Our summer worship schedule begins on June 2. We will have one morning worship each Sunday morning at 9:15 am. This communion service incorporates elements from both the 8:00 and 10:30 services.
Watch the calendar, ENews, and HeartBeat for fellowship and education opportunities following worship around 10:45.
Compline concluded on May 19 with a service featuring a piece written by Benjamin Leonid, a member of the Men’s Schola. Regular Compline will resume the first Sunday of September.
Johann Sebastian Bach belonged to a family whose members were almost universally gifted with a passion and skill in music. While we seldom hear the works of these other Bachs, they possess great beauty and ingenuity. Join us for the varied works of Carl Phillip Emmanuel, Johann Michael, Johann Christian, Johann Ernst, PDQ, and others who bore the famous name, Bach.
Members and friends gather for a joyful celebration Easter Sunday morning.
Between two festive worship services at 8:00 and 10:30 am, the younger children enjoyed an Easter egg hunt, and everyone enjoyed a bountiful potluck brunch.
The last part of the Great Three Days (Triduum) began with the congregation gathered in the Hörmann Courtyard for the kindling of the new fire and the lighting of the Pascal Candle.
Members of the congregation lit their candles the flame passed from the Pascal Candle and listened to the Exsultet. The service continued with the retelling of salvation history through lessons from the Hebrew Scriptures, the renewal of baptismal vows, and the litany.
Following the litany, the ministers returned to the courtyard in white Easter vestments and let the congregation into the Nave as the choir sang the Kyrie. The Vigil continues with the joyous Easter proclamation and holy communion.
Following worship, the congregation returned to the Courtyard to break their Lenten fast with a sweet feast of champagne, strawberries, and cookies.
The observance of the Great Three Days (Triduum) continued with the Good Friday Liturgy. Members gathered to hear the Passion Gospel and venerate the cross.
“The Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ according to John” was sung in a setting by Heinrich Schütz. Benjamin Leonid sang the part of the Evangelist, Keane Ishii sang Jesus, and Karol Nowicki sang Pilate; the choir took the part of the crowd.
The Passion was followed by the Solemn Collects and the the Adoration of the Crucified.
The Triduum concludes with the Easter Vigil Saturday evening at 7:30 pm.
Our celebration of the Triduum—The Great Three Days—began on Maundy Thursday on April 18. Members gathered to hear again the story of the Last Supper, when Jesus met with his disciples in the Upper Room before being handed over to suffer and die for us.
The Gospel of John recounts how after supper, Jesus washed the feet of his disciples and gave them a new commandment (Latin, mandatum, from which we get the word “Maundy”): ”Love one another.” In response, members of the congregation washed each other’s feet in the Maundy ritual.
The Maundy was followed by Holy Communion, in remembrance that Jesus instituted the sacrament in the Last Supper.
The liturgy concluded with the stripping of the altar, as Jesus was stripped before being crucified.
Our celebration of Holy Week began with Palm Sunday, April 14.
At both morning service, worshipers gathered in the courtyard to listen to the Palm Sunday Gospel, followed by the blessing and distribution of palms and procession around the church.
Once the congregation was inside the Nave, the focus turned to the reading of the Passion Gospel according to Luke.
Worship concluded with holy communion.
PALM SUNDAY † Sunday, April 14 |
|
| 8:00 am |
PROCESSION OF PALMS AND HOLY COMMUNIONThe service moves from the commemoration of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem to the reading of the story of Jesus’ passion and death in the Gospel according to St. Luke. Music by the Early Worship Ensemble. List of music for this service |
| 10:30 am |
PROCESSION OF PALMS AND CHORAL EUCHARISTThe service moves from the commemoration of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem to the reading of the story of Jesus’ passion and death in the Gospel according to St. Luke. Music by Franz Schubert and a brass quartet for the Procession of Palms. List of music for this service |
MAUNDY THURSDAY † Thursday, April 18 |
|
| 7:30 pm |
CHORAL EUCHARIST AND MAUNDY LITURGYA joyous celebration of the Eucharist meal quickly changes to one of love through humility in the washing of feet. The service concludes with the stripping of the altar, dramatizing Christ’s betrayal, stripping, and mocking by his captors. Music by Hallock, Dalitz, Laloux, and Lewkovitch. List of music for this service |
GOOD FRIDAY † Friday, April 19 |
|
| 7:30 pm |
GOOD FRIDAY LITURGY AND ADORATION OF THE CRUCIFIEDThis service celebrates the triumph of the cross. The service features the chanting of the St. John Passion and concludes with prayer around the cross. Music includes Heinrich Schütz’ setting of the St. John Passion and Gregorio Allegri’s Miserere Mei Deus. List of music for this service |
EASTER EVE † Saturday, April 20 |
|
| 7:30 pm |
EASTER VIGIL AND SOLEMN CHORAL EUCHARISTKindling of a new fire, the story of deliverance from the Hebrew Scriptures, and renewal of Baptismal promises lead to the proclamation of Easter Victory and a joyous celebration of Holy Communion. Featuring A Little Jazz Mass by Bob Chilcott. List of music for this service |
EASTER SUNDAY † Sunday, April 21 |
|
| 8:00 am |
FESTIVAL HOLY COMMUNONWe celebrate the empty tomb, the central mystery that through death comes new life. Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Music by the Early Worship Ensemble. List of music for this service |
| 10:30 am |
FESTIVAL CHORAL EUCHARISTWe celebrate the empty tomb, the central mystery that through death comes new life. Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Festive music for Easter by Proulx, Robinson, and Parry. List of music for this service |
| 7:30 pm |
EASTER COMPLINEContemplative Easter meditation offered by the LCH Men’s Schola. Candlelight illuminates the Nave for this short service of prayer, chant, and a cappella singing. List of music for this service |
The Reverend Jeff Lilley, Pastor † Andrew Flatt-Kuntze, Vicar † Scott Fikse, Director of Music and Liturgy
The serving line for Wednesday evening soup and salad suppers.Each Wednesday evening during the season of Lent, members and friends of LCH will gather for table fellowship and worship.
