March 2008—In this Issue:
- A Message from Pastor Jeff
- Ark IV Benefit Concert Pictures
- Ark Thank You!
- Holy Week and Easter Services
- First Sunday Ingathering
- Lenten “Soup and Salad,” Worship, and Book Study
- Leadership Roundtable Next Sunday
- In Stitches
- “Freedom” and “Free Will”
- Successful Punahou Carnival Parking Fundraiser!
- Youth Update
- OYEA: Bigger and Better!!
- Come join the children at the Seder Meal on March 16
- What’s New on the LCH Website?
- Lunch Bunch
- Writers’ Workshop
- Game Night
- IHS Fundraiser
- Keep in Your Prayers...
- March Birthdays
- LCH Worship Participants (8:00 AM)
- LCH Worship Participants (10:30 AM)
- LCH Worship Participants (Holy Week)
- Heart Beat Deadline
- Attendance and Offerings for February
- Heavenly Humor
- Calendar: March 2008
View the entire issue as a full-color PDF via the link below:
March 2008 HeartBeat (PDF)
The HeartBeat
A Message from Pastor Jeff
February 19th was the Democratic Caucus here in Hawaii. All over the Island of Oahu, gaggles of sign-holding supporters held picket signs emblazoned with their candidate’s picture and the word “CHANGE.” Near Liliha and King, a trolley car full of political supporters chanted, rang bells, shouted, and sang for their candidate. Again, the theme was change. Near Kawananakoa Middle School, hundreds of people filled the sidewalks as they gathered to exercise their voting rights. Old men and women joined families pushing strollers and skipping with young children. At the school, the line to vote snaked all around the building into the playground and out into the street. According to organizers, more people showed up for this caucus than for any general election in recent memory. Senator Inouye remarked that he had not seen this sort of voting fervor since the vote for Hawaii Statehood in 1959! The theme dominating the political landscape is change!
Later that evening, I tried to imagine all those folks heading to church on Sunday. I tried to imagine them waiting in lines for hours to receive Holy Communion. I played with images of people willing to park six blocks away for the chance to hear the saving work of God and ushers standing on tables shouting out instructions because there were no more bulletins. “Pick up a piece of white paper and write down the following hymns,” shout the ushers. In the courtyard, hundreds of first-time churchgoers strain to hear instructions for filling out worship registration cards. Inside, worshippers crowd each other jockeying for a better place at the altar rail, and harried deacons run back into the sacristy for more wine and wafers. In the boardroom is a bank of phones manned by faithful volunteers calling everyone they can think of. “Come to church. You matter here!” Overwhelmed by the whole scene, the pastor sits down and watches the Spirit work her way through God’s people.
The theme of the day is “change.” Hearts are changed from bitterness to love; wine and bread are changed to body and blood; guilt is changed to forgiveness, and sin to grace. Auntie Peg decides to change things up a bit and bring fruit salad to the potluck rather that her signature fried chicken. Across the courtyard, the Sunday school children hear how God changed God’s mind and did not destroy Nineveh after all. Mrs. Johnson decides not to glare at the young family sitting in her pew and sat next to old friend Mabel. She is even considering making the change permanent. The teenagers gathered near the rear pew still think church is boring, but they have decided they too can be agents of change. Right in the middle of communion they decide to stop going to church and start being the church. They conspire to call their friends to begin a new ministry of service and worship at the beach on Saturday night, and they ask Mrs. Johnson to help them organize it. After worship, members, guests, strangers, and folks wandering off the street eat chocolate-filled donuts and drink coffee and herbal tea. When one of them mentions a sick relative, they join hands and pray together. They have been to worship, and now they are being the church.
Late into the night, the ushers and volunteers wearily count the offering, put away chairs, and sip that last cup of coffee before going home for the night. The ten o’clock news flashes scenes of the mobs descending on church, and the crawler underneath announces, “Record crowds go to worship for the tenth week in a row.” Everyone is exhausted, but gratified to have exercised the privilege of worshipping God and serving their neighbor.
Pastor Jeff Lilley
pr.jeff@lchwelcome.org
Three children joined together in “Allegro”by Shinichi Suzuki.
The F.R.O.G.S. Choir sang as part of the Children’s Benefit Concert to raise $5,000 for an Ark of Animals from Heifer International.
A young dancer performed “Hale‘iwa Hula” by Jennie Napua Hanaiali‘i Wood and John Noble, choreography by Ka Hale I O Kahala.
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
We have half the money we need to launch ARK IV!
