On Friday 11 March at 2:46pm local time, a 9.0 magnitude earthquake struck off the northeast coast of Japan, immediately followed by 6.8 and 7.3 magnitude2 aftershocks. This is the fourth largest earthquake in the world since recordings began in 19002. The quake triggered a 23 feet high (7 meters) tsunami across a 1,300 mile coastline, taking with it buildings, trees, cars, boats, ships and trains several miles inland.

The disaster has left over 590,000 people homeless and living in temporary shelters. An estimated 4.4 million more are without electricity and another million homes without water. The death toll is being estimated as reaching more than 10,000.

To make matters worse, tens of thousands of people have been evacuated from a 30 mile radius area of a nuclear power plant that was damaged by the earthquake, threatening a radiation leak.

VMs TAKE ACTION

The Volunteer Ministers of the Church of Scientology in Japan instantly responded to the disaster and an international call for help has been issued to all VMs with experience in disaster response to come to Japan, as hundreds of VMs will be needed to assist the people of Japan. Volunteer Minister units in Japan, Australia and New Zealand have been activated and are in the process of setting up disaster response logistics.

The International Association of Scientologists (IAS) immediately granted funds for VM disaster relief efforts. The grant will cover all costs necessary to not only transport  VMs into the disaster zones, but also to transport other disaster response specialists from other parts of the world.  The grant also covers the costs of emergency equipment, medical supplies, food, tents, sleeping bags, communication devices and all other support for the VMs in the disaster area.

Over 4,200 local Scientologists attended the Grand Opening of the new Church of Scientology of Pasadena.

Mr. David Miscavige, Chairman of the Board of Religious Technology Center and ecclesiastical leader of the Scientology religion, officiated, welcoming dignitaries, parishioners and guests to the Church’s new 58,000-square-foot facility in Old Pasadena.

Also commemorating the occasion was Pasadena Mayor Bill Bogaard. Mayor Bogaard welcomed the new Church to the city: “With this beautifully restored structure in Old Pasadena, the Church of Scientology represents not only a growing religion, but an important factor in the future of this city. … So, it is a pleasure for me to extend a cordial welcome to you and this extraordinary Church of Scientology of Pasadena with its long history of service to the community.”

Pasadena Heritage board officer Teresa Grimes spoke of the appreciation for the city’s architectural legacy that is shared by the Pasadena Heritage Society she represents and the Church: “The Church of Scientology has purchased, rehabilitated and restored historic buildings throughout the world, and by doing so, has helped revitalize the communities in which they are located. …For not only have you preserved the physical past, you have also gone out of your way to care for tomorrow both culturally and spiritually. Your commitment to our community has been nothing less than outstanding, and I only hope that others will follow the example of the Church of Scientology.”

Pasadena Ministerial Association President Dr. Nicholas Benson spoke on behalf of the interfaith community: “For all of Pasadena, this day represents more than an opportunity to welcome a friend to their new home. This is a Church, an open haven where we have the opportunity to help ourselves, our loved ones and the community. I encourage everyone to make the most of this Church, and like me, take what it has to offer.” Dr Benson spoke of his experiences with using L. Ron Hubbard’s Way to Happiness program to rehabilitate offenders and the remarkable drop in recidivism rate among those who do the program.

The building features a Chapel seating hundreds, a library containing all Church Scripture, as well as a multitude of seminar rooms, film rooms and volunteer work spaces for its many social betterment and community programs and projects in addition to course and counseling rooms to provide Scientology training and auditing for parishioners.

The Church of Scientology has organized two chartered flights to Haiti to take doctors, medical supplies and Volunteer Ministers to the stricken country.

The first Scientology Disaster Response Team arrived in Haiti Sunday January 17th.  They flew ut of  JFK in New York with 126 doctors and nurses from the Haitian Physicians Abroad, paramedics from the Bedford-Stuyvesant Volunteer Ambulance Corps, and Volunteer Ministers from a half-dozen states.

The 2nd flight, a 168-seat aircraft, took off from Los Angeles Thursday  January 21, stopped at Miami International Airport to pick up additional medical personnel and Volunteer Minister teams, and continued to Port-au-Prince.

More than half those on this flight were medical professionals, including doctors and nurses from the Association of Haitian Physicians Abroad (Association des Medecins Haitiens a l’Etranger) and from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Also on board were Scientology Volunteer Ministers from cities across the United States. The Pasadena Parishioners are proud to support our Volunteer MInisters in Haiti and we’ll be keeping you updated on their activities.

Renovations have begun on the new home of the Church of Scientology in Pasadena, California.

The east side of the 3rd floor has been transformed from a lot of small office suites into a large academy for delivering auditor training.

