Organ PLUS+ • Monday, December 2, 7:00 pm

LCH’s Beckerath organ

Organ Plus is a term that has been used to indicate music for organ with instruments. In spite of the organist having the reputation of being a “one person orchestra,” the addition of instruments greatly enhances the listening experience and expands the repertoire.

As part of the First Mondays Chamber Concerts series at the Lutheran Church of Honolulu, organists Katherine Crosier and Jieun Kim Newland will present a concert featuring the organ in duets with trombone, oboe, violin and recorder, plus two works for organ duet and organ trios. The program, “Organ Plus,” will also feature instrumentalists Luke Reed, trombone; Sara Ricer, oboe; Darel Stark, violin; and Charles Coldwell, recorder.

Works to be performed include Bach’s “Concerto in C major, BWV 595,” “Sinfonia from Cantata 12,” “Sinfonia from Cantata 156,” “Concerto in A minor after Vivaldi”; Johann Krebs’ “Fantasia on ‘Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme’”; Tomaso Albinoni’s “Adagio in G minor” and “Trio Sonata in B minor”; and Claudio Monteverdi’s “Laudate dominum.”

Katherine Crosier provides lots of details on the performers, in the post “The PLUS in Organ PLUS+” from her blog Another Year of Insanity.

Pupus and non-alcoholic drinks will be served before the concert beginning at 6:30.

Free-will donations are welcome.

The 2019–20 series of First Monday Chamber Concerts is free, and all are welcome. Visit our First Mondays Chamber Concerts page for a listing of the concerts in the series and to learn how you can support these concerts.

Driving directions, bus information, and parking

45th Annual Advent Procession • Sun., Dec. 1, 7:30 pm

Advent Procession graphic

Lutheran Church of Honolulu ushers in the season with the 45th annual Advent Procession of lessons and carols. First presented in 1975, this festival service has become a beautiful Honolulu tradition and perennial favorite. Join in singing familiar carols accompanied by the Beckerath organ while our choirs share some of the finest choral works inspired by Advent texts.

Freewill offering accepted. All are welcome!

O Radiant Dawn: James MacMillan (b. 1959)
Tomorrow Go Ye Forth: Gabriel Jackson (b. 1962)
O Day Full of Grace: F. Melius Christiansen (1871–1955)
Magnificat, Collegium Regale: H. Howells (1892–1983)

and others

The LCH Choir
Rev. Jeffrey Lilley, pastor
Scott Fikse, conductor
Mark Wong, organist

Driving directions, bus information, and parking

Thanksgiving Eve Worship and Thanksgiving Dinner

pie graphicThanksgiving Eve Joint Worship

Wednesday, November 27, 7:00 pm • St. Clement Church

St. Clement Church is hosting the Thanksgiving Eve worship this year. Pastor Jeff Lilley is scheduled to preach.

The annual pie reception will follow immediately after worship. Sign-up sheets for the pie reception will be made available starting Sunday, November 4.

Annual Thanksgiving Dinner at LCH

Thursday, November 28, 3:30 pm • Isenberg Hall and Hörmann Courtyard

turkey dinner graphicAll are welcome to join the LCH ‘ohana for our annual Thanksgiving Dinner in the courtyard. This is a potluck meal for anyone who would like to attend. Please bring your friends, neighbors, college and university students, and folks who would like some fellowship and food. Pastor Jeff and Jean will prepare the turkeys and bring fresh-baked rolls. A donation of ham would be appreciated. Please plan to bring your favorite dish in quantities to feed at least six persons. Pupu, side dishes, casseroles, desserts, or any other dish is very welcome! Please sign up in the courtyard beginning November 6 so we can plan accordingly.

Stephanie Anne Johnson in Concert • Mon., Nov. 4, 7:00 pm

Stephanie Anne Johnson

Come by for a free night of contemporary soul, gospel, and singer-songwriter music for the newest installment of our First Mondays Chamber Concert series.

