Upcoming and December review

UP~COMING 

January 13 2019

Zuse Meyer--artist and professor originally from Germany

On " Insights thru Visual Experiences"

February 10 

Heather Steele (Ph.D Engineering from Birmingham U)

2017 Daiwa Anglo Scholar/ Now at Railway Technical Research Institute, Tokyo 

"Transport: Needs vs. Global Warming--Future Fuel: Hydrogen Powered Trains "

 

W.E.L.L. Annual Conference and Retreat (for women)

February 8 thru 10 (noon)  Theme: Empowering Women thru Creativity

Registration open until Dec 22 ( bilingual) http://welljapan.org

   

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      Our last meeting of the year (Dec 9) had your moderator and members making a few remarks about Christmas being a season of the happiness that comes from giving to others.-- with an  emphasis on  family ties and returning to one's hometown (especially for expats) or relatives gathering together.  

Even as we get older (as quoted from Dickens) when we sadly remember all those no longer with us at Christmas, those memories too bring a special kind of joy. However, many people who are estranged or without family can find these holidays a particularly miserable time.       

      Did you believe in Santa (the plump guy with whiskers as well as a "symbol" of giving) , if so (as we shared) when did you stop?

And  finally I passed on a true story about sibling concern and the magic of Christmas gifts for children (see bottom of page).

 

      Then  Chuck Olson in part from recent experiences visiting with his temporarily dislocated young grandson (and family)  who have just moved,  and traveling with his magician Trump-supporting brother in their ancestral Norway, made a presentation about gaining self-awareness thru trying to understand recent research on the neuro/endocrine/evolutional/environmental/biological basis for our behavior and interactions with others. He provided a handout and presented some of the ideas especially in the books by  Daniel Siegel and  online courses by Robert Saplosky.

It is hard to do justice to Chuck's various points but i include here the web links to his major sources. One idea he mentioned when talking about  the frontal cortex (in various parts) --which we now know is the location of emotional control and rational future planning-- is that it does not fully develop until around age 25. Dana as a teacher and counselor echoed some of Chuck's comments and mentioned some of her strategies for defusing confrontations  and helping guide elementary school kids. 

Daniel Siegel’s Mindsight web site is at

https://www.drdansiegel.com/about/mindsight/ 

a link for the Mindsight book is at

https://www.drdansiegel.com/books/mindsight/

For the 'No Drama' Discipline at

https://www.drdansiegel.com/books/no_drama_discipline/

A link to Robert Sapolsky’s Human Behavioral Biology lectures is at

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL150326949691B199

      Finally, Stan Yukevich spoke and lamented the growing lack of "adult" restraint  of many Americans (indeed in contrast to many Japanese)  as he examined some of the finer (also weaker) characteristics and legacy of GHW Bush--who now we most agreed looks better in comparison to those (not only Trump) who have come after.  Bush died November 30,2018.

      Using a handout, Stan pointed out he was a patrician not a self-promoter, a Republican with compassion  and with a  traditional conservative "less is better" approach to government.  Although not agreeing with some of his positions/actions (such as Bush's reluctance to support AIDS research and GLBT rights) Stan mentioned Bush's war record in WWII--at 94 the last statesman/politician of his generation. Bush showed willingness to work across party lines and  to sacrifice reelection by raising taxes in order to preserve programs and hold down the deficit. 

 

 

      In the end we did not have time to sing any carols (which is probably just as well as we did not have a leader this year who can carry a tune). Next year maybe we can also delve more into other religious traditions of this holiday time.

      At dinner some of us video-chatted with former member Bonnie McClure who is doing well in Berkeley.

 

      Join me in  thanking all who have contributed to this year at fellowship, especially FUKAI Naoko who has stepped in to help TAKAMATSU Yasuyo  with membership and setup.

 

      Again best wishes to all for  a happy and safe holiday season and a good coming year.

 

Peggy Kanada, moderator

 

 

A Christmas Story

 

        Because of my father’s poor health during World War II, our family moved from a tenant farm in the Virginia hills to the city of Harrisonburg so my mother could work in a silk mill making parachutes for the boys overseas. On Christmas Eve, I felt lonely and misplaced as I listened to the strange city noises, so different from the familiar sounds of the countryside. Much to my dismay, the family had been so busy moving that we had no tree to decorate. As a 5-year-old, I yearned for a real tree; my older brothers had always enjoyed selecting a cedar or pine from the nearby woods when we lived on the farm.

