<Begin Segment 34>

SY: And all this time that you've been a member of the West L.A. Methodist Church.

NS: Uh-huh.

SY: How has that been?

NS: Methodist church? Yeah. Well, I mean, I've been very active with the women's group, and I've been president of the club and everything. I don't want to do these things that take responsibility, so I told them I don't want to do any kind of job anymore. After all, they're young people, let them do it.

SY: So the church has changed over the years?

NS: Oh, yes. The minister changes...

SY: You've been a member for how many years how?

NS: Gosh, I've been here sixty-something years.

SY: You've been a member of the same church for that long?

NS: Uh-huh.

SY: And talk a little bit about how it's changed, other than the minister?

NS: Well, we changed the ministers. For a while we had a minister that didn't do anything, and we were so disappointed. We didn't have no, you know, no meeting, just not interested in doing it. So what are you gonna do? So finally she left. Then we got this new minister, oh my god, he's such a wonderful person, just wonderful.

SY: How has the congregation changed?

NS: Oh, it's getting more and more now that we got a new minister. Gosh, they're getting so full. There's an opening on one side, there's the brand new side. Now half of that is open and this side is all packed on this side. So we got quite a few coming now.

SY: So you think it has to do with the minister?

NS: Oh, definitely. I mean, if they don't talk, what are you gonna do? You go there and open your mouth, you go to sleep.

SY: And what is, like, the racial character of the church? Is it all still very Japanese American?

NS: Yes, yes, there are still very few hakujin. One or two maybe. We try to welcome them. They come back, though, but once in a while. They don't come constantly. They're not a real Christian, I guess. [Laughs] They're not interested.

SY: And the area that the church is in, still very, very Japanese?

NS: Yes, yes.

SY: And so do you have mainly the same friends?

NS: Yes. Well, I wouldn't say that because we got, last weekend, gee, there was about three or four new ones coming in. So I welcomed them and told them, "Make sure you come next week," and this and that. Oh, sure, they liked the church. The church is new now, see. And my brother designed this thing that's in the front, what do you call that thing?

SY: Pulpit?

NS: The one that goes up on the window? You know, it's a beautiful design, and the designed it, my brother that passed away, Charlie. And so it's a good memory for me to always look at that every Sunday because it was right in the front, the design. And then everybody say, "Don't you like your brother's design?" I said, "Yeah, I always enjoy that when I come to church," I tell 'em. [Laughs] He's gone, but he designed it. They used it, so it makes it nice. Means a lot.

SY: Now all these years that you were married and you're going to the church and you're raising a family, what kinds of activities were you involved in?

NS: Oh, different activity, women's group.

SY: So you had a church, were you very involved in the church women's group?

NS: Yes, yes.

SY: Now were you a member -- did they have any kinds of clubs?

NS: Oh, yes, uh-huh. You mean separately from the women's group?

SY: Yes.

NS: Oh, yeah, they had different groups to do different things, too. So they had their own clubs, too. Like my daughter-in-law's group is another group, too.

SY: But it wasn't all affiliated with the church or separate?

NS: Oh, yes. Has something to do with the church.

SY: So were you a member of any kinds of clubs after the war? You know, if they had women's groups, or did they have those in West L.A.?

NS: Oh, yes. You mean like JACL or anything, you're talking about?

SY: No, they were more like women's clubs.

<End Segment 34> - Copyright © 2012 Densho. All Rights Reserved.