The first Executive Council meeting of the new Kyodan General Assembly biennium was held Nov. 18-19 at the Japan Evangelical Lutheran’s Tokyo Church, with all 27 members in attendance. Moderator Ishibashi Hideo gave the opening greetings, saying, “Our primary calling during this general assembly period is to be a ‘Kyodan that evangelizes,’ but we must also seek unity in our church through a unity of faith. We must be unified in our evangelistic outreach.”

In his report, General Secretary Nagasaki Tetsuo stated that Assistant General Secretary for International Disaster Response Jack Amick, of the United Methodist Committee on Relief, had paid a visit to Japan and that through the efforts of UMCOR, more than 100 million yen had been contributed towards the relief efforts of the East Japan earthquake and tsunami disaster. He reported that Amick visited the “Heartful Kamaishi” project and spent time with Kyodan leaders discussing relief efforts around the world.

Nagasaki also reported that a special meeting of the Japan Christian Center’s Maintenance Committee, representing the building’s ten joint owners, was held on Nov. 7 to finalize plans for retrofitting the building to meet earthquake resistance standards and that the Hitotsubusha Vories Architectural Firm had been chosen for the 245 million yen project. However, Kyodan Moderator Ishibashi Hideo mentioned that from the standpoint of the Kyodan, finalization of the plans would be decided in a special session of the Executive Council because the costs involved could change as plans move forward into the construction phase.

Moderator Ishibashi also made a logistical proposal on the 2015 funding of grants designed to implement the evangelism program established at the 2014 General Assembly. After discussion, it was decided to set up an Evangelism Funding Subcommittee to screen proposals, and eight persons under the leadership of Vice-moderator Sasaki Michio were chosen for this purpose. They are to make recommendations at the next Executive Council meeting on Feb. 10, with grants to be decided at that time. The Executive Council also ratified a proposal by Moderator Ishibashi to form a task force on ministerial development, based on the report of the committee established at the 2014 General Assembly to study the issue of a system of ministerial development.

Executive Councilman Okamura Hisashi made the following three proposals, all of which were accepted: 1) to establish a preparation committee for the celebration of the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, which will occur in 2017; 2) to establish a committee to study the future structure of the Kyodan; and 3) to monitor and seek proper implementation of the Kyodan’s Confession of Faith in all licensing and ordination ceremonies, which have been delegated by the Kyodan to its districts. (Tr. TB)

—Kato Makoto, executive secretary

第39総会期第1回常議員会報告

加藤　誠

第39総会期第1回常議員会は11月18，19日の2日間、日本福音ルーテル東京教会会議室で開催され、常議員27名全員が出席した。石橋秀雄議長は「今総会期、『伝道する教団』を第一の使命として掲げたが、信仰の一致と教会の一致が求める。伝道は一致して取り組まねばならない」と 挨拶した。総幹事報告で長崎哲夫総幹事は、「東日本大震災で教団に1億円を上回る献金を献げてくれた米国合同メソジスト教会救援対策委員会（UMCOR）のエイミック副総幹事が来日し、ハートフル釜石を訪問後、世界の災害に対する救援について話し合った 事、日本キリスト教会館10オーナーによる会館管理組合臨時総会が11月7日に開催され、会館耐震改修工事の基本設計を2億4500万円で一粒社ヴォーリズに発注することが決まった」と報告した。石橋秀雄議長は会館耐震改修工事につい て、実施設計に入って行く中で金額が変わることもあり得ることに触れ、教団としての最終決定は臨時常議員会を開いて決定すると述べ た。

第39教団総会にて可決された伝道資金規則に基づいて石橋議長は、2015年度交付のための具体的運用について提案、議論した。審査を行うための伝道資金小委員会を立ち上げること が決定され招集者である佐々木美知夫副議長以下8名の委員が選出された。次回、2月10日に行われる第2回常議員会において、伝道資金小委員会からの審査報告を受け交付を決定することが決議された。また石橋議 長は第38総会期、教師養成制度検討委員会が提出した答申を踏まえて、教 師養成のための特設委員会を設置することを提案、可決した。

岡村恒常議員が次の3案を提案し可決された。2017年に迎える宗教改革500周年記念のために準備委員会を組織する。教団の将来構想を検討する委員会を設置する。教団が委託し各教区で行 われる准允式、按手礼式で日本基督教団信仰告白が唱和告白されることを確認し、適切な実行を求めること。加藤誠