The Spire - Central Union Church

The Spire
Central Union Church
1660 South Beretania Street
Honolulu, Hawaii 96826
Non-Profit Organization
U.S. Postage
PAID
Permit No. 71
Honolulu, Hawaii
The Spire
Central Union Church
“We Engage and Embrace ALL
as we seek to Embody Christ!”
Join us for Worship every Sunday!
7 AM in the Atherton Memorial Chapel
9 AM in the Sanctuary
11 AM in the Parish Hall
Pohnpeian Service
11 AM in the Atherton Memorial Chapel
Sundays except the first Sunday of the month.
Central Union Church, organized in 1887, traces its roots to the Seamen’s Bethel, founded 1833.
The Bethel began the earliest regular church services in English in the Hawaiian kingdom.
(808) 941-0957 • www.centralunionchurch.org • cuc@centralunionchurch.org
Visit us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/CentralUnionChurchOfHonolulu
March 2016
Vol. 86 – No. 3
Pastor’s Paragraph
St. Bernard of Clairvaux’s words still echo in cathedrals and
house churches some 900 years later…
What language shall I borrow
to thank thee, dearest friend,
for this thy dying sorrow,
thy pity without end?
O make me thine forever;
and should I fainting be,
Lord, let me never, never
outlive my love to thee.
Announcements
Central Union Church Preschool and Kindergarten Announces Dazzle 2016!
The Preschool’s annual dinner and silent auction will be held at the Sheraton Waikiki on
Friday, April 22. On Tuesday, February 23, you may use the following link to purchase
tickets, tables or make a donation: https://cucp.ejoinme.org/MyEvents/Dazzle2016. Monies
raised help to fund the “Five Es:” 1. Economic Diversity: student scholarships; 2. Educational
Opportunities: professional development for teachers; 3. Environments: all indoor and
outdoor areas; 4. Events: Snow Day, Lei Day, etc.; and 5. Endowment.
Save the Date! June 10-11, 2016
The depth of Passion Week continues to swing the pendulum of emotions to humanity.
Deeply moved by the thought of Jesus’ last day, St. Bernard penned the oft-sung hymn, O
Sacred Head, Now Wounded. For generations, Christians have gathered in every part of our
world to sing these words in their Lenten pilgrimages.
I find myself pausing in this pendulum of emotions to reflect on the hope first exhibited
with the Palm Sunday parade—throngs of people chanting “Hosanna!” (which means “Save
us!”). We dwell on this day in the hope of a new world, a new reality, a God who shows up to
save us!
And then there is the intimate gathering of the disciples in the Upper Room with Jesus
taking the bread and the wine to share the reality of a new covenant with these symbolic
reminders of his life and death. If that wasn’t enough, he shows them the heart of this new
way—kneeling to wash the feet of those gathered.
The pendulum then swings to the opposite extreme of the parade as one betrays Jesus
and a crowd declares: “Crucify! Crucify!” Darkness covers the earth as the worst of humanity’s
violence is unleashed on Jesus. His life slowly slips from his body and the way of violence and
the powerful seemingly have won, yet again!
A Silence ensues…the world awaits…and the pendulum is swinging…
That is, until Easter breaks through the darkness of despair and erupts with a light that
shines on all people. The story of Easter is the power of God over all that could ever separate
us, including death, from God’s unfailing love! Resurrection is the story of Christianity—not
death! Did you hear that—our story is a story about life!
As you contemplate the pendulum swings of Holy Week, I hope that you are caught up in
the movements of God’s story among us. Join us for Palm Sunday as we dive into another “I
AM” statement; Maundy Thursday as we share in our sacred meal at 6:30 PM; Good Friday as
we relive the power of the ”I AM” statements at 6:30 PM; and on Easter Sunday as we gather to
proclaim the Good News of Resurrection! May you be moved in the same way that St. Bernard
of Clairvaux was moved all those centuries ago!
