In this issue:
- A Message from Pastor Jeff
- LCH Office Hours
- Stewardship Corner
- Committee/Interest Group Chairs
- Angel Network In-Gathering
- Godly Play on Summer Break
- Adult Forum
- Virtual Coffee Talk with Pastor Jeff
- LCH office closed for Independence Day
- Leadership Roundtable
- Book of Faith Bible Study
- Restorative Yoga
- E-Waste Recycling
- LCH Women’s Book Club Summer Reading
- IHS Brown Bag Meal Prep
- The Alika Lyman Trio
- Mary Magdalene Society Potluck and Game Night
- Seeking Volunteers and Donations for ONE POT, ONE HOPE
- Scott’s Farewell and Celebration Potluck
- Food for Thought
- Writers’ Workshop will not meet in July
- Regular Offerings
- An Easy Way to Donate
- Edward Shipwright Memorial Piano Fund
- HeartBeat Deadline
- Electronic Funds Transfers for May
- Attendance and Offerings for June
- Prayer Requests
- July Birthdays
- Calendar: July 2022
From Pastor Jeff
Welcomes and Farewells
In the liturgy for Farewell and Godspeed in the ELW we read this prayer: “Eternal God, we thank you for (names)and for the time we have shared with them. As they have been a blessing to us, so now send them forth to be a blessing for others, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.”
This summer we are saying some hard farewells. In May, Pam and Brent Buckley transitioned into full retirement and moved to a home on the mainland. Pam served on the congregational council for many years (including as council president) and was a mainstay of leadership for LCH for over 30 years. Brent also served on council including a stint as president. They were also huge supporters of LutherFest and donated a most important element of festivities (beer!).
In early June we said farewell to the Larsen family who are following their military career back to the mainland. We give thanks for their time with us and ask God’s blessings as you move to your new home. You have been a treasure and we will miss you.
Just a few hours later, Reid Ishikawa, assistant director of music played his last service at the Pentecost Jazz Mass on June 5th before starting a new position with Royal Hawaiian Band. Reid has been an incredible member of our ministry team for four years. His innovative ideas, musicianship, and easy-going manner have led us to worship paths we didn’t know we were being called to travel. But through Reid and his partnership with Scott, God led us to trod some pretty exciting worship journeys. Thank you, Reid for sharing yourself and your gifts with this community.
But God always has something going on! Samuel Chen substituted for Reid one Sunday and truly got Scott’s and my attention. As he rehearsed, Scott and I agreed that he had to be our next assistant music director. Thank goodness, Sam agreed, and he began his work with LCH at the end of May. Sam brings a gentle character coupled with phenomenal musical skills. He is a great addition to the staff and will work with the new music director (when hired). Welcome Sam!
A last and bitter farewell will happen at the end of July. Scott Fikse, our director of music and liturgy will lead his last worship before heading to the University of Washington where he will pursue a masterʻs degree. Scott joined our staff seven years ago and has worked hard not only to maintain a quality music program but also to grow and evolve the program during some pretty difficult times. Scott procured our first (and subsequent) grant from the Orvis Foundation, and that has been key to expanding the concert series and augmenting the choir. He worked closely with community music groups like Early Music Hawaii to support their mission and brought many local artists to play in worship and concerts. He also has continued to oversee and manage the extensive LCH “worship matrix” and reorganized our cloud-based resource base which will make its use far easier for the next director of music.
But I want to particularly thank Scott for really stepping up to work with the rest of the staff during covid. While many churches shut down all together or resorted to pre-recorded “fireside chats” from the pastor for worship, Scott joined with the rest of the staff to immediately and safely continue worship, choir and all. Over the course of covid, he never hesitated to experiment, innovate, and simply work hard to provide the best ministry experience we could muster. Seeing the Honolulu community starving for some sort of “live” music, Scott enhanced the First Mondays Concerts, added a jazz series, and called on local musicians to play at worship whenever possible. All of these efforts keep worship fresh and musicians earning money when nearly every other venue had shut down. He even recruited his wonderful husband Marcus to learn our broadcasting software and work with my spouse Jean and other volunteers on the tech side of the covid worship stream. (They are still doing it.) Marcus has been such a blessing to our congregation, and we will miss his eager willingness and energy!
I’m not sure our members really understand the amount of effort, time, and emotional energy it took to carry on during COVID—but I know, and I am thankful Scott was more than up to the task. I could say so much more, but I’ll finish with this. Thank you, dear friend. You have been and are a blessing to us all. May God send you to be blessing to others!
God’s Peace,
Pastor Jeff
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
Given the persistence of covid in our community, the LCH office and church campus are generally closed to in-person meetings and gatherings as we continue to practice mutual care. 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.
