In this issue:
- A Message from Pastor Jeff
- LCH Office Hours
- Stewardship Corner
- Committee/Interest Group Chairs
- Free Store a Big Success
- Angel Network In-Gathering
- Book of Faith Bible Study
- Restorative Yoga
- Meet ’n’ Greet Pūpū with Our Music Director and Organist Candidate
- Godly Play on Summer Break
- Adult Forum
- Virtual Coffee Talk with Pastor Jeff
- LCH Forest Hike and Service Project
- Mary Magdalene Society Potluck and Game Night
- LCH Women’s Book Club Summer Reading
- Writers’ Workshop
- IHS Brown Bag Meal Prep
- We Are Called: A Service in Celebration of Our Various Gifts
- Summer Jazz: QUADPOD
- Seeking Volunteers and Donations for ONE POT, ONE HOPE
- Food for Thought
- Thank You Note from Sister Joan Mitchell
- Regular Offerings
- An Easy Way to Donate
- Edward Shipwright Memorial Piano Fund
- HeartBeat Deadline
- Electronic Funds Transfers for June
- Attendance and Offerings for July
- Prayer Requests
- August Birthdays
- Calendar: August 2022
From Pastor Jeff
Blessed Are the Peacemakers—Faith in a Chaotic World
Several years ago, I traveled to Germany to continue my studies of my theological hero Dietrich Bonhoeffer. One rainy, cold afternoon we visited the concentration camp where Bonhoeffer spent his last days and was executed. As I stood near the spot where other prisoners reported Bonhoeffer had been killed, I wondered, “How can people reach a point where they would round up millions of Jews, homosexuals, Roma, mentally disabled, and other ʻundesirables’ to be enslaved, exterminated, humiliated, shot down in the streets on a whim, deprived of property, home, wealth, dignity, and hope.” Just below where I stood historians had gathered artifacts from the concentration camp at Flössenberg. Among the artifacts were tools prisoners used to quarry stone by hand in the dead of winter, pictures of accused homosexuals with their pink stars emblazoned on their threadbare jackets, and innocent requests from local factories asking for “day workers” from the camp. Pillows stuffed with human hair and piles of shoes taken from prisoners adorned the floor of one exhibit. Peppered throughout the exhibit were pictures of Nazi officials and guards in various poses with their devastated victims. Some smiled like young men on a lark as they held guns to a young woman’s head. Others aimed rifles at a row of prisoners lined up in front of a ditch the prisoners had just dug with their own hands. Still others grimly stuffed bodies into an incinerator—all for “the cause.”
As I wandered past artifact after artifact and image after image, I wondered, where were you, God? Where were you, decent, upstanding, moral citizens? Where were you, government officials charged with protecting the people? What a mad, mad world we live in when the social evil of a few people can infect a nation, even a world, to the point of Holocaust. And how mad must our world be that all these years later as white supremacists, Neo-Nazis, and even some American politicians deny the Holocaust ever happened, and thus set the stage for it to happen again, and again, and again.
Bonhoeffer looked to God in the midst of what he saw happening in his beloved country and world and made at least some effort to bring justice to the violent injustice being inflicted on those he saw as his spiritual siblings. He encouraged the world to see those victimized by the Nazis as truly human, truly beloved by God, and not as the subhuman demons Nazi propaganda described. Even more, he insisted that God’s love demanded concrete action, even sacrifice and risk, for the sake of our neighbor. Some would argue he did too little too late. Perhaps they are right. But he left us a spiritual roadmap to help us find our way in the madness of our modern world. Prayer, compassion, connectedness, dignity. Bonhoeffer writes regarding the sermon on the mount:
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God. The followers of Jesus have been called to peace. When he called them, they found their peace, for he is their peace. But now they are told that they must not only have peace but make peace.
Making peace is getting harder both locally and internationally. In the U.S., the rise of white supremacy, mass shootings, and assaults on the rights of women and migrants coupled with an increasingly unjust economic system crush the cause of peace before our very eyes. The war in Ukraine, political and economic instability in many countries worldwide, and the rise of violent populism have led to terrible erosion of life in many places around the world. Making matters worse, the ecologic/climate emergency unfolding before our very eyes is being treated as a minor annoyance by many in economic power.
Again, we wonder, “where is God in all of this; where are the leaders who will speak for the people; where are the moral and ethical actors in the midst of all of this?”
