“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”—1 Thessalonians 5:16–18
Dear Members of the LCH ‘Ohana,
Responding to Paul’s challenge to the Thessalonians, we at the Lutheran Church of Honolulu rejoice in the community we have in this congregation, pray for God’s support and guidance as we continue our individual and corporate journeys towards wholeness, and, even in the midst of our sadness, give thanks for the blessings we enjoy in this ‘ohana of faith and in our own lives.
Over the past year we have explored ways to renew our community, seen how making and enjoying the arts can enhance healing, cared for creation and at the same time experienced healing ourselves, learned how to deal with our stuff, and connected with our neighbors. Each of these efforts has revealed aspects of our individual and congregational life that still need healing while also showing both how far we have come in our journeys towards wholeness and how abundantly God has blessed us.
As we continue our journeys, the church—all of us as the body of Christ—needs both our personal involvement and our financial support at whatever level each of us is able to provide. This is especially true as we deal with the passing of Pr. Jeff. We ask you to think about the many ways you have been blessed this past year, and then consider the world’s needs and God’s call to you.
Please use the enclosed 2024 form to make a commitment of your time, talents, and treasures. You may wish to refer to the stewardship calculator to help you plan your financial commitment: www.lchwelcome.org/life/stew-calc.html. If you prefer to give directly from your bank account, please use the Electronic Funds Transfer Form to begin the process or modify your current giving amount or schedule.
We ask that you return your commitment form to the church (you may bring it, mail it, or scan and email it to commitments@lchwelcome.org) before Sunday, November 24, when we will be dedicating them in worship.
We are a small congregation, and yet, spirit-filled, we have proven that we can accomplish great things together when we allow God to lead us. We look forward to continuing to work with you, hand in hand, as God’s church in and for the healing of the world.
Your Stewardship Team: Pam Buckley, Willow Chang, Phyllis Hörmann, Barbara Poole-Street, Bill Potter, and Cindy Scheinert
