PWOC Tea Ceremony

(These pictures belong to Tuesday, February 8th)

The Japanese Women's Bible Study ladies sponsored a Japanese tea ceremony during our normal Bible study time.  They showed a video about Christianity in Japan, and it talked about the similarities between communion and the tea ceremony.  In fact, during a period of heavy Christian persecution in Japan, many Japanese Christians took communion disguised as a tea ceremony!  Isn't that amazing?  I have seen a tea ceremony before, but it was neat to see it from a new perspective.

Preparing the tea

Sweets are served before the tea to offset the bitterness of the tea.  These are signs of spring - an orange slice and an "ume" (plum) blossom

My tea bowl

Choking down the Matcha - not something that I particularly care for!