The HeartBeat

A Message from Pastor Jeff

Re: The Church

Kelly Fryer, former Lutheran pastor and author of several books about the church and church life, recently addressed a group of ELCA pastors regarding leadership in the church. Her thoughts were both sobering and wonderfully helpful. Although this space is hardly sufficient to relay the sum of what she and her partner said, a taste of the substance might be valuable to all of us who love and live in the church.

For much of the past 30 years, most churches have adopted a corporate model of management. Dave, one of the presenters at the workshop, admitted that in fact, he had made a pretty good living teaching corporate principles to churches over the past many years. “There is just one problem with the corporate model,” Dave said; “it doesn’t work. The corporate model is based on the basic idea that God has a church, and the church has a mission. Congregations use media and signs and brochures to advertise their services and announce when it might be convenient for guests to visit during worship times.” In addition, each visitor or new member may be viewed with an eye to how they will contribute financially or how they will fill some need the congregation might have. In other words, people are “consumables” that can, and are, “used up” and then replaced with a fresh new model. The church may be more concerned with what the new member can do for the church than what the church can do for the new member. We’ve all been there. Kelly and Dave suggest it might be time to rethink that model.

They begin with an old way of thinking. In Genesis, God is loose in the world doing all sorts of wonderful acts of beauty and creativity. Dave and Kelly suggest that God is still loose in the world doing great and wonderful things. Sometimes those wonderful things happen through the Christian church; sometimes God acts through other means. In this model, God has a mission, and the church must discern how to live out that mission in the world. People are not just consumables, but valuable gifts of God to be treasured, nurtured, fed and sent for the sake of God’s mission. The primary activity of the church is not (in this model) extracting money or talents or perpetuating the organization, but participating joyfully and fully in the mission of God. God is already loose in the world, and our job is to begin to see with new eyes what “God is up to” and join in the fun.

For those of us (including me) who are from the business world and subscribe to the corporate model of church, the challenge Kelly and Dave pose can be very difficult to swallow. We are reluctant to admit that five year plans and corporate projections seldom work in the fluid environment of the church, even though we have decades of data to prove it. We can be annoyed and nervous when initiatives for ministry begin to bubble up because we feel we are losing control of both the process and the outcome. It can be difficult to let go of the control (or at least the illusion of control) that the corporate model gives pastors and councils in order to allow the Spirit to work in and through the congregation. But we do need to recognize that we can’t put the Holy Spirit on a spreadsheet, nor can we capture the mission of God in a business plan. God is loose in the world doing good with us or without us—and maybe in spite of us.

Dave and Kelly suggest a “renewable” and therefore “sustainable” model for the church. Such a model calls us to reform, renew, and reproduce. It calls us to take God’s mission seriously and to discern our part of the mission. It calls us to see the world in God’s abundance and to put away the assumption of scarcity. It introduces a way of doing ministry that calls us into joyful process of ministry that honors both God and people in such a way that the church lives out ministry in partnership with the world rather than in competition with it. You will hear more about this in the coming months, but for the moment I would leave you with this thought: For the first time in some years, many church leaders are beginning to have hope for the future of the church because we are beginning to let go of the church as a corporation and celebrate the mission that God is doing in the world. God is on the loose, and that is good news for all of God’s people!

Aloha,
Pastor Jeff Lilley
pr.jeff@lchwelcome.org

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October Council Highlights

Council met Tuesday, October 19. Here are the highlights of the meeting:

• Welcome to April Smith, our new co-chair of the Property Committee.
• Expenses are slightly lower than expected and budget is on track for the year. Thank you for your continued support.
• Many successful events this past month, including Pau Hana, OYEA Chili Cook Off, and, of course, the annual LutherFest.
• Taskforce Committee briefed the Council on their progress in the potential call of an associate pastor.
• Parking Lot/Landscaping Committee is holding two parking lot charrettes in November to explore project ideas further.
• New Council members are needed for the upcoming year: three adult members and one youth member. Please consider serving.

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Angel Network—Gather in Giving!

The October in-gathering for the Angel Network was, once again, a success thanks to the generosity of our faithful supporters. A shopping cart of foodstuff items was collected for the Angel Network located at Calvary by the Sea Lutheran Church. Thank you for again for those who donated their time and resources.

