In this issue:
- Summer Jazz Journey
- Invitation to Attend ‘Ohana Gatherings
- From Pastor Jeff
- LCH Office Hours
- Stewardship Corner
- Committee/Interest Group Chairs
- Angel Network In-Gathering
- Leadership Roundtable
- Game Day
- LCH OFFICE CLOSED for Independence Day
- Mary Magdalene Society Potluck and Game Night
- All Ages Sunday School
- Adult Forum
- Virtual Coffee Talk
- Book of Faith Bible Study
- Restorative Yoga
- Writers’ Workshop
- IHS Sandwich Making
- LCH Work Day
- Sinfonietta Honolulu
- Seeking Volunteers & Donations for One Pot, One Hope
- Food for Thought
- 2024 Honolulu aids Walk
- Second Quarter Giving Statements
- Pacifica Synod Assembly Recap
- Regular Offerings
- HeartBeat Deadline
- Electronic Funds Transfers for May
- Attendance and Offerings for June
- Prayer Requests
- July Birthdays
- Calendar: July 2024
Summer Jazz Journey
Sunday, July 7, at 7:00 pm
Renowned pianist Ethan Capone, joined by Mark Tanouye, bass, and Abe Lagrimas Jr., drums, presents an evening of jazz classics and innovations. This must-see event will take you on an exciting musical journey, keeping your ears happy and your hearts full!
The evening begins with pūpū in the courtyard at 6:15. The concert is free, and donations are welcome.
The series concludes on August 4 with “Jazz Manouche.” Violinist Duane Padilla and guitarists Sonny Silva and Joe Zyac pay tribute to Stéphane Grapelli and “Django” Reinhardt’s backstage experiments at the Hotel Claridge in Paris in 1934.
Invitation to Attend ‘Ohana Gatherings
The 125th anniversary of the Lutheran Church of Honolulu is in September of 2025. This summer, the congregation will begin our journey to identify the missional project(s) for the 125th anniversary that it will support through fundraising with a goal of $65,000.
As part of the process, the Council is re-establishing ‘Ohana Gatherings as an enduring practice for spiritual growth. ‘Ohana Gatherings provide opportunities for LCH members and friends to gather to:
- build, renew and strengthen relationships,
- provide mutual support for the proclamation of the Gospel in daily life, and
- engage in deep, meaningful conversation about the vision, mission, and ministry of our church that God is calling us to in the next 2–3 years.
During July and August, several ‘Ohana Gatherings will be held in the homes of members and friends at various dates, times and locations around O‘ahu. Everyone associated with this community of faith is encouraged to sign up for and attend one of these small groups of 6–8 people. At each one, a facilitator will shepherd the process and a secretary will capture notes and key elements sparked by the conversation.
Afterwards, ‘Ohana Gathering leaders will meet with Pr. Jeff, Pr. Margrethe, and Council President Olivia Castro to synthesize the conversations. They will and bring the results to the congregation and Council for decision making on the 125th anniversary mission project(s) and priorities for the following 2–3 years.
Below is a list of the gatherings. A sign-up sheet will be available after church on Sundays. You may also sign up by contacting Olivia Castro via email at ocastro808@gmail.com.
- July 12 @ 6:00 pm at Pastor Steve Jensen’s home, Kailua
- July 13 @ 6:00 pm at Keane Ishii’s home, Kaka‘ako
- July 19 @ 5:30 pm at Phyllis Hörmann’s home, ‘Aiea
- July 20 @ 9:30 am at Carol Langner’s home, Punchbowl
- July 20 @ 4:00 pm at Randy and Jeanne Castello’s home, Hawai‘i Kai
- July 21 @ 3:00 pm at Mark Russell’s and Rudy Riingen’s home, Downtown
- July 27 @ 1:00 pm at Roy Helms’ home, Foster Village
- August 3 @ 10:00 am at Margrethe and Tony Kleiber’s home, Mililani
- August 11 @ 3:00 pm at Rich and Nikki Mundell’s home, Kaimukī (for Youth and Young Adults)
- August 18 @ 3:00 pm (tentative depending association approval) at Carolyn Koehler’s home, Waipi‘o Gentry
- August 25 @ 5:00 pm at Mary Fastenau’s and John Flanagan’s home, Hawai‘i Kai
- August 31 @ 4:00 pm at Maria Au Hoy’s home, McCully
From Pastor Jeff
Holding One Another in Prayer and Action
Following one of the many mass shootings here in the U.S., President Barack Obama vented his frustration at the phrase “keeping the families of victims in our thoughts and prayers.” His frustration rang true for me then, and it rings true for me now. We feel powerless to make a tangible difference in the face of such poverty and violence. The problems seem too big or too remote. Over the second weekend in June there were no less than three mass shootings in the U.S. At the same time, the war in Gaza continued to claim more innocent lives; and in the Sudan, one of the greatest humanitarian crises in modern history continues to unfold, creating unimaginable suffering and death. We see the pain, the suffering, and the madness of war, gun violence, and willful starvation and displacement of whole populations and we wonder “What can we do?”