The evenings begin with a light supper of soup, salad, and bread beginning at 6:00 pm. The meal is provided by volunteers, and all are welcome to join in fellowship and conversation around the table. If you feel moved to contribute to the meal, please sign up in the courtyard on Sunday morning.
Worship follows the meal at 7:00 pm using the music and prayerful song from Marty Haugen’s Holden Evening Prayer.
Our Lenten theme for 2019 is “Love Unspoken.” As Karoline Lewis writes in her essay for Sundays and Seasons, we tend to let the word “grace” do a lot of the the theological heavy lifting in our proclamation. Her thought is that we find a way to highlight grace in the world without actually having to use the word. We might then look to explore “grace” expressed through actions, relationships, and moments. Grace is God’s love unleashed. Our hope is proclaim God’s love through image, story, experience, art and worship in a way that opens our eyes and hearts to God’s grace unleashed in the world.
The primary text for the entire midweek Lenten cycle will be I Corinthians 13:4–13, which will be read each week as a kind of lectio divina. Verses 4–7 will be incorporated into our opening litany. Writer’s Writers Workshop will be asked to focus on a different verse or verses each Wednesday. Our hope is that the reflection will be artistic and engaging. Poetry, prose or reflective meditation are all possibilities.
As we all move forward on our Lenten journey and prepare for Easter joy in the resurrection, all are invited to come together at the table, to be fed and nourished in body and soul, and to worship together as a faith community.
The cantors place the lighted candle at the beginning of worship.
Pastor Jeff Lilley marks the foreheads of members of the congregation with ashes during the Ash Wednesday Liturgy.LCH begins the observance of Lent on March 6 with the traditional Ash Wednesday Liturgy with imposition of ashes.
Throughout the Lent, members and friends will gather on Wednesday evenings for table fellowship and worship. Beginning on March 6 and continuing through April 10, members and friends will gather at 6:00 pm for a light supper of soup and salad, followed by worship at 7:00. This year’s worship will focus on the theme “Love Unspoken.” The liturgy used during worship will incorporate the music and prayerful song from Marty Haugen’s Holden Evening Prayer.
As our congregations prepares for our Easter joy in the resurrection, all are invited to come together at the table, to be fed and nourished in body and soul, and to feast together as a faith community.
LCH celebrated its annual Faith and Arts Sunday on February 10. Held each spring, this is a time when members of the congregations recognize the many ways the arts enrich our lives and honor the artist of all ages who call LCH home.
Works displayed each year represent a wide variety of media: needle craft, paintings, poetry, prose, photography, drawings, woodworking, and more. Participating artists included young children, working adults, and retirees. Some, like members of the Writers’ Workshop, meet regularly as a group, but many work at home and share as part of this annual event.
At right, children look at one of the art work of children and adults submitted for Faith and Arts Sunday 2019.
The slideshow below shows the items displayed this year. Click on any of the photos to see a larger version.
Read Poetry and prose written by members of the Writers’ Workshop.
Each year, the LCH youth (with help of others from the congregation) hold Punahou Carnival parking fundraiser. The carnival takes place this Friday and Saturday, February 1 and 2.
Thank you to all volunteers who have already signed up to help, but we still have a few spots, for both adult and youth volunteers. We encourage members and friends to sign up for a three-hour shifts during the carnival. If you have not done so, please contact Jerelyn Watanabe through the Church office at 808-941-2566.
If you’re going to the carnival, please park at LCH. We have the closest lots, and your donation support our youth’s many activities over the year. Parking in $15 (no in-out privileges), and the lots are open from 10:45 am to 11:30 pm both days.
Reconciling in Christ Sunday is January 27! This annual commemoration recognizes ELCA faith communities that have made public stands; welcoming people of all sexual orientation and gender identities. LCH is proudly included among those congregations, having agreed to become an RIC congregation in 1993.
Please join us, next Sunday, when we recognize our 26th year of welcoming and affirming LGBT+ persons in the life of the LCH congregation. Vicar Andy will preach at both services. More information on Reconciling Works can be found at www.reconcilingworks.org.
Please, invite those who may be interested in worshipping in an environment “Welcoming to all.” We look forward to seeing you and all new faces interested in learning about LCH and the ELCA!
Welcome the new year with German Vespers for New Year’s Day, a tradition—either on January 1 or for Epiphany—at the Lutheran Church of Honolulu since 2002. The service honors the church’s heritage as a congregation founded by German immigrants to Hawaii‘i and the the German practice of ushering in the new year with religious celebrations.
This year’s German Vespers features a cantata by Telemann, a Magnificat attributed to Buxtehude, German hymns, and other works. Music we be performed by the LCH Choir, soloists, and the Bach Chamber Orchestra, all under the direction of Scott Fikse. The sermon will be offered (in German, with translation) by the Rev. Anke Flor.
The worship service is free, and a freewill offering will be received to benefit the church’s music program.