The HeartBeat

A Message from Pastor Jeff

It Begins with Ashes and Ends in Light

Q: What starts with ashes and ends with a fire?

A: Lent.

On Ash Wednesday this year, God’s people gathered around the world to receive the gift of a cross smeared on their foreheads in ash. “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” For all the familiarity we have with this act of penitence, it is one largely lost on the world.

Vice President Joe Biden traveled to London for a meeting on Ash Wednesday and appeared on camera with a smoky smudge on his forehead. The British reporters covering the event on TV commented with some concern about the large “bruise” on his forehead and wondered if he had met with an accident while attending the Olympics. “Look at the size of the bruise on his forehead,” they exclaimed.

But for the faithful, this traditional symbol draws us again to the disciplines of Lent: fasting, giving of alms (generosity), and prayer. Lent is not a time for long contemplations on the suffering of Jesus, but for rededication and focus on the journey of love that he lived and preached and to which he calls us in our daily life.

Through fasting we remember the hungry and sharpen our own sense of urgency about the needs of the world.

In generosity we share what we have to alleviate the suffering of others and further God’s mission in the world.

In prayer we are connected with all the world in mutual need to praise God, share concerns, and bring hope.

In Lent, we journey with ashes on our foreheads in anticipation of a fire.

Lent does not last forever. What begins in ashes culminates on the eve of Easter when a new fire is lit in a cauldron signaling the start of a new day—and a new life in Christ. As the flames grow higher and the candles are lit, we usher in the fruit of Jesus’ suffering on the cross—a new world.

Hopefully our Lenten journey will encourage us to live the disciplines of Lent daily, so that we might proclaim God’s Easter love. Although the ashes come first, soon will come the flame.

Pastor Jeff Lilley
pr.jeff@lchwelcome.org

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February Council Meeting

The LCH Council met on February 16th. Here is a brief recap of the items discussed:

• Air-conditioning issues are being resolved by Oahu Air Conditioning, Inc.
• In our continuing efforts to “go green,” we are looking into a photovoltaic system.
• Member/plate offerings were good for the month ending January 2010.
• Property and Hospitality Committees are looking for new members

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Pau Hana—Friday March 5th

After a few months off, Pau Hana is back, but with a twist!

People of every age, friends, neighbors, and even people you only marginally like are welcome to join us at Ala Moana Beach Park, picnic space 28A (located near the beach by the main bathrooms). The festivities begin March 5th at 5:00 PM.

Bring a chair or blanket and settle in for evening of food, fellowship, and (hopefully) fireworks provided by the Hilton Hawaiian Village. Come early and surf, swim, or frolic in the warm waters of Ala Moana Beach.

The twist: the Pau Hana Team will be smoking a couple of turkeys for dinner. We will have hot dogs, vegi-burgers, and hamburgers for the non-turkey eaters. Dinner service, drinks, hot dogs, hamburgers, and turkey provided. You are welcome to bring a side or dessert, but mostly we want you to bring yourself!

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Angel Network—Gather in Giving!

The February 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 March 7th.

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Leadership Roundtable

Sunday, March 7th, at 11:15 AM, following the 10:30 service, 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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OYEA Lock-In

Bring your friends to OYEA lock-in at 6:30 PM on Friday, March 12th, at Christ Lutheran Church Mililani, located at 95-1361 Meheula Parkway. Dinner and breakfast will be provided. Enjoy videos, games, and more. RSVP to Collette Wiedemann at <office@clcmililani.org> or 623-9229 by March 7th.

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Process Thought Forum

The Process Forum for March 13 at Lutheran Church of Honolulu will center around an article by Charles Hartshorne, “A Psychologist’s Philosophy Evaluated After Fifty Years.” You can find the article online at the Religion-Online site. The Saturday session will be from 9:30 to 11:00 AM, and there is a repeat session on Sunday the 14th at about noon. If you have any questions, just ask Fritz.

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Lenten Book Study

Pre-order your copy of Bonhoeffer’s Life Together by signing up in the courtyard. They are $10 each, Also, please sign up for soup and salad in the courtyard or see an usher. Mahalo!

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Writers’ Workshop

Writers’ Workshop will meet next on Monday, March 15th, 7:00–8:30 PM in the Boardroom (or the Rainbow Room) at LCH.

Our Spring schedule has now been set; future meetings are scheduled for April 5 and May 3. All are welcome. For information, please contact Kathryn Klingebiel through the Church Office (941-2566).

