e-Blast
February 25, 2021
February 28, 2021

In-person and Online Worship:
Robinson Fredrick, Rev. Brandon Duran and Rev. Mary Herbig

In-person worship at 9 AM
To register for our Sunday in-person worship, Click here.

Livestream at 10 AM

----------------

Virtual Aloha Lanai
7 am:
Meeting ID: 828 1144 2635
Passcode: Aloha

9 am:
Meeting ID: 832 1350 7618 
Passcode: Worship

11 am: 
Meeting ID: 859 7383 9801
Password: Aloha

New to CUC:
Meeting ID: 873 7101 8426
No password required
Aloha friends! Today, O'ahu entered Tier 3 on the City and County of Honolulu Recovery Framework. This movement reflects a decrease in case counts and positivity rates which is great news! What does this mean for Central Union Church?

This Sunday our services will operate as they have been:

  • 9:00am in-person in the Sanctuary, registration (online or at the door) required with limited capacity
  • 10:00am online (details below)
  • 10:00am in-person at Central Union Windward (details below)
  • 11:00am online Pohnpei Ministry Worship on Facebook at "CUC Pohnpei Ministry"

As outlined in Emergency Order No. 2021-02, Tier 3 eliminates the 50% capacity restriction for spiritual services. The CUC Reopening Liaisons and the staff worship leaders will discuss how the removal of this restriction will impact our worship services. The Emergency Order also stresses that during spiritual services participants need to wear masks and maintain safe social distance. This guidance reflects our understanding that the Coronavirus is spread through droplets in the air. We know that the simple practices of masks and social distancing go a long way in preventing the spread of the virus. However, we also know that these methods are not 100% effective and that the act of singing increases the number and distance of droplets into the air. Recent scientific studies and resources compiled by the American Choral Directors Association, the American Guild of Organists, and other national organizations address the risk posed by the aerosolization of particles associated with singing.

While some faith communities have engaged in communal or choral singing, we want to exercise an abundance of caution out of love for our church ‘ohana. We want to demonstrate to our surrounding community that we do all we can to care for the most vulnerable. God calls us to lead, to bless, and to create without needlessly risking the health of our choirs, our musicians, our church, or our community. Public health is a matter of faith and our temporary sacrifice is an offering of compassion.

As the vaccine becomes more widely available and as the threat of transmission continues to lessen, we will prayerfully and thoughtfully adjust. I am convinced that this pandemic will end and that what we have endured will become a testimony of God’s faithfulness. We will have yet another reason to praise God.
STAYING CONNECTED
Proposed Bylaws and Standing Rules
- A Work in Progress -
Thank you to the congregation members who have provided feedback to the proposed changes to the Bylaws and proposed Standing Rules! Based on the feedback received, the Bylaws Committee has decided to revise the previously-reported timeline. On March 1 the Bylaws Committee will be distributing: (1) revisions to the proposed Bylaws (in clean and redline formats), (2) revisions to the proposed Standing Rules (in clean and redline formats), and (3) a FAQ sheet compiling all questions received and answered by the Bylaws Committee. Members will then have one additional week to review and provide any new responses to the Bylaws Committee. The new timeline is listed below: 
-March 1: Revisions to proposed Bylaws and Standing Rules, and FAQ provided to members
-March 1-8: Comment period extended
-March 8: Final deadline for feedback to proposed changes to Bylaws and proposed Standing Rules
-March 19: Notice of Special Meeting on proposed Bylaws and Standing Rules (which will include a link to the final proposed Bylaws and Standing Rules)
-April 11: Special Meeting of the Congregation to vote on proposed Bylaws and Standing Rules
 
Please email bylaws@centralunionchurch.org to make your voice heard. All comments have and continue to be carefully and prayerfully considered.
 
If you have not received a copy of the proposed documents you may find them here, 
 
And if you missed the Bylaws Committee's Learning Tree presentation explaining proposed changes you may watch it by visiting the NEWS section of the CUC website. Or by clicking here.
FAITH ACTION ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE TASK FORCE
By Matt Geyer, chair
The Environmental Justice Task Force was created early last year. Faith Action members are concerned about climate change and its effects on our lives and our children’s lives. We are committed to increasing public awareness of environmental issues and establishing more effective public policy to address climate change and its inequitable effects on people.
 
