Weddings (83/11/01)
Last Sunday afternoon at the Y.W.C.A., we held the 12th meeting of listeners to these "Daily Word" telephone messages. At that time, the 6th issue of "Daily Word" Echoes was on sale for ¥200 a copy. As usual, we had an enjoyable meeting in a very friendly atmosphere. The topic for our discussion was: Weddings. All of those present made interesting comments related to this theme. "Weddings" is also the theme for this week's essays. What are your thoughts regarding Japanese wedding customs, past and present? If you send me your essay, I will correct it before including it in the Echoes to be published the 5th Sunday of January. In the Christian tradition, the heart of the wedding ceremony is the mutual promise of love and faithfulness made by the bride and groom before God in the presence of the minister and other witnesses. The minister prays for God's blessing upon the marriage, gives some words of Christian counsel and makes the proclamation that the two individuals are now man and wife. In the New Testament book of Colossians, chapter 3, verse 12 and following, are found various characteristics needed for a happy married life, the most important of which is love. This is "Daily Word", Post Office Box 30, Moriyama Post Office 463.
All Saints' Day (83/11/02)
In a number of Western European countries, yesterday was a national religious holiday called All Saints' Day. In the Roman Catholic and Orthodox Churches, certain people who have died for their faith or have lived a very holy life have been designated "saints". Usually, a certain day of the year is assigned for each saint as the feast day on which that saint is remembered. However, there are more saints than days in a year, so November the 1st has been designated All Saints' Day in honor of all saints, known and unknown. Ambrose Bierce, in The Devil's Dictionary, has defined a saint as "a dead sinner, revised and edited." Actually, the Greek word for "saint" literally refers to a person, place or thing that is holy, and in New Testament usage, all believers in Christ are saints. most of the New Testament letters of Paul to churches were addressed to the saints--which meant members of those churches. Today also, all Christians are called to be saints and in Ephesians, chapter 4, they are urged to live a life worthy of the calling to which they have been called, showing such qualities as humility, gentleness, patience, tolerance and love.
Culture Day (83/11/03)
in Japan, today, November 3rd, is a national holiday called Culture Day, established to promote love and respect for culture. It was on this day in 1946 that the new Japanese Constitution, which renounces war and guarantees the basic human rights of its citizens, was promulgated. That Constitution became effective on May 3rd of the following year, which is now called Constitution Day. Until the end of the war, this day was a nationalistic holiday commemorating the birthday of Emperor Meiji who was born in 1852. In English, "culture" originally referred to cultivating the soil, to raising or improving and developing plants or animals. In relation to human beings, culture may refer to the refinement of the mind, emotions, manners, etc. that results from training. Wearing cultured pearls does not make a person cultured. As Mahatma Gandhi pointed out, "a nation's culture resides in the hearts and in the soul of its people." His disciple, Jawaharal Nehru, stated that "culture cannot be copied suddenly, it has to take root. A backward nation merely aping advanced nations changes the gold and silver of real culture into tinsel."
Will Rogers (83/11/04)
Will Rogers was one of America's best-loved humorists. He was born 104 years ago today in Indian territory that later became a part of the state of Oklahoma and his birthday is celebrated as a legal holiday in that state. Both of his parents were part Indian and he prided himself in being a descendant of the native Americans who greeted the foreigners from Europe when they arrived in the so-called new world. As a youth, Will Rogers became expert in roping calves and later worked as a cowboy. He became famous as the "cowboy-philosopher" who performed rope tricks while making humorous comments on current events, often exposing the smugness, prejudice and hypocrisy of important people. One of his ironic statements was that civilization continues to make progress, for "in every war, they kill you a new way." He also noted that "Everybody is ignorant, only on different subjects." A sense of humor is an important ingredient of a healthy life. In particular, we need to be able to laugh at ourselves. If you wish to receive weekly copies of these telephone messages, write for details to: "Daily Word", Post Office Box 30, Moriyama Post Office 463.