In-gatherings are scheduled on the first Sunday of each month, so your next opportunity to participate is Sunday, November 7th.

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Leadership Roundtable

Sunday, November 7th, at 11:45 AM, the chair or another representative of each committee will meet with Pastor Jeff and Council President Olivia Castro in the Boardroom. This meeting is to enhance communications among committees. See you there!

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All Saints’ Day—November 7

With so much going on at LCH this year, All Saints Sunday has managed to sneak up on us. At this year’s All Saints Sunday you will again have the opportunity to remember a deceased loved one by speaking their name and lighting a candle in the worship service during the community prayers. Please contact the church office as soon as possible with names you would like printed in the special bulletin insert that day and join us for this special day of remembrance.

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Church Campus Planning Charrette

(In which the parking lot figures prominently)

Are you curious? creative? confounded by uneven pavement surfaces, dusty, treeless landscaping, and klieg-light aesthetics? Then join us for a church campus planning charrette where you can satisfy your curiosity, exercise your creativity, and kick the dirt for inspiration with your fellow congregants.

There are two opportunities to participate: November 6 and/or November 13, 10:00 AM to 12:00 noon, in Isenberg Hall (with a field trip or two thrown in).

The charrette is a group design exercise to develop a landscape and parking plan for the LCH campus. The purpose of a campus landscape plan is to create a space that:

• Honors the God of creation by expressing our environmental stewardship.
• Honors the God of love by reflecting our care for our neighbors, our respect for our host culture, and our joy in fellowship.
• Extends the invitation to all by creating an environment that offers welcome and orientation to the newcomer.
• Communicates who we are and retains touchstones to our history as a congregation and the history of this place.
• Inhabits a vision of our future.

We’ll spend some time discussing design principles and objectives. We’ll spend more time with pens in hand and maps on the table developing plans for the campus.

For your homework, a draft of the “Owners’ Project Requirements” is on the LCH website: <www.lchwelcome.org/landscape>.

If you have questions, please contact Jim Niermann through the Church Office (941-2566).

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Thanks to everyone who nailed their pledge to the door as part of our Reformation Day celebration or submitted a pledge in another form. It was a real inspiration to see so many of our LCH family answer the call to service. The four of us are really moved by the commitments you made to lift up LCH and our mission in your prayers and to devote your time and talents to our ministries.

Your pledges of time and talent will be passed along to the appropriate group leaders, and your financial pledges will be given to the folks preparing our budget for next year. In addition, you will be receiving a confirmation letter shortly from the financial secretary.

If you were not able to turn in your pledge on October 31, it’s not too late. You can seal your pledge scroll and drop it in the offering plate, send it along to the office, or turn it in using the online pledge form. Just type in <www.lchwelcome.org/stewardship> to get to this year’s stewardship page; choose the “Online Pledge Scroll” link on the left. The page also has links to various stewardship calculators and the form to enroll in or update your account in the Simply Giving electronic funds transfer (EFT) program.

Thank you, again, for bringing flesh to the understanding that, as disciples of the risen Christ, we are stewards.

Your Stewardship Team
Pam Buckley, Karen Fay, Bill Potter, April Smith

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Campus Stewardship Opportunity

We have a few tasks that require willing hands and hearts. Nothing that will get you really dirty—turn a few screws, tidy some storage, exchange some ideas for improvements—that sort of thing.

We would like to start the day with a short prayer service to honor the day and the memory of our Veterans. Please join us for all or part of the morning!

Questions? Contact April Smith through the Church Office (941-2566).

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Archives Work Day

Archives work will take place on Saturday, November 13, and again Saturday, November 27. We will meet in the loft above the Boardroom at 10:00 am and plan to end around noon. We could use at least one strong young person to help lift heavier boxes for us. Contact Jim Cartwright for more information or to volunteer your time!

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Holiday Shopping for World Hunger

Saturday, November 20, 2010

Church of the Crossroads will hold the annual Fall Fair on Saturday, November 20, from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM.

Carol Langner will have a booth offering her own ceramic pieces; vintage monkey pod hawaiiana; contemporary American crafts in ceramics, wood, and other media; folk art; and textiles. All proceeds from sales at her booth will go to ELCA World Hunger and Lutheran World Relief.