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Punahou Carnival Parking a Great Success

Our youth offer their thanks for all the volunteers who made this year’s Punahou Carnival Parking a great success. At total of $5,514 was raised to be used for youth activities over the coming year.

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Celebrating Pastor Jeff’s 20th Anniversary

Thanks to everyone who helped to make the celebration of the 20th anniversary of Pastor Jeff’s ordination such a wonderful event. Particular thanks to April Smith who coordinated every aspect of the celebration.

The calabash raised a total of $1,714.07 for the Life Foundation.

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Photovoltaic Electricity for the Church

Several companies have approached us about doing a free installation of photovoltaic (PV) panels on the flat roof of the church. These would generate electricity from sunlight, replacing most of our power usage from HECO. We would pay the company doing the installation a discounted rate for the electricity generated. After 10 or 20 years we could purchase the panels outright.

This arrangement is possible because of the large federal and state tax credits given this year for solar energy production. Our PV taskforce and the church council have reviewed the 3 proposals and are working toward a contract with Commercial Roofing and Waterproofing (Greenpath) to put in the panels. As part of the contract, at no cost to us, they will re-surface the flat roof with reflective coating and a 20 year warranty.

An information sheet was distributed on Sunday, February 21, at both services. Discussion sessions will be held after both services on February 28 to answer any questions. Please feel free to contact any of us on the PV taskforce about this.

Steve Miller, Chair
Jeff Lilley, JP Klingebiel, Jim Sullivan,
Jim Niermann, Fred Benco, Roy Helms

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The Aloha Team Needs You!

Help welcome visitors to our worship services with your smiling faces! Our Aloha Team greets visitors and members, presents lei to our visitors, answers questions, and—most of all—embodies our mission of “welcoming to all.”

Speak to Peggy Anderson, April Smith, Jeanne Castello, Olivia Castro, or Pastor Jeff if you have any questions about this ministry.

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Summer Camp Registration Opens Soon

Mark your calendars now for OYEA Summer Camp! Camp will be held June 27th–July 3rd at Camp Erdman on the North Shore of Oahu. Counselors from Camp WAPO will once again lead the camp. But there is more!! Elements of the high ropes course are now included as part of the camp. Come enjoy Christian fellowship, games, hikes, archery, rock climbing, silly plays, excellent music, and fun worship for a whole week. The cost of the camp is $375.00 per person.

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Lutheran Bible Camp 2010

Keeping the Dream Alive...

It all began with a dream. Would it ever be possible to provide a quality Summer Camp for local kids here on Oahu? Could we possibly make it feasible for those without the means to experience this exceptional opportunity without having to fly all the way to the mainland?

With prayer, faith, and persistence on the part of a group of Hukilau congregations and their pastors, the first annual camp came to be in summer 2008. With Counselors from a camp on the mainland, we began to build a tradition of Summer Camp right here on the North Shore. And the dream of providing our local youth the opportunity to grow in faith has come to be!

But is has not been an inexpensive endeavor. In both 2008 and 2009, almost half the youth attending the camp were on full or partial scholarship. We raise funds throughout the year with a variety of fundraisers and grants, but the majority of our scholarship money comes from people just like you, members of Hukilau congregations.

You can help by donating towards this worthy cause. Please consider sponsoring a camper or activity, in whole or in part.

If you can help, please speak with you pastor, or make a check payable to OYEA and mail to: OYEA, c/o Christ Lutheran Church, 95-1361 Meheula Parkway, Mililani, HI 96789.

Mahalo nui loa for your help in making this vital ministry a reality!

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What’s New on the LCH Website?

Bill Potter, Webmaster

We have recently added new slideshows featuring three fun events during the month of February, and all can be reached from the Congregational Life page. You can see picture from the gala celebration of Pastor Jeff’s 20th anniversary, our annual Faith & Arts Sunday, and the Children’s Benefit Concert for Heifer International. Check them out.

The real news with our LCH web presence is the growth of our Facebook page. Read Rusty Walker’s article about on this page. Thanks to Rusty and Ray Herradura whose help has made this new web ministry possible.

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LCH on Facebook

Rusty Walker, LCHFacebook Team

Our church website is still up and very active. However, many of our members and friends are also using Facebook to build up our church family and reach out into the larger community.

Personally, I am using Facebook more and more each day. I keep contact with friends and family without email. Some are college and high school friends 20 years out of touch.

Another benefit of social networking systems like Facebook is that they bring people together online contacts in a free flowing and user-friendly interface while at the same time minimizing spam and other irksome aspects of the web experience. Facebook works especially hard to give its members the tools to stop and prevent unwanted contacts.

