The 64th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan was held April 23-26, 2019 at Mackay Memorial Hospital in Taipei, with the theme “Members bound together in love—Lives bear witness to Christ.” Kyodan General Secretary Akiyama Toru, Vice-moderator Hattori Osamu of Higashi Chugoku District, and Executive Secretary Kato Makoto of the Kyodan’s Commission on Ecumenical Ministries represen……
“From Miyagi Prefecture to Kumamoto: How baked Sweet Potatoes Connect two Earthquakes” was the theme of an earthquake-preparedness gathering sponsored by Kyoto Aoi Church in Kyoto District.
It has been eight years since the Great East Japan Earthquake and three years since the Kumamoto Earthquake. In a country like Japan, where there are numerous earthquakes, this could happen again anywhere.……
The Kyodan Tohoku Disaster Relief Center, Emmaus, which received much support, concluded its activities at the end of March 2019. On March 23, 2019, Tohoku District held a gathering to express its thanks to the relief center for all its activities during the past eight years.
The gathering commenced with a worship service that was followed by a time of fellowship. The 60 attendees inc……
Shinto no Tomo (Believers’ Friend) by the Kyodan Board of Publications’ periodical recently issued this article as the first in a series entitled as above.
by Taira Aika, pastor, Kawawa Church, Kanagawa District
Theological Seminary for Rural Mission teacher
Christianity often sees “sexuality” as a taboo ……
The Reformed Church in America’s General Synod President James Nakakihara and his wife Lisa recently visited the Kyodan office. Nakakihara is a third-generation Japanese-American elder in the RCA. Elected for a one-year term of service in June 2018, President Nakakihara is the first person of Japanese descent to be elected to this position in the RCA’s long history. Within the church, there is now……
by Kato Mikio, chair
Counseling Center for the Support of Pastors and their Families
The Counseling Center for the Support of Pastors and their Families is a telephone counseling service that will begin on March 4, 2019. It will be available every Monday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., excluding a lunch hour from 12 to 1 p.m., and will ……
The following three accounts, taken from Kyodan Shinpo (The Kyodan Times), describe the initiative and involvement of the Kyodan, its district, and its churches and members in disaster relief, with ecumenical and sometimes international cooperation, during 2018.
Carpenters from Taiwan Volunteer for Okayama Relief
by Osawa Motomu, pastor
Yamaguchi Church, Nishi-Chugoku District
When western Jap……
The Commissioning Ceremony for Missionary Ehara Yukiko was held at 3 p.m. on March 10, 2019 at Asagaya Church. Rev. Kato Makoto, executive secretary of the Commission on Ecumenical Ministries, presided over the service, and Rev. Kokai Hikari, a commission member, gave the sermon. The commissioning service was attended by more than 100 persons from Asagaya Church as well as several pastors of other……
As Atami Church celebrates its centennial anniversary year, the current pastor shares its history and present ministry, and a long-time member remembers its nurturing role in his own life.
A Church Built in a Resort Area
by Noguchi Kei, pastor
Atami Church, Tokai District
The Atami Church, located on the Izu Penninsula, is believed to have begun as a hous……
by Miyana Koichiro, member, Kodaira Church,Nishi-Tokyo District Attendee, Hokkaido Nakashibetsu Church, Hokkai District Park Ranger Assistant Rausu Park Ranger's Office Ministry of the Environment
I am a person who loves to be immersed in the atmosphere of forests and rivers and have been working for four years as a park ranger assistant, referred to in Japanese as an “active ranger,” in the Mini……
