Vol. 24# 9
Celebrating the Autumn Memorial Service
The joint autumn memorial service of the Konko Churches of Gardena and Los Angeles will be held at 10:00 a.m. on September 8th at the Gardena Church service hall. This autumn memorial service will honor the achievements of the successive head ministers including Konko-sama, as well as those who contributed to the missionary work in North America, the first head minister of the Konko Church of Gardena, Mr. Goto Isao, and his wife, and the first head minister of the Los Angeles Church, Mr. Katori Toshitsugu, and his wife.
In addition, we will invite the spirits of the past head ministers of each church, those who contributed to the development of the church and those who have made outstanding contributions to the development of the church, the spirits of believers and followers, and the spirits of their families and relatives' ancestors. Today, we are able to have faith, receive blessings, and live in peace because of the faith of the spirits of our predecessors. This is a service to express our gratitude and ask for the spirits to be enlightened and to receive even greater spiritual virtues.
As we approach the memorial service, we would like to think of the spirits with whom we have had a connection and look back on their journey of faith while they were alive. We would like to express our sincere gratitude for meeting the Divine Parent through the intercession and for leaving us with the gratitude of Kami and the joy of faith. We would also like to express our gratitude for the hearts and work of the spirits who protect and guide our lives and churches every day, and hope to cherish them.
We have attached a spirit register, so please fill in the age and date of death of your ancestors and mail it or submit it by the day of the ceremony. In addition, the lunch will be a potluck format, so please bring your favorite dish to share.
Rev. Kametaro Nakayama - Reason for Happiness - continued from August
Through the Konko faith, I was liberated from a painful life where I cursed my fate and gradually realized that there is a bright path to accepting fate and making the most of it. I began to realize that all events were actually blessings and was therefore able to feel grateful for my entire life.
First of all, although I am physically handicapped, I am thankful to be blessed with excellent health. Of course, I take care of my health on a daily basis, but sometimes I push myself too hard. Even so, I am able to carry out my duties with good health.
It is said that "a healthy mind resides in a healthy body," but I think it would be more appropriate to say that "a healthy mind creates a healthy body." The mind and the body are in a mutually supporting relationship; the body exists only because of the mind, and the mind exists only because of the body.
We often experience complaints, dissatisfaction, and mental worries, which have various effects on the body. On the other hand, the release of mental distress has a beneficial effect on the body.
Various experiments have proven that mental state affects blood flow, gastric juices, and hormone secretion. One example often cited is Pavlov's experiment. This famous Russian physiologist observed that when a dog's organs were exposed from the outside and beef was placed under its nose, the dog secreted a large amount of saliva and actively secreted gastric juices. However, when a cat was brought into the same situation to provoke the dog, it was reported that the dog became angry, and the secretion of digestive juices completely stopped.
The influence of our minds on our bodies is very close, and we all experience it on a daily basis. For example, when we feel embarrassed, our face turns red, and we break out into a cold sweat. When we get angry, not only do our faces turn red or blue, but we also lose our appetite. When we are worried, we can't sleep well, and no matter how delicious a meal we eat, it feels like chewing sand and doesn't taste good.
When a mother who is nursing a baby suddenly becomes worried, she may stop producing milk. It is said that breast milk not only stops being produced but also changes in taste depending on the mother's state of mind. It is said that breast milk is sweet when you feed it to your baby, thinking that it is cute, but if your baby starts crying when you are busy and you end up angrily saying "he's being noisy" and putting the nipple in his mouth, the baby may push it out with the tip of his tongue. It is said that this is because the taste of breast milk that the mother normally produces is slightly different from the taste of breast milk when she is angry.
When I speak at PTA meetings, the principal sometimes asks me to include older students in the talk, but I decline, because I cannot speak to children and their mothers at the same time.
When I talk to 5th and 6th grade children about a mother's love, if their mothers are listening with them, they may say, "You heard today's talk. Your mother had a hard time raising you. So please take good care of your mother." The child may reply, "What are you talking about? I didn't ask you to give birth to me." Also, if there are children present when I give a lecture on home education at a mother's class, some children may think, "Wait, it's not my fault, it's that I didn't get a good home education." This will have the opposite effect. However, babies don't understand the content of the lecture, so you can talk to them with peace of mind. However, babies sometimes cry. Even if you give them breast milk at such times, they often don't stop crying. With no other option, the mother goes outside, holding the crying baby. Why didn't the baby drink the breast at that time? It was not because the mother was feeding the baby with love, but because she thought the baby was noisy and tried to cover its mouth.
To be continued in next issue
Exercises for the Mind/Heart/Spirit |
005 Pray before you start anything |
Be it work or study, preparation is important for everything. Praying is a part of preparation. Before you start doing something, first put your hands together and pray to Kami, “I will do this from now on.'' Then, Kami will not only watch over you, but will also help you. |
Konko Church of Gardena and Los Angeles Announcements
Morning Service and Gardena Church Shinto-kai meeting
On Sunday, September 1st, we will be holding a morning prayer at 9 a.m. After praying, let’s clean the inside and outside of the church. The Shinto-Kai meeting will follow the cleanup. If you are interested, please join us.
Autumn Memorial Service
On Sunday, September 8th, from 10:00 a.m., we will be holding the Autumn Memorial Service at the Gardena Church Service Hall. After the service the lunch will be potluck format, so please bring your favorite dish.
Chicken Teriyaki Sale
The Gardena Church will be hosting a chicken teriyaki sale on Sunday, September 15th. If you are interested, please fill out the attached order form and submit it by September 9. If you are available, please come help us with preparations at 8AM on September 15. We appreciate your support.
Gardena Church Work Committee Study Group
The GCWC will meet on Sunday, September 22nd from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to work on Biography of Konko Daijin discussion questions. Please contact Rev. Uzunoe if you are interested in joining this group.
Коментарі