Pastor David Rivers
Central Union Church will be hosting the 'Aha Makua of the 194th 'Aha Pae'aina
(Hawai'i Conference Annual Meeting). The theme of this year’s conference is “Called as
Partners,” and the schedule is expected to be finalized by the end of February. Registration
will open late March.
We will need many volunteers to help us prepare for the conference, as well as many
during, with activities such as signage; parking; campus “roamers” to assist with directions;
kitchen helpers; ushers to help with worship service, and other tasks that we may not yet be
aware of! Please join Sandy Fong and me in preparing to host such a special gathering at
Central Union Church! If you are interested in helping, please contact Alice at: alicetaum@centralunionchurch.org.
Remembering Our Saints
We mourn the passing of Lou Pavich who passed away on Thursday, February 4. Lou
was a loyal manager of the Thrift Shop for many years in the 1980s and 1990s. A Memorial
Service will be held on Friday, March 4, at 4 PM in the Atherton Memorial Chapel.
Easter Flower - $10.00 each
Name (donor) ___________________________
Number of plants ________
PLEASE PRINT NEATLY!
To the Glory of Easter.
In honor of _____________________________________________
In loving memory of______________________________________
Please make check(s) payable to “CENTRAL UNION CHURCH” with the words
“Easter Flower” in the memo line. Please mail or bring checks to the church office.
Names will be listed in The Spire after Easter.
Council Corner
Happening in March at CUC
DAY
EVENT
4
Kids’ Night Out
6
Communion Sunday/One Great Hour of Sharing
6
Concert: 11th Annual AGO Concert (2 PM)
18
Preschool Spring Event
20
Palm Sunday/Brunch/Children’s Spring Workshop
21
Concert: Pacific Basin Music Festival Choral Concert
24
Maundy Thursday Service/Communion (6:30 PM Sanctuary)
25
Good Friday Service (6:30 PM Sanctuary)
26
Youth Easter Vigil Lock-In
27
Easter Sunday (6 AM, 7 AM, 9 AM, 11 AM)/ Easter Egg Hunt
28
Church Office closed in observance of Easter
AA Pioneer Group
Every Tuesday evening at 6:30 PM, a crowd begins to form outside of the Women’s Building,
talking about life and what they might hear in the coming meeting. The meeting is one of the
12-step support groups that we host on our campus. This Alcoholics Anonymous group, the
Pioneer Group, has been in existence for decades providing a place of grace for those that
struggle with the demon of addiction. What a gift to know that over 50 people each week
gather for mutual support and a path towards sobriety!
As we approach the completion of the second year of Pastor David's tenure, we realize
that "change" and, more recently, "transformation" are terms that have persistently entered the
conversation, the deliberation and the thinking of our Council over that period of time. We
know change is necessary for CUC to thrive in or even survive through this 21st Century, but
we also know that whether change is seen as "good" or "bad" can very much depend on
where one sits or stands. Even with agreement on Why a change is needed, agreement on
What is to be done and How it is to be done does not necessarily follow. Take our recent
dramatic downturn in revenue as was reported at our Congregational Budget Meeting. Why
something needed to change seemed evident, but in retrospect What should be done, Who
should be involved in doing it, and How the change was to be implemented was not. It has
brought to light the need to clarify and better codify the respective roles and responsibilities of
our Council and our Church Staff. It is critically important that we work on that, and we are.
The wellbeing of our Church depends on it.
Transformation, on the other hand, seems less fraught with controversy and is more
likely to be seen as wholly positive. It can happen on a personal level as we each listen to the
words and imbibe the spirit of a sermon or a prayer from our clergy or the testimony from one
of our members. It can happen in our Ministries as we look for better ways to serve others, as
we seek to tap resources and wisdom already available, as we look for synergies that can be
found with communicating, cooperating and collaborating with other Ministries—ultimately as
we seek to Engage, Embrace, Embody. Imagine the result!
