In this issue:
- A Message from Pastor Jeff
- LCH Office Hours
- Stewardship Corner
- Committee/Interest Group Chairs
- Angel Network In-Gathering
- School Donations (Kamaile Academy)
- First Mondays: The Music of Queen Lili‘uokalani
- Leadership Roundtable
- Book of Faith Bible Study
- Restorative Yoga
- Godly Play Sunday School
- Adult Forum
- Virtual Coffee Talk with Pastor Jeff
- Compline
- Mary Magdalene Society Potluck and Game Night
- Confirmation Classes
- LCH Women’s Book Club
- Writers’ Workshop
- IHS Brown Bag Meal Prep
- Tree Planting Update
- Seeking Volunteers and Donations for ONE POT, ONE HOPE
- Family Promise of Hawai‘i Update
- School Donations (Kamaile Academy)
- Regular Offerings
- Edward Shipwright Memorial Piano Fund
- HeartBeat Deadline
- Electronic Funds Transfers for March
- Attendance and Offerings for April
- Prayer Requests
- May Birthdays
- Calendar: May 2023
From Pastor Jeff
The Gospel according to Matthew begins with a genealogy of Jesus. In an abbreviated format the writer recounts 42 generations from Abraham to “the Messiah.” Some experts see the genealogy as the author’s way of reminding the readers that Jesus’ status is doubly proved because he is counted in the lineage of David and the Messiah was to be from that line. The author wants to make the Messiah claim in the first chapter, therefore, framing everything that follows—Jesus’ birth, life, death, and resurrection—as part of God’s genealogy unfolding to God’s future. The familiar words that follow the genealogy are striking, “Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way.” There is no cold counting of begats and their offspring but a touching story of a young woman and her betrothed finding themselves in an impossible situation. “And a young woman shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,” which means “God is with us” (Matt. 1:23).
The unfolding of Jesus’ life will encompass the rest of the book of Matthew. He will be baptized, gather disciples, heal, teach, weep, and laugh. Some will receive him as a God, some as a prophet, some as a teacher, friend, healer, miracle, and miracle worker. But others receive him as a threat, a fraud, a rabble rouser, or a charlatan. He seems to elicit either wonder or anxiety, hope or anxiety depending on one’s point of view. Those whose illness is cured on the sabbath are delighted and thankful; those in charge of the sabbath are angry that Jesus broke a commandment. When Jesus heals the Gadarene demoniac in chapter 8, the man who is healed is pretty happy, but the demons and the townspeople are not so happy. Curiously, at least in Matthew, nobody seems to see him as irrelevant or boring.
The end of Matthew’s story is very different from its beginning. Mathew goes into great detail about Jesus’ capture, trial, crucifixion, burial, and resurrection. Just when you think Jesus is done, the story unfolds a bit more, and Jesus meets them again in Galilee, gives them his power, and says, “…remember, I am with you always to the end of the ages.” Matthew comes full circle—the genealogy of faith is passed to the next generation, and Jesus’ name is fulfilled: “God with us.”
So here we are 2023 years later. We are next in Matthew’s genealogy of faithful story tellers bringing the good news of Jesus’ love to the world. But the story telling, healing, hoping, and sharing seem less urgent now. In Mathew’s account, Jesus elicits lots of different reactions, but as far we can tell, few of them were yawns! But there seems to be a lot of yawning these days, especially in mainline congregations like our own. I wonder, why should the good news matter to anyone else if it doesn’t really matter to us?
I am pretty sure that Jesus is still not boring, but maybe we are bored of Jesus. Or maybe Jesus isn’t boring, but church has become so. I don’t really know. What seems sure is that it might be a good first step for our little part of the genealogy of story tellers to come together and listen to one another, to our community, and to God and reconnect to the amazing ministry God is up to in the world. Our best and most faithful work happens when we do it as a community gathered in worship, fellowship, and prayer. We cannot revitalize ourselves, but we can be open to the revitalization God is bringing to us.
The whole church is undergoing a kind of metamorphosis. How we see the coming change will depend on our perspective. The world is changing, and so is the church. Whatever lies ahead for us we can be sure it won’t be boring. I hope and pray you will be part of it.
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: | Barry Wenger |
| 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 |
Healing a Broken World: Healing Creation II
Yahweh took the human and put the human in the garden of Eden to serve it and keep it.—Genesis 2:15
Healing Creation, our focus for April and May, calls us to remember the task God gave the first humans in Genesis: to serve and keep the garden God created and placed us in. This understanding has led us at LCH on a journey to help reforest our island home with native trees. As the LCH ‘ohana, we are taking important steps to plant trees that will not only make our corner of the world healthier but also help heal our planet.
Trees are incredibly complex and offer many benefits. Besides being beautiful to look at, they filter the air, serve as reservoirs of water, turn the carbon dioxide that is harmful to many creatures into the oxygen we need to survive, cool the planet, provide food for us and other animals, afford homes for birds, and so much more. They even help coral reefs by preventing soil erosion that ends up in the ocean! What wonderful gifts are packaged within a tree!