Stephanie Anne Johnson is a multifaceted vocalist who enjoys singing handwritten acoustic soul music, performing with regional musical theater companies, and serving communities as a teaching artist. In the past few years, they have performed with Oregon Shakespeare Festival, The Actor’s Theater of Louisville, The Village Theater in Hairspray and numerous venues in Seattle including the Tractor Tavern, the Royal Room, and the Triple Door. They were a lounge singer for Holland America Cruise Line, a member of the Seattle area Dickens Carolers, and a Top 20 Finalist on Season 5 of NBC’s Emmy Award Winning The Voice. Their final song “Georgia on My Mind,” rose to the #4 spot on iTunes R&B and Soul charts.

Accompanying Stephanie Anne will be Maika‘i Nash, a Hawaii-born pianist with an illustrious solo career, and the Co-Artistic Director of HIArts Lab.

Pupus and non-alcoholic drinks will be served before the concert beginning at 6:30. Meet the members of your local music community, and enjoy an electrically soulful program. You won’t want to miss this!

Free-will donations are accepted.

The 2019–20 series of First Monday Chamber Concerts is free, and all are welcome. Visit our First Mondays Chamber Concerts page for a listing of the concerts in the series and to learn how you can support these concerts.

Driving directions, bus information, and parking

Vespers for All Saints and All Souls • Sun., Nov. 3, 7:30 pm

Mourning into Dancing graphic

Mourning into Dancing is a ceremony in honor of All Saints and All Souls, featuring beautiful choral and instrumental music, inspiring text, and time to come together for a collective and personal moment of reflection and remembrance.

Joined by harp, organ, and cello, the LCH Choir will present stunning works by contemporary and Renaissance composers that seek to guide us on a journey out of the darkness of grief and into the light of joy. All are welcome. Donations to the music program welcome.

Selections include:

  1. Magnificat, swv 426, by Heinrich Schütz (1585–1672)
  2. Funeral Ikos by John Tavener (1944–2013)
  3. Phoenix by Peter Hallock (1924–2014)
  4. Faire is the Heaven by William Harris (1883–1973)

LCH Choir
Jeffrey Lilley, pastor
Scott Fikse, conductor
Mark Wong, organ
Tugce Bryant, cello
Megan Bledsoe Ward, harp

LutherFest! • Saturday, October 27

beer garden graphicCome celebrate our Lutheran heritage at our annual LutherFest, where we eat, drink, laugh, and have fun in the Hörmann Courtyard. Festivities will begin at 5:30 pm with light pupus and non-alcoholic punch provided. Beer and wine are available for a donation. A German themed potluck follows at 6:00 pm. Brats will be provided, but please bring a German dish, if possible. To help ensure a balanced table, we suggest the following guidelines:

  • A thru H—salad or side dish
  • I thru Q—dessert
  • R thru Z—main dish

You can look online for suggested German dishes like sausages and sauerkraut, sauerbraten, roast chicken, potato salad, potato dumplings, spätzle, and many other options.

Following dinner, we will enjoy a rousing game of Lutheran Jeopardy! (You Betcha). Brush up your knowledge of the Bible, Martin Luther, favorite hymns, and all things Lutheran so that you’re ready to compete.

Donations for beer and wine will be by LutherBucks, so bring a check or cash to exchange for your LutherBucks. And don’t worry about purchasing too many LutherBucks since all donations will go to the Waikīkī’s Youth Outreach (YO), which serves as a safe haven for homeless youths. YO offers medical care, social services and non-judgmental support along with food, hot showers, and clothing.

More details will be forthcoming in future Sunday announcements. Danke sehr and hope to see you there!

Feast of St. Francis—Blessing of the Animals • Sunday, October 6, at both morning services

St. Francis graphicRecognizing God’s love for all creatures and in celebration of the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, please join us for the Blessing of the Animals, during worship at both services. We will have pet treats available for the social hour and water stations to keep our friends comfortable.

Feel free to bring your pets of various species to church with you. Please be mindful of temperament and companionability. Some pets simply do not get along with others and should remain comfortably at home. We will bless them from afar.