The Crossroads Fair features a bake and rummage sale, as well as a silent auction of high-end items. Proceeds go to support Crossroads social ministries.

It’s a day of fun with a purposeful aim—helping others at home and around the world. All invited!!!

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O Give Thanks unto the Lord!

Community Thanksgiving Meal at Lutheran Church of Honolulu
Thanksgiving Day, November 25th, 3:00–6:00 PM

Come celebrate Thanksgiving Day with friends and neighbors at the 3rd Annual Thanksgiving Feast at Lutheran Church of Honolulu.

Turkey and ham will be provided, and you are invited to bring your favorite dish to share.

Please invite friends, strangers, and family to join in this event, as we will share God’s love and great food together. We hope to share our meal with as many folks as we can, so let’s have plenty of food!

Please RSVP to the church office with the following: Name, number in party, and dish you would like to bring.

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Invitation To Adult Forum Programs

Want to get advice? Want to give advice? Want to hear what is next in your life? Come to Adult Sunday School on Life Transitions, 9:15 AM, between services.

All adults are invited to join the group discussion as Dr. Steve Miller continues the series, “Life Transitions—Welcomed or Required?” a mutual discussion of how we handle transitions from one life phase to the next. Come, share, and learn.

For more information, contact Steve Miller through the Church Office (941-2566).

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Process Thought Forum

Science Knows Best: The Moral Landscape

Another Process in Faith Forum is set for Saturday, November 13, 9:30–11:00 AM at LCH.

Recently, the Pew Research Center reported results of a general religious knowledge survey. Surprising results revealed that self-acclaimed atheists scored better on the survey than members of religious communities. Our November forum will look a review of atheism advocate Sam Harris’ new book, The Moral Landscape, published in the New York Times article, “Science Knows Best.” You can find the article by googling the heading of this article. “Modern Attempts to Reaffirm the Reality of God” is a comparison piece that is available from Fritz. You can receive a copy of that material by speaking to or emailing Fritz. As is our custom, a repeat session will be held on Sunday, November 14, at noon.

If you have any questions or encounter snags, contact to Fritz through the Church Office (941-2566)

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What’s New on the LCH Website?

Bill Potter, Webmaster

Major changes to the LCH website have centered on the stewardship campaign and related new initiatives and people pages for church leaders.

A new Stewardship 2011 page was created with information about current stewardship campaigns and related documents. There is even an online version of this year’s pledge scroll in case you were unable to turn yours in on October 31. The page also contains links to information about the cantor search, the proposal to search for an associate pastor, and the upcoming landscape planning charrette.

With the increased number of people pages for leaders at LCH, I created a general leaders index and as well as separate lists for the Council, our paid staff, music leaders, and Sunday School teachers. Leaders with their own people pages appear with blue links to their pages; others are shown in black. If you don’t have your own page, just email the webmaster to get one set up.

Among the events covered on the Congregational Life page are: the rainy Pau Hana on October 1, the Blessing of the Pets, the OYEA Chili Cook Off, LCH night at KHPR, Children’s Sabbath (with slideshow), and LutherFest (with slideshow). A new profile of Mike Lippert has been added to the “LCH and me” section.

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The LCH Staffing Task Force

After examining a range of possibilities, the LCH Staffing Task Force recommends that the congregation consider extending a limited two-year call for an associate pastor. The recommendation arises in large part from the Draft Ministry Plan Goal Statements prepared by the congregation. In the goal statements, many LCH members called for a renewal and expansion of our commitment to Christ’s mission to a larger community. At the same time, there was a strong desire to preserve and enhance the ministry to our own LCH community, growing it in the process. There are many factors involved in such an important call, not the least of which is the necessary financial commitment. The Task Force is aware of this issue and asks the congregation to both prayerfully and carefully keep our recommendation in your hearts as well as your minds.

The Task Force recommendation is only the first step in a process calling for the congregation’s involvement. To facilitate congregational involvement, the website has a form to take questions, comments, suggestions, and/or recommendations from the congregation. Just go to <www.lchwelcome.org/tf>. Task Force members will also be available in the courtyard before and after Sunday morning services and will welcome verbal feedback and written comments via a comment box. Task Force leaders, listed below, can also be reached by phone or email.

