Dear Members of the LCH ‘ohana,
What a year we have had as we examined our mission statement! The Aloha Ministry has been revived. Our greeters welcome guests with ribbon lei and provide information from the Aloha Cart built by Pastor Jeff. We’ve explored facets of worship and its impact on our faith. We’ve grown our faith throughout the year. Some of that growth came through serving at LCH and in the wider community. The Free Store event brought in people from our immediate neighborhood and beyond to take away items they needed at no cost. And finally, we celebrated our 125th anniversary.
It takes one’s breath away! So many people have stepped forward in so many ways. You have shared your valuable time and unique talents serving to make so much happen throughout this past year. It warms the hearts of your Stewardship Team that, because of you, your faith, your gifts, and God’s hand holding us up, we were not only able to pay for the maintenance and improvements to our organ but were also able to exceed the goal for our mission fund. Through it all we’ve continued to process our grief, plan, and carry out an incredible 125th anniversary week of celebration, do planned activities related to our mission statement, and begin the formal interim process. What abundant blessings God has bestowed on us!
Pastor Lesley has described the space and time we find ourselves in as a “liminal” space. We have looked to the past, and now we find ourselves in the present, between the past and what’s next. We begin in earnest the process of discerning where God is leading us in the future and what attributes we will look for in our next pastor. As we continue our interim journey, with Pastor Lesley as our guide, may we all reflect on the ways we have experienced God’s blessings and consider what lies ahead and the needs of today’s chaotic world. What needs is God calling us to respond to? What new things might God be up to in our congregation?
Please use the enclosed form to make a commitment of your time, talents, and treasure. In the time and talents part, please include ways you are serving, both here at LCH and in the larger community. You may wish to refer to the stewardship calculator at www.lchwelcome.org/life/stew-calc.html to help you plan your financial commitment. If you prefer to give directly from your bank account, please use the Electronic Funds Transfer Form to begin the process or modify your current giving amount or schedule.
We ask that you return your commitment form to the church (you may bring it, mail it, or scan and email it to commitments@LCHwelcome.org) before Sunday, November 23 (Christ the King Sunday), when we will be dedicating them in worship.
Small congregation though we might be, when we put our trust in God and follow God’s lead, amazing things are possible. What amazing things will unfold in the next year? We look forward to the possibilities that lie ahead and will continue to work with you, walking hand in hand, as we discern the way ahead as
God’s Church.
Your Stewardship Team: Willow Chang, Phyllis Hörmann, Barbara Poole-Street, Bill Potter, and Cindy Scheinert