The fifth Executive Council meeting of the present 41st General Assembly period was held Oct. 7-8 at the Kyodan headquarters with 29 members in attendance. General Secretary Akiyama Toru gave a report on the damages caused by Typhoon 15 (called Faxai in international media), and Tokyo District Moderator Kishi Toshihiko detailed the damage to Habu Church on one of the Izu Islands, thanking council members for their expressions of support.
During the discussion, questions concerning Kyodan activities related to the succession of the emperor were addressed, and General Secretary Akiyama explained that the policy decided at the last General Assembly was that individual churches should conduct activities on the local level. He also stated that the Kyodan offices would not observe the special holiday that the government has designated for the ceremonies and would remain open.
Next followed a report on the fall licensing examinations for ministers in full standing and licensed preachers: 42 persons took the exam for ministers in full standing, with 32 passing; and 13 took the exam for licensed preachers, with 7 passing. Those passing were recognized.
The report of the Task Force on Evangelism in the Kyodan was shared by the chairpersons of its two subcommittees.
1. Kishi Toshihiko, chair of the Subcommittee on the Implementation of the Basic Policies on the Promotion of Evangelism in the Kyodan, reported that the church magazine Shinto no Tomo (Believer’s Friend) is featuring a series of articles entitled “Churches to Remember in Prayer,” naming ones in each district.
2. Kuze Sorachi, chair of the Subcommittee on Structural Reform in the Kyodan, reported its recommendation that the number of General Assembly delegates be cut in half to 100 clergy and 100 laity, with 16 or fewer appointed voting delegates.
The Commission on Faith and Order’s report included a discussion from various points of view on the validity of ordination by the Evangelical Church Alliance. The report was accepted, but a question submitted by Kanto District was referred back to the Commission on Faith and Order for further deliberation.
During the financial report, a debate arose regarding the following two specific proposals in the budget for the 2020 fiscal year:
1. to increase the subsidy of the Solidarity Fund for Mission in Okinawa from 400,000 yen to 1,200,000 yen, and
2. to allocate 7.2 million yen as funding for the National Christian Council in Japan.
As the apportionments for National Christian Council in Japan (NCCJ) members are determined every three years, it was decided to discuss with the NCCJ the reduction of the Kyodan’s apportionment for the next period. The vote on the budget proposal ended in a tie, so the moderator cast the deciding vote. (Tr. TB)
—Kato Makoto, executive secretary
第５回常議員会報告
第41総会期第5回常議員会が10月7，8日、教団会議室で常議員29名の参加をもって開催された。総幹事報告において秋山徹総幹事は台風15号被害を報告。岸俊彦(Kishi Toshihiko)東京教区議長がお見舞いに対する感謝を述べ、伊豆諸島の波浮(Habu)教会の被害と現状について報告した。
質疑に中で天皇代替わりに対する教団の活動が問われ、秋山総幹事は前回の教団総会決議の趣旨に従い各教会で行動してほしい。事務局は10月22日を休みにしないことで姿勢を示すと述べた。
秋季教師検定試験合格者承認の件では、正教師受験志願者42名中合格32名、不合格10名。補教師受験志願者13名中合格7名、不合格2名、継続4名の報告があり、合格者を承認した。
教団伝道対策委員会報告では、そのもとにある２つの小委員会が活動を報告した。
教団伝道推進基本方針展開検討小委員会では、岸俊彦委員長が「信徒の友」に各教区からの「祈りに覚える教会」を掲載する企画について報告した。
次に教団機構改訂検討小委員会の久世そらち(Kuze Sorachi)委員長が総会議員数を従来の半分とする教職100名、信徒100名推薦議員16名以内の案を提案した。
信仰職制委員会報告では福音主義教会連合の按手の有効性について様々な立場からの意見表明がされた。報告は承認されたが関東教区から出されていた諮問への答申は、信仰職制委員会へ差し戻すこととなった。
2020年度教団歳入歳出予算案の審議では、沖縄宣教連帯金を現行40万円から120万円とすることについて議論になった。
次にNCCの分担金が720万円と高額なことも議論になった。分担金は3年に1度の更新の為、次の更新時に減額できるようNCCと協議する方向性が示された。予算案は賛否同数のため議長採決で可決した。 (加藤誠）
