2026 09 06 百日紅（さるすべり）

 9月になりました。

暑さは続きますが、季節は夏の終わり、教会の百日紅（サルスベリ）は、まだきれいな花を咲かせています。

ひとつひとつは小さな花ですが、9月の夏休み明け教会と幼稚園の景色を桃色でやさしく彩ってくれています。

この百日紅は、新しい会堂を建築する際に今の場所へ移し植えられました。

もともと旧会堂の入り口付近に植えられていた木でした。昭和30年の秋に小さな苗木で植えられたのですって、新しい会堂になり心機一転、場所が変わり、このところに根を置き、もうすぐ20年。

今も元気に枝を伸ばし、毎年、美しい花を咲かせています。

与えられた場所に、しっかりと根づくこと。

それは、決して簡単なことではないのかもしれません。

環境が変わったり、思うようにいかない季節があったり。

　それでも、与えられた場所は主が与えてくださった所！しっかりと根を張り、しっかりと大地をつかみ、やがて時が来ればその場所でも美しい花を咲かせることができる。この百日紅も、植え替えられたこの地で約20年の時を過ごし、今年も変わらず美しいピンクの花を咲かせているのです。

今日の礼拝の中でO兄の「あかし」がありました。お話の中ではお父様が宣教師として韓国に導かれた、ご両親の信仰を紹介されました。

主によって導かれたところで主の道を生きる事とは。お話を通して教えてくださいました。

（このお話はドキュメンタリー映画『無名』として今年各地で上映されていて、10/18には神戸の教会で予定されています）

9月の風の中で、

主の愛と恵に支えられ、根づき、そこで咲き続ける。

今日も咲いている百日紅です

夏の終わりのひと時、今日もツクツクボウシが奏でていますよ。

September has arrived.

Although the heat continues, summer is slowly coming to an end. Yet the crape myrtle (Sarusuberi) at our church is still blooming beautifully.

Each individual flower is small, but together, the soft pink blossoms gently add color to the church and kindergarten grounds as we begin September and welcome everyone back from the summer break.

This crape myrtle was moved to its present location when the new church building was constructed.

Originally, it stood near the entrance of the old church building. We were told that it was planted as a small sapling in the autumn of 1955. Then, when the new church building was built, it was given a new beginning in a new place. It was replanted here, and nearly twenty years have now passed.

Even today, it continues to grow vigorously, stretching out its branches and producing beautiful flowers year after year.

To put down roots and take firm hold in the place we have been given—

perhaps that is not always easy.

There may be times when our circumstances change, or when things do not go as we had hoped.

And yet, the place where we have been planted is a place given to us by the Lord.

If we put down our roots, hold firmly to the ground, and remain there, then when the time comes, we may be able to bloom beautifully even in that place.

This crape myrtle, too, has spent nearly twenty years rooted in this new place. And this year, just as it has done every year, it is once again blooming with beautiful pink flowers.

During today's worship service, Brother shared his testimony. In his story, he spoke about his parents' faith and how his father was led to Korea as a missionary.

Through his testimony, we were reminded of what it means to live according to the Lord's way in the place where He has led us.

This story has also been featured in the documentary film [Nameless], which has been screened in various places across Japan this year. A screening is scheduled to take place at a church in Kobe on October 18.

In the September breeze,

may we, too, be rooted in the places where the Lord has planted us, sustained by His love and grace, and continue to bloom where He has called us to be.

The crape myrtle is still blooming today.

And in this brief moment at the end of summer, the tsukutsukubōshi cicadas are still singing their song.