Flesh color (83/11/05)
When I was a child, I remember having a box of crayons for coloring pictures. On each crayon was printed the name of the color of that particular crayon. Along with the usual colors, there was a crayon labeled "flesh color". Can you imagine what color that was? It was not black or brown or red or yellow; it was a kind of pinkish color. Of course, it was supposed to resemble the color of the skin of the so-called white man. Needless to say, the skin of a white man is not white and, actually, the flesh color of Americans spans the entire color spectrum: white, black, brown, red and yellow. Externally, the color of people's skin and hair may be different, but beneath the skin all people are the same color. The expression "skin-deep" refers to something very superficial or shallow, without real significance. Still, we cannot change our skin color even if we want to. In the Old Testament book of Jeremiah, chapter 13, verse 23, the prophet asks, "Can a black man change the color of his skin?" If he could, he could change his nature from evil to good, but it is only God who can effect such a change in us. The Bible speaks of such a change of nature as a "new birth". By accepting God's love and forgiveness through faith, we can be born again spiritually.
Giants and Lions (83/11/06)
The Japan Series this year pitted the Yomiuri Giants against the Seibu Lions. It has been an exciting series with a number of last inning reverses. Giants and Lions are also names of professional teams in the United States. Giants may refer either to the baseball team in San Francisco or to the football team in New York and Lions is the name of Detroit's football team while its baseball team is called Tigers. In keeping with current events in Japan, my sermon title for today's worship service at our church in Takahama was "Giants and Lions". The content of the sermon, however, was related to the experiences of 2 Old Testament characters: David and Daniel. In I Samuel, chapter 17, is recorded David's contest with the giant Goliath, while Daniel's encounter with a den full of lions is recorded in Daniel, chapter 6. In these Bible stories, faith in God brought victory in trying experiences which seemed hopeless from the human point of view. In our day also, a healthy faith in the living God can make a difference in our lives. It can bring hope into a hopeless situation and turn defeat into victory.
Revolution (83/11/07)
Today, November 7th, is a holiday in the Soviet Union. It is to commemorate the Russian Revolution. According to the Old Style calendar, this revolution occurred on October 2th, so it is called The Great October Socialist Revolution. This revolt was the expression of long-lasting and deep-rooted dissatisfaction on the part of the common people against the high-handed rule of a degenerate nobility. It was led, however, by activists who were intent upon establishing a new kind of society based on a new set of principles. So it was that the 1st socialist state was born through a revolution which was taken over by a group of idealists who imposed their views upon the people. George Bernard Shaw has written that "Revolutions have never lightened the burden of tyranny; they have only shifted it to another shoulder." Christianity also advocates a kind of revolution. It teaches that people must change their way of thinking--putting God first instead of selfish aims. Only then will we have a truly just and humane society. Weekly copies of these daily messages may be obtained by writing to "Daily Word", P.O. Box 30, Moriyama Post Office 463.
Reading books (83/11/08)
The English word "week", spelled w-e-e-k, refers to a period of 7 days. A 2 week period is called a fortnight, which is a shortened form of 14 nights. We are now in the final days of a fortnight known as "Book Reading Week" in Japan. Have you been doing some reading during this fortnight? The suggested theme for your essays this week is related to book reading. How much reading do you do? What kind of books do you especially enjoy? Who is your favorite author? What is your favorite book? Do you have a habit of reading regularly--in both Japanese and English? If you write a short essay related to books or reading and send it to me, I will correct it for inclusion in the next issue of "Daily Word" Echoes. I have a number of reference books I refer to almost daily in order to prepare these "Daily Word" messages, but I also read from the Bible everyday. Permit me to suggest that that would be a good habit for you also--not only to understand Western thought but also to partake of some spiritual food. Without spiritual nourishment, our minds and hearts will not enjoy healthy development. This is "Daily Word", Post Office Box 30, Moriyama Post Office 463.
