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Mary & Martha

by Lauren Wright Pittman

Inspired by Luke 10:38-42

WORSHIP

Second Sunday in Lent

Sermon Series:

Everything In Between

Meeting God in the midst of extremes

"Faith & Works"

7 AM – Atherton Memorial Chapel

9 AM – Sanctuary

View live/later on YouTube

11 AM – Parish Hall

View the worship bulletin

CHILDREN & YOUTH

Children (birth to age 3)

The Nursery will be open during the 9 & 11 AM worship services.



Children (age 3 to grade 5)

Sunday School will be available during the 9 & 11 AM worship services.

Contact: cayanna-herrera@centralunionchurch.org

Youth (grades 6 to 12)

Youth Group will gather. Meet for worship first at 11 AM in Parish Hall.

Contact: melissa-thach@centralunionchurch.org

YOUNG(ISH) ADULTS • This Sunday, March 16 from 10-11 AM, we will gather in Rooms 201/202 for Brunch Bunch! This is a great chance to spend some time together and enjoy Sunday brunch. Keiki are most welcome! You’re free to bring something to share if can, but if cannot, no worries—we will have enough to share.

Follow us on social media (Facebook or Instagram) for daily reflections throughout Lent.

Read Devotional

"Everything In Between"

Read, look, and sing your way through the pages of this devotional. Each week offers art and reflections to explore beyond the black and white binaries, the categories we create. This Lent we're trusting that God shows up in shades of gray, rainbow hues, and everywhere in between.

We'd love for you to use this beautiful devotional! You may contact the Church Office to request a hard copy OR to receive a link to the online version which can be accessed via computer and mobile devices. (We are not sharing the link online in order to protect the work of the devotional creators, A Sanctified Art.)

Lent 2025 Heifer Project

CUC's World Mission Ministry invites the whole church to participate in the Heifer Project! (Hear their invitation in worship.) Our goal is to raise $5,000 for Heifer International, a nonprofit that helps families around the world escape hunger and poverty by investing in local farmers and their communities. Please visit our Living Gift Market after any of the worship services on March 23 and April 13, OR you can choose your gift and make your donation online.

Meet Our New Staff Member

Please join us in welcoming our newest staff member, McCrea (pronounced "McCray"), who has been working as our Audio/Visual Technician for a little over a month now. You may have already seen him helping with sound and slides in our 9 AM and 11 AM Sunday worship services. Get to know McCrea below! A/V needs are coordinated with facilities requests, but you may contact our A/V department (including Cory Taylor) here: avtech@centralunionchurch.org

Aloha! My name is McCrea White. I am the Audio/Visual Technician here at Central Union Church. I am originally from upstate New York, but I moved here to O‘ahu about three and a half years ago. I am currently enrolled at Honolulu Community College studying audio tech and sound engineering, which is what brought me to this place. Somewhere down the line my ambition is to become proficient in mixing sound for live concerts or that kind of environment and there isn’t any better way to start than right here at this wonderful church! I am elated to be here and cannot wait to get to work!

RSVP for Aloha Celebration

Please join us on Sunday, March 30, 2025, to celebrate Pastor Mary's ministry with Central Union Church and the wider Hawai‘i Conference United Church of Christ. We will have one worship service at 10 AM in the Sanctuary with a special Service of Release and final message by Pastor Mary. Following the service around 11:30 AM, we will gather in the Parish Hall for a fun-filled farewell reception and lunch. ALL are welcome! Please RSVP either online at bit.ly/aloha-mary or by phone (call 808-440-3004) no later than March 20, and be sure to give the names and number of people you are RSVPing for.

We invite you to send a message of gratitude or share your favorite memory of Pastor Mary. Submit your message anytime!

Attend Organ Concert

Born in Austria, rising star Lukas Hasler has a thriving international concert career and is one of the top followed organists on social media. He will be playing a concert—presented by the Hawai‘i Chapter American Guild of Organists—with music by Mendelssohn, Saint-Säens, Buxtehude, Mozart, Beethoven, and Bach. You can hear him in our Sanctuary on Sunday, March 30, 2 PM. Free admission, $25 suggested donation.

Upcoming session:

Saturday, March 15

10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Lenten Wellness Journey

Church member Nani Elm, a double board-certified holistic health practitioner and lifestyle coach, will take us through a journey of Wellness – Physically, Spiritually, Emotionally, Mentally, Socially, and Environmentally – while sharing from lived experience. Her class, "Lamenting Lent: Live, Love, Learn", will run on the six Saturdays of Lent (come when you can!). The second session is on March 15, 10 AM to 12 PM in the Rewick Board Room.

Got magazines? If you don't want them anymore, we could use them for a project!

Upcoming session:

Tuesday, March 18, 6:00 - 7:30 PM

Thursday, March 27, 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM

Lenten Bible Study

Join us for an enriching Bible study series as we delve into the Gospel of Luke over five weeks in Lent. Engage in meaningful conversations about the themes and messages in the Gospel of Luke. Strengthen your faith and understanding of Jesus’ journey from birth to resurrection. Connect with other members of our Church community and share your spiritual journey in a supportive environment. All are welcome. Come on Tuesday evening OR Thursday morning!

Attend Godly Play Storyteller Training

Get your DAZZLE tickets!

Enjoy tasting menus from 20 local renown chefs, silent and live auctions, entertainment, and camaraderie at the beautiful Alohilani Resort in Waikiki for Central Union Church Preschool's (CUPS) 20th anniversary of DAZZLE on Friday, April 25, 2025. (Get 50% off standard room rates at the Alohilani Resort with our event room block!)