Potentially transformative for CUC is how I see the work of Alice Taum, in her role as
Director of Congregational Care. (It even eases the pain of losing her to Church Staff from the
Council.) Keeping in touch with and truly caring for each other is something we as a Church
have done only sporadically in recent times. Alice is in the process of establishing a
structured care program for all who need it, especially, but not only, for our older members
who are isolated, lonely, ill or depressed. Yes, the Deacons and Deaconesses have and will
continue to have this as their kuleana, but this structure of care is meant to include ALL of us,
whether as givers, receivers or both. We all are the ears and eyes that can note that someone
of us may be having difficulty, even by their absence. Let Alice or one of the Diaconate know.
For those who have a strong interest in providing long-term and ongoing care, note the
Stephen Ministries entry in the Church Council News.
We are in Lent, preparation for the transformation that is the Resurrection. Where will
you find your transformation? When you do, share the Good News!
Nathan Wong, Chairperson
About the cover: This month’s issue features one of the many grand windows of the Sanctuary. Windows
allow those outside to look in and those on the inside to peer out. Often, when conditions are just right,
windows can also act like mirrors and reflect the world around us—as is captured in this photograph. What
thoughts does this photograph evoke for you?
Children’s Ministry
Staff Update
All are welcome to our Sunday school classes for the 9 AM and the 11 AM worship services.
We have Sunday school classes for Preschool to 6th grade and Nursery care is available from
8:30 AM to 12:30 PM.
March holds many great ways to be involved and blessed by the Children’s Ministry at CUC.
See the list below and learn more by checking out www.centralunionchurch.org/children-andyouth, or contacting Yvette Wood-Lau at yvette-lau@centralunionchurch.org.
Natasha Dator joined the staff of CUC as the Pastoral Administrative Assistant in
January this year.
Natasha was raised in Hawaii but traveled quite a bit in her early life, due to her
father’s wanderlust. (Her father, Dr. James Dator, just recently retired from the University
of Hawaii’s Political Science/Futures Studies Department.) The family lived in Japan for
six years, where Natasha attended Japanese kindergarten and grade school.

March 4, Kids’ Night Out: KNO is a monthly event with fun activities for children ages 3
to 11 years. It’s held in the Parish Hall from 5:30 to 8:30 PM. This month, KNO will
have a Saint Patrick’s Day theme.

March 6, Girls’ Day: All Sunday school classes will be celebrating Girls’ Day with crafts
and will be learning from 1 John 1:1-2:2 and Psalm 30. The first Sunday of every month,
children participate in communion at the 9:00 AM worship service.

March 13, Saint Patrick’s Day: All Sunday school classes will be celebrating Saint
Patrick’s Day with crafts and will be learning from Mark 9:30-37 and Philippians 2:1-13.

March 20, Palm Sunday: Preschool to 2nd grade will see a puppet show by Christy
Lipps in the Family Life Center at 9:30 AM (after the children’s message at the 9:00 AM
worship service). We have invited the Hawaii All Breed Rabbit Club to show us their
prize-winning rabbits. All Sunday school classes are welcome to come view the rabbits
during the 9:00 AM worship service. Toddlers and infants from the Nursery are also
welcome with parent escort.

March 27, Easter Sunday: Nursery and Preschool to 6th grade will have an Easter Egg
Hunt after the 9 AM Worship service. We will have a bounce house outside the Parish
Hall from 9 to 11 AM. The Easter Bunny will be available for pictures as well. All are
welcome to come and join in the fun.
The family then moved to Blacksburg, Virginia, where her father taught at Virginia
Tech for three years. The family finally returned to Hawaii for her middle school and high
school years, where she attended Washington Intermediate and then Maryknoll High
school—all within walking distance of CUC!
