New York Local Information

Whiney Houston: Hometown Funeral

The funeral of Whitney Houston was held at her hometown church, starting on the noon of Sat. Feb. 18.　NJ governor Christie decided to lower the U.S. flag to half mast in honor of Whitney who is from New Jersey. This is an extraordinary decision since a half-mast flag is usually for the honor of the death of the Presidents or soldiers.
The New Hope Baptist Church where Whitney’s funeral took place is the place where she had been raised and sang in public for the first time as a choir member.



In the funeral many people said that she came home.

The funeral was invitation-only but it was broadcast live through the internet and TV globally. About 1500 participated in it.
Beginning with the pastor’s prayer and message, one friend after another of Whitney’s talked about their exciting experiences with her. The picture on the left is an actor Kevin Costner who costarred with Whitney and who also selected her for the role. He said that there was no other person but her that fit it. He referred to the common root of being raised in Baptist Church and singing in a choir. He also said, “Whitney has come back to the place of all her beginning; she has come home.
The gospel singer Cece Winans Whitney’s old friend paid tribute, singing “Don’t cry for me” as if she was talking on behalf of her, which moved the hearts of many who attended.

♪Here we are again
That old familiar place …
Don't Cry For me
Don't shed a tear …
And when I'm gone, please carry on …♪

Stevie Wonder told before his performance that he was going to sing a favorite song of Whitney’s, “Ribbon in the Sky,” and that the lyrics was inappropriate to sing in a church and sought it in prayer. He said some of the lyrics was given on the way here on the plane and some more in the hotel.

♪She was born in 1963 with a gifted voice. She has the voice of the heaven’s choir of love.
There is not a coincidence what God gives …
Ribbon in the sky
An angel from God’s choir of love ♪


The funeral lasted for about 4 hours. Whitney’s coffin was carried out with her big hit “I will always love you” being played.

I wish I could hear her sing more songs to praise God with her beautiful voice from heaven. In any event, this must be God’s appointed time for her. She has gone home, the heavenly home.

"Occupy Wall Street" Protest

It is the fourth week after a protest demonstration began to take place in the Wall Street where major financial corporations gather. It was to appeal for dissatisfaction for the high unemployment rate and the economic inequity. The park where the protesters stay overnight is located to your right on the photo above at the first intersection along the street of St. Paul’s Church.

This park is called Zuoccoti Park, but these protestors call it "Liberty Park." It was overflowing with people.

In the downtown, more police officers are mobilized for security. The park is found in the direction of the eyes of the people (left); they were watching demonstrators. In addition, the building under construction you see behind this photo is part of the World Trading Center. Probably you will realize that the Wall street, Ground Zero and this park are located close by.

There were a lot of people with the placards saying, “99%." This means that 99% of us cannot stand the greed and corruption of 1% of the wealthy.

Not a Spider man but "U.S.A. man" holds the placard saying "Democracy Not Plutocracy." The woman has a card: "Greed separates US".Food and meals have been donated to the protestors staying in this park; it has created sort of a small community, helping each other. I felt even a fun atomosphere with some people protesting while singing and dancing and some dressed up in unique costumes.
However, I also felt in my bones, by observing each one of them there, the strong dissatisfaction against the preferential taxation for the wealthy class and the increasing frustration caused by the long-lasting U.S. economic recession which has taken a toll on the middle class and the one below it.

Ameish Villages in Pennsilvania

This photograph is scenery of the Lancaster county in the State of Pennsylvania where several Amish villages are. The Amish is a Christian sect created in around the Reformation era, but they were persecuted because of their strict teachings, and fled into the mountains of Switzerland and south Germany. Most of them were headed for Pennsylvania in the U.S. for religious liberty in about 1730s. The Lancaster county is one of the oldest settlements of existing Amish.


Now people called Amish are not found in the Europe; Approximately 150,000 to a little less than 200,000 Amish people live in the 22 states of the U.S. and Ontario, Canada. The 70% of their population live in the three states of Pennsylvania, Ohio and Indiana.
(→ windmill)
They don’t use electricity and telephone, and live life a simple life without a radio and TV but with buggies and lamps. They don’t allow clothes with patterns on and men are to wear black or dark blue clothing with no buttons on.
However, there are some Amish groups who seek to adapt themselves to modern way of living.


I saw an Amish lady traveling in a buggie.(See Photo below)

In a hut on the roadside, I found an Amish girl sell jam or pound cake. Some Christian tracts were displayed for free. You see prayer stones (1 dollar each) and bookmarks (50 cents each) on the photo.







This is the Amish shop of crafts and furniture.











There were many kinds of hand-made bird houses and rocking chairs, plus gardening goods.




As for interior goods, you see famous Amish quilts and simple interior decorations using nature as their subject.

　
You see a family farming on the photo above. Can you see a little girl sitting on the top of the wisp? It looks like "Little House on the Prairie".


Here is an Amish-run fruit market.



This is a buggie ride for tourists.The Amish run self-sufficient life by farming and live stock farming on the basis of a pre-modern lifestyle. They refuse the new technique, products, and idea that they judged to be against their faith life. The photograph above is a huge signboard of "the Bible" set up on a field.

Times Square Church Part 2

Pastor David Wilkerson, the founder of Times Square Church went to heaven on 27th of April this year due to a traffic accident.


We went to attend the worship service at this church for the first time.
The church is located in the corer of 51st Street on Broadway.The photo above is Pastor David Wilkerson. In 1986, while walking down 42nd Street at midnight, Pastor David Wilkerson’s heart broke over what he saw. At that time, Times Square was populated mainly by prostitutes and pimps, runaways, drug addicts and hustlers, along with live peep shows and X-rated movie houses. Pastor David cried out for God to do. Then he was told: “You know this city. You do it “
The church entrance is on your left.

It is like a movie theatre entrance, isn’t it?

This church purchased an operatic Broadway theatre and has been using it without altering its theatre building.

They have services at 10:00 am, 3:00 pm and 6:00 pm.
We attended the service at 6:00 pm.We saw only the sparse audience around 5:30 pm. However, at 6:00 pm though I’ m not sure about the second floor, the seats on the first floor were almost occupied!!
There are a big choir on a several- tiered stand on the stage. You can hear the black gospel free of charge. It was awesome. It was worth hearing it! It sure was a joyful service!

The senior pastor spoke about who Jesus was like from the Bible and gave an altar call. Many people responded to believe Jesus Christ and came forward. I was surprised to see that. There were about 40 to 50 people coming forward. Halleluiah!.

It was worth coming to see the building itself, but the service was great. I recommend you visit this church ♪

NYC Surveillance Cameras

（←The United Nations is the right-hand light-blue bldg.）　Millennium Development Goals summit is held with heads of about 140 nations worldwide and delegates of 192 nations　from Sept. 20 – 22 in the U.N. headquarter in NY. The area around the U.N. has been under strict alert, blocking some streets.

（Right: Times Square）　As if it is set to make it for the event of the summit, 500 new surveillance cameras have been installed on Sept. 20 in hubs like Times Square, Penn Station, and Grand Central Station, and additional 500 are schedule to be up in the future. This May a terrorist　car bombing was attempted by Pakistan American.
（Left: Grand Central Station）　In the NYPD’s new surveillance network the cameras are monitored by special software that detects odd behavior and objects. Currrently 1159 cameras are up and 3000 will be scheduled to be installed within a couple of years.　

“As multiple attacks worldwide show, terrorists target mass transit systems for maximum casualties,” said Police Commissioner, who accompanied the mayor. “Having access to these MTA cameras gives us another crucial tool with which to protect New York’s transit system.”　（Right: Penn Station）