If the congregation agrees with the Task Force recommendation and votes to call for an associate pastor, the church council will form a call committee and the call process will begin.

We on the Task Force ask for your prayerful and faithful consideration of our recommendation.

Your Staffing Task Force
Pam Buckley, Mike Formby, and Chuck Huxel

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Monteverdi Vespers of 1610

In November, Hawai‘i will join the world in celebrating the 400th anniversary of Claudio Monteverdi’s groundbreaking Vespers of 1610 at two performances; the first on Friday, November 5, at St. Theresa’s Co-Cathedral and the second on Sunday, November 7, at St. Andrew’s Cathedral in Honolulu. A joint presentation by Early Music Hawaii and Abendmusiken Concerts of the Lutheran Church of Honolulu, the early Baroque masterpiece will be directed by Carl Crosier, Cantor, and will feature celebrated early music artists from Hawai‘i and the mainland.

Special guest artists will be The Whole Noyse, a period brass ensemble from San Francisco. The Whole Noyse has performed the Vespers many times before—this year marking the group’s 25th anniversary—and will be performing on modern reproductions of the original 16th century instruments. They are joined by three leading tenors and a theorbo (bass lute) player.

“This is a magnificent composition, bringing together grand choral, orchestral, and solo vocal passages of operatic dimension in a single sacred work for the first time,” says Carl Crosier. “It requires virtuoso performances by experienced early music singers and players. We are fortunate to have many of them here in Hawai‘i, especially among the talented musicians suffering from the Symphony’s bankruptcy.”

Tickets are $35 for preferred seating (front and center) and $25 for general seating and may be purchased from Early Music Hawaii at <www.earlymusichawaii.com> or by calling (808) 729-4485 during business hours.

Friday, November 5, at 7:30 PM
St. Theresa’s Co-Cathedral, 712 N. School Street

Sunday, November 7, at 4:00 PM
St. Andrew’s Cathedral, 229 Queen Emma Square

The performances are sponsored, in part, by Aqua Hotels and Resorts and Hawaiian Airlines.

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LutherFest 2010—Fun, Food, Fellowship, Frivolity, and Foolishness

Sr. Peggy sells indulgences and LutherBucks to Jim Cartwright and Jerelyn Watanabe. Over $700 was raised for renewal of the back parking lot.

Fellowship and pupus in the courtyard before dinner.

Everyone loaded their plates with the delicious Italian dishes on the serving line.

LCH children performed in the “LCH’s Got Talent” talent show.

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Nailing Our Pledges to the Door on Reformation Day

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LCH Property News!

After much prayer and discussion with Pastor Jeff, I have volunteered to be co-chair with Jean-Paul Klingebiel of the LCH Property Committee. With the help of our part time staff members, Alex and Gaylen, the staff of Our Redeemer Preschool, and 3D Landscaping, we will take responsibility for coordinating the care of our church home.

I have three years experience as a full-time church sexton for the Parish of St. Clement, our Episcopal neighbors on the corner of Makiki and Wilder. I currently serve as the facilitator of the LCH Mutual Ministry Team and am a long term member of the Stewardship Committee. You will find me at the 8:00 am service playing the flute and at Aloha Jam strumming my purple ‘ukulele.

We will be developing some new approaches for the stewardship of our campus and we invite you to participate! If you have a gift or passion for helping to maintain our facilities, please contact me, Jean-Paul, or Pastor Jeff and let us know of your interest.

In Christ’s Aloha,
April Smith

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Prayer Requests

Carl	Karen	Ruth
Gene	Maggie	Shane
Judy		Susan

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November Birthdays

Date	Name
11/01	Beverly Kaeo
11/01	Amy Purtzer
11/06	Pam Buckley
11/06	Stephen Schmidt
11/08	Jonathan K.
11/10	Nathanael W.
11/11	Paul Fujii
11/12	Niell Gorman
11/12	Edward Ichikawa
11/13	Pamela H.
11/14	Mary Fastenau
11/17	Joshua Graber
11/17	Scott Schweigert
11/18	Stephen Crosier
11/21	Justin K.
11/22	Brysen K.
11/22	Kainani Iara N.
11/23	Rev. Fritz Fritschel
11/30	Brandon Yeh

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Heart Beat Deadline

Next Heart Beat Deadline is Tuesday, November 16!

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