Wanderlust hit the family again and Natasha spent her senior year, plus a couple
more, in Toronto, Canada. While in Toronto, Natasha’s dancing career blossomed
(somewhat) and she performed occasionally as a backup dancer on the Bobby Vinton
Show. She returned to Hawaii to attend UH and was able to pay her tuition by dancing
with the Iva Kinimaka Show at the Pagoda Hotel and then the Frankie Stevens Show at
the Royal Hawaiian Hotel’s Monarch Room. In what she still considers a chance-of-alifetime, living Political Science class, she was offered a dancing gig that took her, for a
year and a half, to South Africa during the height of Apartheid. She also performed in
various shows that took her across Canada, Asia and the US.
Returning to Hawaii, Natasha took what was supposed to be a short-term job at
The Cathedral of St. Andrew. Twenty-two years later, she was offered and accepted the
job at CUC! Natasha says she is thoroughly enjoying being at CUC working with Pastor
David, the staff and the congregation. She is looking forward to many years here and
encourages everyone, when near the CUC offices on weekdays, to stop by and say
hello.
Please join us for these fun-filled events in March!
Blessings!
Yvette Wood-Lau, Director of Children’s Ministry
Youth On The Move!
All youth from grades 6 to 12 are invited to connect with Youth On The Move! YOTM!
meets together to sing after the 9:00 AM worship service on Sundays (usually around
10:15 AM). At 10:45 AM, the YOTM gather for engaging discussions and fun activities
designed to deepen relationships and learn about God and Christianity. Everyone is
invited on March 6 and 13. On March 20 and 27, the Youth are participating in the Palm
Sunday and the 6:00 AM Sunrise Services here on campus.
Contact Carol Asuncion at carol-asuncion@centralunionchurch.org for more information.
Concerts Happening at CUC in March
Congregational Care Update
I am excited to share with you some of the things that I have been
doing, and learning, since I began my new position as Director of
Congregational Care in December. With such a large
congregation, it can be challenging to know all of the care needs
of our members—respecting that some members are more
private, not wanting to burden others with their worries or
struggles. But perhaps most difficult of all, are times and situations
when care need information is not communicated in a timely
manner, or to the appropriate person or people. Our goal is to
avoid poor communication that could result in adding to the hurt or
distress of someone who is already facing any kind of struggle.
Over the past two and a half months, I have developed new processes of outreach
that include phone calls, visits, and sending postcards to those who are hospitalized, facing
long-term illnesses and treatments, or who have lost spouses and loved ones. CareNotes,
pamphlets that address some of the common challenges that many of us struggle with, are
now available in the Women’s Building and Narthex. Please help yourself to these resources
and let me know if there are any other topics that you are interested in.
NOTICE
Rehabilitation of Beretania Street
During the Month of March
Please be advised that the City & County of Honolulu has contracted with Road and Highway
Builders, L.L.C. to rehabilitate Beretania Street from University Avenue to Alapai Street. The
project will consist of cold planning the existing bus lane (the mauka lane) to a depth of about
3” and resurfacing with 3” of new asphalt pavement. The remaining lanes will be cold planed
to a depth of 2” and resurfaced with 2” of new asphalt pavement. All pavement areas are
scheduled to be removed and replaced the same day. When the project reaches the area
near Punahou Street, we will likely have limited or no access to the Church grounds on the
Beretania Street side. When the contractor reaches this stage of the project, our Buildings &
Grounds staff will post signs and position the white fences to safely direct the flow of traffic on
our property. Please drive slowly and carefully at all times while on Church property,
particularly in the vicinity of the preschool grounds. Thank you for your cooperation!
Pastor David, Pastor Brandon and I have been proactive in contacting members we
know of who are homebound, offering them communion during the next visit, while we are
working closely with the Diaconate on strengthening our outreach efforts, especially for
members who are in need of long-term, ongoing care. With the help of Arcadia, we have
established a list of CUC members who reside there and last month we visited each of our
members living on the second floor, sharing in prayers and offering them communion. We
are in the process of working with Arcadia and Chaplain Cindy Au to establish a monthly
worship service for all Arcadia residents.
