In this issue:
- A Message from Pastor Jeff
- Stewardship Corner
- NEW LCH Office Hours
- Committee/Interest Group Chairs
- Reconciling in Christ Sunday
- Angel Network In-Gathering
- Adut Forum
- Godly Play—Sunday School
- Leadership Roundtable
- Compline
- First Mondays: Songs without Words featuring The Stark Duo
- Book of Faith Bible Study
- Volunteers needed—Youth Fundraiser!
- Food for Thought
- Confirmation Preparation Classes
- Process Forum
- Faith and Arts Sunday Is Coming
- LCH Office Closed for Presidents’ Day
- LCH Women’s Book Club
- Writers’ Workshop
- IHS Brown Bag Meal Prep
- Mary Magdalene Society
- Ash Wednesday Worship
- One Pot, One Hope
- Lenten Soup and Salad Suppers
- An Easy Way to Donate
- Edward Shipwright Memorial Piano Fund
- HeartBeat Deadline
- Give Aloha and Electronic Funds Transfers for December
- Attendance and Offerings for January
- Prayer Requests
- February Birthdays
- LCH Worship Participants (8:00 am)
- LCH Worship Participants (10:30 am and Ash Wednesday at 7:30 pm)
- Calendar: February 2020
A Message from Pastor Jeff
Prayer
Prayer means nothing else but the readiness to appropriate the Word, and what is more, to let it speak to me in my personal situation, in my particular tasks, decisions, sins, and temptations. What can never enter the prayer of the community may here silently be made known to God…. And we may be certain that our prayer will be heard because it issues from God’s Word and promise.—Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together, p. 89
During my last sabbatical, I had a chance to visit Flossenbürg concentration camp where Dietrich Bonhoeffer was murdered by the Nazi regime. Near the execution area, there is preserved one of the cells where political prisoners were kept. It is predictably small and uncomfortable. Although Bonhoeffer was only at the prison a very short time before he was killed, he often wrote to family and his fiancé about his practice of prayer. As I viewed the cell, I imagined Pastor Bonhoeffer, in the hours before his death, praying, writing, and reading—the practice of a lifetime whose end would come in hours. Although we can never know what was in his mind, I imagine prayer connected him, as it always had, with God’s promise, with his family, with his dear fiancé Maria, and with his beloved students.
Prayer is such an amazing thing. Over the decades, several studies have been done on the effect of prayer for those who are ill or injured. One particularly rigorous study, commissioned in 2000 by the John Templeton Foundation, in cooperation with the Mayo Clinic, came to fairly inconclusive results. Patients were divided into three groups. Two of the groups received prayer from people who were unknown to them, one knowing they were being prayed for and the other not knowing they were being prayed for. The third group received no prayer. The results showed no significant difference in the rate of healing, regardless of group. For some, this leads to the conclusion that prayer doesn’t matter or, at the very least, it doesn’t work.
But for those of who pray, the holy practice of prayer becomes not only a critical support in desperate times but also a girder in the ordinary structure of our lives. In some ways, the practice of deep prayer does exactly the opposite of what one might expect. Prayer is sometimes viewed as an introspective practice and it is, at one level, quite introspective. But prayer, especially prayer rooted in the Word, also draws us deeper into the world around us and then draws us back into the world transformed. In prayer, we come to know God’s promise more deeply and our place in God’s world more clearly. For this reason, I am not sure it matters much if scientific inquiry can determine if prayer works because God is always working on us in prayer. What I can say is that, over many years, countless people have told me stories about how the prayer of others played a significant part in the healing of loved ones, how they have been lifted up in prayer and thus lifted up in mind and body, and how in moments of prayer they found peace when they were sure peace was unreachable. God works on us in prayer even as we work on ourselves.
Most powerful of all for me is that, in prayer, I am always reminded that I am not the center of the world, nor should I be. In praying for others, for the world, and for peace, I hear the words of Jesus who names us all beloved, weeps with the lonely, and cries out for justice for the weak and the poor. Even as I pray for my own “personal situation, in my particular tasks, decisions, sins, and temptations,” God joins me to the prayers of all the saints, living and dead, and binds me in grace to the wholeness of God dwelling in all creation. Prayer works, and then we work.
