The HeartBeat

A Message from Pastor Jeff

At the 2009 ELCA Churchwide Assembly our church voted to affirm the work of the Human Sexuality Taskforces and its implementing resolutions. These resolutions call for rule changes that allow the ELCA to develop mechanisms for recognizing life-long committed relationships between same gender couples, ordaining persons in such relationships, and respecting the “bound conscience” of all. The affirmative vote, by a 2/3 majority of voting members, came after 10 years of study, education, hearings, theological reflection, congregational and synodical deliberation, and copious feedback from individuals, congregations, and synods. In short, a lot of groundwork was laid prior to the presentation of the implementing resolutions.

Reaction to the Assembly’s action has been mixed. Immediately following the Assembly, several congregations announced their intention to leave the ELCA family to join other denominations or become independent churches. Charging that they were “blind sided” by the decision or “appalled by this heresy,” leaders of these congregations have chosen to lead their people away from the body of Christ in the ELCA to seek other pastures. Other congregations and individuals are rejoicing that the ELCA is opening doors of ministry that had been shut for many years. One pastor reported seeing a marked increase in attendance by people who felt previous ELCA policy had excluded them from full life and ministry in the church.

At a Lutheran Church of Honolulu gathering held after the assembly, there was general support for the Assembly decision, but also some reservation. Such diversity is welcomed and encouraged in our congregation. No one called for LCH to pack up and leave the ELCA. There were no threats to withhold offerings, and nobody stalked out of the room. Instead, we agreed that there is room for a diversity of opinions on such matters and that we gather for Christ’s sake, not for agreement’s sake. Over the past few weeks, I have asked many Pastors how their congregations are receiving the Assembly decision regarding the ordination of gay, lesbian, and transgendered persons in committed relationships. Where congregations had attended to the process of study, prayer, deliberation, and feedback, there was very little controversy. Congregations that had done less preparation seemed more susceptible to the anxiety and personal angst of their pastors or other leaders. It is unfortunate and sad that some of these leaders are choosing to lead their congregations away from the ELCA family and cast their lot elsewhere. We will keep them in our thoughts and prayers as brothers and sisters in Christ.

For the rest of us, the process is far from over. The church council will work over the next months to develop policies that reflect the collective will of the ELCA regarding issues of human sexuality. During this time I hope we will follow the advice of our Presiding Bishop in his Pastoral message of September 23rd and engage in:

• A continual dwelling in the Word of God and prayer;
• Listening that is fully attentive to others, especially to those with whom we disagree;
• Leadership committed to and focused on mission;
• A commitment to remain in respectful and caring relationship with one another;
• Patient waiting on and breathing in the Spirit, remembering Jesus’ command to his disciples to “stay until you have been clothed with power from on high” (Luke 24:49);
• The creation of safe places for conversation, where it is safe to articulate deeply held biblical, confessional, and theological convictions, where it is safe both to affirm and admonish one another, and where it is safe to explore the questions that come with faithful service and witness;
• An elasticity rather than rigidity in our ways of supporting and carrying out ministry and mission.

Pastor Jeff Lilley
pr.jeff@lchwelcome.org

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CONGRATULATIONS!

It is real! For the first time this year, our year-to-date budget is balanced. In fact, we are slightly positive, with a little more income than expenses so far this year at the end of August. Your consistent donations have helped make this happen.

The Finance Committee also thanks the LCH committee heads for gracefully cutting their budgets earlier this year. While many cuts were not visible to the congregation, we know that any cuts at all were difficult.

Thanks to this positive financial situation and the work of many volunteers, we have been able to spend a little more on maintenance and minor improvements. In interesting times we continue to thrive.

Mahalo!
Steve Miller
Treasurer

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Work Day

A huge mahalo to all those who took time out of your Labor Day weekend to join the Saturday LCH Pau Summer Fling!

Isenberg interior decorators: Tim Davis, Carolyn, Fred and Paul Benco, Ilse Layau, Billie Jean Ries, Hye Jung Kim, Linda Miller, and Jean Lilley.

Courtyard demolition brigade: Mike Formby, Peter Lee, Chris Bushman, and Pastor Jeff Lilley.

Door construction crew: Jean-Paul Klingebiel and Steve Miller.

Landscape architect consortium: Peggy Anderson, April Smith, Mary-Jo Estes, Bill Potter, Jimmy Castro, Randy Castello, Paul Benco, and Sarah Davis.

Thank you for your enthusiastic, energetic efforts. It was a fantastic, monumental achievement to paint Isenberg Hall, remove all the courtyard brackets, replace and repair doors, and transform the landscaping around the campus all in one day!