In terms of the number of people reached by phone, e-mail, Facebook message,
texts, cards sent, office drop-ins, funerals and visitations over the past two and a half
months, I estimate that 60-70 individuals who have requested some kind of personal care
from our ministers, diaconate, chaplain, or myself, have received care. My guess is that
there are still others who are in need of care and I am hopeful that as we continue to
strengthen our care system, all of our members will feel comfortable asking for help if and
when they need it, assured that others are there to sincerely and lovingly provide it.
Grace and Blessings,
Alice Taum
Director of Congregational Care
alice-taum@centralunionchurch.org
(808) 440-3007
Nominees for 2016-2017 CUC Council
Chair – Suzie Schulberg
Suzie Schulberg was baptized (1976), confirmed (1988) and married (2005) at CUC. She has been
an “active” member since 2007 serving on the Senior Services Ministry and joined the Council in 2011. She is
currently the Vice Chair of the Council and Chair of the Personnel Committee. When she is not attending
Church meetings, Suzie is the Chief Operating Officer of 15 Craigside. She is married to Jeff Schulberg and
they have three children, Charlie (6), Sam (4) and Georgia (2).
Vice-Chair – Evelyn “Evie” Hao
Evelyn Hao has been a member of CUC since 1984, serving on various Ministries, the CUC Board of
Trustees and the current CUC Council. She chaired the Senior Minister Search Committee of 20122014. Evie also brings to the Council 45+ years’ experience as an educator (English/journalism teacher in
Compton, California and Aiea High School, a board director for the Hawaii State Teachers Association, viceprincipal of Washington Middle School and principal of Kuhio School). She looks forward to “being a part of
the mission of CUC which seeks to transform ALL lives through the love of Christ.”
Secretary – Carolynn Bell-Tuttle
Carolynn Bell-Tuttle has been a member of CUC since 2001. As a child, the Rev. Ken Rewick
baptized Carolynn at CUC in 1973. She has been chair of the Green Team since its inception in 2007.
Professionally, Carolynn is a Development Officer at Assets School and a graduate of Colby College in
Waterville, Maine and holds a Master’s degree in Instructional Strategies from Johns Hopkins University in
Baltimore, Maryland. In her free time, Carolynn can often be seen paddling her one-man outrigger canoe on
Maunalua Bay, biking on Kalanianiole Highway or practicing yoga.
Treasurer – David Yee
David Yee first became active at CUC in 2004 when he served as a Deacon for three years. Then, he
then served as a Trustee for two years and, under the revised governance structure, a Church Council
member for four. David has chaired the Board of Deacons, the Budget Committee, and the Investments
Ministry. He served as Treasurer and as chair of the Administration and the Finance Committee for four
years. Additionally, David has served on Stewardship and Buildings & Grounds. David Yee retired from the
Queen’s Health System as a Compliance Coordinator. Having flunked retirement, he currently works for the
State Department of Defense in the Fiscal Office as the Civil Defense Accountant.
Council Members at Large:
Martha Balkin
Martha Balkin began attending CUC around 1990 and has served on a number of Committees over
the years, including Deaconess, Preschool (chair) and Board of Christian Education. Most of her efforts,
however, have been in Community Ministry, which she has chaired on a couple of occasions. Since 2007,
Martha has served as the coordinator for Family Promise at CUC, organizing the Church's volunteer hosting
of homeless families 4 times a year. Martha began attending the Contemporary service at its inception and
currently produces the visual displays for that service. She also has served twice on pastoral search
committees. Martha is a social worker and Director of the Employee Assistance Program at Workplace
Solutions, Inc. She and her husband moved to Hawaii in 1988 and have 3 adult children.
