Friday, November 02, 2007

2007 November Message

For our beloved Earth
Rev. Tetsuya Abe,
Acting Chief Hawaii Missionary Area

   With the cool morning and evening temperatures, we can feel autumn in the air. My wife and I love this season very much because of the breeze and birds cheerfully singing in the morning as we practice Shinsokan Meditation. Feeling this seasonal change and seeing a beautiful sunset over the magnificent sea, I can sense that "the Earth is alive!"

   We will soon have a free Public Lecture on Sunday, November 11 at Ala Moana Hotel. Rev. Yoshiko Teshigawara, Bishop of United States Missionary Headquarters, and Rev. Hiei Ando, National Ordained Minister, will guide us with their inspiring lectures. Please look at the attached flyer once again. Let us share the joy of learning and practicing the teachings with your families, relatives, neighbors, and friends. I am looking forward to seeing you there.

   Recently, there was an announcement that this year's Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Al Gore, former U.S. Vice President, and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. It is the second time for the Nobel Peace Prize to be awarded to persons who contributed to environmental preservation activities following Wangari Maathai of Kenya, vice minister of environment, in 2004.

   In Seicho-No-Ie, Rev. Masanobu Taniguchi, vice president of Seicho-No-Ie, continues to teach us that the issue of "Environment, Peace and Resources" has been closely connected for years; therefore, to realize peace by faith, we need to take action to preserve our environment from a religious perspective. Namely, we care for Earth and save energy as a manifestation of deeds of love based upon the teaching of "Be grateful to the whole universe" as stated in "Divine Message of Grand Harmony." I would like to express my sincere appreciation to Dr. Masaharu Taniguchi who founded the teachings, and strive to put into practice the teachings given in accordance with current situations by Rev. Seicho Taniguchi and Rev. Masanobu Taniguchi.

   In the Hawaii Missionary Area, we are heading in the direction of focusing on the green issue, thanks to our members’ cooperation. At the leader's seminar held at Jisso Center from August 31st to September 2nd 2007, Gary Tashiro, president of Seicho-No-Ie Hawaii, delivered a wonderful lecture on why Seicho-No-Ie is involved in ecological issues by presenting the message by Rev. Seicho Taniguchi and Rev. Masanobu Taniguchi as well as the U.S. movement policy for 2007, and he introduced his family's eco-friendly actions. After his lecture, all participants who were inspired by his lecture discussed what we could do as a group and their ideas were given to Clifford Nishimura, committee chairman of environmental issues in the Missionary Area. In addition, I have heard that our friends on the neighbor islands are now participating in these activities in their own way.

   We attended the in-person meetings of the SNI, Inc. Board of Directors at the New Gardena Hotel from October 12 to 14. Among the 22 participants at the meeting were Gary Tashiro, Gordon Ogi, Kevin Ichishita (SNI, Inc. Board members from Hawaii), Rev. Leslie Iwatani and myself. We discussed how to move forward in the International Peace by Faith Movement in the United States.

   Rev. Teshigawara taught us in the meetings, "The more we understand the teachings of Seicho-No-Ie and deepen our realization of the truth, the more we will want to do something good for the environment. To practice the teachings and to care for the Earth are one."

   How about sharing your experiences to save energy or do something friendly for the Earth? I welcome your comments. Ph: 537-6965, FAX: 524-9026, E-mail: snihi@hawaii.rr.com, Both English and Japanese are available. Thank you very much.