I leave you with a simple prayer: “Holy Creator, unmake me, that I may be made again for love.”
In prayer,
Pastor Jeff
Thanks to all who shared their commitments for 2020 in our recent Stewardship Campaign, which sought to answer Paul’s call in Colossians 2:2 that we be “woven into a tapestry of love, in touch with everything there is to know of God. Then you will have minds confident and at rest, focused on Christ.” The 41 commitment cards submitted in November and December and the LCH tapestry we began the first Sunday of Advent both serve to embody this effort.
The first phase of our year-round stewardship efforts has focused on “Weaving Faith and Arts,” and we encourage everyone in the LCH ‘ohana to be a part of this effort. You can bring something to weave into the tapestry hanging in the courtyard. You can also be a part of the 16th annual Faith and Arts Sunday on February 16, which showcases the creativity of our congregation by displaying our artwork, handwork, and writings. You can find more information about Faith and Arts Sunday elsewhere in this issue of HeartBeat.
With the beginning of Lent on Ash Wednesday, our focus will shift to “Weaving Faith and Justice.” The Stewardship Team is already working on activities for this focus, and we’ll share those with you in our March Stewardship Corner.
Committee/Interest Group Chairs
| Committee/Group | Leader |
|---|---|
| Archive: | Jim Cartwright |
| Aloha: | Bruce Holmberg |
| Concert: | Scott Fikse |
| Communications: | Carol Langner |
| Community Life: | Larry Anderson |
| Council: | Josie Bidgood |
| Fellowship: | Mary-Jo Estes |
| Finance: | Steve Miller |
| Financial Review: | Dori Palcovich |
| Food for Thought: | Marlise Tellander |
| Lay Ministers: | Carolyn Koehler |
| Learning Ministry: | Fred Benco |
| Mary Magdalene Society: | Bill Potter & Roy Helms |
| Process Theology: | Carol Langner |
| Property: | Richard Mundell |
| Scholarship: | Fred Benco |
| Social Ministry: | Jean Lilley & Miles Sato |
| Stewardship: | Phyllis Hörmann & Willow Chang |
| Sunday School: | Laurie Leach |
| Website: | Bill Potter |
| Worship & Music: | Roy Helms & Randy Castello |
| Writers’ Workshop: | Peter Flachsbart |
| Youth: | Pr. Jeff Lilley |
NEW LCH Office Hours!
- Monday—9:00 am to 4:00 pm
- Tuesday—9:00 am to 4:00 pm
- Wednesday—9:00 am to 4:00 pm
- Thursday—9:00 am to 4:00 pm
- Friday–Sunday—Closed
We recommend calling the office (808-941-2566) before making a visit to see Pastor Jeff or the administrator as schedules may vary due to appointments, other work commitments, and lunch breaks.
Reconciling in Christ Sunday
Sunday, February 2
Reconciling in Christ Sunday is February 2! This annual commemoration recognizes ELCA faith communities that have made public stands—welcoming people of all sexual orientation and gender identities. LCH is proudly included among those congregations, having agreed to become an RIC congregation in 1993.
Please join us, as we recognize our 27th year of welcoming and affirming LGBT+ persons in the life of the LCH congregation. More information on Reconciling Works can be found at www.reconcilingworks.org.
Please, invite those who may be interested in worshipping in an environment “Welcoming to all.” We look forward to seeing you and all new faces interested in learning about LCH and the ELCA!
Angel Network In-Gathering
Sunday, February 2
On the first Sunday of each month, an in-gathering of food and personal items is collected at LCH for Angel Network, a ministry based out of Calvary-by-the-Sea Lutheran Church. The items are taken to Angel Network during the following week. Over 2,500 individuals are served monthly through this program. We are grateful for your generosity and support.
Adult Forum
Sundays at 9:20 am • LCH Boardroom
On Sunday, February 2, join us as we contemplate major civil rights activists of the 20th Century. On Sundays, February 9, 16, and 23, Wayne Gau will explore “Time and Eternity” and how they shape human perception. Please bring your refreshments and meet us in the Boardroom, between services, for scheduled topics and interesting discussions.