Blackout (83/11/09)
18 years ago today, on the evening of November 9, 1965, a great electric power failure occurred in the northeastern United States. Lights went out. Traffic signals stopped functioning. Electric stoves and heating devices became cold. Elevators in office buildings and apartment houses stopped. Subways and other electric trains came to a halt. Over 30,000,000 residents in a 200,000 square kilometer area were left without electric power. In New York City, the power did not come back until the next morning--12 hours later. Some people thought the country had been sabotaged and an 11 year old boy in New Hampshire confessed that he caused the blackout when he struck a telephone pole with a stick, but the true cause was an overloaded power line at a generating plant in Canada. That night, people realized how dependent we have become upon modern technology. Erich Fromm has written that "The danger of the past was that men became slaves. The danger of the future is that men may become robots." In this technological age, the way to keep from losing our humanity is by a healthy faith in a living, loving, personal God who rules over all.
Martin Luther (83/11/10)
500 years ago today, in the German town of Eisieben, a son was born in the home of a poor miner. As a child, he had a strong religious inclination and sang in the church choir. Following his father's wishes, he began the study of law at the university, but after a deep religious experience, he changed to theology and became a priest. His earnest study of the Scripture caused him to question the church's teaching that salvation could be gained through good works and to oppose the practice of selling indulgences. This priest's name was Martin Luther and his opposition to certain doctrines of the church of his day initiated the Protestant Reformation which caused a great change in both church and world history. Luther emphasized that salvation comes through faith in God's grace and that the Bible is the final authority for Christian teaching. To enable the common people to read the Bible, he translated it into German. Luther preferred that his followers be called Evangelicals rather than Lutherans. An Evangelical is one who emphasizes the Evangel, that is, the Gospel or Good News that salvation is the gift of God, received by faith.
Veterans Day (83/11/11)
An armistice is a temporary stopping of warfare by mutual agreement. Hopefully, an armistice will be followed by a permanent cessation of fighting and the adoption of a peace treaty. Sometimes it takes a long time for a peace treaty to be signed. For example, 38 years ago, the Soviet Union ended its 1 week of warfare against Japan, but a peace treaty between these two nations has not yet been signed. 85 years ago today, on November 11, 1918, at 11 AM, an armistice between the Allies and the Central Powers ended the fighting of the 1st World War. 7 1/2 months later, a peace treaty was signed. For the next 35 years, November 11th was celebrated as a national holiday in the U.S. called Armistice Day, honoring those who died during that war. In 1954, the name of this holiday was changed to Veterans Day, to include those who were killed in later wars as well, so today is Veterans Day in the United States. "Veteran" refers to an old or experienced person and a former member of the armed forces in particular. Today is a good day to renew our efforts for world peace.
President Reagan's speech (83/11/12)
Yesterday, I viewed the televised visit of President and Mrs. Reagan to the Diet and listened to his speech. The 1st thing that impressed me was the bright red dress of Mrs. Reagan. Secondly, Mr. Reagan's speaking style included eye-contact with his listeners rather than simply reading his speech with downcast eyes. In regard to the content of the speech, he tactfully quoted a Japanese proverb and used quotations from the Japanese poet, Basho, Japanese educator, Fukuzawa, and former Prime Minister Sato. He also referred to the experience of a former Japanese warrior who became a successful businessman in California. He noted various admirable Japanese qualities and emphasized the need for Japanese-American cooperation as the 2 leading nations of the free world. He also made negative allusions to the manner of thinking and conduct of those nations with a different view of society and, consequently, a different set of priorities. In the New Testament book of Romans, chapter 12, verse 18, we are told to do everything possible to live in peace with everybody. World peace requires a harmonious understanding between all nations, including those with different ideologies than ours.
