Like many organizations throughout Hawai‘i, LCH continues to operate on a modified schedule in response to the covid-19 pandemic. Our primary concern is the safety and health of everyone using the campus. While groups are being allowed to return to campus, they are required to follow CDC, state, and local guidelines for social distancing and sanitization, as well as holding LCH harmless for any covid-19 related illness or injury. Here are some updates on recent developments at LCH:
- Worship
- The congregational council has directed that in-person Sunday worship be delayed until after August 31, 2020. Online streaming worship will continue.
- Limited in-person worship at midweek vespers may commence beginning in July. These services will be held in the courtyard observing all current recommendations for physical distancing and mask use.
- The worship committee has appointed a working group to develop a plan for return to in-person worship which will include policies and procedures.
- Office Hours—Staff continue to work from home with limited presence at the church office. Anne Sing monitors email daily from home and checks phone messages in the LCH office during twice weekly visits for necessary administrative tasks and supervision of contractors. We do continue to ask for your patience as some inquiries and requests may take longer to respond than usual. Carolyn Koehler keeps us up to date on billing and drafts check payments weekly. Pastor Jeff is in the office almost every day to assure campus security and maintenance. Scott Fikse is working mostly from home.
- Community Groups/Tenants: Some community groups have requested permission to begin meeting on the LCH Campus. The council is allowing some groups to return with very stringent guidelines.
- Western Presbyterian Church of Hawai‘i (WPCH) has begun in-person worship on Sunday afternoons and Wednesday evenings. They are a very small group and are diligently following the guidelines set forth by the congregational council.
- Alcoholics Anonymous—one group initially asked to resume meeting at LCH, but due to leadership adjustments has had to postpone the resumption of meetings. They are cleared to begin as soon as they are ready.
- Habitat for Humanity has resumed limited use of their office.
- Christiansen Educators tutoring has resumed limited use of the campus.
- Organ lessons will be allowed to resume on a limited basis.
At left, Pr. Angela and the cake from her reception.
The 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.
Pastor Angela speaks to the meeting following her election as co-pastor