Category Archives: Congregational Life

Concert of Spirituals (January 15 • 5:00 pm)

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MLK Concert graphicKnown to audiences around O’ahu, Georgine Stark represents the finest in artistry, virtuosity, and creativity. Georgine Stark, soprano, is joined by the Lutheran Church of Honolulu Choir under the direction of Scott Fikse, violinist, Darel Stark and pianist, Sachi P. Hirakouji in a dynamic program showcasing African-American spirituals.

Audiences will be moved by songs that inspire hope, question hate and shout for freedom. Don’t miss this special opportunity to hear some of Hawaii’s finest musicians in the intimate acoustics of the Lutheran Church of Honolulu.

Admission: $20 General | $10 Students

For a preview of the concert, check out this YouTube video.

German Vespers for Epiphany (Jan. 6 • 7:30 pm)

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German Vespers graphicJoin the LCH Choir, guest soloists, and Bach Chamber Orchestra on the Feast of Epiphany for our annual German Vespers. A tradition at the Lutheran Church of Honolulu since 2002, this service honors the church’s German heritage with prayers, hymns, a cantata, and even the sermon auf Deutsch. Translation will be provided

This year’s music features Hans Leo Hassler’s Magnificat and J.S. Bach’s Cantata 123: Liebster Immanuel, Herzog der Frommen.

The theme for this year comes from Ezekiel 36. “I shall give you a new heart, and put a new spirit in you; I shall remove the heart of stone from your bodies and give you a heart of flesh instead.” Again we welcome Rev. Anke Flohr as presider for this festival worship.

Thanksgiving Eve Worship & Thanksgiving Day Dinner (Nov. 23 & 24)

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pie graphicThanksgiving Eve Joint Worship

Wednesday, November 23, 7:00 pm at St. Clement’s Church

St. Clement Church is hosting the Thanksgiving Eve worship this year. Pastor Jeff Lilley is scheduled to preach. St. Clement lay ministry will assist during this Holden Evening Prayer service.

The annual pie reception will follow immediately after worship. Sign-up sheets for the pie reception will be made available starting November 6.

Annual Thanksgiving Dinner at LCH

Thursday, November 24, 3:00 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. Pupus, 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.

Neighborhood Cleanup (Nov. 19)

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enjoying dinner at LutherFestIn keeping with our theme of “Restoring Creation—Renewing Christ’s Community” we will be organizing a neighborhood cleanup on Saturday, November 19. On the surface our corner of Makiki is pretty neat and clean, but this is a chance to make sure everything is real ship-shape.

We’ll gather in the Courtyard at 10:00 am for some stretching and divide up into groups of two or three to get to work. The plan is to pick up the trash in the area from Wilder Avenue on the mauka side up to Nehoa on the makai, and from Punahou Street over to Makiki Street.

The Stewardship Committee will have vests for you to wear, trash bags, and disposable gloves if you don’t have your own work gloves. We expect to finish up in about two hours, and there will be lunch when the work is all pau.

We invite you all to join in as we restore this little bit of creation that is home to our congregation. Check your calendar and sign up in the Courtyard to be part of this neighborhood cleanup.

LutherFest—Food, Fun, and Frivolity (Oct. 29)

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enjoying dinner at LutherFestCome 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 L—main dish
  • M thru Z—side dish

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

Our dessert contest this year is “tropical fruits”! Think of guava, papaya, bananas, pineapple, etc. and all the different things you could do with them. There’s banana cream pie, pineapple upside-down cake, a guava chiffon cake in the shape of the Luther rose—the possibilities are endless. Judging will be based on use of the special ingredient, Lutheran heritage, taste, and appearance.

Voting for the contest and donations for beer and wine will be by LutherBucks, so bring a check or cash to exchange for your LutherBucks. Donations will will benefit Youth Outreach Waikīkī.

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

“God’s Work, Our Hands” Blood Drive at LCH

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God's work, our hands logoSunday, September 18, 8:00 am–1:00 pm • Isenberg Hall

As part of our “God’s Work, Our Hands” community outreach project, we have arranged a blood drive at LCH on Sunday, September 18. A sign-up sheet will be available in the courtyard between services for those eligible and willing to donate. We encourage your support at a time when the shortage of blood at the Hawai‘i Blood Bank is almost critical. Check the courtyard bulletin boards for postings giving criteria for eligibility to donate. Rules for donating have expanded eligibility opportunities. Please spread the word to friends and family—we need a minimum of 40 donors for this drive.

Sign up for an appointment on the Blood Bank of Hawaii website.

Wet’n’Wild Youth and Family Outing (July 31)

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Wet’n’Wild logo Join the LCH youth and family outing to Wet‘n’Wild on Sunday, July 31, from 10:30 am to 5:00 pm. All are welcome! LCH youth attend for free. The cost for adults and guests is $22.00. Register with Georgine Stark, Sunday mornings in the courtyard or by email at thedgduo@hotmail.com. Look for information updates in the LCHNews and HeartBeat newsletter.

LCH Workday at Habitat for Humanity (July 16)

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Honolulu Habitat for Humanity logoOn July 16, the people of LCH will participate in an all-day house-building project with Honolulu Habitat for Humanity! Honolulu Habitat has partnered with the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands and Darleen Kaniho to build a new home on a beautiful lot in Papakōlea, the Hawaiian Home Lands development located on the back slope of Punchbowl.

Participants will have a great workout pounding nails, maybe installing windows and doors, maybe even painting. It will be a fun day and no experience is necessary! Please note, you must be at least 16 years old to participate.

For those who aren’t able or don’t want to build, LCH has also signed up to provide lunch that day, and we need a few people to prepare and serve lunch to the volunteers and staff. There are no age restrictions for lunch providers.

An informational meeting will be held July 10, after worship. We’ll discuss the Habitat model and why homeownership works for low income families. Contact Jean Lilley through the LCH office 808-941-2566 or at jelilley@gmail.com for more information.

Summer Gatherings Emphasize ELCA Project (July 3 & 24 and August 7)

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called forward together in Christ graphicOver the course of the summer months, LCH will join thousands of ELCA congregations in participating in Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton’s church-wide initiative “Called Forward Together in Christ.” The initiative is an ongoing conversation taking place at every level in the ELCA including the church-wide office, seminaries, synods, regions, and congregations. The intent is to shape the future of our ministry in light of God’s call, the cultures in which we find ourselves, and the current economic and ecologic realities of a changing world.

At our congregational level, we hope to engage in conversation about emerging ideas for ministry and engagement in our neighborhood, community, and membership.

In a moment of madness we came up with a plan. On the dates listed above, we will worship from 9:15 to 9:45 am. Immediately following the worship service, we will gather in the courtyard to share a light brunch—food will be provided—and engage in conversation. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to participate. This should be a truly fun, energetic, and meaningful time of conversation about how God is working in our midst, and how we hope to be at work and prayer in God’s midst. Please plan to be there!

Requiem and Hope: A Service for Olando (June 19 • 7:30 pm)

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votive candlesPlease join the LCH community in meditation, prayer, and music. Together we will mourn, pray, and honor the dead as a united community in the wake of this tragedy. Our service will include selections from the Gregorian Mass for the Dead, featuring men from the LCH Choir and cantors.

“These victims had their futures stolen … their dreams stolen … their potential contributions stolen from us all… Hate and separation continue to bring forth too much grief, too many stolen lives across the world. May we also have the strength to address and deal with the roots of hatred that target any minority community with violence anywhere in the world.”—The Harvey Milk Foundation.

Everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend this service as a sign of support for the victims in Orlando, and in solidarity with the LGBTQI community.