My brother Gary sensed that something was bothering me and asked, “What’s the matter, Janie? Why are you so sad?”

“We don’t have a tree and It’s Christmas Eve,” I replied. “Where will Santa leave our presents?” To soothe my nostalgic tears, my older brother found a large paper grocery sack, upon which he drew a  beautiful green Christmas tree with big red and blue bulbs and bright yellow tinsel.

      “This will have to do this year,” Gary explained. “I’m sure Santa will understand.” The next morning, I received a tiny toy phone from Santa and homemade popcorn balls from Mother and Daddy, but my special gift was my brother’s work of love: the paper tree hanging on the wall. — Jane Allen, Alabama. 

Nov. 11 Talk : Matthew Smith "Unitarians Outside of North America"

Matthew Smith "Unitarians Outside of North America"

Time: 3:00-5:00 (with dinner afterwards if you care to stay)

Usual Place: International House of Japan 国際文化会館

Near Roppongi and Azabu-Juban stations. Parking available.

See their website for directions.

Our new member Matthew Smith will give a talk  "Unitarians Outside of North America."

Matt (with his wife Susan) have been active for many years not only in Unitarian churches in the United States but with several overseas and expat fellowships during his assignments abroad.  He has been a religious educator and teen leader, as well as as a small group facilitator. Matt led the executive committee of the large UU expat Congregation of Paris. He will share some of his personal and family experiences.   And he will include some of the lessons he has learned about how to nourish and perhaps grow our UFT. Groups like ours he says have unique challenges around theological identity, lay ministry and how to build a connected community.

Join us for the talk and under Matt's leadership to sing "Spirit of Life" and to explore some widely practiced Unitarian rituals of autumn--the season of giving and thanksgiving-- and together to  share briefly our  joys and concerns.

Your moderator,

Peggy Kanada

October 14 CHANGE to Norway Talk/Chuck Olson

Last minute change of the speaker:

"Finding an unknown home - Norway”.

Dear friends and members of UFT,

Despite efforts, Tet Gallardo, our planned young Unitarian minister guest (from Manilla) was unable to obtain a visa for Japan.

☆☆Meanwhile our member Chuck Olson has graciously stepped in and will give his talk with slides about his recent trip to NORWAY.

More than just a travel log we expect he will share some of his insights about modern Norwegian society as well as what it means to go "home" to the land of your ancestors.

Please join us.

Sunday October 14 (3:00 to 5:00)

Usual venue: International House of Japan (国際文化会館).

See their website for map. Near Roppongi and Azabu Juban stations.

☆Our speaker will stay for dinner afterwards.

Peggy Kanada,
moderator

Oct 14 Meeting and Sept. 9 review of Kate W. Nakai speech on the 1932 Sophia U vs Yasukuni Shrine Incident

Dear friends and members of the Fellowship,

Our next meeting on October 14th we have invited the Rev. Tet Gallardo from the Unitarian church in Manila.
The exact title of her talk will come a bit later.

On Sept 9 we had a very scholarly paper read by Kate W Nakai (professor emerita of Jochi/Sophia University).
By giving us a detailed and reasoned account of the 1932 incident as well as the earlier background from the Meiji period we learned much about religion and the state in Japan.
There was never in the 1932 confrontation of the small Catholic men's college (Sophia/Jochi) and nearby Yasukuni shrine (flush from ceremonies memorializing the dead in the preceding years' Sino-Japanese war) any discussion of anti war or anti-imperialist ideas/beliefs or even actual theological debate.
In broad strokes to summarize, the Catholic church bent to accommodate the Japanese state in joint declarations that visits especially by school groups to "show reverence at shrines including Yasukuni" was a civil and educational act of patriotism NOT a RELIGIOUS activity. Such sampai visits would not impinge on Catholic values or beliefs. Before this catholics had been prohibited to take part in any shrine/temple events or household ancestor worship.
Jochi Uniiversity in order to attract students to survive financially (only 10% of its student body were catholics at the time) needed (like every school wanting to be accredited) the Military presence of a training officer (equivalent of the American ROTC program). In the incident of 1932 he had been removed after the college protested about his taking a student group to Yasukuni..After the Catholic change he was reinstated a year later ensuring the college could continue..
The accommodating idea/language of "civil not religious" (encouraged it appears by the shrewd Apostolic Delegate (1934-48) to Japan, Paolo Marella, without pre-approval from his superiors in Rome) actually was pushed through on the government side mainly by competing bureaucrats especially in the Ministry of Education who did not want to lose power to the Military or Home Ministry.
Tied up in all of this were issues of state control over shrines under competing government ministries including the Education Ministry which had come to consider them "civil" entities. Under 1900 regulations and certainly by the 1930's, shrines were considered by the bureaucracy to be local community and educational organizations for patriotism and social cohesion not "religion")..

