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

LCH Bids God Speed to Pr. Angela

After two and a half years of dedicated service and dynamic ministry, Pastor Angela returns to the continent to begin new adventures in life and ministry.

In recognition of this milestone in the life of Pr. Angela and of LCH, the congregation ended both morning services on January 4 with a liturgy of Thanksgiving at the Conclusion of a Call. Between services, there was a reception with lots of hugs, lei, and wishes of God speed.

All of us at LCH will miss Pr. Angela very much and give thanks to God for her time with us.

At right, April Smith, president of the Church Council, presents Pr. Angela with a book of photos from her time at LCH.

At left, Pr. Angela and the cake from her reception.

Additional photos are available on the LCH Facebook page.

Angela Freeman Installed as Co-Pastor

Members of the congregation gather around to lay on hands as part of the InstallationThe first summer Sunday with one worship service saw a joyful celebration of the ministry of LCH as we gathered to formally install The Rev. Angela Freeman as co-pastor. Even though Angela has been working among us for almost two years, her initial call was for a term of two years, so after the congregation voted to extend a regular call, she had to be installed again.

The service of installation featured special music from several children in the congregation, elements from the traditional “10:30 style” (the LCH Choir singing the psalm and special music by Sir Ralph Vaughan Williams), and the Alleluia Mass regularly sung for contemporary worship.

Following worship, everyone enjoyed a summer barbecue and fellowship inn the Hörmann Courtyard and Isenberg Hall.

At right, members of the congregation crowd around to lay hands on Pr. Angela during the installation.

Angela Freeman Officially Called as Co-Pastor

Pastor Angela speaks to the meeting following her election as co-pastorPastor Angela speaks to the meeting following her election as co-pastor

A Special Congregational Meeting on Saturday evening, January 25, voted unanimously to call the Rev. Angela Freeman as co-pastor of the Lutheran Church of Honolulu. This was the culmination of a process begun in the summer of 2012 when Pastor Angela joined the LCH staff as associate pastor with a two-year term.

In the last year and a half, it has become clear to both Pastor Angela and the congregation that God is calling us all to ministry together on a long-term basis. In the fall, the congregation signaled our intent to issue a regular call, and a Search Committee was formed to work through the process outlined by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. The Special Congregational Meeting was the last step.

Preceding the Special Congregational Meeting was the second half of the Annual Meeting, when the annual report was accepted and an operating budget for 2014 was approved. In additional to all of the rest of the regular expenses of the congregation, the budget, which was also adopted unanimously, included the salary for Pastor Angela.