Jim Sullivan

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Leadership Roundtable

Sunday, October 4th, at 11:15 AM, the chairperson or another representative of each committee will meet in the Boardroom with Pastor Jeff and Council President Olivia Castro. This meeting, repeated the first Sunday of every month, is to enhance communications among committees. See you there!

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For the last several weeks, our Gospel lessons have recounted Jesus’ efforts to mold his followers into real disciples who were spiritually equipped to follow him. It was a struggle for them, even though they were with Jesus day in and day out. Of course, we have an advantage over them since we know how the story turns out. But still, it’s not easy.

During the month of October, all of us at LCH have an opportunity to deepen our understanding and commitment to follow Jesus, our light, and become better disciples through a series of ‘ohana gatherings. By supporting each other in our desire to grow as disciples, we can respond to our calling to be the body of Christ in the world—to do God’s work, share our blessings, and spread the light.

Gatherings are scheduled between October 4 and 18 in your neighborhood and at church. At each gathering, members of the LCH ‘ohana will share in fellowship, prayer, and discussion about what it means to be a disciple. Because each gathering will be limited to no more than eight members, please sign up at church or by phone (941-2566) or email (lch@LCHwelcome.org) to the Church Office.

Below is a list of the “Following Jesus” ‘Ohana Gatherings that have been scheduled as of press time. The most up-to-date list is available at <www.lchwelcome.org/ohana>.

There will also be a youth ‘ohana gathering on one of the Sundays in October.

In discipleship,
Your Stewardship Committee

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LutherFest

Come and join the entire LCH ‘ohana for fun, food, and fellowship as we celebrate our Lutheran heritage with LutherFest on Saturday, October 24, at 6:00 PM.

The evening begins with pupus and no-host beer and wine in the Hörmann Courtyard, featuring our hand-crafted, LCH-label wine. Dinner will be a potluck supper, with brats and sauerkraut provided by the committee.

We always have more than enough food, so join us for the evening even if your schedule (or anything else) makes it hard to bring a dish to share. If you are able to contribute a dish, please bring something for to share at dinner.

If you’d like some guidance for what to bring, here’s the list:

Following dinner, you can look forward to entertainment including Reformation carols, some games, and even a visit from Martin Luther himself.

LutherFest is always a treat, so mark your calendar and plan to be a part of the fun. It’s also a great way to meet the LCH family, so why not invite family or friends to join you for the evening.

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Abendmusiken I: Music for a Royal Occasion

A Celebration of George Frideric Handel (1685–1759)
November 1st at 4:00 PM

In commemoration of the 250th anniversary of his death, we present an extraordinary concert of music by one of the giants of Baroque music, George Frideric Handel. His masterpieces Messiah, Water Music, and Music for the Royal Fireworks have almost eclipsed his other compositions. This concert will feature three lesser-known but equally magnificent works.

Handel wrote 15 concertos for organ and Baroque orchestra to be played during the intervals of his oratorios. Katherine Crosier will present his very first piece in this genre, Concerto in G minor, Op. 4, No. 3, which was performed with his Oratorio Esther on March 5, 1735. In addition to the organ solo part, there are extended solo passages for violin and ’cello as well.

Like John Blow and Henry Purcell before him, as the dominant figure in the musical life of England, Handel was asked to provide music for royal and ceremonial occasions. His “Ode for the Birthday of Queen Anne” is a festive work extolling the queen’s supreme abilities as a peacemaker. This charming and laudatory work had to have been very well received at court. Handel’s brilliance in setting the English text is quite remarkable.

The impetus for the composition of the large scale Te Deum in D (“Dettingen”) was the English victory against the French at Dettingen, personally led by King George II, on June 27, 1743. Handel immediately seized on the opportunity to present a work of great splendor to mark the return of the king to London. This masterwork is cut from the same cloth as Messiah and contains magnificent choruses and expressive arias, all the while illuminating the text of the church’s greatest hymn of thanksgiving as no other composer could.

This concert is not to be missed. Anyone who loves Messiah will love this! Half of the proceeds from this fundraising concert will be designated for the completion of the LCH music archive. Please join us, and do invite your friends for an unforgettable afternoon of Handel!

Carl Crosier
Cantor

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Support for Jeanette Hanson

Foods donations are being organized for both Jeanette and her son, Derek, who is living at home at this time. All foods are welcome, with the exception of beef and heavy dairy. Vegetarian and organic foods are also welcome.

A sign-up sheet is in the courtyard. Please contact me through the Church Office (941-2566) with any questions.

Shama Stewart
Coordinator

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What’s New on the LCH Website?