Of course, we keep all of this in our thoughts and prayers. Prayer is—and should be—our native language and is certainly part of our spiritual DNA. In times of trouble Jesus went away to a quiet place and prayed. The night before he was arrested, he prayed that the bitter cup that was to befall him might pass by. Prayer is powerful. Hopefully you have borne witness to the power of prayer in your own life. I have heard about the importance of prayer from countless people suffering from illness, or grieving the death of loved one, or simply not being able to cope. One family whose infant died after weeks in intensive shared with me that they could literally feel the prayers of their faith community—and we could feel their prayers for us.
But it is hard to shake the feeling that prayer by itself does not seem to get things done as quickly as we might like. Despite literally thousands of gun deaths and mass shootings in the U.S., lawmakers refuse to pass meaningful limits on semi-automatic weapons and other weapons with rapid fire capability. To the surprise of many, the Supreme Court recently struck down a federal law banning a device that converts a semi-automatic rifle into the equivalent of an automatic weapon. Hard-fought concessions to end the war in Gaza slide a little further away each day as politicians haggle for the most advantageous position. Meanwhile, Palestinian children and other non-combatants die daily at the hands of determined warriors. Ethnic cleansing, political uprisings, and widespread poverty in Sudan have created a staggering humanitarian crisis that nobody seems able to solve. Can prayer alone stand up to the weight of all of this?
Probably not, if our prayers are nothing more than empty religious gestures. But prayer is something more. Prayer is powerful agent of change. In prayer we are brought outside of ourselves into the sphere if suffering (or joy) of those for whom we pray. Prayer is empathy poured out for the community, and even the whole world, to hear. In prayer we lift up our trust in God who created all things and redeems all things. In prayer we acknowledge that we cannot, by ourselves, bring an end to the monumental suffering we witness. But prayer can lead us to internal transformation. Prayer changes us, moves us, calls us. And when we pray together, there can be a cumulative shift in consciousness that can be life changing, and even world changing. I think of people like Dietrich Bonhoeffer, whose lonely, suffering prayers moved him to join with others act against the Nazi regime in ways that were radically different from his normal habits. Prayer led him there. I think of Martin Luther King, Jr., whose voice rang out in stirring speech to inspire racial justice. But his journey began and ended in prayer. He prayed before his first organized resistance, and we prayed as he lay dying. And in prayer, the world began to change. Prayer leads to action.
Prayer is more than religious practice or a habit to soothe the soul. In prayer we lift up our joys and sorrows, our worries and celebrations in conversation with God—and with each other. Some prayers are filled with tears, others with gratitude; some are silent, some find us shouting in anger; sometimes we are so filled with anxiety that we cannot pray at all. But God hears us in love, and stands with us in prayer. In prayer we find the courage to join with others to bring about real and substantive change. In prayer, we are moved, and we move the world.
Let us pray, Loving God, our hearts are thankful. When we are afraid, you hold us hold us close; when we are troubled, you give us comfort; when we are angry, you listen; and when we are broken, you love us all the more. Bind us together in your spirit, that we might bring your love to the world. Amen.
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
We 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: | Olivia Castro |
| Hospitality: | Jeanne Castello |
| 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 |
Stewardship of Our Stuff II
We began our Adult Forum sessions June 23 with a video entitled, The Story of Stuff. Watching this video and hearing the ensuing conversations got us pondering how we think about “stuff” and, more specifically, our stuff and what our parents and other family members taught us.
Primarily, I think I learned gratitude for the stuff we received: that we were fortunate and that what we had required proper care. And, second, I learned not to throw away things that could still be used, so we took the items we no longer wanted to Mother Rice on King Street, a Salvation Army Store, or a Goodwill drop off rather than tossing them in the trash. Barb, on the other hand, came from a large family where money was tight. Frugality reigned, with wearing hand-me downs, repairing damaged items, and using homemade items as their way of life.