Father Augustine (83/11/13)
Important Christian writers in the early centuries of the Church's history are called Church Fathers. Probably the most influential Church Father was Augustine, who became the bishop of Hippo in northern Africa and who was born on November 13, 354. His mother, Monica, was a Christian and he was raised as a Christian, but, like many other children who leave home for school in the big city, he turned his back on his mother's faith and began living a very dissolute life. He sampled many pagan philosophies and finally became a firm believer in the Persian thought called Manichaeanism. Under the influence of Ambrose, an eloquent preacher in Italy, he returned to his early Christian teaching and became a great theologian, respected by all branches of the Christian Church. His best known writings are his Confessions, which tell of his immoral past, and The City of God, which gives his view of society and its transformation by Christian thought. A couple of quotations from Augustine are: " What you are must always displease you, if you would attain to that which you are not" and "Faith is to believe what you do not yet see; the reward for this faith is to see what you believe."
Prince Charles' name (83/11/14)
Over 2 years ago, when I was in the United States, I watched the television broadcast of the royal wedding of England's Prince Charles and Lady Diana in St. Paul's Cathedral in London. You maybe watched it too, but I wonder if you heard the couple make their vows in English. Diana stumbled over Prince Charles' long name, mixing the name order. Actually, his name is Charles Philip Arthur George and he was born on November 14, 1948, so today is his 35th birthday. One of the characteristics of royalty in certain countries is to give multiple names to their children. Prince Charles' younger brothers' names are Andrew Albert Christian Edward and Edward Antony Richard Louis and his younger sister is named Anne Elizabeth Alice Louise. By giving many names to children, the parents are able to honor a number of relatives or respected friends at the same time. My elder brother's middle name is that of my father and my middle name is that of my father's brother. Similarly, my elder son has my name as his middle name and my younger son has the name of my brother. The Christian bears the name of Christ and his conduct brings honor or dishonor to his Lord.
Shichi-go-san (83/11/15)
In English, the word "odd" may refer to something unusual or strange, but an odd number is a number that cannot be exactly divided by 2. The Japanese word kisū also literally means a strange or unusual number. In old Chinese thought, odd numbers were considered lucky, so the traditional seasonal festivals were held on odd numbered days of odd numbered months. Today, children of 7, 5, and 3 years of age are taken to the shrines as their parents give thanks and pray for future blessing. People with a vital faith do not limit their expressions of thanksgiving or their petitions to odd years or to ceremonial occasions. They commune with God daily throughout the year. Last week, President and Mrs. Reagan paid a well-publicized visit to Japan. What were your impressions of the Reagans and of President Reagan's address to the Diet? What comments do you have regarding the result of the Ron-Yasu talks and of future Japanese-American relationships? That is the subject for this week's essays. I will correct the essays you send and then have them printed in the next issue of "Daily Word" Echoes. This is "Daily Word", Post Office Box 30, Moriyama Post Office 463.
Kindergarten (83/11/16)
The English word "kindergarten" is a transliteration of the German word, literally meaning "children's garden" or "garden of children". It refers to a place for young children to develop basic skills and social behavior to prepare them for grade school. The Nagoya international School has both a kindergarten and a nursery school. The nursery school is for 3, 4 and 5 year old children, who are almost all Japanese. My wife teaches the class of 5 year olds and teaches them to speak simple sentences in English. Those who plan to go into the elementary school at N.I.S. go from the nursery school to the kindergarten and then into 1st grade. When I was a child, I went to what was called a pre-school before entering kindergarten. 107 years ago today, on November 16, 1876, the 9th year of the Meiji Era, the 1st kindergarten in Japan was founded at the Tokyo Girl's Normal School. Educators say that the early years of a child's life are the most important for the development of the child's personality and abilities. Proverbs 22:6 states: "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it."
Kannazuki (83/11/17)
Yesterday evening, I returned from a 3-day visit to the city of Izumo in Shimane Prefecture. Can you guess what I was doing there? I was visiting the Izumo Taisha Shrine, where I attended lectures and observed some ceremonies. In case any of you are planning to go to a nearby shrine to worship the kami in the next few days, I suggest that you delay your visit because the kami are not at home now, during this kannazuki of the lunar calendar. They are all gathered together for their annual conference at the Izumo Taisha. I was present at the seashore when they arrived last Monday night and was seated on the pebble-covered inner court of the shrine for the ceremony acknowledging their presence there on Tuesday morning. I had taken a heavy jacket to keep warm, but, in deference to Japanese custom, I took off my jacket and placed it on the empty canvas stool ahead of me so I could look at it while I shivered through that ceremony. The lectures and ceremonies were of interest and helped me understand Japanese tradition, but I am thankful that the God I worship doesn't go off on trips and is not confined to a certain sacred place. Although he is in control of all, he is also by my side.