Committee/Interest Group Chairs
| Committee/Group | Leader |
|---|---|
| Archive: | Jim Cartwright |
| Concert: | Scott Fikse |
| Communications: | Carol Langner |
| Community Life: | Larry Anderson |
| Council: | Dan Dennison |
| 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 Pastor Jeff Lilley |
| Scholarship: | Fred Benco |
| Social Ministry: | Jean Lilley Miles Sato |
| Stewardship: | Phyllis Hörmann Willow Chang |
| Sunday School: | Linda Miller |
| Website: | Bill Potter |
| Worship & Music: | Roy Helms Randy Castello |
| Writers’ Workshop: | Peter Flachsbart |
| Youth: | Pastor Jeff Lilley |
Reaching out to Our Neighbors through the Gift Economy
It is written of the early Christians that “All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need.” (Acts 2: 44-45). However, today’s world does not embody those biblical concepts. The economy rations goods and services with prices, and acquiring a good requires appropriate payment, leaving many people unable to acquire desired and often necessary goods.
Recently though, the concept of a “gift economy,” in which goods and services are freely exchanged with no payment or promises to pay, has received increased interest. Here in Honolulu, there are at least two different kinds of “gift economy exchanges.”
One is the “Buy Nothing” groups of Facebook, where members may post either “Gifting” messages, offering items they no longer need to other members, or “Asking” messages, requesting items they need. Upon reading a Gifting post, a member may reply with a request for the good. Similarly, a member reading an Asking post may reply that they have and will provide the requested item. When there is a match, the giver and the receiver determine the specifics of picking up the item. Some items exchanged are quite valuable. Others might be deemed worthless, not even accepted by thrift shops but still in demand by others. Exchanges might be of piles of old newspapers, packing boxes, plant cuttings, toys, large pieces of furniture, or even foodstuffs.
Free Store Q and A
When is it? Sunday, July 17, from 8:30 am to noon.
What can I bring? Any usable item that you no longer need is welcomed.
What if the item I want to bring is too large to easily transport? Bring a photo for display.
When do I bring my items? We will begin setting up our store up at 8:00 am Sunday morning, so bring your item (or photo) anytime from 8:30 am until just before 10:00 am worship.
What happens to the leftovers? They will be donated to one of the free stores on O‘ahu.
What if I have questions? Contact Barb Poole-Street at bpoolestreet@gmail.com or 808-358-4292.
The other example of a gift economy on island is the “Free Store.” Much like the little libraries sprouting on Honolulu streets, free stores are simply stands where people may drop off items they no longer need and/or pick up items in the store they can use. No money exchanges hands, and the stands are mostly unattended.
A gift economy has many advantages over our market economy: encouraging recycling (as items often considered worthless even by thrift shops are successfully passed from one person to another); discouraging production of new items when used are available; encouraging community (the prime focus of the Buy Nothing founders); and reducing economic injustice, as acquiring needed goods is not dependent upon a person’s bank account.
Here at LCH, we will have the opportunity to experience an example of a gift economy with a free store at LCH on Sunday, July 17. We are invited to donate items we no longer need to our free store and to choose items from the free store to take home. The items will be displayed from 8:30 am to noon that Sunday, after which the unchosen goods will be donated to another free store.
Barbara Poole-Street for the Stewardship Team
Peggy Anderson, Pam Buckley, Willow Chang, Phyllis Hörmann, Barbara Poole-Street, Bill Potter
Angel Network In-Gathering
LCH is not collecting donations for Angel Network Charities until further notice. However, Angel Network is accepting donations at the Calvary-by-the-Sea Lutheran Church location in east O‘ahu: 5339 Kalaniana‘ole Highway, Honolulu 96821.
For those who are able and interested in donating, they accept donations on Thursdays and Fridays, from 8:30 am to noon. They will only accept packaged, unopened dry goods (e.g. cereal, flour, sugar, pasta, etc.) and canned goods.
Angel Network requires that donating drivers identify themselves and remain in their vehicle. Volunteers will offload donation items from your vehicle with protective gloves. Over 2,500 individuals are served monthly through this program. Mahalo for your generosity and support.
Godly Play on Summer Break
During the summer, starting on June 5, there is no Godly Play Sunday school.
Starting again September 4, LCH will offer Godly Play Sunday school for children from kindergarten through 5th grade. All are welcome!
Sign up for next year’s Godly Play Sunday school on Rally Sunday, August 28. In the meantime, have a great summer!
Adult Forum
Sundays at 9:00 am • In-person in the Boardroom or Via Zoom Meeting
For the month of July, Wayne Gau will continue his wide-ranging presentation/discussion of the Beatitudes found in Matthew Chapters 5–7. We have already discussed, among other things, whether the Beatitudes were radical for the times and whether God gets angry or is always serene. Please join us for these engaging sessions.
All are welcome to join the Adult Forum Zoom meetings, live on 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 the list for the Adult Forum, please contact Stan Baptista at stan.baptista@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. Discussion is conducted via the Zoom Meeting platform, and runs 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.
LCH OFFICE will be closed Monday, July 4
in observance of Independence Day
Leadership Roundtable
Tuesday, July 5, 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, July 7, 14, 21, and 28, 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!