For more information and tickets, go to bit.ly/DAZZLE25. General tickets are currently $325 until March 31,

then it will increase to $375.

Dazzle is the Preschool's annual fundraiser gala that supports the 5 Es, including educational opportunities, environment, events, and the tuition assistance program, which paves the way for CUPS' diverse group of keiki. Please consider attending Dazzle or donating an item to one of the auctions. For questions or to become a sponsor/donor, contact Alana at 917-623-5913 or alana@centralunionpreschool.org.

Easter Flowers

The Flower Committee will distribute flowers among our various worship spaces for Easter. If you’d like to donate and dedicate a plant ($10 each) to the Glory of Easter, in honor of someone, or in memory of someone, please submit your order by Sunday, April 13, to be included in the Easter bulletins.

You may order online by clicking below OR submit a 'coupon' which is printed in the worship bulletins.

Learn to Play ‘Ukulele

Beginner ‘ukulele players from keiki to kūpuna are welcome to come and learn from Wade Cambern who is freely sharing his love of music through teaching ‘ukulele.

Bring your own ‘ukulele and come learn to play or get some beginner tips on Sundays from 1-2 PM in the Women’s Building.

Say It with Flowers!

Got a birthday, anniversary, or other special occasion coming up? Commemorate it with flowers at a Sunday worship service!

Our Flower Committee creates floral arrangements for our worship spaces each week. You can give flowers in honor of someone with a printed dedication in the worship bulletin.

Email:

flowers@centralunionchurch.org

Church Council

Next meeting: April 3

Church Council meetings will be held on the first Thursday of the month at 5:00 PM in the Rewick Board Room in the Admin Building.

These regular monthly Council meetings are open to all Church members who wish to attend as an observer.

Contact the Church Council: council@centralunionchurch.org

NEW!

Click below to view The Spire for March 2025!

Pray that we see ourselves in both the Stranger and Neighbor, and that we would work to lessen the divide between the two.

Give thanks for opportunities for fellowship and nourishment.

Pray for the various groups meeting throughout Lent as they journey together through this season of reflection, repentance, and renewal.

HCUCC NEWS

View this week's

Coconut Wireless

The Coconut Wireless is a weekly e-newsletter of what is happening in and around the Hawai‘i Conference United Church of Christ. Get word on the latest news, events, learning opportunities, and more. Connect, share news and resources with sister churches.

Volunteer at the CUC Thrift Shop

Wednesdays and Saturdays, between 9 AM - 3 PM

Contact Joanne Matsumoto thriftshop@centralunionchurch.org

Volunteer with the Flower Committee

Fridays or Saturday mornings

Contact flowers@centralunionchurch.org for more info

Volunteer at Serving Aloha

Wednesdays, 10 AM - 1:30 PM; check in outside Women's Building

NEED FOOD? Walk-in: 11 AM - 12 PM; Drive-through: 12-1 PM

Volunteer with Community Ministry

Second Tuesdays

2:30-5:30 PM - Prep and cook; 5:45-6:45 PM - Distribute meals

Garden Club on Thursdays

If you would like to help keep our campus looking beautiful, please consider joining what we are currently calling the "Garden Club"! Volunteers and staff will meet weekly to do regular landscaping around the Sanctuary on Thursdays from 9-11 AM. Meet at the Sanctuary steps. Feel free to bring your own gardening tools, but we'll have some you can use.



Questions? Contact Troy Tomita:

troy-tomita@centralunionchurch.org

Readers Needed for Worship!

Worship is one of the heartbeats of our church – it is the work of the whole church community in praising God, hearing God's word to us and responding in faith. One way to help each other in our worship is by reading scripture and other parts of our service. It enhances our experience of worship when we can have different faces and voices leading worship.

If you are willing to read in a worship service, please join our pool of readers! Learn more and sign up by clicking HERE.

Virtual Aloha Lanai Zoom Online Fellowship

Sundays following the online worship service, around 11 AM

JOIN ON ZOOM (Meeting ID: 859 7383 9801; Passcode: Aloha)

Centering Prayer Meditation

Mondays, 7 PM • JOIN ON ZOOM

Wednesdays, 6:30 – 8:00 PM • Music Building, Honolulu campus

Mindfulness Meditation with Marion

Mondays, 5 PM • JOIN ON ZOOM

Mindful Movement with Bamboo Sticks

Wednesdays, 4 PM • JOIN ON ZOOM

Men's Bible Study on Zoom

Wednesdays, 7 AM • Email cuc@centralunionchurch.org for info.

For Young(ish) Adults

Did you know that we have a Young(ish) Adult ministry here at CUC for generations X, Y, Z? We gather monthly for breakfast and fellowship after worship and we also have a special monthly event. For more information email youngish@centralunionchurch.org.

We’d love to connect with you!

HAVE SOMETHING TO SHARE?

We welcome relevant news and events to share in our publications. Please submit items to news@centralunionchurch.org by Wednesday to be published in the following days.

Looking for a venue? Our church's range of facilities can accommodate all kinds of events! By renting out our spaces, we can provide a gathering place for the community and generate revenue for ministry. Learn more about our venues and consider hosting your next event at Central Union. (Members receive a discount!)

Beware of Email Scams!

Scams come in many forms, whether it's someone impersonating church staff or even a member, or a stranger seeming to have a good deal for you on a special product or service. Please be cautious when checking emails! Know that church staff will never ask you to purchase something or give personal information by email. Often you can identify an email's authenticity by verifying the sender’s email address (CUC staff emails end with @centralunionchurch.org), but it's also possible for scammers to mimic email addresses. So if you receive any strange message at all and are ever in doubt, just delete it, don't reply or click on any links. You may call the church office (808-941-0957) to confirm.