At first in the Meiji period, shrines were favored over Buddhist institutions which in the 1870's were seen by most in government as corrupt and impeding the growth of a modern nation state. As Buddhist institutions re-grouped and western missionaries came to Japan the government sought not only to regulate them but also to re-control shrines (prohibiting them for example from holding funerals).But from 1900 (eventually taken completely into the Ministry of Education hands) there was a Bureau of Shrines and a Bureau of Religions.
From early Meiji , Article 28 of the Meiji Constitution had, by the way, while ensuring "freedom of religious belief" excluded shrine worship from "religion" and included it under "duties as citizens".
Discussion veered off on the intertwined nature of shinto and buddhist beliefs and institutions (where every temple has had a corresponding shrine(s) and honjisuijaku meant every kami had a form as a Buddhist god and vice versa).
Most shrine complexes since the 1870's have lost their Buddhist temples-- Yasukuni and Meiji shrines never had a visible buddhist affiliation to begin with. Most Buddhist temples/institutions still encompass shinto shrines and gods within their precincts or at least next door.

What is civil? what is religious? are still part of debates about Yasukuni.
Nakai noted that "State shinto" as a term/concept only developed post WWII and is seen by many scholars as being implemented from the 1930's.
In the prewar years (as appreciated by more scholars today) many in the shinto world had actually resisted being considered "nonreligious".
Yasukuni, Meiji and Ise Great Shrines (jingu) however, in part because of their civil, or "nation-building" roles, as well as wealth, continue outside of the Shrine Association that supervises and supports all other shinto establishments today.

September 9 meeting Kate Wildman Nakai, on 1932 confrontation of Church and Shrine, Oct 14 Unitarians in the Philippines

Dear friends and members of the Unitarian Fellowship,

   I trust your summer was good despite the terrible heat and humidity for most of the time here in Tokyo.

Personally I am looking forward to having a lot more energy in a cooler September.

Please bring a friend or encourage an acquaintance to come this Fall. 

Date: Sunday September 9

International House of Japan

(see their website for bilingual directions/ free parking available/near Roppongi or Azabu Juban stations)

3:00 to 5:00   

(Please join some of us if you can  for a light dinner in the International House cafe to continue the discussion afterwards)

Our speaker will be Kate Wildman Nakai, professor emerita long at Jochi/Sophia University, and  specializing in Japanese intellectual history especially of the Edo and  modern periods.  

She will focus on the big confrontation in 1932 between the government and Sophia University over the Church's prohibition of Catholics participating in shinto events especially at Yasukuni (Yasukuni sanpai). Her topic grows  out of her research on different stages  in the interaction of Catholic institutions (often  in background and agenda unlike that of  Protestant missionaries with Anglophone "progressive" ideas) and the Japanese state and society  after the  mid 19th century Meiji restoration.  The evolving catholic response to shinto provides a different perspective on the nature of "State Shinto" which is usually examined  thru government policy and promulgation imposed from above rather than its reception and people's response.

Yasukuni shrine is as ever in the news, recently about politicians non-attendance at ceremonies and the Heisei Emperor's  comments marking  the August end of  WWII. Yasukuni  should prove  stimulating  for discussion. 

How have people in the recent past aligned their religious and ethical beliefs to the legal and group demands of their community? Where do each of us stand on important  issues today?

Please join us  and spread the word to others who might be interested.

Peggy Kanada, moderator

PS 

As our October 14 UFT speaker we have invited the Rev. Tet Gallardo, from the only Unitarian church in the capital Manila of the Philippines.  Your moderator met this  young and energetic  woman at the International Council of Unitarians and Universalists conference in Kathmandu in February.