Despite these differences both of us now find ourselves hanging onto too much “stuff.” Barb belongs to the “just in case school,” keeping things she might possibly need later, while I , on the other hand, wonder why I hang on to things for so long and continue to acquire things I may not really need. We both ask, “Do we consider the societal as well as personal impacts of our purchases?”
These tendencies seem to be universal in our modern society. We may overconsume and fill every nook and cranny in our personal spaces for different reasons, but the end result is the same, with devastating environmental and social impacts. In our Sunday Adult Forum discussions, we have started to examine these issues, and on July 7 and 14 we will be exploring actions that can be taken, both societally and personally, to make a difference.
We hope to share information about safe disposal of medicine and e-waste, among other things. We can certainly learn from each other and develop better practices. We plan to share some of the better practices we gain from one another by compiling lists of ways to reuse, recycle, and repurpose items we no longer need—lists we hope will help us be better stewards of our stuff.
Additionally, we are planning our second Free Store in September, to which we will invite folks in our neighborhood. With this in mind, please keep items that you no longer use but others might need. We will welcome them for our Free Store in September.
Phyllis Hörmann with Barbara Poole-Street for the Stewardship Team
Pam Buckley, Willow Chang, Phyllis Hormann, Barbara Poole-Street, Bill Potter, and 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.
Bishop Dave during the Regional Gathering that was held here at LCH on June 1.Leadership Roundtable
Tuesday, July 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 with login information. Please be prepared to share a little information on your activities with the group. Mahalo!
Game Day
Wednesday, July 3, at 1:00 pm in the Boardroom
Please join Paula Wheeler for GameDay on Wednesday, July 3, from 1:00 to 3:00 in the Boardroom. We will meet for lively conversation and some fun games. If you have any questions or suggestions call Paula at 808-542-2843.
LCH OFFICE CLOSED for Independence Day
Thursday, July 4th
Mary Magdalene Society Potluck and Game Night
Saturday, July 6, 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 and be fully-vaccinated.
An email will be sent on June 30 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.
All Ages Sunday School
During the summer there is no Sunday school. Look for information later in the summer about what shape Sunday school will take in the fall.
Group selfie from the back of the Waihe‘e Tunnel.Adult Forum
Sundays at 9:00 am • In-person in the Boardroom
Barbara Poole-Street and Phyllis Hörmann, members of the Stewardship Team, are half-way through four Sunday sessions on being good stewards of our stuff. In June they led discussions around three videos: The Story of Stuff, The Story of Change, and The Story of Solutions.
Following on these good conversations about how we can be better stewards of our stuff, both individually and collectively, their July session will focus on sharing with one another any practices we already have of recycling, repurposing, reusing or otherwise being good stewards of our stuff. As you may have read in the June HeartBeat article, “We will take the information and insights we have obtained to create a listing of information for those wishing to make a difference.”
On July 21 and 28, Adult Forum will resume discussion of issues related to ethics.
Please join us for these inspiring films and lively discussions. All are welcome. If you are coming for worship, just get your coffee and head to the Boardroom at 9:00 to join the others who are there.
Virtual Coffee Talk
Sunday, July 7, 11:30 am • Via Zoom Meeting
Virtual Coffee Hour will be held at 11:30 am on the first Sunday of each month. Hope you can join us! You are invited to join with your LCH ‘ohana on the first Sunday 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 Cathy Baptista via email at cathynt@gmail.com 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.
Cindy Scheinert enjoying the falling water at the back of the e Tunnel.Book of Faith Bible Study
Thursdays, 10:00 am • In-person and Via Zoom Meeting
The Book of Faith Bible Study meets on Thursday mornings in-person or via Zoom meeting. All are welcome to join this lively discussion of the Biblical texts, relevant current events, and historical foundations. Please contact Cathy Baptista at cathynt@gmail.com to receive an invitation to the next Zoom Bible study discussion.
Restorative Yoga
Thursdays, July 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 by sharing aspects of yoga, from pranayama (breathing exercises) and yogic philosophy (ahimsa), to poses, referred to as asanas.
Join for one, two, or all 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!
Writers’ Workshop
Monday, June 17, 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. Mahalo!
IHS Sandwich Making
Thursday, July 18, 12:00–2:00 pm • Isenberg Hall
LCHers will again convene to prepare sandwiches and pack sack lunches for distribution at Institution for Human Services (IHS). This continues a tradition stretching back decades. We meet monthly and could use a few new, dependable volunteers to join our dedicated group. Please join us. Mahalo!