As the renos progress we will be posting more photographs.  

On December 10th 2008 the Mayor of Pasadena and the Consul General of the Philippines attended an event at our new Church of Scientology in Pasadena to mark the 60th anniversary of the Declaration of Human Rights.

Watch the Human Rights Public Service announcements created by Youth for Human Rights.

“In the course of this year, unprecedented efforts must be made to ensure that every person in the world can rely on just laws for his or her protection. In advancing all human rights for all, we will move towards the greatest fulfillment of human potential, a promise which is at the heart of the Universal Declaration.”

High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour

Last year more than 40 Latino families in the LA area got a helping hand from the women’s auxiliary of the Church of Scientology in Pasadena.

For many children, going back to school can be a daunting experience. These kids benefitted from a donation from the women’s auxiliary that made it possible for them to arrive with a backpack full of school supplies instead of coming empty-handed.

Members of the women’s auxiliary of the Church of Scientology in Pasadena donated 46 backpacks to the Latino Family Preservation Program, an arm of the County of Los Angeles’ Department of Children and Family Services whose mission is to be the “glue” that keeps Latino families together. The LFPP helps ensure children stay with their families rather than end up in the foster care system.

For many years, the Church of Scientology has supported the Latino Family Preservation Program with donations at Thanksgiving, Christmas, and of course in mSetptember at the start of the school year. 

Twenty years ago the International Association of Scientologists (IAS) launched the Freewinds, a motor vessel based in the Caribbean.  The purpose of the Freewinds is to provide a retreat for religious study and counselling.

Last night the Pasadena parishioners of the Church of Scientology got together to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Freewinds Maiden voyage. the event was held in the Braley Building, the future home of our church in Pasadena.  Although the renovations are not yet complete, we were welcomed into the chapel

We saw a video of the social programs the IAS has funded this year. We’re proud to know that our church is active on the front lines of society and it was heartwarming to listen to the people we’ve worked with around the world say that we can be relied on to get the job done.

Our Volunteer MInisters have been very busy this year with all the natural disasters that have occurred - we heard from firefighters in Southern California, the Red Cross in the Phillipines, teachers and religious leaders in India and monks in Myanmar. The VMs are getting known all over for their work in disaster relief.

When you see a natural disaster on the news - a fire, flood or earthquake that devastates the lives of people in a community - keep your eyes peeled for the yellow shirts of the VMs. We’ll be there to help

Here are some photos of our group at the bowling alley on Saturday night.

Some families came with three generations.  And even the very young joined in the fun and learned to bowl

Some of the teenagers showed us how to do it in style.

And the results were awesome!

A very successful fundraiser that will help us renovate our beautiful new building for the Church of Scientology in Old Town Pasadena.

I noticed that some people are searching online to find information about a Scientology birth. Actually it’s not a Scientology birth - it’s a Dianetics birth. 

L.Ron Hubbard wrote the book Dianetics, The Modern Science of Mental Health in 1950.  The book is about how past incidents that contain pain, and any degree of unconciousness, can affect us in the present. This could be as small as stubbing your toe or as big as an almost fatal car accident.  What Mr Hubbard discovered was that the words said while a person is hurt, ill or otherwise not fully conscious, can affect them later. 

How does this work?  If you’ve seen a hypnotist then you’ve seen this at work. What is said to people while hypnotized can be reactivated when they’re awake and they don’t even remember it.  Next thing they’re feeling hot, itching, or in pain - and it’s just from a command said while they were ‘unconscious.’

And the fact is that words said when you are ill, injured or in pain can have a similar effect. Birth is one such incident.  Any woman who has given birth knows that there is pain involved.  And I’m sure you can imagine it’s quite stressful for the baby too.  It’s being shoved and pushed out into the world.  Often when they arrive the first thing they experience is a slap on the rear end.  There are people talking in the room while all this is happening.  Sometimes labor can go on for hours.

Image: Found Photos

Preventing any later problems that could be caused by noises and words during the birth is the basis of what is called a ‘Scientology Birth”.

Here is what Mr. Hubbard says:

The mother, then, should be very gentle on herself during pregnancy and those around her should be informed of the necessity for silence after any jar or injury.  Say nothing around a woman who has been struck or jarred in any way.   Maintain silence in the presence of birth.  It is a remarkable fact, and a scientific fact, that the healthiest childern come from the happiest mothers.

And that’s all it is.  We strive to give birth in a quiet, calm atmosphere, so that mother and baby will have no  ill effects from the birth experience.  Some families choose a home birth and others prefer to go to the hospital. But we do like to have the room quiet and calm.