Given these powerful community building characteristics, our LCH Facebook “fan” page provides us easy two-way communications for updates about what is going on at LCH as well as church schedules and updates. We can have more contact with LCH members and friends even thousands of miles away.

If you have not seen our page, come and take a look. You can get there through links on the LCH home page or via this simple URL: <LCHfacebook.com>. (Note the brand new address. It is easy to remember and to give to your friends.)

No signup is required to look at the page, but you have to be a Facebook member and a “fan” of the LCH page to post. Once you are a member, you may use all of the Facebook applications or just the LCH page.

If you want help using and enjoying Facebook, talk to one of our “fan” page team members before and after church or call us. We are Bill Potter, Raymond Herradura, and Rusty Walker.

Tell other LCH members and friends about the LCH page at <LCHfacebook.com>.

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Bach Vespers for Lent

Everyone is invited to Lenten Vespers on Sunday, March 7, at 7:00 PM.

This Lenten Vespers Service will feature the beloved chorale “Aus tiefer Not schrei ich zu dir” (From the depths of woe I cry to you) based on Psalm 130.

Two of Johann Sebastian Bach’s masterful settings will also be offered: the first, his chorale cantata BWV 38; and the second, the large organ setting in 6 voices BWV 686 (with the melody played in canon by both feet in the pedal). The cantata also uses a trombone quartet added to the usual strings and winds. An expressive tenor aria and a brilliant trio for the other soloists complete this wonderful work.

For the Gospel Canticle, Heinrich Schütz’s final church work, Deutsches Magnificat, SWV 494, for two choirs will be sung. We will perform this as it would have been in Schütz’s time, with two organs, a string choir, and a trombone choir doubling the vocal parts. Psalm 6 from his Becker Psalter will also be sung.

Please join the Lutheran Church of Honolulu Choir, the Compline Choir, vocal soloists, and the Bach Chamber Orchestra for this very special service. And do invite your friends.

Carl Crosier
Cantor

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Attendance and Offerings for Sunday, February 28, were not available at time of publication.

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Prayer Requests

Carl	Kathy
Gene	Shane
Karen	Stan
Susan

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March Birthdays

Date	Name
3/01	Florine Foerster
3/04	Chuck Chamberlain
3/05	Hunter N.
3/06	Kore S.
3/06	Nathalie J.
3/07	Scarlett S.
3/07	Brian Weis
3/07	Lillie J.
3/08	John Flanagan
3/17	Ken Von Deylen
3/17	Sydney J.
3/18	Ken Bauchle
3/18	Don Womack
3/23	Nicholas Castello
3/25	Evan D.
3/28	Olivia Castro

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Heart Beat Deadline

Next Heart Beat Deadline is Tuesday, March 16!

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Heavenly Humor

Jokes that pastors can tell

A priest, a minister and a Hindu guru were discussing the best positions for prayer while a telephone repairman worked nearby.

“Kneeling is definitely the best way to pray,” the priest said.

“No,” said the minister. “I get the best results standing with my hands outstretched to Heaven.”

“You’re both wrong,” the guru said. “The most effective prayer position is sitting on the floor.”

The repairman interrupted: “Hey fellas, the best prayin’ I ever did was when I was hangin’ upside down from a telephone pole.”

—Mildred Katzell, Medford, NJ

A cautious preacher concluded his sermon with the words: “The sinners referred to in my sermon are fictitious. Any similarity to members of this congregation is strictly coincidental!”

—Tal Bonham

“Observe your dog: if he’s overweight, you’re not getting enough exercise.”

—Author unknown

—Pastor Donald Prout, West Preston, Victoria, Australia

Lenten humor

Q: What is the first thing many Christians give up for Lent?

A: Going to church.

—Rev. Dr. F. Christopher Anders, York, PA
(Author, God Is Still Laughing: The Revised Heidelberg Catechism Joke Book)

Posted on Facebook the day after Ash Wednesday by one of the teenagers at Corinth Reformed Church, Hickory, NC: “I’m giving up drama for lint.”

—via Pastor Bob Thompson

Out of the mouths of God’s kids

A mother was getting irritated with her five-year-old daughter, who wouldn’t clean up her toys in the den.

“Mommy, I can’t clean up the den,” the little girl said after her mother fussed at her for the third time.

“Why not?” the mother asked.

“Because I gave up cleaning for Lent,” she replied.

—Columnist Smiley Anders, Baton Rouge (LA) Advocate

Actual answers to children’s science exam:

—via Prof. Rise Samra, Barry University, Miami, FL

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