December 13, 2015: Blog of thoughts

December 13, 2015
Dear Friends and Students
I went two Churches today. One is a Quaker meeting and the other  Anglican Christmas service. One was a quiet meeting but today we had two people inspired and stood up and talked.  The first was about a person who went to legal registration of the Religious Organization and met a clerk who had a good view of the Christians because when she travel the Eastern Europe the nuns were very kind to her and left good inspiration of Christians to her.
The other was very interesting to understand why Quakers behave that way and what is the principle of Quakers. Our leader this year and long time religion teacher of Furendo Gakuen stood up and talked about Mary(Maria).  Usually this time of season , they will talk about the birth and how people are waiting for Mary with a new born king.
But she talked about how people in Israel told Mary that they were disappointed with him not saving them but being crucified and did nothing what he was talking or promised.
Mary was not totally disappointed with what happen.  She thought of the days her son, Jesus preached and shared his thoughts and lived together and inspired many when he was in Galilee.
When thinking of the days in Galilee, Jesus, her son, had inspired so many people and there were followers followed his preaching/teaching and led vigorously followed his compassionate lives.

 I can't totally express what came into my thoughts today, that is why it is in our inner spirit rather than verbalized expression what matters.

At 6 o'clock I visited the Anglican Christmas held every year at this time because many foreign families will go back to their home countries.
It was a solemn mass with beautifully arranged choir singing and short sermon given by multi racial members.
The whole thing is well done.  Rev. or Father Andrew, a young single Englishman did very well and the whole setting was superb and I think it is the best in Bluff, Yokohama.
I don't know why Japanese keep St. Andrew's Cathedral as their diocese head church.
The whole setting of the mass is to prepare people for the birth of Jesus Christ, savior and king to bed born, with the impressive candle lighting  being lit by the altar boys and beautiful voice of choirs with the Reverend conducting it. You feel the organized and calmness of the church of England residing over us.
 GtO