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Local church to commemorate Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings
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Posted on Aug 05 2005
Saipan’s Immanuel United Methodist Church will commemorate the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in its worship service today. The Time with Children session will focus on the story of Sadako Sasaki and the folding peace cranes. Sadako, a young Japanese girl, died at age 12 with cancer, contracted from the nuclear fallout of the atom bomb dropped on Hiroshima on Aug. 6, 1945.
The worship service will also include special prayers of peace for victims of war, both civilian and military. Pastor Bud Carroll’s sermon, entitled, “Crossings: Perils and Possibilities” will focus on the need for Christians and people of other faiths to work more cooperatively and intentionally for a world of just peace.
Pastor Carroll told the Saipan Tribune, “We are not gathering to debate if the United States was justified to drop atom bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The fact is—they were dropped.”
He continued, “However, people of faith or no faith need to stretch their minds and hearts to work for a just peace. Especially during these days of global terrorism.”
Part of the special commemoration will include opportunity to light individual peace candles. The service will conclude with participants joining to sing “Let There be Peace on Earth.”
As part of the universal church, Immanuel UMC seeks to practice the denominational motto “Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors.” Persons unable to attend their own religious services and those with no regular practice of faith are warmly welcome to attend this special service. For further information, please contact Pastor Caroll at 322-6158. (PR)