Nancy Evans Tudor
Nancy Evans Tudor has been a member of CUC for over 20 years, serving as chair of the Adult
Education Ministry for 2 terms, and as a member of the Membership and Fellowship Ministry for several
terms, as well as a former member of the Chancel Choir. Nancy has been leading a Bible study on Sunday
mornings between the 9 and 11 AM services for over 5 years. Nancy is a Certified Public Accountant with
Tudor Wilson and Associates, CPAs LLC. She has been a CPA in Hawaii since 1991, with her own firm
since 1995. Prior to that, she was with the Internal Revenue Service on the mainland for six years, then with
an international CPA firm as a tax manager in the Hawaii office for 6 years. Nancy is married to Richard
(Dick) Tudor and has one adult child, Laura K. Tudor Lu.
John Jacobson
John joined CUC in 1994, when his oldest son Tyler was attending the Preschool. He was raised
and confirmed into a congregational church as a youth, and CUC was a perfect fit. John is the Lead Real
Estate Analyst at Locations, there for 18 years. He analyses, reports and presents on market trends, and
advises executive management on the success of business strategies and efforts to grow the firm. John has
been on CUC Council once before, from 2012 to 2015 and says he enjoyed it very much. He looks forward
to being able to participate again, having served on the Youth Ministry for the past several years. He is also
currently a member of the Christian Education Committee and a member of the Strategic Planning Task
Force. John feels blessed to be a member of CUC. With gratitude, he says that his long life of service to
the Church and to the community through the Church is just beginning.
Elspeth “Eppy” Kerr
Elspeth Cantlay Kerr was born and raised in Manoa, has attended CUC since she was included in
the Cradle Roll, joined the Church during WWII in 1942, and had her first paid job at CUC’s Summer Fun
program in 1940 where she was paid $10 for the session! Eppy has served at CUC in many capacities
including employment the Music, Nominating, Adult Education, World Missions and Community Ministry
Committees. She wrote the weekly Spire for two years in the 1970s. She also served four years as a
Trustee, ending as President of the Board, and two years on the most recent Pastoral Search Committee.
A 1944 graduate of Punahou School, Eppy graduated from Radcliffe College with an AB in English
Literature and taught English at two different girls’ schools in Pennsylvania and Connecticut. Later, she
taught English, Journalism and Spanish for five years at Punahou School. In 1960, Eppy married Navy Lt.
George L. T. Kerr, and they had two children, son Keoki and daughter Alison Kerr White, who has a fiveyear-old named Shelby Kaile’a.
Eppy has had an interesting career path serving as a financial analyst at a chemical company in
Cambridge, MA, an administrative aide at the state legislature and a year as resource development
coordinator for Hawaii Planned Parenthood. Throughout the community, she has served on the board of
trustees of Palama Settlement and Hawaii Loa College and was an officer of the Windward District
Republican Party of Hawaii, the Junior League of Honolulu, the Garden Club of Honolulu, the Punahou
Alumni Association, the Windward Oahu Branch of the American Association of University Women including
three years as co-president, president of the Radcliffe Club of Hawaii, and president of the Drama Group.
Traci Khan
Traci Khan joined CUC last year. She is currently a stay-at-home mom who rarely stays at home and
acts as a “Jack of all trades, master of none.” She enjoys volunteering and serves as the Treasurer of the
PTO at the Preschool. Prior to motherhood, she was a Professional Development Resource Teacher where
she had the great pleasure of training, modeling, and assessing teachers while still getting to teach 4th
grade math and science daily. She has her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the University of Florida in
Elementary Education.
Anuhea Pizana
Anuhea Brady Pizana was baptized and raised at CUC. She made her way through Sunday school
and all of the children’s choirs and got confirmed in the Church in 8th grade. After returning to Hawaii
following college in 2011, she got married in the Church in 2012, and she and her husband, Oscar Pizana
Flores, started attending CUC again. She has served by singing for the Gift of Music during 9 AM services
and has been part of the worship team for the 11 AM service since September 2015. She recently started
serving on the Music Ministry Committee. She has been a preschool teacher at Olivet Baptist Preschool for
the last five years and enjoys cooking, traveling, and relaxing on the beach with a good book. She is looking
forward to an exciting future of the Church full of growth, while still retaining the history and character she
saw growing up.