While planting trees is one of the easiest, most beneficial actions we can take to help heal creation, there are many other things we can do. Here are some suggestions from an Earth Day Facebook post by First Northern Bank (Dixon, CA) a couple of years ago:
- Energy Use
- Turn off lights when you leave a room
- Make sure your water heater is not set too high (no hotter than 120°F)
- Avoid doing laundry during peak hours (wash before 4:00 pm or after 7:00 pm and during the hot summer days, early morning is best)
- Unplug unused appliances
- Recycle, Reduce, Reuse
- Switch to eco-friendly, non-toxic cleaning products as you run out
- Recycle paper, plastic and glass
- Instead of paper towels, use rags or old t-shirts for cleaning
- Save glass jars to store homemade dressings, leftovers, lunch, and more
- Think Green—Save paper by:
- Setting your printer to print two-sided
- Changing your paper bills to online billing
- Signing up to receive your banking statements via email
Our planet is in bad shape because too many of us see the Earth as something to be used rather than as a gift to be treasured and cared for. Luckily, our planet has an incredible capacity to heal, something that became evident during the pandemic when our consumerism and propensity to travel slowed. If we begin to follow God’s instructions to be stewards of this wonderful Earth, then through our daily actions, we can help heal creation.
Cindy Scheinert for the Stewardship Team
Pam Buckley, Willow Chang, Walter Cummings, Phyllis Hörmann, Barbara Poole-Street, Cindy Scheinert
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.
First Mondays Concert Series: The Music of Queen Lili‘uokalani
Monday, May 1, at 7:00 pm • In-person Only
May Day is Lei Day in Hawaiʻi. To honor the day, Duane Padilla and friends weave a lei of favorite songs by Queen Liliʻoukalani arranged for string quartet. The arrangements were created by Duane Padilla, and he will be performing them along with Daniel Padilla, Alex Peña, and Joshua Akira Nakazawa. They will be joined by world-renowned guitarist Jeff Peterson and students from Hawai’i Youth Opera Chorus presenting traditional mele. Get ready for an exciting program!
All are invited to gather for pūpū in the Hörmann Courtyard and 6:15 pm. The concert is free, with a suggested donation $20. As a courtesy to others, please wear a face mask inside the church.
Leadership Roundtable
Tuesday, May 2, 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 • Boardroom/Zoom Meeting
The Book of Faith Bible Study meets on Thursday mornings in-person or via Zoom online meeting. 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, May 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!
Godly Play Sunday School
Since LCH services are now hybrid, we are presenting a hybrid in-person/online version of Godly Play. The in-person part will take place in the Godly Play Room and Isenberg Hall at 9:00 and will follow the same guidelines as LCH in-person worship. Each Saturday the link for the on-line meeting will be sent to all who want to join from their home. The on-line meeting will be shorter, just covering the story. Contact the LCH office if you wish to be added to the invitation list.
This class is geared to children in kindergarten through 5th grade. All are welcome! Stories for May:
- 5/7—Knowing Jesus in a New Way 4 & 5
- 5/14—St. Columba Object Box
- 5/21—The Story of Ruth and Naomi
- 5/28—Change paraments/Pentecost
Adult Forum
Sundays at 9:00 am • In-person in the Boardroom or Via Zoom Meeting
During May, Pastor Phyllis Hörmann will continue to lead Adult Forum in exploring prayer using the book You Are Already Praying. Topics include prayer in work, prayer in action, and prayer in the body.
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
Sunday, May 7, 11:30 am • Via Zoom Meeting
Virtual Coffee Hour will be held at 11:30 am on the first Sunday of each month instead of weekly. Hope you can join us!
You are invited to join with your LCH ‘ohana on the first 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.
Compline
Sundays, May 7 and 21, at 7:30 pm • In-person and Via Livestream Broadcast
We warmly invite all people in all places of faith and life to Compline on the first and third Sundays of each month. This beautiful candle-lit service is a meditative experience of a cappella singing and chanting to commemorate the day’s end. Led by members of the LCH Men’s Schola, musical selections include Gregorian chant, Taizé chant, Renaissance polyphony, and more.
For those not attending in person, Compline will be livestreamed on our Worship Services page and the LCH Facebook page.
Mary Magdalene Society Potluck and Game Night
Saturday, May 13, at 6:00 pm • Hörmann Courtyard
Mary Magdalene Society will meet in-person for our potluck and game night in the Hörmann Courtyard. We invite LGBTQI members and friends of LCH to prepare their favorite potluck dish 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 May 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.
Confirmation Classes
Sundays, May 14 and 28, at 11:45 am • 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.
Please contact Pastor Jeff at pr.jeff@LCHwelcome.org for more information.
LCH Women’s Book Club
Monday, May 15, at 10:00 am • In-Person at the Murashige’s Home and Via Zoom
LCH Women’s Book Club will meet on Monday, May 15, at the Murashige’s home. We will also be on Zoom for those who prefer to maintain distance. We’ll be reading the book Middlemarch by George Eliot. Please come and join us for a fun morning.
