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