HeartBeat—August 2021

From Pastor Jeff

Always Looking for More

In mid-July, Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon Corporation blasted into space accompanied by three companions in a privately-owned-and-operated spacecraft. Their flight followed a similar feat accomplished by Sir Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Corp. Dubbed “the billionaire’s space race” by the press, the two efforts invested hundreds of millions of dollars in a bid to be the first to prove the viability of private, commercial passenger flights into space and cash in on an apparent pent-up demand for a ticket to the edge of orbit. According to an article in CNBC, ticket sales for future “Blue Origin” flights have already exceeded 100 million dollars. Although the actual ticket price has not been revealed, industry experts estimate initial prices of $450,000 per seat and about $250,000 per seat after additional spacecraft enter service. Using the lower figure, that comes to a whopping $2,777.00 per flight minute.

Both Branson and Bezos have touted the many technical advances that the project may bring to commercial aviation. Much like automobile racing brought to consumer cars exotic advances like disc brakes and fuel injection, it may be that these commercial space flights may add to the public’s quality of life, or at least flying experience. But one cannot help but wonder a bit if passenger flights to the edge of space are really all that helpful, or even desirable at a time when global climate change is accelerating, world-wide hunger is spreading, oceans are warming and becoming saturated with carbon dioxide, and the deforestation of the Amazon is literally robbing the earth of its lungs. When asked that question by one of the hosts of The Today show, Sir Richard Branson answered that the flight would “raise his profile” and allow his other global philanthropic enterprises to thrive. He seemed a little embarrassed by his own answer, but perhaps not.

1n 1923, George Mallory, who bested Mt. Everest on his third attempt, was asked by a reporter why he climbed the mountain. His reply, “Because it is there,” passed into common usage. Mallory failed twice to reach the summit. Determined to not let the mountain beat him, a third attempt resulted in the death of seven Sherpas. Although he accepted full responsibility for the deaths of his fellow climbers, he would go on to face the challenge, but he never returned from the effort. Many years later, summitting Everest has become so popular that climbers had to literally wait in line amidst the trash heaps of previous climbers for a few minutes on the summit. How ironic.

Maybe the billionaire space race is another example of overcoming a yet-to-be conquered obstacle or the unrequited need for more. But we might do well to ask the question, “Why?” What is in us that we hardly blink at the expenditure of hundreds of millions of dollars to launch wealthy tourists into space but get outraged at the cost of indigent housing in the inner city? What drives us to celebrate what tons of money can buy but decry a raise in minimum wage because it will add a few cents to our Big Mac? To be sure, the wonder of conquering new horizons is exciting and wonderful, and it all makes for great television; but I can’t help but wonder if such expeditions and adventures don’t further underscore the widening gap between the ultra-rich and the rest of the world. As a friend of mine noted, “They [Bezos and Branson] have so much money they literally can’t spend it all in one lifetime.”

Perhaps the greatest adventure of all is not found at the edge of space but right here on earth. Certainly, some of the most “thrilling” moments of my life have been those times I have volunteered to work to make the world a better place or accompanied someone through their hurt and joy. Often when I ask folks about their most meaningful experiences, they talk about volunteering more than thrill seeking. Jesus once admonished his disciples to “love one another.” It may be that the deepest love we can show is found not in reaching for the stars but in reaching out to our neighbor who is hungry. Our call may be to invest less in the future of space tourism and more in changing systems that lead to food insecurity and wage inequity. Rather than quench our thirst for adventure, we could look to the desperate need for drinking water that plagues a good percentage of the planet. For the love of Christ is not about looking for more but looking out more for our neighbor, our earth, and the grace which brings us to true and abundant life.

Blessings,
Pastor Jeff

Feeling Called to Serve?

Pacifica Synod Leadership Development

If you are already discerning to serve the church in a pastoral or deacon role, great! Let me know how I can assist you in your process. If you are not yet discerning but have the desire, I am here to journey with you. If others tell you that you would make a great pastor or deacon and you’d like to learn more, I am also here to journey with you. I know some of you would make great rostered leaders!

This is Pastor JP, and I am a new assistant to the bishop, caring for the candidacy process. The Lutheran church needs you. Please contact me at jpsabbithi@pacificasynod.org or let me know how I can contact you. Thank you.

