Center offers seminar on Tibetan meditation
The Tibetan Buddhist Meditation Center will present a seminar on Tibetan meditation next weekend.Lama Tempa Gyeltshen will teach the practice of "shinay," calm-abiding meditation aimed at developing peace, stability and mental focus.
The three-part presentation will begin at 9 a.m. Saturday at Kagyu Thegchen Ling, 26 Gartley Place. Further sessions will be at 2 p.m. April 12 and 13.
It is open to practitioners at all levels. Suggested donation is $25 per session or $60 for the weekend. Call 595-8989 for information.
Lenten services feature meditative prayer style
Several religious organizations bring the Taize style of meditative prayer and chanting into Lenten observances.The prayer form, which combines the monastic tradition of communal chanting with silent meditation, was developed in the Taize, France, by a religious community of Catholic and Protestant men which operates a spiritual retreat center there.
Events that are open to the public include:
>> Taize Prayer Around the Cross will begin at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Chaminade University's Mystical Rose Oratory. The service sponsored by the Moving Prayers Group will include simple gestures to express sacred music. "It's a personal and communal prayer form," said Brother Dennis Schmitz. "It's not aimed at performance, not about what you look like."
>> Scripture-based chants backed by instrumental music will be featured at 7 p.m. next Saturday at Christ Church Uniting Disciples and Presbyterians, at 1300 Kailua Road. The Kailua church holds a Taize service on the second Saturday each month.
>> Taize Around the Cross will be offered on Good Friday, April 18, at the Catholic Newman Center/Holy Spirit Parish. The 7 p.m. service will be at the center's chapel on East-West Road on the University of Hawaii at Manoa campus.
Palm Sunday events kick off Holy Week
Palm Sunday events next weekend at several Christian churches will kick off the Holy Week observances leading up to Easter on April 20.April 18 is the beginning of the Jewish celebration of Passover. Orthodox Christians will celebrate Pascha, or Easter, on April 27.
Congregations may list their spring holy day events in a calendar here next Saturday. Submit entries by Wednesday to the Honolulu Star Bulletin, Suite 7-210, 500 Ala Moana, Honolulu 96813; by fax to 529-4750; or by e-mail to madamski@starbulletin.com.
Choral performance celebrates Easter
Nuuanu Congregational Church will get an advance start on the glorious music of Easter tomorrow with a choral performance of "The Power and Glory," an Easter Cantata.The concert by the Chancel Choir will be presented at a 9 a.m. service. The arrangement by John Coates will be directed by Russell Ishida. Soloists will be Stan Kamita, Jason Kasamoto, Barbara Miwa and Ray Miyamoto. The event, at 2651 Pali Highway, is free and open to the public.
Monk to discuss religious icons
An icon artist who is creating versions of the ancient religious art for two Oahu churches will give a free "Introduction to Iconography" lecture and will teach classes here this month.The free talk by the Rev. Damien Higgins will be at 7 p.m. April 25 at First United Methodist Church, 1020 S. Beretania St.
April 15 is the registration deadline for classes on April 26 and 27 and May 3 and 4, to be given at the church offices. Each session is limited to 12 students. The cost for two weekend sessions is $325.
Higgins is an Ukranian Catholic Church monk from Mount Tabor monastery in Mendocino, Calif. Holy Trinity Church and the Spiritual Life Center are sponsoring his classes.
For reservations, call Nancy Conley at 523-1170 or 239-9851.
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