We considered various ideas for legislation this year and decided on a bill to assess a fee on fossil fuels and distribute the revenue in equal shares among people.
 
This carbon fee would discourage use of fossil fuels, thus substantially reducing carbon emissions. The dividend given to residents is consistent with Faith Action’s spirit of socioeconomic equity. It’s not a new concept, as dozens of countries already have some form of it. We call our idea “Carbon Cashback.”
Virtual Wednesday Night Soup Supper
Every Wednesday on Zoom, now through March 24, 6-7:30 pm

Come and meet Jesus through the eyes of those who knew him best! Each Wednesday during Lent, join Pastor Brandon and Pastor Mary on Zoom to watch The Chosen, the first-ever multi-season show about the life of Jesus. The Chosen is groundbreaking; it is an interdenominational, crowd-funded adaptation of the life of Christ, created by a team of ministers, rabbis, film producers, and biblical scholars. We are excited to use this amazing new resource to grow in our faith together!

Each week in Lent, you are invited to bring your dinner and join us on Zoom, where we will watch one episode together. Then, we will break into small groups and spend time discussing, sharing, and praying. May God be at work in our hearts this Lenten season!

If you are interested in attending, please follow the Zoom link

Meeting ID: 850 7010 9870
Passcode: Lent
To view the February edition of the Spire, click here.
CENTRAL UNION WINDWARD MINISTRY EVENTS
All are welcome to join us!

Sunday In-Person Worship Service
February 28, 2021 at 10 AM
Sermon by Kahu Richard Walenta and music by Dr. Tommy Yee
 
All attendees will be required to sign in with contact information, have a non-contact temperature check, and certify that you can follow the Covid-19 rules set by Central Union Church. CUW Members and friends will receive the written guidelines and the CUC Covid-19 Certification Notice by email around February 19. All guidelines will be posted in the sanctuary and should be reviewed before being seated.
 
Phone: 808-235-3802

Joda Derrickson invites you to join others for
 
Contemplative Prayer
Every Wednesday through May 12, 2021
From 7:30-8:00PM (HST)
 
The time is changed during the Lenten season to allow those who wish to participate in the CUC Virtual Wednesday Night Soup Supper. 
The former time for CUW Contemplative Prayer will resume after Easter.
 
SAVE/BOOKMARK THIS LINK &
Join Zoom Meeting every time

Meeting ID: 843 8682 3920
Passcode: G7xTS9

CUW links to like and follow
#centralunionwindward
Mindful Movement with Bamboo Sticks
NOW ONLINE every Wednesday 5:00 - 6:15 PM
Contact Carol Alevizos at carol.alevizos@gmail.com for more information and for the Zoom link to attend.
Click here or on the picture to view a video from Margie Smith.
Centering Prayer
You are invited to watch Margie’s video: Sharing from the Heart about Centering Prayer (10 min). All are welcome to join the Centering Prayer groups by Zoom.
  • Monday evening at 7:30 PM, contact margie3@mac.com for more information and the link.
  • Wednesday evening at 5:30 PM (an earlier time during Lent, the Virtual Soup Supper follows at 6 PM), contact carol.alevizos@gmail.com for more information and the link.
Silence is God’s first language, everything else is a poor translation. So, to hear God in God’s language one has to enter into silence too. (Thomas Keating)
Stay up to date on all of the happenings at Central Union Church by visiting our website: www.centralunionchurch.org

The due date for articles for the March 2021 Spire is Friday, February 26th. Please email all submissions to news@centralunionchurch.org.

We welcome articles for the CUC Website, News, e-Blast, and/or post on our bulletin boards. The deadline for each publication is the Tuesday preceding each Sunday. Please submit all articles to news@centralunionchurch.org

CENTRAL UNION CHURCH
1660 SOUTH BERETANIA STREET
HONOLULU, HAWAII 96826
(808) 941 - 0957 WWW.CENTRALUNIONCHURCH.ORG
CENTRAL UNION WINDWARD 
38 KANEOHE BAY DRIVE
KAILUA, HAWAII 96734
(808) 254-3802