Bill Potter, Webmaster

I am very excited to announce the addition of a new feature on our LCH website: a daily prayer feed using the daily reading lectionary from Evangelical Lutheran Worship. The main page for this prayer is available at <www.LCHwelcome.org/office>.

If you have explored our Spiritual Resources section, you’ve probably seen the links to other daily prayer feeds, but all of them use the daily lectionary in the Episcopal Book of Common Prayer. The ELW daily lectionary chooses weekday readings in relationship with the Sunday lectionary readings—readings for Thursday, Friday, and Saturday prepare for Sunday’s lessons, and the readings for Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday reflect on them.

Since I could not find any sites using the ELW lectionary, I set out to create our own prayer feed. The pages are written in PHP, a programming language that can produce dynamic web pages. This way, the pages change every day to provide just what is needed for that liturgical day. (Follow the “About the PHP Engine” link on the main page if you want to learn more about how this is done.)

Our prayer feed provides everything necessary to say Morning Prayer, Noon Prayer, Evening Prayer, and Compline without referring to a separate prayer book, lectionary, or Bible. Just call up the web page and say your prayers. You can even choose to include or omit certain features by setting preferences (which puts a cookie on your computer).

Because of copyright restrictions, I cannot use texts from the ELW, so our prayer feed also uses the text from the Book of Common Prayer (which is not under copyright), but the services are not that different.

Paul writes that we should “prayer without ceasing.” We may not be ready to commit to that, but most of us can find 5 to 10 minutes a day to praise God, read from the Bible, give thanks, and ask for what we need through the practice of daily prayer. The LCH daily prayer feed is a convenient way to get started on this disciple. I hope you’ll give it a try.

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Angel Network

The September in-gathering for the Angel Network was satisfying. A shopping cart with saimin, canned goods, Spam, and personal care items was collected for the Angel Network located at Calvary by the Sea Lutheran Church. Thank you for all your support. In-gatherings are scheduled for the first Sunday of each month, so your next opportunity to participate is October 4th.

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In Stitches Continues to Supply Aloha Lei

In Stitches, the LCH craft group, has a new supply of beautiful ribbon for our welcome lei. Come learn how to make these lei and enjoy the fellowship. Or get some ribbon from Stephanie Luuloa and make some lei at home. We also work on our own projects, pillows for the pews, and occasional crafty tasks for the church. We meet the second and fourth Saturday of the month from 9:00 to 11:00 in the Boardroom. Come and join us!

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Process Thought Forum

The Process Forum meets on Saturday, October 10th, 9:30–11:00 AM at Lutheran Church of Honolulu. The topic for this session, I think, is fascinating and can be very practical. Here it is: “The Philosopher’s Poet: Boris Pasternak, Dr. Zhivago, and Whitehead’s Cosmological Vision” by Strachan Donnelley Doesn’t that sound great!

The article is available on the website <www.religion-online.org>.

Have fun. Think Russian.

A repeat session will be held on Sunday, October 11, after the 10:30 worship service. For further help call Fritz through the Church Office (941-2566).

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LCH Benefit Bake Sale

Sunday, October 25—Hörmann Courtyard

Come enjoy delicious homemade muffins, scones, and breads with your Sunday morning coffee. Stock up on cookies for the office. All items will be marked with a suggested donation.

If youÕd like to don your baker’s hat, your baked goods will be most welcome. Please let Carol Langner know of your interest.

All proceeds from our sumptuous bake sale on October 25 will go to Hawaii Meals on Wheels. HMOW, founded over 30 years ago by Irmgard Hörmann and other members of LCH, depends on contributions and volunteers to deliver hot nutritious meals to the homebound here on Oahu. Check out the website <www.hmow.org> or call 988-6747 if you’d like to volunteer.

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Save The Food Basket

On behalf of the clients of Save The Food Basket, I would like to express thanks for the contribution of dishwashing soap. The need was great, and we collected about 75 bottles.

Save The Food Basket is a non-profit group that collects food and other goods not available through Food Stamps for persons with HIV and AIDS. The group also serves hot meals twice weekly.

Thank you and God’s blessing,
Bob Zimmer

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Calling All LCH-Begoners

A few years ago, LCH members started volunteering as a group to answer phones during the Hawaii Public Radio pledge drives. We now specifically request to be on duty when “Prairie Home Companion” airs on Saturday night.

It’s now time for the Fall Pledge Drive for Hawaii Public Radio, and the station has reserved Saturday night, October 17th, for LCH to staff the phones and take pledges.

Although the inimitable Bob Zimmer, who is lifelong friends with PHC cast member Butch Thompson, will be off island and not able to appear as a guest this time, we will soldier on.

