READERS’ MEETING, LEADERS’ STUDY CLASS AND OTHER EVENTS HELD IN HONG KONG
Gathering of participants to Parents' Class
(Rev. Sagara, the center of the front)
Study of Faith and Environmental Protection
In Hong Kong, four events including a Readers’ Meeting, Parents Study Class, and Leaders’ Study Class were held in Japanese and Chinese from November 30 to December 2, 2007 at the Meeting Place/Office of the Seicho-No-Ie Hong Kong Holy Mission Fellowship, Inc. (Representative: Mrs. Machiko Kwok) in Kawloon. The theme of the events was “To Live Correct Faith—World Peace and Environmental Protection.” The number of attendees totaled 28, including 3 newcomers.
Rev. Etsuko Sagara (Ordained Minister, Assistant Chief of Translation Section, International Department) was dispatched from the International Headquarters as a lecturer.
A Chinese-language Readers’ Meeting took place on November 30, and on December 1 a Japanese-language Readers’ Meeting was held. Using Seimei no Jisso (Truth of Life), Volumes 1 and 7 as her texts, Rev. Sagara lectured that to be grateful for and worship everything in heaven and earth is the foundation of the Seicho-No-Ie way of life. She also explained that the awareness of oneness with others born of gratitude to one’s parents and ancestors leads to Seicho-No-Ie’s environmental protection activities. Her lectures were easy to understand.
On December 2 a Parents’ Study Class was held, where the attendees studied the content of the three important religious activities as well as the importance of completely entrusting everything with God. At the Leaders’ Study Class held at the end, each leader presented his/her opinion on the theme, “Faith-Based Life and the Environmental Protection Issue,” and Rev. Sagara offered her comments on their ideas. This format helped the leaders deepen their understanding of faith-based environmental protection activities.
Comments from the leaders included: “I am sorry that due to the Zero Carbon Movement the frequency of Ordained Ministers’ dispatch from the International Headquarters will decrease. In the future we would like to make the best of our geographical location and make a plan to expand our propagation to the mainland China and spread the teachings.”
Also there was a comment from a female attendee at the Readers’ Meeting and Parents’ Study Class: “I understood that for problems of parenting it is important that I first muster gratitude to my parents.”
Rev. Sagara remarked,
“The regional cooperation between Hong Kong and the Republic of China is actively promoted by the dispatch of Regional Lecturers from the Republic of China to Hong Kong three times a year and participation by Hong Kong followers in Spiritual Training Seminars held in the Republic of China. Also the sense is penetrating among the followers in Hong Kong that it is natural for a religious organization to engage in environmental protection activities. Since their awareness about environmental protection is high, I would like to offer as much support as possible in the future by providing, among other things, translations of books by the President and Vice President.”