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THIS SUNDAY
November 2, 2025
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CHILDREN & YOUTH
Nursery
A staffed Nursery is available during the 9 & 11 AM worship services.
Children, from birth through 3 years old, may be left in the Nursery where they will be cared for during the service.
Sunday School
We offer a Sunday School program for children, ages 3 through 5th grade, during the 9 & 11 AM worship services. 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
Young people in grades 6 through 12 are invited to Youth Group from 12-2 PM.
Contact: melissa-thach@centralunionchurch.org
| | Experience the transformative power of music and spirit at Jazz Vespers—a contemplative, creative worship service that blends live jazz, poetry, scripture, and readings from secular sources, all thoughtfully curated around a theme that speaks to the soul. November's theme is "Breath Between the Notes" honoring those we’ve lost and the sacred pause of remembrance for All Saints. Join us this Sunday at 5:30 PM in Atherton Memorial Chapel! | | | | |
Central Union Windward Ministry
Sunday Worship & Communion
10 AM – Sanctuary
Sermon by Melissa Thach
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Central Union Pohnpei Ministry
Sunday Worship & Communion
9 AM – Sanctuary
| | Going Deeper - Reflect on last Sunday's sermon | | | | |
Bread for Today
"'Give us this day our daily bread.' It’s a prayer of trust, not transaction. It asks not for excess, but for enough. Not for certainty, but for grace. In the wilderness, manna fell each morning—just enough for the day. And so we learn to live one sunrise at a time, one loaf at a time, one grace at a time.
But this prayer is not just about food—it’s about fellowship. It’s about the potluck table in the Women’s Building, where fried rice and haupia become communion. It’s about those who line up to receive food at Serving Aloha whose bag of rice is more than calories—it is connection. Daily bread is about belonging. It’s about the body of Christ, shared and flourishing."
READ MORE
| | NEWS + ANNOUNCEMENTS + REMINDERS | | |
Still Serving Aloha
Starting November 1, over 80,000 households in Hawai‘i will be impacted by the loss of federal funding for things like SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program). Our Serving Aloha volunteers are already feeling it having hit a new record this week of 967 households served and 98 first-time attendees. If you need food assistance, there is the Serving Aloha food distribution on our campus, continuing every Wednesday thanks to our many volunteers. Come get food or volunteer! If you're looking for ways to respond and help so others don't go hungry, you can share information and resources, you can donate to the Hawai‘i Foodbank. Even you, as an individual, can extend generosity on your own without a formal program. You can gift groceries or share meals. With or without the government, we must take care of each other!
| | | Save the date for Messy Church! | | Our next Messy Church is scheduled for Wednesday, November 19 from 5:00-7:00 PM and will be extra special as we are combining it with our annual Advent Workshop. Advent is our season of preparation for the Mystery of Christmas so let's get ready to get ready! Join us as we create our Advent wreaths and special treats to celebrate the Advent season with friends and family! | | Messiah rehearsals start this evening! | | | | For over 75 years, Central Union Church’s Music Ministry has welcomed the community to their presentation of Handel’s Messiah, happening this year on December 14 at 7:30 PM. All singers are welcome to join this community ensemble, The Hawai‘i Nui Chorale, which is dedicated to the performance of extended choral works. Rehearsals are on Thursdays from 6-8 PM in the Music Room, starting on October 30. Click HERE for more info and pre-registration. | | Last chance! Order your holiday greens! | Support Central Union Church Preschool by ordering your Christmas trees, wreaths, and door charms through Habilitat. They will be available for pickup on December 6 at one of six locations around the island, including Central Union. Order by October 31! | | | | |
Support CUPS Fall Fitness FUNdraiser
Central Union Preschool's 2025 Fall Fitness FUNdraiser will be on Friday, November 14, with the theme, "Together We Can"! This is the one and only annual fundraiser of the PTO which organizes ALL the events for the keiki, ‘ohana, and staff. The money raised also helps to fund the school yearbook, classroom supplies, playground equipment, and Staff Appreciation Day.
Can you or your company help CUPS exceed past fundraising efforts so the PTO can organize amazing school-wide events for our children?
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Visiting the Church Office?
We are excited to announce that our Administration building now features a new doorbell and electronic entry system. This enhancement aims to improve our staff's responsiveness when you visit the office. We kindly ask for your patience and grace as we familiarize ourselves with the new system. Additionally, there are plenty of signs to guide you in accessing the church office should you need help with anything.
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Windward Cottage for Rent
We have just renovated the cottage at our Windward church campus in anticipation of a new associate minister. In the meantime until someone is hired, we are hoping to rent out the cottage. It will likely be available for about 3-6 months. If you know of anyone needing a place for that term, check out the listing!
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Estimate of Giving Cards
Mahalo to all those who have already turned in their Estimate of Giving (EOG) cards! If you haven't yet, please spend some time in prayer and consider what you are able to give in 2026 to support the ministry of our church.
Members should have received their EOG cards in the mail. They may be submitted to the church office. You may also complete it online if you prefer. Sharing your Estimate of Giving greatly helps our church to plan for the year ahead and live within our means while Dreaming God's Dream!
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Pastor Appreciation Month
October is Pastor Appreciation Month. Although appreciation of our pastoral leaders should happen year-round, let's take this opportunity to express our gratitude and celebrate the many gifts our pastoral leaders bring to various ministry settings. Mahalo, Pastor Rushan! This month, share some extra gratitude with the pastoral leaders in your life! Our Conference office shares some ideas for appreciation.
| | Save the date: Worship & Witness | | | | |
On Sunday, November 23, 2025 Central Union Church will embody its call to be a church not confined by walls, but propelled by love. “The Church Has Left
the Building” is an opportunity to live our faith beyond the sanctuary. We’ll begin the day together in a combined worship service at 9 AM, then, like the early disciples sent out, we will scatter across our wider community to participate in acts of compassion, justice, and care. Please join us— all are welcome!
| | More Faith Formation for Fall 2025 | | Check out all the upcoming opportunities for faith formation this fall! We'll share more as events approach, but see for yourself what's coming up and plan to join us! | | Volunteer in the Community | | The Ronald McDonald House Hawai‘i has a hospitality cart located on the 4th floor at the Kapi‘olani Medical Center next door to our church. The cart offers complimentary coffee, tea, water, snacks, toys, and activities for families on the NICU, PICU, and Pediatric Units. The cart is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM. They are in need of volunteers to help run the cart during the week for a 3-hour shift. If you are interested to help with this and learn more, CLICK HERE or email chantel@rmhchawaii.org. | | | | |
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.
Feel free to contact the Church Office to confirm whether the group will be meeting on a particular Sunday.
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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: December 4
NOTE: The November Council meeting has been canceled. The last Council meeting for 2025 will be on December 4 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. In 2026, Council meetings will be held on the 4th Thursday of the month.
Contact the Church Council: council@centralunionchurch.org
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Pray for all those who will be affected by the loss of SNAP benefits. May we find ways to meet the needs of our neighbors so no one goes hungry.
Give thanks for the saints who've come before us. Pray for the loved ones of those who've recently departed this earth.
Give thanks for the gift of music and how it lets us experience God in new ways.
| | 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. | | WEEKLY VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES | | | | |
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
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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.
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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 with a few folks who have continued to gather online every week since the pandemic. They welcome new friends—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
Men's Bible Study on Zoom
Wednesdays, 7 AM • Email cuc@centralunionchurch.org for info.
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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.
| | 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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