On Saturday, February 9th, the children of LCH put on a benefit concert to help earn money for an ark from Heifer International. It was a wonderful event with lovely music and a spirit of cheerful giving. This is the fourth year that the children of this church have spearheaded this fund drive. We are happy to announce that they brought in $2,168.15 at the concert. All of that money will go towards the $5,000 needed for the ark.
Our heartfelt thanks go to all the children who performed so wonderfully. Also special thanks go to Holly Lindsay for publicity and to Vicki Gorman, Teresa McCreary, Pastor Lilley, Coleen Howard, Kathy and Carl Crosier, the LCH Church Council, the Learning Ministry Committee, Linda Rich, Carol Langner, and Bill Potter.
We still have the opportunity to support them in meeting their goal. You can sign up in the courtyard to pledge a dollar-a-day for Lent (that’s just $40), or put a check for any amount in the offering plate. Make your check out to the Lutheran Church of Honolulu and note that the gift is for the ARK Project. Thank you.
First Sunday Ingathering
ANGEL NETWORK
Mark the first Sunday of every month on your calendars and make that extra trip to Costco or Sam’s Club. While donations for Angel Network are welcome any time, Pastor Jeff has set the first Sunday of every month as a special ingathering for Angel Network (located at Calvary by the Sea Lutheran Church). Bring canned foods, sample-sized shampoos, soaps, and personal items. Spam, Cup-a-noodle and canned tuna are favorites. Also, bring plastic grocery bags, which are used to distribute the items to our friends in need. There is a table set up in the Hörmann Courtyard to receive your donations.
Lenten “Soup and Salad,” Worship, and Book Study
The Season of Lent began on February 6 with Ash Wednesday. On Wednesdays, March 5 and 12, we will have a “Soup and Salad” meal (6:00 pm), worship (7:00 pm), and a book study (7:30 pm). This year, our study book is Night by Elie Wiesel.
A sign-up sheet for soup, salad, and bread is available in the Hörmann Courtyard.
Leadership Roundtable Next Sunday
At 11:45 am on Sunday, March 2 (and every first Sunday thereafter), the chairperson or a representative of each committee will meet in the Board Room with Pastor Jeff Lilley and the Church Council President Brian Weis. This is to enhance communications between all committees. See you all there!
In Stitches
Always meaning to do handwork? Come join In Stitches, the LCH craft group, and work on your own project, learn a new skill, or work on objects for the church. We meet the second and fourth Saturdays of each month in the Board Room from 9:00 to 11:00 am. The next meeting is on Saturday, March 8. In Stitches will also meet on March 22.
Contact Linda Miller through the Church Office (941-2566) for more information.
“Freedom” and “Free Will”
The Process Theology study group will tackle the notion of “freedom” and “free will” at the next meeting . On Saturday, March 8, 9:30–11:00 am, the discussion will refer to an article entitled “Being and Freedom: The Metaphysics of Freedom” by Frederick Sontag. You can download a copy of this article at <www.religion-online.org/showarticle.asp?title=3023>. If you have not attended a previous session, you are still welcome. We always have a lively and stimulating discussion. A repeat session will be held on Sunday, March 9, about noon.
Lars Tellander and Cheryl Crosier-Garcia during Punahou Carnival Parking, watching over the full back lot.
Successful Punahou Carnival Parking Fundraiser!
What a great Punahou carnival parking fundraiser we had this year! Although we experienced more rain than the last few years, we did gross more money because of the higher turnover of people coming and going to the carnival. There were 60 volunteer workers who covered the 82 shifts on Friday, February 1, and Saturday, February 2. Many people worked two shifts, with some working as many as five shifts during the weekend. Because we had a shortfall of LCH volunteers, we also had 6 people from Joy of Christ and 7 people from St. John’s Lutheran Churches help out this year. For their efforts, they earned $990 for their respective youth groups to attend the OYEA camp at Erdman this summer.
This year, we purchased walkie-talkies that enabled us to communicate between the parking lots and between the coordinators. This cut down on the endless running between the various lots that was necessary in previous years. Despite the inclement weather, with rain and wind and mud throughout the weekend, it seemed that everyone had a great time. Thanks to all of you hard working volunteers, to Ilse Layau for providing the delicious carnival malasadas, to the great team effort of those who planned and ran the event, and especially, to Pastor Jeff for his support and enthusiasm of this fundraiser even going as far as volunteering to work on his days off.