LCH Office Hours

• Monday—Closed
• Tuesday—9:00 am to 1:00 pm
• Wednesday—9:00 am to 1:00 pm
• Thursday—9:00 am to 1:00 pm
• Friday—9:00 am to 1:00 pm
• Saturday–Sunday—Closed

The LCH office and church campus are generally closed to in-person meetings and gatherings as a precaution in accordance with the CDC, Hawai‘i State Governor’s Office, and Honolulu City and County Office of the Mayor’s recommendations regarding covid-19 virus safety. We require masks for in-person interactions and recommend calling the office (808-941-2566) before dropping in to see Pastor Jeff or the administrator, as schedules may vary with appointments, other work commitments, and lunch breaks.

Please visit the LCH website at www.lchwelcome.org for more information about weekly events and ministries, and to access the public LCH Facebook page for online worship services (you do not need a Facebook account to access the LCH Facebook page).

Moving Out: Stewards of the Local Community

Working with our theme “Stewards of God’s Love,” we began by thinking about how God’s love comes down to us and works in us. Now we are exploring how we move that love out into the world and share it with our neighbor, both near and far. Last month we looked at the ways we are stewards of justice, and this month we consider how we can be stewards of our local community.

God has called us to love and serve our neighbors, both near and far. And God entrusts us—both as individuals and as a congregation—with the resources needed to serve our neighbors. It’s up to us to use those resources in that way, for as Jesus said, “Just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me” (Matthew 25:40).

Let’s look at some of the ways we as a congregation serve our neighbors in the local community.

Each time we meet as a congregation for worship, we put our prayers to work for those in need. While most of us don’t know the people we name in our prayers or the specific needs of those individuals, we pray for God to work in their lives. And in addition to public prayers, I’m sure more than a few of us lift them up in our daily prayers at home.

Each month for more than 25 years, members of this congregation have prepared a meal for guests at the Institute for Human Services, Honolulu’s full-service homeless shelter. In the “before times,” folks would go down to IHS in the early afternoon to prepare meatloaf and then return at dinner time to serve the meal. Restrictions related to the pandemic made that impossible, so we switched to making sandwiches at LCH that could be distributed by IHS.

In 2017, our congregation began to work with Family Promise to provide financial assistance to families transitioning from homelessness to permanent housing. Many of our members pledged monthly contributions totaling thousands of dollars each year to support this ministry, and those donations continue to this day.

A number of years ago, the Hukilau began One Pot One Hope, a ministry to provide monthly meals to homeless folks near the Wai‘anae Boat Harbor. Soon several people from LCH became regular participants in the preparation of the meals, and eventually LCHers were mainstays of this effort. The pandemic made it impossible to maintain this ministry, but it looks like it will resume soon, giving us one more opportunity to serve our neighbors.

There are still other ministries we support, like Wounded Warriors under the direction of Pr. Steven Jensen and the YWCA Mission Making Society, which supports women recently released from prison. Perhaps we have left out other ministries through which we serve our local community whether individually or as a congregation. Think of the different groups that have used our facilities and the many people we reach beyond Hawai‘i through our livestreamed worship and concerts.

Maybe you would like to share with us how you reach out to your neighbor through a Stewardship Corner video during worship. And, perhaps there are other ways to love and serve our neighbors in the Makiki-Mānoa community as well as across our island. There’s always room for growth. We would love to hear your ideas. Let us encourage one another at LCH to grow as stewards of our local community.

Peggy Anderson and Bill Potter on behalf of the Stewardship Team:
Peggy Anderson, Pam Buckley, Willow Chang, Phyllis Hörmann, Barbara Poole-Street, Bill Potter

Summer Schedules

We hope to get back to some level of in-person worship this summer, possibly in mid-July. Typically, there is no Compline during the summer months. Compline resumes on the first Sunday of September. Other LCH programs may break for the summer as well. Check the LCH website calendar or the HeartBeat newsletter for monthly scheduling information.

Sunday School on Vacation for the Summer

During the summer, there is no Sunday school. Beginning in September, LCH will offer Sunday school for children from kindergarten through senior high. Look for future information about how and where we will be meeting. In the meantime, have a great summer!

Adult Forum

Sundays at 9:00 am • Via Zoom Meeting

All are welcome to join the Adult Forum Zoom meetings, live Sunday mornings. Participation in Adult Forum via Zoom works best if you download the free Zoom app beforehand. You may need to enable your microphone and video capabilities. If you are not already on this list for the Adult Forum, please contact Dr. Stephen Miller at stevedmiller.sm@gmail.com to receive an invitation to join the next Zoom Adult Forum discussion.

Virtual Coffee Talk with Pastor Jeff

Online Coffee Talk, Sundays, 11:15 am • Via Zoom Meeting

You are invited to join with your LCH ‘ohana on Sundays for a virtual coffee talk following online worship. This discussion time will be via Zoom Meeting, and will run for approximately 20 to 30 minutes.

