Asian Heritage Month Worship on May 25

Asian Heritage Month Worship with Rev. David Kai

Last Sunday, we celebrated Asian Heritage Month with a special worship service focusing on the faith journey of Japanese-Canadian United Churches—a story of resilience, hope, and deep-rooted faith.

We were honoured to welcome Rev. David Kai as our guest preacher. A third-generation Japanese Canadian (Sansei) and retired diaconal minister, David grew up at Toronto Japanese United Church and is the father of Rev. Michiko Bown-Kai. Many will recognize his name from the Voices United preface and his musical contributions in More Voices. Several of the hymns we sang were composed by him.

The worship service, written by David, reflected on the struggles and witness of Japanese-Canadian congregations, especially during and after WWII. The worship table featured cultural artifacts, sweets, and symbols of heritage, deepening our connection to these powerful stories.

We are grateful for Rev. David’s message, reminding us that Asian Heritage Month is both a time of remembrance and celebration, calling us to honour the gifts of our diverse church family.