In a conservative (even repressive) society what happens to Unitarian progressive ideas?  How do Unitarian values offer something to people  when the religious environment was traditionally Catholic but is  increasingly fundamentalist evangelical  -- especially values about human dignity and rights  for all, including women and those of different sexual orientations?

Summary of May and June meetings

Your moderator has been remiss in not giving fuller summaries of some of the very interesting talks we have had recently at regular meetings.

In May we had Jane Best who is director of Refugees International Japan. Founded in 1995 by expats RIJ surprisingly is not part of a large network but works alone, although the founder on returning to the states has set up a RI lobbying NPO in Washington DC to promote awareness of refugee issues.

   

 Jane has been involved with  RIJ since 2002 and became the director (a tiny  office) a few years ago. She  has been a long term resident of Japan going way back to friendship (through the restaurant she owned for years) with our Fellowship's founder, Ken Woodroofe.

Jane gave a brief overview of the horrendous refugee problems we face today noting that over 80% of refugees (let alone IDP's) are in developing NOT richer nations.

 She pointed out that one of the best solutions to many problems (from adequate food and housing to preventing despair)  is to let  refugees work in their new communities. Mostly this does not happen.

 RIJ recently has focused on 5 main projects (three along the Thai/Burma border) which she discussed and showed slides about. RIJ's programs are small but have made tremendous differences in peoples lives. Well managed,  truly most of the donated funds to RIJ (according to the figures she showed) are going to the people in need (not administration). All are different but all are fulfilling requests by the people involved-- not ideas imposed from above.

 RIJ is in need of donations and introductions to possible corporate sponsors.

 Our June speaker was Vivek Pinto, whose correct title is research fellow at the Institute of Asian Cultures, International Christian University. He has spoken to the fellowship several times in recent years. This  includes in  January 2017, on the interesting British educator and student of Indian religion, William Winstanley Pearson, who in the early years of the 20th c became Tagore's secretary and translator.

June's talk focused on the influence of Thoreau on the early thinking of Gandhi.

May 13 Doreen Goodbye and Jane Best of Refugees International Japan

Dear friends and members of the fellowship,

Please join us for our regular monthly meeting.

3:00-5:00
International House of Japan (国際文化会館)
See their website.
Between Azabu-Juban and Roppongi stations on Torii zaka.

In our opening program we will have time to share memories of Doreen Simmons who recently passed away.

And we welcome Jane Best, director of Refugees International Japan. She will talk about not only the refugee crisis worldwide, but what positive (however small) steps RIJ is making and what we can do.
Moreover we expect her to to share some insights into how Japanese society (indeed America/Britain) may or may not be changing in commitments to people in need, and in the expectations of "not for profit" organizations and how they are run.

Your moderator

Sad news - Doreen Simmons

Dear friends and members of the fellowship,

   It is with great sadness that we have learned of the death of Doreen Simmons on April 23.  

She had become  our  oldest friend of the fellowship and attended meetings often in the last few years  after spending the morning at St Albans.

She spoke to our fellowship four or five times over the years and especially the last time she officially  spoke  she shared some of her memories of our fellowship's early days.  Her erudition and wit (ands sometimes acerbic comments) often added immeasurably to our discussions.

A memorial service will be held for her at St. Albans church (next to Tokyo tower at Kamiyacho station) at 1:30 on Saturday April 28.

All are welcome.

We will hold a brief memorial in remembrance  for her at our May 13 Unitarian fellowship monthly meeting 3:00 to 5:00 at International House.

Peggy Kanada, moderator

Doreen showing us her Order of the Rising Sun at our January 14, 2018 meeting

April 7 Flower Ceremony

Dear friends and members of the Fellowship,

This month instead of a speaker join us to celebrate the FLOWER CEREMONY--a service of celebration at this spring season for Religious Liberals.

Please bring in 🌼one flower (from your garden or local shop).

(Note: we will have some extra flowers at ready for those who cannot).

The Flower Ceremony, sometimes referred to as a Flower Communion or Flower Festival, is an annual ritual that celebrates beauty, human uniqueness, diversity, and community. It is a way to reaffirm the Unitarian promise or covenant to work for a world community with freedom, justice and peace for all.

Originally created in 1923 by the first Czech Unitarian minister, Norbert Capek, of Prague (who was killed by the Nazis at Dachau in 1942). The Flower Ceremony later was introduced to the United States by Rev. Maya Capek, Norbert's widow.