In order to avoid “Zoom bombing” (surprise visits from unsavory folks), you will need to contact Pastor Jeff, via email at pr.jeff@LCHwelcome.org, for a meeting number and password to log into the meeting. While these are not ideal gathering circumstances, we can at least enjoy a chance to commune together briefly.

American Guild of Organists—Hawai‘i Chapter Scholarships

The American Guild of Organists—Hawai‘i Chapter is accepting scholarship applications from August 1 to August 31 for the scholarship period October 2021 through September 2022. Auditions will be held in September. Visit agohawaii.org to download an application. For details, e-mail Elizabeth Wong at ew_ago_hawaiichapter@yahoo.com.

Leadership Roundtable

Tuesday, August 3, 6:30 pm • Via Zoom Meeting

Committee chairs and team leaders, please plan to gather for a short (45 minute) meeting. This month’s meeting will be conducted via the Zoom online meeting platform. Please refer to your email for the Zoom Meeting details. 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, you will receive an email from Pastor Jeff, via Zoom Meeting, regarding login information. Please be prepared to share a little information on your activities with the group. Mahalo!

Book of Faith Bible Study

Thursdays, 10:00–11:45 am • Via Zoom Meeting

The Book of Faith Bible Study meets on Thursday mornings via the Zoom online meeting platform for the duration of the pandemic. All are welcome to join this lively discussion of the Biblical texts, relevant current events, and historical foundations. Please contact Pastor Jeff at pr.jeff@LCHwelcome.org to receive an invitation to the next Zoom Bible study discussion.

Restorative Yoga

Thursdays, August 5, 12, 19, and 26, at 6:00 pm • Via Zoom Meeting

Explore the restorative and ancient practice of yoga, led by LCH member Willow Chang. As a yoga practitioner for over 30 years, Willow shares the joy, wonder, and enthusiasm of a beginner. She emphasizes the origins, cultural context, and safe practice of yoga for all. In this 4-week session, she’ll share various aspects of yoga, from pranayama (breathing exercises) and yogic philosophy (ahimsa), to poses, referred to as asanas.

Join for one, two, or all four sessions from the safety of your own shelter-in-place. These unique classes also provide an opportunity to answer your questions about yoga practice and form. You don’t need yoga pants, previous experience, youth, flexibility, or any real-life experience in India to learn about yoga. Bring your amazing self to be in wonder of your abilities! Please contact Willow Chang (willowchang@hotmail.com) to be included in the weekly Zoom meeting invitation. Let’s learn and find a new center, together!

August Youth Retreat and Volunteer Event

Saturday, August 14, 9:30 am–2:00 pm

Any and all youth (6–12 graders) are welcome to join our Confirmation group for a retreat on Saturday, August 7, from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm. We will meet at LCH in the morning to collect food for donation to Angel Network. We’ll also grill a picnic and play games after our morning collection. Join us in service, food, and fellowship!

Food Drive Event for Angel Network

August 14, 10:00 am–Noon

With the help of our youth, there will be a food drive Saturday, August 7, to benefit Angel Network Charities. Donations of non-perishable food items, money donations, shopping bag, clothing, and household item will be collected in the LCH parking lot between 10:00 am and noon. For more information about Angel Network, please visit their website: www.angelnetworkcharities.org.

LCH OFFICE CLOSED

Monday, August 16, in observance of Hawai‘i Statehood Day

Writers’ Workshop

Tuesday, August 17, 4:30 pm • Via Zoom Meeting

Writers’ Workshop will meet via Zoom meeting since restrictions on group meetings at LCH are still in effect. All are welcome! If you would like to participate, please contact Peter Flachsbart at pflachsbart@gmail.com for information on how to connect remotely.

Punahou Academy School Term Parking Begins

Monday–Friday, beginning August 18 • Church Lot and Poki Lot

The Punahou Academy fall semester begins Wednesday, August 19. Student parking begins in the LCH Poki Street and church parking lots on that date. There are ten spaces reserved for Punahou students in the church parking lot for the fall and spring semesters. All spaces along the Poki Street side of the church lot and two spaces in the gravel area nearest to the dumpster are reserved. (See church lot parking diagram.) Please do not park in the designated student spaces Monday through Friday, from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm on school days only, through May 2021.

All Poki Street lot spaces are reserved for Punahou student parking, Monday through Friday, from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm on school days only, through May 2022. Please do not park in the Poki Street lot during regular business hours, Monday through Friday. Even if spaces are empty, they are paid for by and reserved for Punahou students.