If you are not already on the Book Club list, please contact Juditha Murashige at jcmurashige@earthlink.net to receive an invitation to join them. All are welcome.
Writers’ Workshop
Tuesday, May 16, at 4:30 pm • Via Zoom Meeting
Writers’ Workshop will continue to meet via Zoom meeting. 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.
Tree Planting Update
A million mahalos to all who have given so generously to our Tree Fund! We’ve exceeded our goal of $800 and are on our way to doubling that amount. Thank you for your overwhelming support of this project!
As you heard on Earth Day Sunday, Legacy Trees is one of the organizations we’re going to support. They lease land from Gunstock Ranch in Kahuku and are in the process of reforesting the area. One of the trees we buy from Legacy will be digitally tagged and designated as gifted by the LCH ‘ohana. Using photos taken by drones, we’ll be able to watch our tree grow!
On Saturday, May 20, our group of volunteers will put our little tree in the ground as well as plant other native trees. To be at Gunstock Ranch by 8:30 am, those who wish to carpool will need to leave the church at 7:00 am (I know—it’s very early! 😱). We’ll finish planting at 11:30 am, and if there’s interest, we’ll look for a place to have lunch on the North Shore.
Because Legacy needs to know how many people will be attending as well as have the completed waiver forms in hand at least 5 days prior to our workday, you must register for this event by May 13 at the latest. Please see Cindy in the courtyard after church to sign up and to fill out the waiver form. Let’s plant some trees and help heal creation!
Seeking Volunteers and Donations for ONE POT, ONE HOPE
Saturday, February 25, at 9:00 am • Maluhia Lutheran Church in Wai‘anae
The One Pot, One Hope ministry, a Hukilau project, continues each month at Maluhia Lutheran Church in Wai‘anae. Please consider participating by joining the volunteers, at the next meet-up.
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.
Family Promise of Hawai‘i Update
On March 30, Family Promise of Hawai‘i (FPH) held a Thank You for their volunteers and donors. As members of host congregations, many have been part of the FPH ‘ohana for years, helping to host, cook meals, and offer hospitality for up to 14 people within their church settings. The restrictions of covid shut down this shelter model, and FPH came up with new systems to help families in need of shelter and services.
As the agency continues to grow and innovate, some new possibilities are emerging.
- With grants in hand, they continue to look for suitable building to purchase, to serve as a family resource center and to provide temporary housing.
- They are working to bring back a new version of the “shelter” model. Nu‘uanu Congregational Church (NCC) was the first to sign a lease arrangement to make portions of their campus permanently available to FPH for temporary shelter. Three other congregations have followed NCC. These arrangements will help stabilize the temporary shelter FPH can offer.
- The goal of FPH is to keep families together as they work through the procedures to find and qualify for permanent housing. Therefore, FPH works with single-parent, dual-parent, and extended families—families of all kinds.
- Infancy Homelessness: demographically, the age group with the highest rate of homelessness is children under 1 year old. Children aged 1 to 5 are the next largest group.
As LCH members continue to give contributions designated to FPH, we are able to send yearly financial donations. We aren’t able to offer actual shelter to FPH families, but there may be other ways we can help in a volunteer capacity. More on that later this year.
For its size, Family Promise of Hawai‘i is highly successful in the assistance they provide for families. In 2022, they placed over 200 families, with approximately 850 children and adults.
School Donations
At our Hukilau Conference, Donna Calarruda, a member of Maluhia Lutheran Church, mentioned that there is a need in her classroom for kids to have jackets. Many of the kids at Kamaile Academy come to school in shorts and t-shirts, and, since the classroom is air conditioned, they tuck their arms and legs into their shirts to stay warm. Maybe you have a big long sleeve shirt to donate? Or a jacket you’re not using anymore? Any and all donations are appreciated! Thank you for helping to show God’s love and warmth to our keiki on the Wai‘anae Coast.
Regular Offerings
If you are not attending church 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!
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.
HeartBeat Deadline
Tuesday, May 16, 9:00 am
Aubrey A., Brenda Sue C., Chuck H. and Nan W., Colleen K., Diane B., Elaine, Greg G., Harold W., Intae K., Jenny P., friends and family of John David S., Jamie W. and his family, Karen and Kerstin, Karen and Richard E., Keith W., Kim B., Lissa G., Lori W., Michael, Mike M., Miriam S., the family of Ruth S., Samantha C., Star W., Steve, the Swanson Family, Sweetie K., 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.
| 05/05 | Vreni Griffith |
| 05/11 | Ivan Kaeo |
| 05/14 | Miles Sato |
| 05/17 | Karyn Castro |
| 05/22 | Miguel Felipe |
| 05/23 | Francisco Barajas |
| 05/24 | Stephanie Luuloa |
| 05/28 | Lilianna S. |
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