Those people, those moral actors and upright leaders are, of course, all around us. In Nazi Germany, some families and even churches assisted victims to leave the country or hide from persecution. God was there. People of faith saw that work as part of what it meant to “love thy neighbor,” and some gave up their own lives for the sake of those they were trying to protect. God was there. In these later days, many people of faith are standing up for changes to protect our children and each other from growing gun violence; others work tirelessly toward major changes in energy production to give future generations a chance for life. God is there. Still others seek ways for us to live together in peace through prayer and mutual understanding. God is there too. Even in the midst of Bonhoeffer’s greatest trials, pain, and doubt, he reminded himself, and us, that God was there.
Some would say that God seems absent in those places where the greatest violence and injustice takes hold. But for many people of faith, God seems particularly and clearly present in those places—in the hands of the helpers and in the hearts of the helpless. As we journey toward justice in these modern times, let us never forget those who suffered in our past, or lose sight of those who suffer in the present, or discount those destined to suffer in the future. In this increasingly chaotic, violent, and unjust world, God is here with hearts and hands bent toward the healing of the world.
Blessings,
Pr. 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 |
Sharing God’s Love with Our Neighbors
Over the past few months, our stewardship theme has transitioned from God’s love coming down to bless us to how we can share God’s love with our neighbors. Last month we introduced the Free Store concept and our first Free Store event was a success. Hopefully, you will continue to visit Free Store sites as you have things to share or are in need of items yourself.
This month we are focusing on some of the opportunities LCH fosters to care for our neighbors. LCH offers support to the Institute of Human Services and One Pot, One Hope by preparing and packing meals once a month for houseless members in our community. Friends of Windward Wounded Warriors offers friendships, mentorships, and recreational events for wounded, ill, and injured service members as they recover. We also support Family Promise with monetary contributions.
LCH has supported the Institute for Human Services (IHS) for many years. Originally, we prepare our famous LCH meatloaf with vegetables, coleslaw, fruit, and dessert once a month. In more recent years, we made sandwich sack lunches every other month that could be distributed as needed. When COVID shutdown many services, the LCH sandwich makers divided into two teams to continue to make sandwiches for IHS on a monthly basis. We continue to make sandwiches once a month, as the sack lunches are easier for the IHS staff to administer than a hot meal due to continued staffing shortages. Watch the E-News for details.
Our Hukilau conference started One Pot, One Hope as a way to minster to the houseless on along the Wai‘anae coast. On the last Saturday of each month a dedicated group from LCH carpools to Maluhia Lutheran Church to help pack lunches consisting of chili and rice, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, a granola bar, fresh fruit, and a bottle of water. These meals are then delivered to Our Lady of Kea‘au and to the Wai‘anae Boat Harbor for distribution to the houseless along the Wai‘anae coast. We would like to thank Peggy Anderson for being the LCH champion of One Pot and collecting gifts of food, recruiting people to help, and driving the crew to Maluhia Lutheran and back. Linda Mueller and Billie Jean Ries will coordinate LCH’s One Pot volunteers going forward.
Friends of Windward Wounded Warriors is dedicated to improving the lives of recovering service members by offering a variety of services and experiences for both service members and their families. Talk to Pastor Steve Jensen if you would like to offer your services. Donations can be made through LCH with the designation “Wounded Warriors.” One hundred percent of donated funds are used directly to benefit service members.
LCH supports Family Promise through monetary donations. Family Promise is dedicated to helping families find temporary housing solutions and financial counseling until they can afford housing on their own. The Family Promise model has evolved over the years, and will continue to do so as they are currently looking for a new CEO to lead the organization into the future. Donations may be made through LCH with a “Family Promise” designation.
Many of us enjoy using our hands and our time to help others. Being productive to provide something substantial for friends and neighbors makes us feel blessed. While it may seem like there is not much we can do to help those around us, a passing smile, a kind word, holding the door open for someone are all little things that can make the receiving person’s day brighter.
Pam Buckley for the Stewardship Team
Peggy Anderson, Pam Buckley, Willow Chang, Phyllis Hörmann, Barbara Poole-Street, Bill Potter
Free Store a Big Success
A special thank you to Barb Poole-Street for coordinating the Free Store event held last Sunday and for transporting the leftover treasures to a Free Store in Hawai‘i Kai. Thanks also for help from the Stewardship Team (Peggy Anderson, Pam Buckley, Willow Chang, Barb Poole-Street, and Bill Potter) who helped plan the event and also assisted before and after the event. Thank you also to those who pitched in to set up tables, pack up the leftover treasures, as well as take down tables. And finally, thank you to all who brought treasures and shopped for treasures. I think everyone went home happy having discovered new treasures as well as having gotten rid of some!
We had 182 treasures donated plus miscellaneous books and magazines. At least 111 treasures were claimed along with some of the miscellaneous books. Quite remarkable, don’t you think! We hope to plan another one in the future.