It is recommended that you observe posted “Reserved Parking” signs and park in the church lot, against the LCH office building, during office hours when visiting LCH on regular business days. The church lot parking diagram is included here for guidance.

Please be aware that cars parked in the church lot after 10:00 pm will be towed at the owner’s expense.

IHS Brown Bag Meal Prep

LCH continues our commitment to IHS to assist with feeding the homeless during these difficult times. Although stay-at-home orders may have relaxed a bit, we anticipate that all the requirements of social distancing, masks, sanitizing, etc. will still be in force. Therefore, only a small group will be asked to make sandwiches, and those individuals will be contacted directly by phone or email. We will keep you updated about when we can be back to our regular group. Thank you for your patience as we navigate our way through the uncertainty.

LCH Summer Jazz Series

With our First Mondays Concerts taking a break for the summer, Lutheran Church of Honolulu has been proud to introduce our first ever Summer Jazz Series. Join us for a monthly concert featuring outstanding local players and singers. Our final performance for the summer will be in hybrid format.

Honolulu Vocal Jazz (Friday, August 20, 7:00 pm)—Enjoy a night of vocal jazz in the swinging styles of legendary groups like Manhattan Transfer, New York Voices, and Singers Unlimited. Wearing a hat from a previous life with Celebration Vocal Jazz and Celebrity Cruises, our music director Scott Fikse will be joined by five fabulous vocalists (Vanessa Manuel and Naomi Barrett, sopranos, Melissa Walker Glenn, alto; Daniel Henderson and Benjamin Sobel, tenors; and Scott Fikse, bass) and the LCH Jazz Combo (Reid Ishikaw, piano; Alika Lyman, bass; and Jeremy Lawi, drums) for an evening of unforgettable music from the pop, musical theater, jazz, and rock genres.

Ttickets will be available via Eventbrite. Audience members are strongly encouraged to be vaccinated. Masks and socially distant seating by party are required.

For livestream, the concert will be on our streaming page and the LCH Facebook page and then archived on the LCH Facebook page.

One Pot, One Hope

Maluhia Lutheran Church, Wai‘anae • Saturday morning, August 28 CANCELLED

One Pot, One Hope—a volunteer-led, food and outreach ministry of our Hukilau—is beginning again at Maluhia Lutheran Church in Wai‘anae. If you are able to offer a helping hand, to donate food, to finance meals, or to drive, let Peggy Anderson know or contact the office staff (vicar.bree@lchwelcome.org). All covid-19 protocols will be followed.

Mary Magdalene Society Potluck and Game Night

LCH Courtyard • Saturday, August 28, at 6:00 pm CANCELLED

Now that all our regular Mary Magdalene participants have been vaccinated, we invite fully-vaccinated LGBTQI members and friends of LCH to return to the LCH campus for a potluck and game night. The event will be carried out in compliance with LCH, City and County, and State mandates, so RSVPs will be required. Final details, including instructions for making reservations, will be distributed by email to those who are already on the Mary Magdalene mailing list about a week prior to the event. Please contact Bill Potter, group facilitator, at bill.potter808@gmail.com to be added to the mailing list or for more information.

Give Aloha Returns September 1!

LCH Org Code: 78224

We are registered again to participate in the annual Give Aloha Program, sponsored by Foodland/Western Union. During the month of September, donations to Give Aloha will be accepted, up to $249, at any Foodland or Sack N Save. Don’t forget your Maika‘i card and use the LCH Organization Code (78224) at the time of your donation. Foodland and Western Union will match every gift received up to $300,000 for all combined participating organizations.

Food for Thought

Food for Thought meetings will resume in September. For additional information or if you have any questions, please contact the church office at 808-941-2566.

LCH Women’s Book Club

The LCH Book Club is taking a summer break and will not be meeting during the month of August. Our September book is The Yellow House: Van Gogh, Gauguin, and Nine Turbulent Weeks in Arles by Martin Gayford.

God’s Work, Our Hands Volunteer Day

Join us in early September as LCH joins with ELCA congregations across the country in a day of service. This day is an opportunity to celebrate who we are as the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America—one church freed in Christ to serve and love our neighbor. LCH staff are planning a beach clean-up, on either September 11 or 18. Look for more details and a firm date in the weekly E-News during the month of August.

Updating Prayer Requests

Please help us to keep the Prayer Requests list relevant. If you have a friend or loved one who should remain on the list, we are glad to keep them in prayer. Please email the office to let us know when a name may be removed from the list.