Godly Play—Sunday School
Sunday School 9:20–10:20 am
LCH offers Sunday school for children from kindergarten through senior high. The older children (grades 6–12) meet in the Rainbow Room. The younger children (grades k–5) meet in the Godly Play room. All are welcome! Below is the schedule of Godly Play stories for February:
- February 2—Parable of the Mustard Seed
- February 9—St. Valentine Object Box
- February 16—Parable of the Good Samaritan
- February 23—Parable of the Sower
Leadership Roundtable
Sunday, February 2, 11:45 am • Pastor’s Office
Committee chairs and team leaders, please plan to gather for a short (45 minute) meeting. This is an opportunity for us to sit down together and share information on what is happening with all the ministries at LCH. If you are a committee or team leader, please be prepared to share a little information on your activities with the group. Mahalo and see you there!
Compline
Sundays, February 2 & 16, 7:30 pm
Join us on the first and third Sunday of each month for Compline, led a cappella by the LCH Men’s Schola on February 2 and the Women’s Schola on February 16. This is a peaceful experience of rejuvenation and prayer.
First Mondays: Songs without Words featuring The Stark Duo
Monday, February 3, 7:00 pm. Refreshments at 6:30 pm.
Known to audiences around O‘ahu, The Stark Duo represents the finest in artistry, virtuosity, and creativity. The Lutheran Church of Honolulu First Mondays concert series is pleased to feature them in a cantabile concert featuring works by David Diamond, György Kurtág, Wallingford Riegger, D. Stark, R. Vaughan Williams, Eugène Ysaÿe, and others.
This is a free concert, and free-will offerings are gratefully received.
Book of Faith Bible Study
Thursdays, 10:00–11:45 am • LCH Boardroom
The Book of Faith Bible Study meets on Thursday mornings in the Boardroom. All are welcome to join this lively discussion of the Biblical texts, relevant current events, and historical foundations. Please come for engaging fellowship and discussion!
Volunteers needed—Youth Fundraiser!
Punahou Carnival Parking • Friday & Saturday, February 7 & 8
Each year, the LCH youth request your help with their Punahou Carnival parking fundraiser. The carnival begins annually on the first Friday of February and lasts for two days. This year the carnival takes place on Friday, February 7, and Saturday, February 8.
Thank you to all of the volunteers who have already signed up to help. We still have a few spots for both adult and youth volunteers for three-hour shifts during the carnival. Please consider signing up for the following shift: Friday, February 7, 4:30–7:45 pm (2 volunteers needed).
Event coordinators provide snacks and drinks, flashlights and safety vests, and you provide the fellowship! Sign-up sheets are available in the Hörmann Courtyard after the 8:00 and 1030 am services. You may also email Jerelyn Watanabe at jerelyntw@gmail.com to sign up.
Thank you for your service to our youth.
Food for Thought
Saturday, February 8 February 15, 5:30 to 8:00 pm
Food for Thought meets at the home of David Hörmann. All are welcome for potluck supper, video, and discussion. For more information, please contact the LCH office at 808-941-2566 or email Marlise Tellander at marlisetellander@hotmail.com.
Confirmation Preparation Classes
Sunday, February 9 & 23, 11:45 am • LCH Rainbow Room
Confirmation is voluntary for youth, grades 6 and up, who would like to confirm their faith. At baptism we promise to “place in (your child’s) hands the Holy Scripture and provide for their education in the Christian Faith.” In confirmation class we study scripture, the Reformation, and Christian history, but we are more interested in helping young people develop as persons of faith. For more information, please contact Pastor Jeff.
Process Forum
Saturday, February 15, 9:30 am • LCH Boardroom
Process Forum meets for nourishing, fun, thought provoking discussion and fellowship. Our usual source for material is the website openhorizons.org. We explore theology and philosophy through the Process lens. Process Thought is based on the work of Alfred North Whitehead, an early 20th-century philosopher and mathematician, whose work continues to attract a global following. All are invited, no experience necessary.
