Change and Diveristy

Dear Centenarians,

I have recently returned from Nagoya, Japan, which I had the privilege of visiting for the second year in a row as Nisei Week Foundation President.

From this particular trip, I came away with a fonder appreciation for the central part of Japan than I’d previously realized. Unlike cosmopolitan Tokyo or tradition-bound Kyoto, Nagoya is an exciting blend of those two cultural extremes.

As I traversed through Nagoya on foot and by train, I could sense an “international” atmosphere that combines 21^st century realities such as technology and cultural diversity with historic Japan. It may be due, in part, to the commonality that Nagoya and Los Angeles share: Both cities are the largest and busiest commercial ports of entry in their respective countries (which is one reason why we are sister-cities).

This led me at various times during our travels to reflect on the life and ministry of the apostle Paul, who wrote (or is credited with writing) almost 2/3 of the New Testament books. Many of these books were written from coastal cities and towns where he ministered and established churches. Among those places were Rome, Corinth, Ephesus and Thessalonica.

From his travels, Paul experienced much in the way of  religious and cultural diversity throughout his ministry, due in no small part to the geographic and demographic reach that he covered. We hear and talk about the increasing religious and cultural diversity in our own time. Yet, my hunch is that Paul encountered much, much more of it than we do today.

The Christian faith is grounded in diversity and change, an important truth that I recovered on this trip to Japan. This truth is also reflected in our ministry at Centenary; As a congregation in the Little Tokyo area of Los Angeles, as a congregation of the United Methodist Church, and as a congregation that welcomes newcomers enter into the church on Sunday mornings.

Grace and Peace,

Reverend Mark M. Nakagawa