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Worship • Communion Sunday

Wicked: Grace, Friendship and the Cost of Discipleship

7 AM: Atherton Memorial Chapel

8:45 AM – Gift of Music

Soloists & Margaret Lloyd

9 AM: Sanctuary

View service live/later on YouTube

11 AM: Parish Hall

View the worship bulletin

CHILDREN & YOUTH



Nursery

A staffed Nursery is available during the 9 and 11 AM worship service.

Children, from birth through 3 years old, may be left in the Nursery with our caregivers during the service.



Sunday School

We offer a Sunday School program for children, ages 3 through 5th grade, during the 9 and 11 AM worship service. Children participate in the first part of the service and will leave for Sunday School following the Time for Keiki.

Contact: cayanna-herrera@centralunionchurch.org

Youth Group

Our Youth Group is for young people in grades 6 through 12.

This week, the Youth will meet between Noon and 1:30 PM to have lunch and hang out in the Youth Room. Contact: melissa-thach@centralunionchurch.org

New Member Meeting

Interested in becoming a member of Central Union? Join Pastor Rushan to learn more about church membership on May 3 at 10 AM (between the 9 AM and 11 AM services) in the Rewick Board Room in the Admin building! Please RSVP to natasha-dator@centralunionchurch.org by Thursday, April 30. The new member reception is scheduled for Pentecost Sunday, May 24.

Experience the transformative power of music and spirit at Jazz Vespers. This month's theme, "Swing In Spirit," is inspired by the Christian celebration of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit appears as tongues of fire. Join us to hear lively, upbeat jazz that embodies the movement of the Spirit and ignites something in your soul. All are welcome as we bring together soulful musicianship and holy inspiration! Bring your own blanket or chair, food & drinks, and relax in the courtyard!

Click to learn more about this design

May 3 is PAAM Sunday

PAAM (Pacific Islander and Asian American Ministries) Sunday is observed in the United Church of Christ (UCC) on the first Sunday in May (also AANHPI Heritage Month) to recognize and celebrate the gifts and contributions of Pacific Islanders and Asian Americans in the life of the UCC. PAAM is part of the UCC's Council for Racial and Ethnic Ministries (COREM) which advocates for the racial and ethnic concerns within the United Church of Christ.

Thrift Shop Hours

Due to key volunteers being out, the Thrift Shop will have modified hours in May 2026. We’ll be closing two hours early in the upcoming weeks. We hope you’ll still visit us, just a little earlier!

OPEN 9 AM – 1 PM:

• Saturday, May 2
• Wednesday, May 6
• Saturday, May 9

+ June hours to be announced

If you're interested in volunteering with our Thrift Shop ministry, please contact Joanne Matsumoto, thriftshop@centralunionchurch.org.

Attend HCUCC ‘Aha Pae‘āina

Interested in our wider church? Central Union is part of the Hawai‘i Conference United Church of Christ, a body of over 100 UCC churches across Hawai‘i. Delegates from the churches will gather for their annual meeting—for worship, workshops, business, food, fellowship—this June 11-13 at Waipahu United Church of Christ. If you are interested in attending and willing to represent Central Union as one of our delegates, please talk to Pastor Rushan or email cuc@centralunionchurch.org.

In case you missed it... Pastoral Letter

"It is a strange and sobering time to be a person of faith. In recent weeks, our headlines have been filled with a jarring public clash between the White House and the Holy See – a collision between the highest office of our nation and the moral leadership of the global church. When we hear a President label the Pope "weak" for prioritizing peace, or see military leaders attempt to reframe the Gospel to justify "overwhelming violence of action," we are no longer just talking about policy. We are witnessing a struggle for the very meaning of the Cross and the very heart of our faith . . ." Read Pastor Rushan's response to this moment in this Pastoral Letter

Donate to Easter Project

Each year, our Children's Ministry does a Lenten/Easter project to bless the wider community. This year our donation drive is focused close to home, supporting flood relief efforts here in Hawai‘i through the Lāhui Foundation. We will be fundraising through Eastertide which concludes on Pentecost Sunday (May 24). Children's Ministry started us off with the Easter Eggstravaganza and a $2,000 donation! Help us eggceed eggspectations!

To contribute to our Lenten and Easter flood relief project, click the "Give" button here or on centralunionchurch.org and select “Children Ministry - Lenten/ Easter Project” in the drop-down menu. Or send a check to the church with “CM Easter project” in the memo line. Mahalo!

Registration Open for Compassion Camp

Looking for summer plans for keiki? Kids ages 3–11 are invited to Compassion Camp, hosted by our Children's Ministry, from July 20–24, 8 AM to 12 PM each day. Suggested donation is $65. Space is limited! Learn more and register online at bit.ly/cuc2026compassion.