Faith and Arts Sunday Is Coming
Sunday, February 16 • Hörmann Courtyard
On February 16, LCH presents the sixteenth annual Faith and Arts Sunday, where we highlight the creativity of our congregation by displaying our artwork, handwork, and writings during the services. Please allow us to show your art or craft item during that day, or to put your poem or short work of prose up on the board. What we need:
- As soon as possible: your commitment to have an item in the show. You can do this by signing up in the courtyard.
- By February 9: the information on the item so we can make a label. If you wish to type a longer explanation to be displayed with your item, please do so and give it to us when you give us the item.
- By February 13: the item(s) (to be held in a safe place until it is put up on Saturday, February 15).
Contact Linda Miller with questions or to say “Yes” to this opportunity.
LCH Office Closed for Presidents’ Day
Monday, February 17
LCH Women’s Book Club
Monday, February 17, 10:00 am
The LCH Book Club will at the Murashige’s home. We will be discussing When the Wind Blows by James Patterson and selecting titles for the future. Our theme for the year revolves around migration, ethnicity, and belonging. All are welcome. Please contact the church office t 808-941-2566 if you have questions.
Writers’ Workshop
Tuesday, February 18, 4:00 pm (note new schedule)
Writers’ Workshop meets in the Boardroom at LCH. Please note the new meeting day. Subsequent meetings are scheduled for the third Tuesday of each month at the same time, until the group breaks for summer vacations, starting in June. All are welcome. For more information please contact the LCH office at 808-941-2566.
IHS Brown Bag Meal Prep
Thursday, February 20, 8:00 am • LCH Isenberg Hall
This month we prepare brown bag meals to transport to IHS for distribution. Enjoy fellowship time with other members while assembling 400 sandwiches and brown-bag meals. Pastries will be available, and there will be plenty of coffee to keep the assembly lively.
To participate in this month’s meal preparation or for additional information, you may speak to Carol Langner or contact the LCH office. A driver with a van or SUV is needed to help transport meals. Please join the group on February 20, if you are available to help. To learn more about the Institute for Human Services, visit their website at www.ihshawaii.org. Mahalo to all who help with this ministry to Honolulu’s homeless.
Mary Magdalene Society
Saturday, February 22, at 6:00 pm • LCH Isenberg Hall
LGBTQI and friends, please join our potluck supper and social. Table talk and games will follow dinner. This is the last Saturday before the beginning of Lent, so we will be celebrating carnival. This is a chance for you to prepare your best meat dishes and most decadent desserts before we begin our Lenten fast.
For more information, contact Bill at bill.potter808@gmail.com. Please share information of this gathering and an invitation to other LGBTQI and friends you know who may be interested in socializing with us.
Ash Wednesday Worship
February 26, 7:30 pm • in the LCH Nave
The 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.
One Pot, One Hope
Saturday, February 29, 9:30 am
A consistent group of LCH volunteers helps feed 100 to 125 people each month in Wai‘anae. Help support this mission outreach project by participating or by bringing donations of designated items—Costco gallon-sized cans of chili, fresh fruit, granola bars, bottled water, recycled grocery bags, and large cardboard boxes—or checks payable to “One Pot, One Hope.” Bring donated items to church on the third Sunday of the month. See Peggy Anderson for more information, including volunteering and carpool. Chili donations appreciated: #10 industrial-sized cans (from Costco or Sam’s Club).
Lenten Soup and Salad Suppers
Wednesdays, March 4, 11, 18, 25, and April 1, 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.
An Easy Way to Donate
Did you know you can donate to Lutheran Church of Honolulu while shopping without spending any extra money? Shop at smile.amazon.com and increase donations to Lutheran Church of Honolulu! Any Amazon purchase can be made through LCH’s unique charity-link, which will take you directly to smile.amazon.com in support of LCH. Just type this URL in your browser and start shopping: smile.amazon.com/ch/99-0079975.
Edward Shipwright Memorial Piano Fund
The church has an ongoing need for maintenance of our current piano, which is on generous loan from Mark Wong. We also need to plan for eventual purchase of an excellent, permanent piano for LCH.