There will be a pet-free zone for those who may be uncomfortable sitting next to a water buffalo or a duckbill platypus. Without exception, all pets must be leashed or caged at all times while on campus. Free flights of large birds and unfettered wandering of Bengal tigers will, no doubt, lead to unpleasantness. So please, religiously observe the commandment to cage and leash at all times.

Maurice Duruflé at St-Étienne-du-Mont • Monday, October 7, 7:00 pm

Duruflé at Saint-Étienne-du-Mont graphic

Renowned organist, composer, and improviser Maurice Duruflé held the post of titular organist at Saint-Étienne-du-Mont in Paris from 1929 until his death in 1986.

Duruflé composed the majority of his relatively small output of works during this time. He was a perfectionist by all accounts, and all of his surviving compositions are gems of the repertoire.

Tonight’s program features:

  1. Messe “Cum jubilo,” op. 11
  2. Quatre motets sur des thémes grégoriens, op. 10
  3. Notre Père, op.14
  4. Solo Organ works

LCH Choir & Men’s Schola
Scott Fikse, conductor
Mark Wong, organist

The 2019–20 series of First Monday Chamber Concerts is free, and all are welcome. Visit our First Mondays Chamber Concerts page for a listing of the concerts in the series and to learn how you can support these concerts.

Driving directions, bus information, and parking

Regular Worship and Education Schedule Resumes September 1

LCH resumes is regular schedule of worship services and Christian education offerings on September 1. There are three Sunday worship services:

  • Holy Communion at 8:00 am each Sunday morning. Music is led by the Early Worship Ensemble.
  • Choral Euchartist at 10:30 am each Sunday morning. Music is led by the LCH Choir.
  • Compline at 7:30 pm on the first and third Sunday of each music. This quiet and contemplative service is offered by the Men’s Schola.

Christian Education is offered Sunday morning between the two services at 9:20 am.

  • Sunday School is offered for children from kindergarten through senior high. The older children (grades 6-12) meet in the Rainbow Room. The younger children (grades k-5) meet in the Godly Play Room. (See The HeartBeat for weekly topics.) All are welcome! (Check
  • Adult Forum meets in the Boardroom. For four Sundays in September, Marsha Schweitzer will lead the Adult Forum. Topics of discussion, by popular demand but subject to change, center around the broad idea of Mysticism. (See The HeartBeat for weekly topics.) Everyone is invited to bring their refreshments and join in the discussion.

Several other groups that have been on hiatus over the Summer will resume meeting. Please see The HeartBeat, our newsletter, for more information.

LCH Bids Farewell to Vicar Andy

Saturday evening party in honor of Vicar AndyLCH bid farewell to Vicar Andy Flatt-Kuntze over the weekend of July 13 and 14. The congregation celebrated with Vicar Andy and his husband Justin on the completion of his year as pastoral intern with the congregation. The internship was the last part of his studies at Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary in preparation for ordination in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

The festivities began on Saturday evening with a catered dinner in Hörmann Courtyard. In typical LCH style, the delicious food was accompanied by LCH-labeled wine and cold beer. Following dinner, members of the vicar’s lay committee, on behalf of the congregation, presented gift, including a red Hawaiian-style clergy shirt, LCH T-shirts, and a hand-made cross. The photo on the right shows Josie Bidgood, president of the church council, presenting the cross, which was made by former pastor Don Johnson. (Click on the photo, and others not this page, to see a larger version.)

God speed for Andy and JustinFollowing Sunday morning worship, the congregation made their final farewells with a service of ”God speed” (shown in the photo at left), lei for both Andy and Justin, and more gifts. Andy was given a green Hawaiian-style clergy shirt (since the red season is so short) and a distinctive Hawai‘i-themed stole that is reserved for clergy associated with LCH (shown in the photo below). Andy told the congregation that he will wear the stole for his ordination.

Saturday evening party in honor of Vicar Andy