If you would like to participate in this action-packed, fun activity, please let Brenda know at lch@LCHwelcome.org. She will pass your contact info on to event organizers.
Group photo in the meadow outside of the Waihe’e Tunnel at the foot of the Ko’olau Mountains.LCH Work Day
Saturday, July 20, 9:00 am
Come join us for a summer workday at LCH! Please join us Saturday, July 20, from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm. We will have coffee in the morning and beverages throughout the day. We will be doing a number of projects that day including gardening, power washing, painting, yardwork, tree trimming, and general clean up. We have tools, gloves and sunscreen for your use, but feel free to bring your own. We will break for lunch at noon and then finish projects and clean up afterward. No experience or special skills needed!
If you have any questions, please contact Pastor Jeff or Rich Mundell (property chair).
Sinfonietta Honolulu
Saturday, July 20, at 7:00 pm
Sinfonietta Honolulu, under the direction of Sam Chen, our assistant director of music, performs a program of Mozart and Haydn. Mozart’s Serenade for Winds in E-flat, originally written for wind sextet, but was revised the Serenade for wind octet, adding two oboes, when word got out that Emperor Joseph II had hired a wind octet for his court. Franz Joseph Haydn’s Symphony No. 104 “London” was his final symphony and can be seen as a culmination of his compositional style: monothematic development, folk themes, and uneven phrase structures that brings to mind Haydn’s humor and wit that he is known for.
Sinfonietta Honolulu brings fresh perspectives of music from the classical era into the modern age through the lens of historically informed performance practice and creates a space for the community to be together in merriment. Join them for the final concert of the season in joyous music making!
Seeking Volunteers & Donations for One Pot, One Hope
Saturday, June 29, 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 Billie Jean Reis or Linda Muller with any questions. Mahalo for assisting with this mission to provide meals to our neighbors.
Following worship on the last Sunday of the choir season, members of the LCH Choir take a group picture along with Paxton, a regular attendee at Thursday evening rehearsals.Food for Thought
Saturday, July 27, at 5:30 pm • Hörmann’s Home
Food for Thought meets at the home of David Hörmann, who will provide the main dish, while others are asked to bring side dishes or dessert to complete the potluck. If you would like to participate virtually, please contact Peter Flachsbart at pflachsbart@gmail.com to receive an invitation for the next Zoom meeting. If you wish to come in person, contact Marlise Tellander at marlisetellander@hotmail.com. Those who plan to come in person should be vaccinated.
2024 Honolulu aids Walk
Congratulations to the 2024 LCH aids Walk team who raised $1,100 to support the efforts of Hawai‘i Heath and Harm Reduction Center. Bill Potter, Rudy Riingen, Mark Russell, and team captain Jean Lilley walked the 5K route around Kapi‘olani Park together with hundreds of other supporters. The 2024 AIDS Walk raised $103,000 to date, exceeding their $100,000 goal. Many thanks to our walkers, and to all who donated to support the LCH team.
Second Quarter Giving Statements
Giving statements for the second quarter will be distributed via email during the first week of July. Statements to anyone who has given $25 or more this calendar year will be generated by the church’s accounting software and sent as PDF attachments to emails from statements@LCHwelcome.org. If the church does not have your email address, the statement will be mailed to your address in the accounting software. If you have given $25 or more and do not receive a statement by July 5, please check your spam folder first, and if it is not there, please let me know at fin-sec@LCHwelcome.org, and I will make sure you get a statement.
Bill Potter, financial secretary
Pacifica Synod Assembly Recap
On behalf of the staff of the Pacifica Synod, we give thanks to all who made our 2024 Pacifica Synod Regional Gatherings and online Assembly (Azoombly) possible. To our host congregations, voting members, lay leaders, Synod Council members, and volunteers; to those who watched the livestream; and to all who prayed for us. You are all appreciated and loved!
The 2024 Synod Assembly Recap publication may be found on our Synod Assembly web page. You will also find a link to the livestream recording of the Assembly on our Synod YouTube channel.
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!
HeartBeat Deadline
Tuesday, July 16, 9:00 am
Alex M., Betty H., Chuck H. and Nan W., Chuck P. and Josie B., Colleen K., Don J., Dutton S., Elaine, George T., Geneva J. and family, Greg G., Harold W., Irene M., Jane H., Mabel D., Michael, Miriam S., the family of Ruth S., Salina R., Star W., Yvonne and Andy M.
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.