Therefore, we have established the Edward Shipwright Memorial Piano Fund. Dr. Shipwright was the head of the piano division of the Music Department at UH Mānoa. Many people associated with LCH were students or friends of Ed. The fund will be a fitting memorial to his 50 years of teaching and playing.
| Offering Fund | Amount | Offering Fund | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Offering | $6,602 | Family Promise | $90 |
| Music Fund/Instruments | $240 | Capital Improvements | $25 |
| Concerts | $175 |
HeartBeat Deadline
Tuesday, February 18, 9:00 am
It is time to refresh the Prayer Requests list for the new year. If you have a friend or loved one who should remain on the list into 2019, we are glad to keep them in prayer. Please call or email the office to let us know who we should keep in prayer.
Arnold, Billy S., Bobby, Carol M., Charlotte, Colleen K., Frank, George, Greg, Kathy S., Keahi, Kendra K., Margaret H., Patricia, Penny, Resi, Shirley S., Vonia
| 02/07 | Cheryl Crozier Garcia |
| 02/12 | Carolyn Koehler |
| 02/21 | Don Johnson |
| 02/24 | Teresa McCreary |
| 02/25 | Noelani Nitz |
| 02/27 | Elijah Kaeo, Sr. |
| 02/28 | Roy Helms |
 |
|
| Day | Date | Event and Time |
|---|---|---|
| Sunday | February 2 | Reconciling in Christ Sunday Angel Network In-Gathering 8:00 am, Holy Communion 9:20 am, Christian Education—all ages 10:30 am, Choral Eucharist 11:45 am, Leadership Roundtable 7:30 pm, Compline |
| Monday | February 3 | 7:00 pm, First Mondays Concert |
| Wednesday | February 5 | 2:30 pm, Weekly Staff Meeting 5:00 pm, Early Worship Ensemble rehearsal |
| Thursday | February 6 | 10:00 am, Book of Faith Bible Study 7:00 pm, LCH Choir rehearsal |
| Friday | February 7 | Punahou Carnival Youth Parking event |
| Saturday | February 8 | Punahou Carnival Youth Parking event 5:30 pm, Food for Thought (Rescheduled to February 15) |
| Sunday | February 9 | 8:00 am, Holy Communion 9:20 am, Christian Education—all ages 10:30 am, Choral Eucharist 11:45 am, Confirmation Class |
| Monday | February 10 | 6:00 pm, Worship & Music Meeting |
| Wednesday | February 12 | 5:00 pm, Early Worship Ensemble rehearsal |
| Thursday | February 13 | 10:00 am, Book of Faith Bible Study 7:00 pm, LCH Choir rehearsal |
| Saturday | February 15 | 9:30 am, Process Forum 5:30 pm, Food for Thought 7:30 pm, Ebb & Flow Arts Chamber Music Concert at LCH |
| Sunday | February 16 | Faith and Arts Sunday 8:00 am, Holy Communion 9:20 am, Christian Education—all ages 10:30 am, Choral Eucharist 7:30 pm, Compline |
| Monday | February 17 | LCH OFFICE Closed—Presidents’ Day 10:00 am, Women’s Book Club |
| Tuesday | February 18 | HeartBeat Submissions Deadline 4:00 pm, Writers’ Workshop |
| Wednesday | February 19 | 12:00 pm, Finance Committee Meeting 5:00 pm, Early Worship Ensemble rehearsal |
| Thursday | February 20 | 8:00 am, IHS Brown Bag Meal Prep at LCH 10:00 am, Book of Faith Bible Study 7:00 pm, LCH Choir rehearsal |
| Saturday | February 22 | 6:00 pm, Mary Magdalene Society |
| Sunday | February 23 | 8:00 am, Holy Communion 9:20 am, Christian Education—all ages 10:30 am, Choral Eucharist 11:45 am, Confirmation Class |
| Tuesday | February 25 | 6:00 pm, Executive Council Meeting 6:30 pm, LCH Council Meeting |
| Wednesday | February 26 | Ash Wednesday 2:30 pm, Weekly Staff Meeting 7:30 pm, Ash Wednesday Service |
| Thursday | February 27 | 10:00 am, Book of Faith Bible Study 7:00 pm, LCH Choir Rehearsal |
| Saturday | February 29 | 9:30 am, One Pot One Hope |