Written by Rev. B.C. Biggerstaff, Downey UMC
On September 20th, 2026, Downey United Methodist Church in metro Los Angeles hosted World Peace Sunday. Downey UMC held worship followed by a documentary screening of the NHK World Japan documentary, Silenced Witness: Nagasaki in the Eyes of a US Combat Artist. NHK is the national broadcasting corporation for Japan. This documentary had particular connection to Downey UMC through its longtime Music Director, Jeremy Gilien. Ted Gilien, Jeremy’s father, was a combat artist in WWII that photographed Nagasaki after it was devested by an atomic bomb on August 9, 1945. After some of Ted’s photos recently surfaced of the first mass at the Urakami Cathedral in Nagasaki, NHK World Japan filmed a documentary about Ted’s life and witness. Part of the documentary was filmed at Downey UMC, and through request to NHK World Japan, Downey UMC was given permission to host a private screening of the documentary.
As one of the pastors of Downey UMC alongside Rev. Christy Ann Clark, it was a great honor to help plan this special World Peace Sunday. We gathered to worship, to reflect on John 16:33, to see Silenced Witness: Nagasaki in the Eyes of a US Combat Artist, to listen to beautiful music, and to reflect together through rich discussion within a panel discussion. In it all, Downey UMC rooted within the rich Methodist practice and tradition of calling for world peace. Everyone in attendance came together to look at the world’s past to remember and continue the ever-important voice for world peace.
The day began with a worship service where the sermon rooted the context of the day in the words of John 16:33. In the sermon, it was clearly stated that Jesus’ farewell discourse with his disciples ended with Jesus explaining that all was said so that his disciples may have peace. Equally, the sermon expressed the words of Jesus that share that persecution and trouble will come within our world, but take heart, for Jesus has conquered the world! The sermon also situated World Peace Sunday within Methodist connectionalism through Downey UMC’s connection to Nagasaki through its historic support of Methodist Missionary, Elizabeth Russell, and her starting of the Kwassui Girl’s School in 1879.
After worship, Downey UMC welcomed more visitors for a fellowship meal, and then all moved to the sanctuary for the private documentary screening. Silenced Witness: Nagasaki in the Eyes of a US Combat Artistcan still be viewed online through NHK World Japan, and Downey UMC encourages all to view it. The documentary follows US Combat Artist, Ted Gilien who was traumatized by what he photographed in Nagasaki, Japan after the atomic bomb was dropped. Ted poured his emotions into his art that show both the horrors of death and destruction in relation to the dignity of the human spirit that he saw in postwar Nagasaki people. In returning the US, Ted dedicated his life and art to advocating for peace through artwork like his painting, Invictus, or his book, The Price.
After the documentary screening, Jeremy Gilien, Robert Matsuda, Rebecca Yeh, and Laura Halladay shared a beautiful musical setting called Invictus. This musical setting was Jeremy’s musical reflection of his father’s painting Invictus that is featured in the documentary. Lastly, World Peace Sunday concluded with a panel discussion with Jeremy Gilien, Rev. Dr. B. Yuki Schwartz of Claremont School of Theology, and Pastor Yoshi Kuramoto of San Pedro United Methodist Church. Within the panel discussion, participants reflected on the documentary in relation to their life experiences, academic studies, and our current times.
Within the panel discussion video linked above, you will first hear the words of Director Naoko Fujimura who was in attendance from Tokyo for the event. It was a great honor to have her share, and truly, her words sum up the documentary and the spirit of the day. She said,
“More than 30 years ago, I graduated from International Christian University (ICU) in Tokyo. ICU was founded after the war with support from American Christians who prayed for peace and renewal… It was there that I learned the value of peace. And it was the prayers of American Christians and prayers for ‘never again’ that raised me and shaped who I am today. Years later, my team and I came across the story of Ted Gilien, Jeremy’s father. He was a combat artist who witnessed the suffering of atomic bomb survivors in Nagasaki. Despite facing public criticism and official silence, he found the courage to speak up against nuclear weapons. I am convinced that his strength came from the very heart of your faith, the social Gospel, the calling to confront injustice and purse peace in this world and the central mission to protect human dignity. Today, the tongue of peace that Ted received in Nagasaki has returned right here to Downey Church where his son Jeremy worships. Everything has come full circle in the most beautiful way. May this moment deepen our prayers.”
As World Peace Sunday came to a close after the panel discussion, I couldn’t help but notice how many people lingered in the sanctuary. I wondered if the lingering was happening because people wanted to linger in the Spirit found in a space where peace was proclaimed. In our world where our news cycles proclaim AI apocalypses, the furtherment of war, the horrors of bombings, and the audacity of world leaders considering use of nuclear weapons again, it doesn’t surprise me that some might want to linger. As Director Fujimura stated, the tongue of peace continued in the church that day, and there is power within a church where World Peace is proclaimed.
Thanks be to God for Ted Gilien, Director Naoko Fujimura, Jeremy Gilien, Downey United Methodist Church, and all that proclaim peace in our world despite persecution and troubles. May we all remember Nagasaki and continue to proclaim, “Never again.” May we “yearn for the day when there will be no more war and people will live together in peace and justice.”[1]
[1] The Book of Discipline 2020/2024 – Social Principles: The Political Community, https://www.umc.org/en/content/social-principles-the-political-community
