our new mural.
Minimum bid for this incredible work will be $600.

Wood flower carving

Check out this beautiful wood carving donated by Marlise Tellander.
Value: $200. Starting bid: $100.

Koa wood serving board created by Barry Wheeler

Note the differences in the color of the grain in the wood.
Value: $100. Starting bid: $45.

Wooden artwork made by Pastor Don Johnson

This enchanting sculpture was made by the pastor
who shepherded LCH for 30+ years.
Value: $200. Starting bid: $100.

Ninja Air Fryer

Here’s your chance to join the air fryer craze.
Value $70. Starting bid: $35

On Sunday, June 7, the Call Committee will have hard copies of the candidate’s bio available in the courtyard. The candidate requests that this document not be shared in any fashion beyond LCH’s walls (social media, via email, etc.) to maintain confidentiality.

In addition, on Friday, June 12, the candidate will engage in a series of in-person and online (Zoom) small group meetings. Sign-up sheets are in the courtyard at each Sunday service and please plan to pick your meeting by June 7. In-person sessions will be held at 10:00, 10:30, 11:00, 11:30, 1:15, 1:45, 2:15, 3:00, and 3:30; and a Zoom session will take place at 12:30. The next day, Saturday, June 13, we’ll have another opportunity to welcome the candidate and their family at 4:00 pm during the pūpū prior to the auction.

LCH members will vote on extending a call to the candidate on Sunday, June 14 in a congregational meeting following Sunday worship at a special time, beginning at 9:00 am.

Members of the congregation will have opportunities to meet and greet the pastoral candidate on during their visit beginning Thursday, June 11. During the day on Friday, June 12, groups of 5–10 will meet with the candidate, and on Saturday, June 13, a larger community session will be held beginning at 4:00 pm. At 5:00 pm that day, we will held a silent auction to raise funds to relocate our new pastor, and there will be plenty of time for informal socializing with savory pūpū and an ice cream social.

Sunday morning. June 14, after worship, there will be a congregational meeting to vote on issuing a call to the candidate.

These are exciting times in the life of Lutheran Church of Honolulu as we look forward to preparing to call our 12th congregationally-called pastor in 125 years.

Please say mahalo nui loa to the LCH Call Committee. They have been an exemplary team that has done their prayerful work with diligence and discernment.

All are welcome to gather for pūpū and conversation in the Hörmann Courtyard at 6:15 pm. First Mondays Concerts are free, with a suggested donation of $20.

Mahalo to the LCH ‘ohana for your continued support. This month’s calabash offerings will benefit the East-West Center.

If you wish to make a donation to benefit this month’s non-profit, please go to this page.

In preparation for the wall mural painting, there will be a workday on Saturday, April 18, to prepare the wall facing Punahou Street for the mural. Here are a few things that need to be done:

• Bushes will come out
• New lights will be installed beforehand
• Church name letters will be removed
• Wall will be pressure-washed (1–2 days before priming) to remove mold, dirt, and oils. This will probably happen on Monday, April 27, during the day (pending appropriate weather)
• Priming on Tuesday or Wednesday, April 28 or 29

Visioning Process for the Mural Design—We hope everyone who wishes will come and participate in the visioning process for the design of the mural. The visioning process is guided by our belief that “God works in mysterious ways.” Experience has shown that the same idea will come out on different days, in different settings, and with different people; so we will have multiple sessions, and all are welcome to come to any and all visioning sessions. New ideas will come out at each session, and then be woven together in the final design. In these sessions, participants are encouraged to:

• Lead through meditation and prayer
• Connect with the Divine
• Talk through the exploration of our ideas
• Leave space for silence and thought
• Write ideas on a large paper, taking notes
• Connect the right and left sides of the brain
• Recognize the significance when two or more people receive the same picture, message, or thought

There will be three different visioning sessions of 30–45 minutes:

• Blessing and Session #1—Sunday, April 26, around 11:10 am
• Session #2—Monday, April 27 at 6:00 pm
• Session #3 – Tuesday, April 28 at 10:00 am

Sketch Approval—On May 3, the congregation will be presented with the mural design during regular 10:00 am worship and be able to see how it visually articulates our faith community to our neighbors. The presentation will take place during the sermon time (approximately 10:30). and tThe Council will meet briefly after the service (approximately 11:10) to approve the design. The congregation is welcome to share their thoughts with council members before the council’s meeting after worship.

Painting—After the sketch approval, Estria will be begin outlining the mural at 6:00 in the evening on Monday, May 4. Everyone, including youth, are invited to join in the painting. There will be sign-up sheets for 2-hour blocks. Each block will accommodate a maximum on 20 volunteer painters and 4–6 helper volunteers. Painting is scheduled for:

• Tuesday, May 5, from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm
• Wednesday, May 6, from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm

Blessing and Unveiling will take place during worship on Sunday, May 10, at about 11:30 am.

As you can see by all of the details described above, this is a very important piece of the legacy of Lutheran Church of Honolulu as we share with the community the story of God’s work, with our hands at LCH. We hope you will participate in telling our story to the community and beyond. If you have any questions about this project, please reach out to Keane Ishii at 808-352-5135. Mahalo.

Blessings and prayers,
Pastor Lesley