E-Waste Recycling
Saturday, July 9, 9:00–11:00 am • Central Union Church, Punahou St. Lot
Plan now to take advantage of this rare opportunity to recycle e-waste and other items, in our own neighborhood! Gather up your unwanted items and be ready to go on Saturday, July 9th.
Check out the poster on the bulletin board next to the kitchen for information on what they will accept.
LCH Women’s Book Club Summer Reading
For the summer the LCH Book Club will be reading the first books in mystery series with female detectives. Our meeting will be by Zoom on 10:00 on the third Monday of each month. Please contact the church office if you would like to be added to the list for the Zoom call.
- July 18: The Beekeeper’s Apprentice by Laurie R. King
- August 15: Reader’s choice (Each of us will read the first book in a mystery series with a female detective and share our impressions.)
IHS Brown Bag Meal Prep
LCH continues our commitment to IHS to assist with feeding the homeless during these difficult times. Although covid restrictions in the community have relaxed, we continue to practice the requirements of social distancing, masks, sanitizing, etc. in this ministry. 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.
The Alika Lyman Trio
Friday, July 22, at 7:00 pm • Hörmann Courtyard/Streaming
The Alika Lyman Group is a trio of talented musicians: Alika, Jeffrey James (drums), and Ricardo Diaz (bass). This trio will finess their way through straight jazz, light funk, ballads, and more. “Halfway through the song, while I’m swaying to the sweet sounds, my friend leans over and says, ‘Wow. This is what dreams are made of.’” The trio will be joined by special guest vocalists. Join us for a free concert in the courtyard featuring these great musicians. Donations are welcome. The concert will also be live-streamed on the LCH streaming page and the LCH Facebook page.
Mary Magdalene Society Potluck and Game Night
Saturday, July 23, at 6:00 pm • Hörmann Courtyard
Mary Magdalene Society will meet in-person for our potluck and game night in the LCH courtyard on July 23. We invite LGBTQI members and friends of LCH to prepare their favorite potluck dish, bring a game to play, and join in the festivities. As part of our commitment to mutual care, participants should RSVP in advance, be fully-vaccinated, wear quality masks at all times except where individuals are actively eating and drinking, and maintain physical distancing.
An email will be sent around July 17 to those who are already on the Mary Magdalene mailing list, detailing the RSVP procedure. If you don’t receive your invitation, have questions, or want to be added to the mailing list, please contact Bill Potter, group facilitator, at bill.potter808@gmail.com.
Seeking Volunteers and Donations for ONE POT, ONE HOPE
Saturday, June 25, at 9:00 am • Maluhia Lutheran Church in Wai‘anae
The One Pot, One Hope ministry, a Hukilau project hosted monthly by Maluhia Lutheran Church in Wai‘anae, restarted on March 26. Please consider participating by joining the volunteers, at the next meet-up on Saturday, May 28, at 9:00 am. You can also contribute by donating 5-lb. cans of chili, cartons of granola bars, or large jars of peanut butter or jelly; or you can support this outreach with funds either by check or via the LCH Donate page. (Be sure to designate donation for One Pot, One Hope.) Food items may be dropped off during coffee hour on Sundays or left at the office during open hours. Contact pr.bree@LCHwelcome.org with any questions. Mahalo for assisting with this mission to provide meals to our neighbors.
Scott’s Farewell and Celebration Potluck
Sunday, July 31, at LCH
We’re saying goodbye to our director of music, Scott Fikse, at the end of July. All LCH members and friends are invited to a Cake Reception after the worship service on July 31st and to a Celebration Potluck in the evening at 5:30 pm. Please join us in wishing Scott and Marcus a blessed farewell.
For those who cannot attend, we are collecting farewell cards or letters for Scott. Please mail them to the church and we’ll make sure to get them to Scott before his departure. If you have questions about the potluck, please contact the church office at 808-941-2566.
Food for Thought
Food for Thought will take a summer break and resume at the end of September.
Writers’ Workshop will not meet in July
The next meeting of Writers’ Workshop is Tuesday, August 16th from 4:30 pm to 6:00 pm. If you would like to participate, please contact Peter Flachsbart at pflachsbart@gmail.com for information on how to connect remotely.
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.
| Offering Fund | Amount | Offering Fund | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Offering | $9,360 | Family Promise | $70 |
| Music Fund | $285 | Capital Improvements | $55 |
| Concert Fund | $95 | One Pot, One Hope | $20 |
HeartBeat Deadline
Tuesday, July 19, 9:00 am
Angela N., Aubrey A., friends and family of Billy S., Bruce H., Chuck H. and Nan W., Colleen K., Dan, Diane B., Harold W., Ilse L., Jenny P., John S., Judy M., Karen and Kerstin, Karen and Richard E., Kathy M., Keahi, Kendra K., Kim B., Lissa G., Lori W., Luka, Michael, Miriam S., Patricia, Resi, Rudy R., Samantha C., Steve, Tom P., Tom R., and William
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.