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.
Book of Faith Bible Study
Thursdays, 10:00–11:45 am • Boardroom/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 4, 11, 18, and 25, 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!
Meet ’n’ Greet Pūpū with Our Music Director and Organist Candidate
Friday, August 5th, 6:00 pm
All are welcome for conversation and pūpū with our director of music and organist candidate. The gathering will be Friday, August 5th, at 6:00 pm in the Hörmann Courtyard. Come for fellowship, food, and story (and possibly music!), as we learn more about one another.
Godly Play on Summer Break
During the summer, 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 August, we’ll take a four-week look at how the visual arts can contribute to our understanding of scripture and theology. Word and image have been entwined in religious art for millennia. We will look at a few very specific examples of this relationship. How does an image explicate a scriptural passage, and how does scripture provide a context of understanding for a work of art? How do the two forms of expression enhance or detract from each other? Is your understanding of each enlarged by their relationship? We will look at 3 posters created for Lenten bulletin boards, and posted in the courtyard in 2016, 2017, and 2018. We’ll share ideas about the art and discuss how these creative works relate to the appointed scripture and Lenten themes.
All are welcome to join the Adult Forum on Sunday mornings, either via Zoom Meeting or in-person in the Boardroom. If you are coming for worship, just head to the Boardroom at 9:00 and join the others who are there. You do not need to bring your own computer. If you are participating via Zoom, download the free Zoom app, click on the Zoom link sent to you, and 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 Forest Hike and Service Project
Saturday, August 13, from 8:30 am to 3:00 pm • Meet at Waialua School Parking Lot
We will be going deep into the Wai‘anae Mountains above Mokulē‘ia. After learning about native plants, we will follow our guide David Anderson up the Nike Road, through a locked gate, to the rare plant nursery on the 685-acre Pahole Preserve. We will outplant some native species and do weed control on the hiking trail.
Bring work gloves, plenty of water, a sack lunch, sunscreen, and insect repellent. Wear good sturdy close-toed shoes, have a hat, and consider a long-sleeved shirt and rain gear. Hand tools will be provided. This schedule is dependent on several factors: rain, hiking ability of our group, and our timing. Alternative trails and service areas enable us to be flexible in our activities.
The hike is approximately 4 miles round trip. There are spectacular views to Mākua Valley and the coastline. All participants must turn in release forms. The Pahole Preserve was established in 1981 under the management of the State of Hawai‘i, Department of Land and Natural Resources.
Mary Magdalene Society Potluck and Game Night
Saturday, August 13, at 6:00 pm • Hörmann Courtyard
Mary Magdalene Society will meet in-person for our potluck and game night in the LCH courtyard on August 13. 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 August 7 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.
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.
- 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.)
Writers’ Workshop
Tuesday, August 16, at 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.
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.
We Are Called: A Service in Celebration of Our Various Gifts
Sunday, August 21, at 10:00 am
All are invited to join us in-person or online on August 21st, at 10:00 am, for a Sunday worship service celebrating our varied gifts in ministry. This is an opportunity to recognize and lift up the various ways that God calls us to work and serve the world and our neighbor—through music, art, teaching, healthcare, businesses, technology, volunteering, and in so many more ways. Manifold are the ways that God works through us in the world. Let us support and celebrate these holy gifts in each other.
Summer Jazz: QUADPOD
Friday, August 26, at 7:00 pm • Hörmann Courtyard/Streaming
The Summer Jazz Series concludes with QUADPOD. This neo-jazz quartet continues to dazzle with their dynamic and modern sound. Led by trumpeter DeShannon Higa, they will take the listener on a musical journey of tone and texture that tantalizes the senses and cradles the soul.
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.
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.
Food for Thought
Food for Thought will take a summer break and resume at the end of September.
Thank You Note from Sister Joan Mitchell, csj
This thank you letter to the LCH congregation is from Sister Joan Mitchell, csj, who preached at Bree’s ordination in February. Half of the offering donation from the ordination went to her organization, Good Ground Press, to support women’s theological education.
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 | $9,435 | Family Promise | $70 |
| Music Fund | $285 | Capital Improvements | $55 |
| Concert Fund | $75 | One Pot, One Hope | $20 |
HeartBeat Deadline
Tuesday, August 16, 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., friends and family of John David S., Judy M., Karen and Kerstin, Karen and Richard E., Kathy M., Kendra K., Kim B., Lissa G., Lori W., Michael, Miriam S., Patricia, Resi, Samantha C., Steve, Sweetie K., 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.
