|
THIS SUNDAY
December 15, 2024
| | |
|
|
WORSHIP
Third Sunday of Advent
White Gifts Sunday
Wear your ugliest Christmas sweater or most festive holiday outfit!
Sermon by Rev. Mary Herbig
"Do the Good That Is Yours to Do"
7 AM – Atherton Memorial Chapel
9 AM – Sanctuary
* White Gifts Pageant*
View livestream of service
11 AM – Parish Hall
10 AM – Online
Via Zoom or Facebook
Webinar ID: 871 4936 7567; Passcode: cuc
| | |
|
|
Live Stream Worship
We live-stream our 9 AM traditional worship service from the Sanctuary on Sunday mornings! If you've ever wanted to know what it's like worshiping in person without having to come to campus, now you can find out! View live or later. You can find our live stream worship videos through our website (centralunionchurch.org) or on our YouTube channel. We will be changing our online prerecorded worship service going into 2025.
| | |
|
|
Central Union Windward Ministry
Sunday Worship
10 AM – Windward Sanctuary
Sermon by
Kahu Richard Walenta
"How Will This Be?"
Lorna Bright, Worship Musician
| | |
|
|
Central Union Pohnpei Ministry
Sunday Worship
11 AM – Atherton Memorial Chapel
| |
NEWS + ANNOUNCEMENTS + REMINDERS | |
Read more about our participation in the Hawai‘i Conference Day of Prayer and Public Witness this past Tuesday in the December Spire. If you'd like to take action to promote peace in the Middle East, click below to contact your elected officials. The United Church of Christ has made it easy with their online advocacy tool! | | |
|
|
Mahalo, Scouts!
Have you noticed the freshly painted curbs lining our main driveway? Thanks to the scouts and friends from Troop 777 for helping with this!
Red indicates areas where vehicles should NOT park. Yellow areas are available for anyone to park in, but we encourage reserving those areas for quick stops, loading/ unloading, and people with mobility issues so they can park closer to the areas they need to access.
| | |
|
|
Young(ish) Adults Christmas Jamboree
Those in generations X, Y, and Z are invited to join the Young(ish) Adult Ministry for a Christmas jamboree on Friday, December 13, 7-9 PM. Bring a dish to pass, a $20 white elephant gift, and of course, your holiday spirit! We want to welcome baby Jesus in style, so be sure to wear your most intense Christmas outfit – there will be a prize. RSVP online. For more information: youngish@centralunionchurch.org.
| | |
|
|
Give through Tomorrow!
Help to share joy with others this holiday season by making a monetary donation to our White Gifts project by December 13. Our savvy shoppers will use the funds to purchase gifts based on the needs of our partner agencies in the community. Many of these gifts go to adults and youth who are facing injustices and challenging transitions.
The White Gifts story reminds us that all people are valued, and we can all offer something to bless others!
| | |
|
|
Poinsettias for Christmas
The Flower Committee will distribute poinsettias to adorn our various worship spaces in time for Christmas! If you’d like to donate and dedicate a poinsettia, please submit your order by Monday, December 16.
You may complete a hard-copy order form (printed in the Sunday worship bulletins) OR you can order online!
| |
|
Prepare for Christmas!
Check our Facebook and Instagram to share on social media and help spread the word!
| |
Sunday begins the season of Advent, the start of the Christian church year. It is a time of active waiting – reflecting on hope, peace, joy, love – and preparing ourselves for the birth of Christ! The theme for our Advent sermon series and devotional is "Words for the Beginning". | | |
|
|
Read Advent Devotional
"Words for the Beginning"
"Read, look, and sing your way through the pages of this devotional. Each week offers art, reflections, poetry, and hymns to give you strength, courage, and grace."
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.)
| |
|
Tuesday, 6:00 – 7:30 PM (December 17)
Thursday, 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM (December 19)
In the face of uncertainty and conflict, Christians reclaim the Christ Child who brings us together, heals our hearts, and calls us to bring light into the darkness. Join us for this video study as we reflect upon the significance of the Christ Child for our lives, for our faith and for our world today!
| | |
|
|
Christmas Open House
We’re excited to have our Christmas Open House, back after a 5-year hiatus! Let's join in the Women’s Building on Sunday, December 22, 10-11 AM. Feel free to bring some Christmas cookies to share (finger-food only, no cakes or pies), and the Welcome & Engagement Ministry will provide coffee, juice, and hot cocoa, along with some delicious Christmas treats. We hope to see everyone there to catch up with friends and enjoy this whole-church holiday event together! It'll be a merry time!
| | |
|
|
Share your Estimate of Giving
Thanks to all those who have already submitted their Estimate of Giving Cards! It's not too late to get yours in. Our Estimate of Giving greatly helps our church to plan for the year ahead and live within our means!
You may complete an Estimate of Giving Card online OR fill out a physical card
| | |
|
|
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
| |
NEW! View the December 2024 issue of The Spire! | |
|
As we continue the Advent season and prepare to light the candle of JOY, let us give thanks for all the joy we have been able to experience. May we live out our faith so that all may know joy.
Pray for all who generously donated to the White Gifts project to make the holidays a bit brighter for neighbors in our wider community. Pray for those who will receive the gifts, that they would experience joy and care. Give thanks for our partner agencies who will distribute the gifts!
Pray for a joyous Christmas Jamboree for our young(ish) adults who will gather for their party tomorrow!
| |
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 | | |
|
|
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.
| |
|
HAVE SOMETHING TO SHARE?
We welcome relevant news and events to share on the CUC website, e-blast, and/or to post on our bulletin boards. 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 a church leader, 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. 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.
| | | | |
