Our life together as members and friends of the Lutheran Church of Honolulu is rich and varied.
Congregational Life at LCH—July, August, and September 2013
Celebrating 25 Years of the ELCA
Founded in 1988, the ELCA celebrated its 25th anniversary this fall, and the folks of LCH were not going to miss out on the celebration. A group of stalwart members planned a series of activities and got everyone else ready by selling bright yellow T-shirts with the ELCA motto, “God’s work. Our hands.“
Given that motto, it’s not surprising that there was lots of work being done the weekend of September 8, when the anniversary was celebrated. Congregation members cooked and served breakfast at two Institute for Human Services (IHS) shelters, collected food for Angel Network (a ministry to the homeless), and invited our neighbors to join us in the fun. And there was also a sumptuous potluck after the 10:30 worship service.
At left, LCH members prepare breakfast in the kitchen at IHS.
OYEA Kicks Off the New School Year at LCH
Middle- and high-school students from across the Hukilau and from Episcopal churches around O‘ahu kicked off the new academic year with “Games, Grinds, and God” at LCH on September 1. All in all, there were more than 30 teens and 11 adult leaders from 6 different churches.
There were indoor and outdoor games, plenty of pizza at dinner, and participation in the Evening Prayer service at the end of the event. Their participation in Evening Prayer gave us the largest congregation we have ever had for this service.
The next OYEA get together will be Sunday, October 6, beginning at 5:00 PM. The October event is sponsored by St. Nicholas Episcopal Church and will take place at Kapolei Regional Park. See Pastor Angela for more information.
At right, youth, leaders, and even a well-behaved dog, enjoy dinner before Evening Prayer.
Farewell to Our Parish Administrator
Sarah Roseberg, our beloved parish coordinator, is leaving LCH after three years in the office, and the congregation welcomed her to both morning worship services on September 1 to say our good-byes. She was able to say a few words during each of the services, and everyone gathered for cake and to say their personal words of thanks during the coffee hour between services.
Sarah will be spending the next year travelling all over the continent as a house sitter, and then she will return to Hawai‘i to further her education and prepare for the next stage of her life. We wish her all the best.
You can read more about Sarah’s time at LCH and her plans for the future in the September edition of The HeartBeat.
At left, Jeanne Castello and Mary-Jo Estes of the Social Committee stand with a lei-bedecked Sarah Roseberg before the cake was cut.
Kathy Crosier Wows the Crowd with Bach’s Great Eighteen Chorales
People had been talking about it for weeks, and everyone was filled with anticipation, but no one in the standing-room-only crowd was disappointed with the first of two concerts during which Kathy Crosier presented J.S. Bach’s Great Eighteen Chorales. Half of the chorales were heard in this first concert, and the rest will make up the second concert on August 25. In each case, the organ piece was preceded by a verse from the chorale sung by the Bach Chamber Choir under the direction of Carl Crosier.
The audience sat in almost total silence throughout, in part because the concert was being recorded, but more importantly because they were entranced by Kathy’s expert performance and Bach’s exquisite compositions. When she had finished the final chorale for the day, the crowd rose to their feet and burst into sustained applause.
At left, Kathy stands to receive the applause of the audience (as well as the members of the Bach Chamber Choir) following her encore.
A recent post in Kathy’s blog, Another Year of Insanity, recounts audience members’ responses to the concert. Use the arrow on the left to look back at earlier posts, which include information about the encore, refreshments following the concert, the crowd, all the preparations for this performance, and much more.
Tickets for the second concert, August 25 at 2:00 PM, are available on the AGO-Hawai‘i website.
LCH Volunteers Feed a Huge Crowd at IHS
August 16 was a state holiday and the day after payday for many, so our crew of LCH volunteers were not expecting a big crowd for their regular Friday meatloaf dinner at IHS. But as closing time neared, wave after wave of guests arrived for dinner. In the end, all the meatloaf that had been prepared was gone, they had to switch to kālua pork for the last guests (and the LCH volunteers), and more than 230 guests had been fed.
At left, the LCH volunteers line up for a photo behind the table full of plates that had been prepared for the first groups of guests who would be arriving in a few minutes.
LCH serves dinner at IHS on the third Friday of each month. They begin preparing dinner at 1:00 PM and return to serve at 5:30. For more information or to volunteer, see Jimmy Castro or contact the church office.
LCH Enjoys Polo at Mokulē‘ia
A great group from LCH journeyed to the Mokulē‘ia Polo Grounds after church on July 14 for the final polo match of the season. The group car pooled up to the North Shore together, set up the canopy, and enjoyed a lovely afternoon right next to the polo field and the gorgeous beach.
It was a lovely afternoon of fellowship! And since it was an LCH gathering, there was lots of great food—dogs and brats on the grill, fruit salad, corn on the cob, and lots more.
At right, the LCH group enjoys watching the horses and riders in their intense match from under the shade of the LCH tent.
In Stitches Meets after Church in Summer
“Summer time, and the living is easy”; there is only one worship service that ends with plenty of time to spare before lunch, and there is not Sunday School. So In Stitches, the LCH craft group, is taking advantage of the relaxed schedule to invite everyone to gather around the table in the Hörmann Courtyard to enjoy friendly conversation while making ribbon lei or working on any other project.
At left, a couple of seasoned veterans work on their lei while Linda Miller, In Stitches organizer, helps a newcomer get started and her son looks on.
The fun and fellowship continue each Sunday morning through August 25. They gather right after worship concludes, around 10:30 AM. All are welcome.
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