Oman Sultan's birthday (83/11/18)
Just as a kingdom is ruled by a king and an empire is ruled by an emperor, so a sultanate is ruled by a sultan. Sultan comes from the Arabic word for victorious and refers to a ruler or prince. The ruler of the Sultanate of Oman is Sultan Qaboos Bin Said, who was born on November 18, 1942. Today is a holiday in Oman in celebration of the Sultan's 41st birthday. Oman is a little smaller than the Japanese island of Honshu and is located on the southeast corner of the Arabian peninsula. Although it was once a powerful state, controlling much of East Africa, it had become a poor country until oil was discovered there in 1964. Now it has become wealthy, but how to make effective use of wealth is a problem for rich nations as well as for rich families. In a story recorded in the Gospel of Mark, chapter 10, Jesus advised a rich young man to sell his possessions and give to the poor in order to have treasures in heaven. True wealth is of a spiritual character and the best way to enjoy it is to share it with others.
Braille for word processor (83/11/19)
People with normal eyesight are able to enjoy beautiful scenery and are also able to read. Those who are blind cannot see the beauty of nature, nor can they read with their eyes. About 150 years ago, a Frenchman named Louis Braille invented a system of writing for blind people, enabling them to read with their fingers. Braille writing uses raised dots to represent letters. However, reading material in braille is still quite limited, for people who can write in braille are few. Students at the Gifu West Technical High School have recently perfected a system whereby a word processor may be used to print material in braille. This will make it possible for anyone who has a word processor or a personal computer to produce reading material in braille, so schools and libraries for the blind are very happy to hear this good news. Those of us who are able to see and read should be thankful for this gift of God. Those whose spiritual eyes have been opened seek to share their blessings with those less fortunate. This is "Daily Word", Post Office Box 30, Moriyama Post Office 463; Yūbin Furikae Kozaō, Nagoya 3-37078.
Recuperation (83/11/20)
How are you feeling these days? According to a report released by the Labor Ministry a couple of days ago, many Japanese workers are not feeling so hot. (Incidentally, "hot" has a number of different meanings in conversational English. In this case, it means "good".) Almost one-fifth of those surveyed did not consider themselves in good health and both men and women indicated that their work caused more mental than physical tiredness. This is especially true of those in administrative, technical or business related positions. The most common ways of recuperation for both men and women were sleep and rest. However, the next most popular way to relieve mental stress differed. 45% of the men resorted to drinking while 32% of the women relaxed by chatting with others. For me, I enjoy playing tennis on Monday mornings and recently I have been doing some jogging in preparation for the Nagoya Citizen's Jogging Meet next Wednesday. The Bible teaches that peace of mind comes through a healthy faith in the living God. In Isaiah 26:3, the prophet writes: "You, Lord, give perfect peace to those who keep their purpose firm and put their trust in you."
North Calorina (83/11/21)
The American state of North Carolina was one of the original 13 colonies that proclaimed their independence from Great Britain in 1776. It was over 13 years later, however, that North Carolina ratified the new U.S. Constitution. She was the 12th state to ratify it 194 years ago today, on November 21, 1789, following much opposition by those who feared the power of a strong, central government. The state motto of North Carolina is a Latin phrase, Esse Quam Videri, which means "To be rather than to seem." It is more important to be something than to seem to be something. Are you really what you seem to be? In the Gospel of John, chapter 14, Jesus said to his disciples, "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life", but was he really what he claimed to be? We will study this verse at our Japanese Bible Class tomorrow evening at 6:30 at the Kyōikukan in Sakae. You are invited to attend if you are interested. It is a good idea to keep studying, even after we leave school, and the Bible is a book that should be studied by all who want to know more about the way, the truth and the life.