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: May 28

In 2026, Church Council meetings will be held on the fourth Thursday of the month at 5:00 PM in the Rewick Board Room in the Church Admin Building. These regular monthly meetings are open to all CUC members who wish to attend as an observer.

Contact the Church Council: council@centralunionchurch.org

Pause on Donations

The Thrift Shop (Honolulu campus) will NOT be accepting any more donations until further notice. Many items have been donated around the turn of the year, but we don't have enough volunteers and space right now to sort and store all the donations. Please hold your donation items or offer them to another organization. Mahalo for remembering the Central Union Thrift Shop! We look forward to accepting more donations in the future.

View The Spire for April 2026

Sermon Series

Experience the good news in a fresh way through The Gospel According to Broadway: The Musicals of Stephen Schwartz. Drawing on beloved Broadway shows, this series explores how faith, grace, justice, and purpose are revealed through modern storytelling and song. Rooted in the United Church of Christ’s belief that God is Still Speaking, this series echoes Pastor John Robinson’s reminder to the Pilgrims that “the Lord hath more truth and light yet to break forth from his holy Word.” We listen for God’s voice not only in Scripture, but also in the culture and stories that surround us today.

Join us as we discover how God continues to speak—on the stage, in community, and in our lives!

April 19, 2026 – Godspell: The Gospel in Community

April 26, 2026 – Children of Eden: Creation, Freedom, and Forgiveness

May 3, 2026 – Wicked: Grace, Friendship, and the Cost of Discipleship

May 10, 2026 – The Prince of Egypt: Deliverance and Divine Calling

May 17, 2026 – Pippin: The Search for Meaning

Pray for our preschool children, families, and teachers as they celebrate Lei Day!

Give thanks for the diversity in our faith community, including the gifts and wisdom of Asians and Pacific Islanders like our Pohnpei Ministry! May we strive for more than just equality but equity.

Give thanks for the abundance of music shared on our campus.

HCUCC NEWS

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.

Storm Response

Two back-to-back Kona low storms have devastated parts of Hawai‘i over the past two weeks, leaving many residents with the overwhelming tasks of cleanup and recovery. Read this week's Coconut Wireless newsletter for an update and see how the Hawai‘i Conference and the United Church of Christ are responding. While direct donations to affected families or to local organizations on the ground are most effective, we also invite you to contribute through our denomination's Hawaii Flood Appeal.

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 at the Women's Building

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

Volunteer with the Garden Club

Thursdays, 9 AM - 11 AM; Help keep our campus looking beautiful!

Questions? Contact: troy-tomita@centralunionchurch.org

Read in the Sunday worship service!

Sundays at 7 AM / 9 AM / 11 AM

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.

Volunteer with Community Ministry Next: May 12

Every second Tuesday, our small but dedicated team of volunteers prepares a hot meal to be delivered to shelters in the community. They are in need of extra help! If you're available around 2:00 – 4:30 to help cook, or a bit later to deliver in Waikiki, your support would be greatly appreciated! If you're available for any of the Tuesdays and would like to volunteer, let us know how/when you can help. Sharing the responsibilities will allow volunteers to take breaks. Text Laura at 808-221-0126.

Online Zoom Fellowship

Are you interested in helping folks stay connected with the CUC ‘ohana? Are you unable to come to the church campus but want to connect? Join this casual time of virtual fellowship via Zoom on Sundays at 11 AM. Just drop in whenever! It's a great way to meet and keep in touch with people, especially those who may be homebound.

Click to join on Zoom

Meeting ID: 810 1050 2863

Passcode: cuc

Online Zoom Fellowship

Sundays around 11 AM

JOIN ON ZOOM (Meeting ID: 810 1050 2863; Passcode: cuc)

Or call by phone: +1 669 900 6833, Passcode: 976725)

Contemplative Prayer Meditation

Wednesdays, 6:30 – 8:00 PM • Rewick Board Room (Honolulu campus)

Mindfulness Meditation with Marion

Mondays, 5 PM • JOIN ON ZOOM

Mindful Movement with Bamboo Sticks

Tuesdays, 2 PM • Women's Building (Honolulu Campus) OR JOIN ON ZOOM

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.

CUC History Website

Fun discoveries await you at cuchistory.org, Central Union’s history website and digital archive!

Under "Sermons"… Reverend Allen Hackett stepped up to our pulpit in 1944. You will enjoy learning about our 18th Senior Minister and how, from the beginning, he infused new vitality into the life of Central Union Church...

Contact CUC Historian, Karl Hedberg: historian@centralunionchurch.org

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.