The proceeds of this annual fundraiser—$4432—will go to our Youth Group. Their cost of attending this summer’s OYEA camp at Erdman should be fully underwritten with this year’s profits. In addition, they have tithed 10% of the profit, or $443, to the LCH Parking Lot repairs fund. We should also be getting a $500 Thrivent Matching Grant that will also be deposited in the Parking Lot repairs fund.
We look forward to next year’s Punahou Carnival Parking, and hope that you will find the time to volunteer for at least one of the 82 shifts needed to cover the weekend’s hours of operation.
Youth Update
Crescent C., Council Youth Representative
The youth have decided to give 10% of the proceeds from the Punahou Carnival parking fundraiser to help pay for LCH parking repairs. After two days of hard work and even cooperation from youth from other churches, the total profit was $4,431.78. $443 will be transferred from the Youth Fund to the LCH parking repair fund.
OYEA: Bigger and Better!!
Adam Burke, Youth Coordinator
God’s blessing continues to pour out for the Hukilau’s youth ministry. Our churches are blessed with tremendous young people. I am reminded each week of the awesome potential our youth possess.
Youth representatives from all OYEA churches organized my installation service on January 27th. Thank you to all that participated and attended; the congregational support is overwhelming. It is a joy to share in ministry with OYEA.
It is my pleasure to officially welcome Chinese Lutheran Church to the OYEA Hukilau! The youth from Chinese Lutheran joined OYEA for the all-night Lock-in Bowling event at Kaneohe Marine Base on February 29th. The house was rockin’ all night (and morning) long! I think we’re still trying to catch up on our sleep.
This month, Maluhia Lutheran Church in Waianae will be hosting our OYEA event (Jr. and Sr. High). This service project is a beach cleanup of Pokai Bay on the Makaha coast. A barbecue and fun activities will follow. Also, in preparation for our Summer Camp in June, the youth groups will combine forces to wash cars at joint fundraisers.
I look forward to the church visits in the coming weeks, partnering with youth and adults to make OYEA bigger and better!
Come join the children at the Seder Meal on March 16
On March 16 (Palm Sunday) at 9:10 between services, the children of the Sunday school will again host a Seder meal in Isenberg Hall. This has been a traditional part of our Easter preparation in the Lutheran Church of Honolulu for the last several years, and our Sunday School children have been learning about Passover and Easter as they prepare the Seder.
The Seder meal is the Passover meal Jesus celebrated with his followers when he first gave us the Eucharist. The Seder is the way Jewish people throughout history have remembered God’s special relationship with His people and how He freed the Israelites from slavery in Egypt.
Come learn more on the 16th.
What’s New on the LCH Website?
Bill Potter, Webmaster
The LCH website continues to grow and change as it documents the life of our congregation. Among many changes over the past month, several short articles and pictures were added to the Congregational Life page, and there is a new page in the Children section with pictures from the Children’s Benefit Concert for Heifer International. You can keep up with these changes using the “What’s New?” page that is available via a link on the left side of the Home page.
Occasionally I am asked, “How big is the LCH website?” The most recent sitemap file (available through a link on the left side of the Home page) shows 453 pages, and that doesn’t count some pages that are excluded from the sitemap, such as the PDFs of the HeartBeat!
As our website grows, it’s sometimes necessary to reorganize files on our server, and that’s what I did in the middle of February. As you know, I have been archiving the HeartBeat and our lists of readings, hymns and special music since we went to the new HeartBeat format in July 2006. Just like you probably do on your home computer, I put all the old files in a folder on the server. However, with both a PDF and an HTML file for each HeartBeat, the folder had 40 files by this February, and it was troublesome to find the file I was looking for. To solve this problem, I went back and grouped the files for one year together in a sub-folder. That part was easy, but since each page has a number of links to other pages and to the images on that page, I reviewed each page and updated those links. It took a couple of evenings of coding, but now the work is complete, and our website is organized for growth over the next few years. If you’d like to see how the files are organized, take a look at the sitemap.
While I’m telling you about the recoding that went along with the reorganization, let me admit that I probably missed a few things. If you come across a link that doesn’t work or a missing picture, please let me know so I can get it fixed. (I also appreciate knowing about mistakes in content, typos, etc.) There’s an email link at the bottom of almost every page. Just copy the URL from the top of the page into the email and describe the error that needs to be corrected. Thanks in advance for your help.
Lunch Bunch
Lunch Bunch meets Sunday, March 9 (the second Sunday of every month). Everyone will gather in the Hörmann Courtyard at 12:00 noon and then decide where to go and have lunch. Please join us for this fun-filled fellowship!
