Friday, April 27, 2018

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



Wednesday, April 4, 2018

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

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