Sumo (83/11/22)
What would you consider to be the national sport of Japan? Your answer may depend upon whether you are more interested in traditional Japan or modern Japan, for both sumō and baseball might be considered Japan's national sport. The Fukuoka Sumo Tournament is now under way and, as of yesterday, the 9th day, only the 2 ozeki had perfect records. Sumō is one of the oldest sports in Japan and there is a legend of 2 kami wrestling with each other to decide which would be the ruler of a province in Izumo, but the 1st sumō match in human history is said to have been performed before Emperor Suinin when Nominosukune kicked his opponent, Taimanokehaya, to death. What do you think of sumō? Do you enjoy watching it? Why or why not? Sumō is the subject of this week's essays. Any thoughts you have on this topic may be included in a short essay sent to me for correction and subsequent printing in "Daily Word" Echoes. According to Ephesians 6:12, the Christian's basic wrestling match is not against people, but against the spiritual forces of evil. This is "Daily Word", Post Office Box 30, Moriyama Post Office 463.
Thanksgiving Day (83/11/23)
For the past 35 years, since the 23rd year of Showa, this 23rd day of November has been called Labor-Thanksgiving Day in Japan. It is the traditional day of the niinamesai, when the emperor offers up new rice to the gods in a thanksgiving ritual and eats with them. An attitude of thanksgiving lies at the heart of true religious feeling. The English words "think" and "thank" come from the same root and all thoughtful people, even those who do not consider themselves religious, must feel thankful at times for their good health, happy lives or good fortune, but to whom is thankfulness to be directed? It may be directed to certain people, whether living or dead. It may be directed toward nature or gods in an impersonal manner. For Christians, however, thanksgiving is finally directed toward the living God, the Creator and Ruler of the universe, whom we believe to be our heavenly Father and Savior. On this Labor-Thanksgiving Day, let us give thanks for the fruit of labor--both of our own and that of others, and let us consider to whom our thanks should be directed. The Old Testament Psalmist wrote: "Give thanks to the Lord, because he is good and his love is eternal."
Thanksgiving Day (83/11/24)
This 4th Thursday of November, is celebrated as Thanksgiving Day in the United States. Thanksgiving days were celebrated irregularly from the time the 1st colonists arrived in America from Europe. Times of the celebration varied with the locality, but George Washington, the 1st president, proclaimed a national day of thanksgiving on Thursday, November 26, 1789. During the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln designated the last Thursday of November as a national Thanksgiving Day in 1863 and the day has been observed every year since then on the last or, since 1941, the 4th Thursday of November. In Lincoln's proclamation, he stated, "I invite my fellow-citizens in every part of the United States to observe the last Thursday of November as a day of thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens." Many churches and synagogues in the U.S. hold special thanksgiving services on this day and, at homes, a traditional thanksgiving dinner--including such native American food as turkey, cranberries and pumpkin pie--is enjoyed. Thanksgiving should not be limited to one season of the year. The Bible teaches us to always be thankful, in all circumstances.
Japanese pronunciation of Chinese and Korean names (83/11/25)
The katakana syllabery is very convenient for writing foreign names in Japanese. Often, the katakana pronunciation is closer to the pronunciation in the original language than the romanized spelling as pronounced by Americans. For example, Don Quixote, the hero of the satirical romance by Cervantes, is pronounced Don Kwikset by many Americans. However, in the case of Chinese names, the romanized spelling is usually more accurate than the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese characters. For example, the Chinese Communist Party General Secretary is now visiting Japan. Radio and TV newscasters identify him as Mr. Koyoho, while the romanized spelling of his name gives the pronounciation of Hu Yaobang, which is quite different but closer to the Chinese pronunciation. A Korean Church pastor has a lawsuit against NHK for consistently mispronouncing his name according to the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese characters rather than giving the Korean pronunciation. Shakespeare wrote: "What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet."