For more information, contact Stephanie Miller through the Church Office (941-2566).
Writers’ Workshop
Writers’ Workshop will meet on Monday, March 10, from 7:00 to 8:30 pm in the Board Room (or the Rainbow Room) at LCH. This will be the third meeting of the new year. The Spring 2008 schedule also includes a meeting on April 28.
Game Night
You are invited to Game Night on Saturday, March 29, at 6:30 pm. (This is a change from the usual fourth Saturday of the month because March 22 is Easter Eve.) It’s a potluck at Stephanie Miller’s home in Kaimuki, so bring a dish of your choice, and your favorite game! Would love to see you there. It’ll be great fun.
For directions to Steff’s home or for more information, contact her through the Church Office (941-2566).
IHS Fundraiser
used ink cartridges and old cell phones
Drop your used printer ink cartridges/toners and old cell phones (handsets and batteries only) at the LCH Administrator’s office or in a drop box located at the church. Two companies will turn the cartridges and cell phones into cash. The minimum we can send in is 50 cartridges and 35 cell phones. This is an ongoing fundraiser to support the Institute for Human Services Meal that LCH provides on the third Friday of each month for the homeless.
Keep in Your Prayers...
| Amalie | Gary | Linda |
| Anita | Janae | Lorie |
| Dan | Jerry | Lucia |
| Donald | Joe | Mary |
| Dorothy | Kathy | Rosemary |
| Emelda | Ken | Shane |
March Birthdays
| 3/01 | Florine Foerster |
| 3/04 | Chuck Chamberlain |
| 3/05 | Hunter N. |
| 3/06 | Nathalie J. |
| 3/06 | Kore S. |
| 3/07 | Lillie J. |
| 3/07 | Brian Weis |
| 3/15 | Kenny Weeks |
| 3/17 | Sydney J. |
| 3/17 | Ken Von Deylen |
| 3/18 | Ken Bauchle |
| 3/18 | Donald Womack |
| 3/23 | Nicholas Castello |
| 3/25 | Evan D. |
| 3/28 | Olivia Castro |
Holy Week Worship Participants
| March 20, 7:30 pm—Maundy Thursday | |
| LECTOR | TBA |
| DEACON | Sylvia Hormann-Alper |
| SUB-DEACON | Bob Tellander |
| ACOLYTES | Jordan M.& Bob Zimmer |
| March 21, 7:30 pm—Good Friday | |
| DEACON | Bob Zimmer |
| SUB-DEACON | Mary Fastenau |
| (No lector, no acolytes, no communion assistant) | |
| March 22 , 7:30 pm—Easter Vigil | |
| DEACON | Carl Crosier |
| SUB-DEACON | Don Person |
| MC | Jim Sullivan |
| THURIFER | Jimmy Castro |
| BOATBEARER | Jordan M. |
| CRUCIFER | Jerome Vasconcellos |
| TORCHBEARERS | Bob Zimmer & Jeanne Castello |
| ACOLYTES/BANNERS | Ray Herradura & Karyn C. |
| LECTORS | Sylvia Hormann-Alper, Randy Castello, Fritz Fritschel, Peggy Anderson, Jim Cartwright, Linda Miller, Sean D’Evelyn |
Heart Beat Deadline
Next Heart Beat Deadline is Tuesday, March 18!
Attendance and Offerings for February
| February 3 | 8:00 AM Service | 37 | Offering | $4,943.85 | |
| 10:30 AM Service | 132 | Sunday School | $3.00 | ||
| Compline | 24 | Music—Instruments | $210.00 | ||
| Total | 190 | Capital Improvements | $33.00 | ||
| Social Ministries | $25.75 | ||||
| February 10 | 8:00 AM Service | 38 | Offering | $4,608.25 | |
| 10:30 AM Service | 101 | Sunday School | $2.85 | ||
| Compline | 23 | Heifer Project | $85.00 | ||
| Total | 162 | fasting & feasting | $80.00 | ||
| Capital Improvements | $33.00 | ||||
| Memorials | $200.00 | ||||
| February 17 | 8:00 AM Service | 37 | Offering | $2,822.75 | |
| 10:30 AM Service | 105 | Sunday School | $1.00 | ||
| Compline | 30 | Heifer Project | $280.00 | ||
| Total | 172 | Capital Improvements | $33.00 | ||
| World Hunger | $20.00 | ||||
| February 24 | 8:00 AM Service | 35 | Offering | $2,659.45 | |
| 10:30 AM Service | 74 | Sunday School | $5.05 | ||
| Compline | 26 | Social Ministries | $25.75 | ||
| Total | 135 | Capital Improvements | $33.00 | ||
| Heifer Project | $140.00 | ||||
| World Hunger | $20.00 |
Heavenly Humor
Rev. Dale Schoening of Renwick, IA, was listening to a radio program discussing the forthcoming new edition of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Baptist Hymnal.
