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Worship
Prince of Egypt:
Deliverance and Divine Calling
7 AM: Atherton Memorial Chapel
8:45 AM – Gift of Music
The Dawson Family
9 AM: Sanctuary
View service live/later on YouTube
11 AM: Parish Hall
View the worship bulletin
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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 Sunday, the Youth will meet during the 11 AM worship service following the sermon. Youth will be dismissed after the service for Mother's Day.
Contact: melissa-thach@centralunionchurch.org
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Central Union Windward Ministry
Sunday Worship
10 AM: Sanctuary
38 Kāne‘ohe Bay Drive, Kailua, HI 96734
808-254-3802 • cuwindward@gmail.com
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Central Union Pohnpei Ministry
Sunday Worship
11 AM: Atherton Memorial Chapel
| | NEWS + ANNOUNCEMENTS + REMINDERS | | "Happy Day of Mothering, and all of the ways we celebrate, grieve, support, love and share in the day!" (via United Church of Christ). Read a reflection by the Director of the UCC Office of Public Policy and Advocacy, Rev. Michael Neuroth: A True Mother's Day | | | | |
Thrift Shop CLOSED
Our Honolulu Thrift Shop will be CLOSED until further notice to give our shop staff and volunteer team a moment to recharge and refresh. We thank you for your understanding and continued support. We look forward to welcoming you back and hope to be fully operating again soon!
Our Windward Thrift Shop (at the Central Union Windward campus across from Aikahi Shopping Center in Kailua) is open Wednesdays and Saturdays from 9 AM – 1 PM. (CLOSED May 9, reopening May 13)
If you're interested in volunteering at the Thrift Shop, please contact:
thriftshop@centralunionchurch.org.
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Congratulations,
Class of 2026!
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Graduate Sunday
On May 17, we will honor those graduating from high school, college, trade school, graduate school, and beyond! If you are a 2026 graduate, or have one in your family, please let the church office know so we can celebrate the accomplishment together!
Email news@centralunionchurch.org or call Natasha at 808-440-3004 by Wednesday, May 13. Share the graduate's name and photo, your relation, and school/program graduating from/to for inclusion in the Sunday worship bulletin. If the graduate will be attending worship on the 17th, please let us know which service (7, 9, 11 AM).
| | Did you know the U.S. incarcerates more people than any other nation? In the United Church of Christ, we are called to address criminal justice and the reality of mass incarceration. Attend a free community dinner and film screening on Friday, May 15, 6-9 PM in the Central Union Parish Hall to watch the documentary 13th, which explores the history and ongoing realities of the U.S. criminal legal system. This learning opportunity is open to the wider community and is co-sponsored by Faith Action. Learn more HERE. | | Join us for a Community Vigil for Peace on Saturday, May 16, 3-6 PM in the Sanctuary. This interfaith service, in partnership with the wider community, will include a speaking of the names of people who have been killed in Gaza, interspersed with prayers and readings by representatives of various faith traditions. Come and leave as needed. People of all faiths and backgrounds are invited to come together in prayer, reflection, and collective mourning as we affirm our shared commitment to peace, justice, and the dignity of every human life. | | | | |
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.
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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!
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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
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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
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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.
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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.
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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
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Give thanks for the mothers and mother figures in our community!
Pray for our Thrift Shop workers and volunteers.
Pray for those feeling overwhelmed by all there is to do. May we do what we can.
| | 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.
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Volunteer at the CUC Thrift Shop
Wednesdays and Saturdays, between 9 AM - 3 PM (ON PAUSE!)
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.
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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.
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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
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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
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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!
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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.
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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.
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