Regular Offerings

While we are not able to meet in person, you are encouraged to mail your offering check directly to the church: Lutheran Church of Honolulu, 1730 Punahou Street, Honolulu HI 96822. If you would like to set up regular electronic funds transfer from your checking or savings account, forms are available at www.lchwelcome.org/support or can be requested by email to LCH@LCHwelcome.org. If you prefer to make a one time contribution or ongoing pledge by credit card, there is a link in the bottom right corner of each page of the church website or you can go directly to www.lchwelcome.org/donate. Thank you!

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.

Electronic Funds Transfers for June

Offering Fund	Amount	Offering Fund	Amount
Offering	$8,095	Family Promise	$65
Music/Instrument	$705	Capital Improvements	$55
Concert Fund	$358	One Pot, One Hope	$20

Attendance and Offerings for July

Date	Worship Service	Attendance	Offering Fund	Amount
July 4	Streaming Worship	136 views	Offerings	$22,950
			Music Fund	$705
			Family Promise	$165
			Social Ministries/IHS	$100
July 11	Streaming Worship	160 views	Domestic Relief	$30
			Capital Improvements	$20
July 18	Streaming Worship	205 views	Offerings	$2,850
			Concert Fund	$4300
Attendance for July 25 not available at time of publication

HeartBeat Deadline

Tuesday, August 17, 9:00 am

Alyssa B., the family of Anita B. and Malissa T., Arnold, friends and family of Billy S., Bruce H., Pastor Craig and family, Colleen K., Elwin B., Greg, Ilse L., Judy M., Kai K. and his family, Karen and Richard E., Kathy M., Kathy S., Kawai S., Keahi, Kendra K., Lori W., Michael, Patricia, Pomai S., Resi, William, Sidney M.

August Birthdays

08/03	Elizabeth Pearson
08/05	Nedra Walker
08/06	Sissy Arakawa
08/13	Alexa Sueda
08/14	Benjamin Fay
08/17	Gordon Wallace
08/18	Jean-Paul Klingebiel
08/24	Dennis Hethcote
08/27	Peggy Khan
08/29	Kristin S.

Calendar: August 2021

Day	Date	Event and Time
Sunday	August 1	9:00 am, Adult Forum Zoom Meeting 10:00 am, In-person & Streaming Worship Service 11:15 am, Virtual Coffee Talk Zoom Meeting
Tuesday	August 3	6:30 pm, Leadership Roundtable Zoom Meeting
Thursday	August 5	10:00 am, Bible Study Zoom Meeting 6:00 pm, Restorative Yoga Zoom Class
Sunday	August 8	9:00 am, Adult Forum Zoom Meeting 10:00 am, Streaming Worship Service 11:15 am, Virtual Coffee Talk Zoom Meeting
Monday	August 9	6:30 pm, Worship and Music Zoom Meeting
Thursday	August 12	10:00 am, Bible Study Zoom Meeting 6:00 pm, Restorative Yoga Zoom Class
Saturday	August 14	9:30 am, LCH Youth Group Retreat 10:00 am, Food Drive for Angel Network
Sunday	August 15	9:00 am, Adult Forum Zoom Meeting 10:00 am, Streaming Worship Service 11:15 am, Virtual Coffee Talk Zoom Meeting
Monday	August 16	LCH Office closed for Hawai‘i Statehood Day
Tuesday	August 17	HeartBeat Submissions Deadline
		4:30 pm, Writers’ Workshop Zoom Meeting
Wednesday	August 18	Noon, Finance Committee, Zoom Meeting
Thursday	August 19	10:00 am, Bible Study Zoom Meeting Noon, IHS Brown Bag Meal Prep (closed group) 6:00 pm, Restorative Yoga Zoom Class
Friday	August 20	7:00 pm, Summer Jazz: Honolulu Vocal Jazz
Sunday	August 22	9:00 am, Adult Forum Zoom Meeting 10:00 am, Streaming Worship Service 11:15 am, Virtual Coffee Talk Zoom Meeting
Tuesday	August 24	6:00 pm, Executive Council Zoom Meeting 6:30 pm, LCH Council Zoom Meeting
Thursday	August 26	10:00 am, Bible Study Zoom Meeting 6:00 pm, Restorative Yoga Zoom Class
Saturday	August 28	9:30 am, One Pot, One Hope CANCELLED 6:00 pm, Mary Magdalene Potluck and Game Night CANCELLED
Sunday	August 29	9:00 am, Adult Forum Zoom Meeting 10:00 am, Streaming Communion Service 11:15 am, Virtual Coffee Talk Zoom Meeting