A guest, a pianist from a small church in Nashville, TN, commented that not everyone was happy because the new hymnal has a lot more contemporary praise-and-worship music than previous editions had.
She described contemporary worship music as follows: “Now you have the 7-Eleven songs; you’ve got seven words—you just sing them eleven times.”
Late in the service, a country preacher was at a fevered pitch. He asked the congregation, “Who wants to go to Heaven tonight?”
All but one hand went up. Stunned, the preacher asked again, “Who wants to go to Heaven tonight?”
Again there was one lone holdout. In desperation, the preacher asked, “Sir, don’t you want to go to heaven when you die?”
“Certainly,” the man replied, “I want to go to Heaven when I die, but I thought you were getting up a group to go tonight!”
—George Goldtrap
Ormond-by-the-Sea, FL
Calendar: March 2008
- Sunday, March 2—Angel Network Ingathering
- 8:00 AM Holy Communion
- 9:10 AM Christian Education
- 10:30 AM Choral Eucharist
- 11:45 AM Leadership Roundtable
- 8:30 PM Pre-Compline Discussion
- 9:00 PM Compline
- Monday, March 3
- 6:00 PM Mutual Ministry/Transition Team Meeting
- Wednesday, March 5
- 6:00 PM Soup & Salad
- 6:30 PM Joint Confirmation—Calvary by the Sea
- 7:00 PM Lenten Service
- 7:30 PM Book Study
- Thursday, March 6
- 10:00 AM Preschool Chapel
- 7:00 PM LCH Choir Rehearsal
- Saturday, March 8
- 9:00 AM In Stitches
- 9:30 AM Process Theology Forum
- Sunday, March 9
- 8:00 AM Holy Communion
- 9:10 AM Christian Education
- 10:30 AM Choral Eucharist
- 12:00 noon Process Theology Forum
- 12:00 noon Lunch Bunch
- 4:30 PM Joint Confirmation—Christ Lutheran
- 8:30 PM Pre-Compline Discussion
- 9:00 PM Compline
- Monday, March 10
- 7:00 PM Writers’ Workshop
- Tuesday, March 11
- 6:30 PM Worship & Music
- Wednesday, March 12
- 12:30 PM Finance Committee Meeting
- 6:00 PM Soup & Salad
- 7:00 PM Lenten Service
- 7:30 PM Book Study
- Thursday, March 13
- 10:00 AM Preschool Chapel
- 7:00 PM LCH Choir Rehearsal
- Sunday, March 16—Palm Sunday
- 8:00 AM Holy Communion
- 9:10 AM Seder Meal
- 10:30 AM Choral Eucharist
- 8:30 PM Pre-Compline Discussion
- 9:00 PM Compline
- Monday, March 17—Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
- 7:00 PM Easter Rehearsal with instruments
- Tuesday, March 18
- 9:00 AM Heart Beat Deadline
- 6:00 PM Executive Committee
- 6:30 PM Council Meeting
- Thursday, March 20—Maundy Thursday
- 7:30 PM Maundy Thursday Liturgy
- Friday, March 21—Good Friday—Office Closed
- 1:00 PM Prepare IHS Meals
- 5:30 PM Serve IHS Meals
- 7:30 PM Good Friday Liturgy
- Saturday, March 22
- 9:00 AM In Stitches
- 7:30 PM The Great Vigil of Easter
- Sunday, March 23—Easter Sunday
- 8:00 AM Festival Holy Communion
- 9:10 AM Christian Education
- 10:30 AM Festival Choral Eucharist
- 8:30 PM Pre-Compline Discussion
- 9:00 PM Compline
- Wednesday, March 26—Prince Kuhio Day—Office Closed
- 9:00 AM Heart Beat Mailing
- Thursday, March 27
- 7:00 PM LCH Choir Rehearsal
- Saturday, March 29
- 6:30 PM Game Night
- Sunday, March 30—RIC Sunday
- 8:00 AM Holy Communion
- 9:10 AM Christian Education
- 10:30 AM Choral Eucharist
- 8:30 PM Pre-Compline Discussion
- 9:00 PM Compline
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