To expand the name recognition of LCH, we will be doing two things this time:

• Serve tuna hot dish to staff and volunteers while we chat about LCH, LutherFest, and the upcoming Handel concert. (We also bring green jello, salad, and rolls, so there will be plenty of other food if you are not craving tuna hot dish that night.)
• Issue a challenge to all other Lutherans listening to the show to call in and match our pledge. (Our challenge will comprise the money that any of you were planning to donate to Public Radio and would be willing to lump in with others’ gifts so that we can make a statement. We will not be using church funds for the challenge.)

Please contact Josie Bidgood through the Church Office (941-2566) if you can help with the phones on October 17 from 6:00 to 9:00 PM or if you are willing to contribute to the “LCH Challenge.”

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Support OYEA’s First Annual Great Cook Off & Pie Contest

October 11, 4:00–6:00 PM, at Christ Lutheran Church, Mililani

Do you have “killer” chili recipe that deserves honors? Are you the best pie baker in your family? Then plan to enter the competition on October 11th! (Email Pastor Jeff at <pr.jeff@lchwelcome.org> to enter.)

Don’t bake or cook? Then plan to come out to support Pastor Jeff as he enters his “best ever” chili and tries to win glory for LCH!

All money raised will benefit the OYEA general fund.

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Social Ministry: Operation Backpack

Our congregation, known for its giving, will again participate in Operation Backpack. In an effort to respond to our Lord’s call to serve those in need, and in cooperation with our brothers and sisters of the Episcopal churches, we will be having a drive to collect items for this annual effort.

This year we are asking for donations of bars of soap and bottles of shampoo. We will be collecting these items now through the end of October. The collection will go out to Calvary by the Sea and be given out in November. Please donate what you can. Bars of soap are inexpensive at both Costco and Sam’s club. Shampoo is often on sale at other drug stores and big box stores. Mahalo.

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All Saints Day, November 1

On All Saints Day, Sunday, November 1, you will again have the opportunity to come forward to remember a deceased loved one by speaking their name and lighting a candle during the prayers of the community.

Please contact the church office with names you would like printed in the special bulletin insert that day and join us for this special remembrance.

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Hukilau Fall Assembly

October 17th at LCH

Lutheran Church of Honolulu will host the 2009 Hukilau Fall Assembly October 17th. The registration table opens at 9:30 AM with coffee and pastries. Worship led by Lutheran Church of Honolulu will begin at 10:00 AM. Bishop Murray Finck will address the assembly between 10:30 and 11:30 AM, followed by a time of Hukilau networking.

Following lunch, break-out groups of congregation presidents, webmasters, and other interest groups will assemble. We will be pau by 2:00 PM.

Everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend the assembly. Please RSVP to the LCH church office. The cost is $10 per person to cover the cost of lunch.

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Prayer Requests

Amelie	Carl
Gene	Shane
Jeanette

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October Birthdays

Date	Name
10/03	Mary-Jo Estes
10/03	John Purtzer
10/05	Akiyo Takamune
10/05	Claire Butin
10/07	Lois Watanabe
10/07	Rudy Riingen
10/08	Chris Klingebiel
10/09	Dorothy Hutchins
10/10	Paul Benco
10/12	Jacob W.
10/13	Troy Seffrood
10/14	Patricia Lilley
10/14	Marlise Tellander
10/14	Steve Miller
10/17	Karen Roberts-Ogawa
10/19	Sieglinde Schmidt
10/19	Mahina Katherine Williams
10/19	Sophia S.
10/23	Karen Savala
10/24	Kathy Crosier
10/26	Raphael S.
10/28	Randy Castello
10/28	Jan Flachsbart

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Heart Beat Deadline

Next Heart Beat Deadline is Tuesday, October 20!

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Heavenly Humor

Out of the mouths of God’s kids

Pastor Bob Thompson of Corinth Reformed Church in Hickory, NC, reports that each year the church’s confirmands are required to visit another church and write a brief essay on their experiences – what was similar, what was different, and how the experience affected them.

Here are some of Thompson’s favorite responses from this year’s essays:

• Baptist church: “During one part of the service in the background they had a Baptist pool. We had a chance to see some get dipped into the pool full body.”
• Catholic church: “They also did all these strange hand signals that I didn’t know.”
• African-American church: “They only beat us in one thing. Staying on beat.”
• Methodist church: “Another thing I noticed was that the assistant pastor dosed (sic) off during the other pastor’s sermon.”
• Pentecostal church: “During the sermon the pastor would randomly start crying. He cried a lot.”
• “The church I visited was called First Methodist which is a Baptist church.”

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