In this ceremony, everyone brings a flower. Each person places the flower in a shared vase. After readings and often songs the fellowship together blesses the flowers, and they're redistributed at the end. Each person brings home a different flower than the one they brought.

By sharing or exchanging flowers we show our willingness to walk together in our search for truth, disregarding all that might divide us. Capek wrote that such sharing is essential to a free people of a free religion.

See attachment by Reginald Zottoli on the early Flower Communion.

I learned of this service/gathering from Transylvanian and American friends at the International Convocation of Unitarian Universalists biannual conference in Kathmandu this February.

We will also have time for announcements and short presentation about Capek and a discussion.

Date:April 8
Time: 3:00-5:00
International House of Japan (国際文化会館）
Between Azabu Juban and Roppongi stations (see International House website for a map).

Followed by light dinner or refreshments at the I House cafe if you can stay.

PS
May 13
Jane Best director of Refugees International Japan, speaking about not only refugees (with some positive stories) but about running a non-profit organization.

June 10 Rescheduled Vivek Pinto: Gandhi and Thoreau

Peggy Kanada, moderator

March 11 Dominick Scarangello

Unitarian Fellowship March 11
New speaker: Dominick Scarangello

Dear friends and members of the fellowship,

Our speaker Vivek Pinto has unfortunately had to postpone.

We have enlisted instead our always interesting Buddhist shugen do practitioner and scholar, Dominick Scarangello, PhD. 

	Dominick is a scholar of early modern/modern Japanese Buddhism and religion International advisor

Topic:
What is translation?
The what and how of translating religious faith across different cultures.

Please join us (your moderator plans to be back) and bring a friend.
International House of Japan
(Near Roppongi or Azabu Juban stations)
See I House website for directions.

March 11
Sunday 3:00 to 5:00
With dinner afterwards if you care to join the speaker.

Peggy Kanada moderator

Feb. 11 Rebalancing Power and Sex

Dear friends and members,

February will be a Discussion Meeting facilitated by our members Chuck Olson and Yasuyo Takamatsu.

Bring your thoughts  and questions to share.

The topic to start our discussion: 

Rethinking and Rebalancing Power and Sexual Rules of Behavior in Our Modern  Societies

The past year in particular saw the world of politics, media and entertainment in America  in turmoil as many major figures (predominately men in power) have been publicly shamed and  lost their positions/jobs based on accusations of inappropriate even illegal sexual behavior towards women and youth--including sexual abuse.and rape (over many years).

The spectrum ranges from Roger Ailes and Harvey Weinstein to Garrison Keillor.

One question also remains-- Why have certain men escaped censure?

 Do you know what is happening with #Metoo”,”It is about time” and “”Yes, but ...”on social media?

What are the rights of women? especially as they spend increasing time in the workplace and the values of traditional marriage and pattens of child raising are changing both because of the push for human rights (including equal access to education and careers for all --including women and LGBT people) but also under the pressures of global capitalism and increasing economic inequality and loss of the old protections for working women (unions etc.). 

 Possible points to include: 

1) What about Due Process --the rights of the accused to be innocent until proven guilty  in court 

2) On the other hand why do only some women (and only now) come forward--what is wrong with our legal/police system?

2) Do we need new rules and manners to govern behavior?  Why has "NO" not meant no in intimate encounters?

In our world today --How should men and women (in whatever combinations) meet ? progress towards love and intimacy? possibly commit to long term relationships or marriage?

3) Why is this topic not as sensational in Japan?

We are not looking for final answers but to share our thoughts.

All are welcome.

Venue:International House of Japan

  (Feb. 11, 2018  from 3-5 p.m. at the International House of Japan (Roppongi)

https://www.i-house.or.jp/eng/access.html.  Dinner and further follows.  All are welcome.)  

Peggy Kanada,

Moderator of the Fellowship

January 14 Michael Polito - Pope Francis Revolution

Unitarian Fellowship of Tokyo

On January 14, Sunday, 2018

At International House (国際文化会館）near Roppongi or Azabu-Juban stations.

Our speaker will be Sophia University (Jochi) professor, Michael Polito.

"Consumerism, Ecology, and Love; The Personalist Revolution of Pope Francis."

from your moderator 

Peggy Kanada