Nightingale Pledge (83/11/26)
Florence Nightingale was born of wealthy English parents in the Italian city of Florence in 1820. She dedicated her life to serving suffering people as a nurse and during the Crimean War she introduced new concepts of nursing as she ministered to wounded soldiers. Later, she founded a training school for nurses in London. She was known as the "Lady of the Lamp". On Thursday of this week, a candlelight capping ceremony for 615 student nurses who are following in her footsteps was held at the Nagoya Public Hall in Tsurumai. Having completed some 8 months of training at a nursing school, they will now begin helping at hospitals in the city, wearing their new, pale-blue caps. Holding a lighted candle in their hands, they repeated the Nightingale Pledge to dedicate themselves to the happiness of those entrusted to their care. Serving others as a nurse is a noble profession, but all of us should seek to minister to those in need. In Matthew, chapter 25, Jesus taught that we should feed the hungry, clothe the naked, comfort the sick, welcome the stranger and visit those in prison. He taught that our love for him is seen by our attitude toward the unfortunate.
Advent (83/11/27)
There are a number of English words derived from Latin that begin with a-d, which is a Latin prefix meaning to or toward. Advance, advise, advertise and advocate are a few of them. Another one is advent, which refers to a coming or an arrival. In the Christian calendar, Advent is spelled with a capital A and refers to the coming of Christ and, in particular, to the season prior to Christmas when Christians prepare themselves for the Christmas celebration. The Advent season begins on the 4th Sunday before Christmas, which is today this year, so for the next 4 weeks Christians will be preparing their homes and their hearts for a meaningful commemoration of the birth of Christ, the Savior. In some homes and churches, an advent wreath made of evergreen twigs is prepared, in which 4 candles are placed. One candle is lit on each of the Sundays of Advent. Celebrating the advent of Christ 2,000 years ago is a joyful experience, but the deeper joy of Christmas comes with the advent of Christ and his spirit of love into our hearts. This is "Daily Word", P.O. Box 30, Moriyama P.O. 463.
About these messages (83/11/28)
The voice you hear on these daily telephone messages is that of a 55 year old American missionary who came to Japan with his wife 32 years ago and who is now the pastor of a church in the city of Takahama. About 5 years ago, he began a telephone ministry in that church called kyō no messēji. That daily message in faulty Japanese may be heard by calling 0566-52-2732. A little over 3 years ago, this "Daily Word" service in English in Nagoya was begun. At present, an average of about 150 calls are received on weekdays. Some listeners tape the calls on their own cassette tapes by means of a telephone pick up microphone. Typewritten copies of the messages are mailed each weekend to those who send a selfaddressed, stamped envelope plus ¥100 in stamps for each week of messages desired. Those who wish to contribute to the expenses of this service may do so by making a deposit in the yūbin furikae kōza of Deiri-Wa-do, Nagoya 3-37078. I hope you enjoy the messages. This is "Daily Word ", Post Office Box 30, Moriyama Post Office 463.
All Saints' Day (83/11/02)
Culture Day (83/11/03)
Will Rogers (83/11/04)
Flesh color (83/11/05)
Giants and Lions (83/11/06)
Revolution (83/11/07)
Reading books (83/11/08)
Blackout (83/11/09)
Martin Luther (83/11/10)
Veterans Day (83/11/11)
President Reagan's speech (83/11/12)
Father Augustine (83/11/13)
Prince Charles' name (83/11/14)
Shichi-go-san (83/11/15)
Kindergarten (83/11/16)
Kannazuki (83/11/17)
Oman Sultan's birthday (83/11/18)
Braille for word processor (83/11/19)
Recuperation (83/11/20)
North Calorina (83/11/21)
Sumo (83/11/22)
Thanksgiving Day (83/11/23)
Thanksgiving Day (83/11/24)
Japanese pronunciation of Chinese and Korean names (83/11/25)
Nightingale Pledge (83/11/26)
Advent (83/11/27)
About these messages (83/11/28)
Zoo (83/11/29)
Mark Twain (83/11/30)
Weddings (83/11/01)