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The Chikara Daiko group, of Centenary United Methodist Church in Little Tokyo
Image by:courtesy of NCRR
Source: Women's Division
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When United Methodist Women arrive at Assembly 2006 on May 4-7, close to ten thousand women will fill the Anaheim Convention Center – along with music from around the world.
One of the groups planned for the event is a taiko drumming group. Taiko drumming is a Japanese classical art with a two thousand-year history.
The Chikara Daiko group, of Centenary United Methodist Church, a historically Nikkei church in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles, was started in July 1996. They’ve performed around California -- Claremont College, The United Methodist Bishop’s Convocation, United Methodist Annual Conference at Redlands, Choral Conductor’s Guild national concert, United Church of Christ Annual Conference, Southern California church worships, and assorted school and community functions.
The group’s vision is poetic: “Taiko is like the heartbeat, which is universal. It reaches out and connects us all. Through our activities, we reach out and embrace individual members and families in a fellowship. By establishing our identity and expressing our unique heritage, we seek to connect with other faiths, cultures and people through our music.”
The group cites the Biblical passages I Corinthians 12:12�]26 as a metaphor for their art.
“We work to achieve a group, like the body God has created, ‘giving greater honor to the (weaker) members, that there may be no dissension within the body, but the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it.’”
The United Methodist Women’s Division is accepting registrations for the upcoming assembly now at www.umwassembly.org .
The Women’s Division represents United Methodist Women, an approximately one-million member organization whose purpose is to foster spiritual growth, develop leaders and advocate for justice. Members raise some $25 million a year for programs and projects related to women, children and youth in the United States and more than 100 countries around the world.
Date posted:
Nov 09, 2005
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