by Saito Atsushi, missionary pastor
Every church throughout the world shares the common desire that its church will become well known in the surrounding community. Keeping that desire always in mind, the Japanese Protestant Church in Cologne-Bonn has endeavored to make its existence known among the people in this city.
For Japanese people living in Cologne for many years, our church is recognized as “the church that holds a bazaar every November 1.” This event has now been held 32 times, starting in 1981. We are surprised to learn how many Japanese people live in this city and how many of them come to join us every year. Irrespective of the means it is accomplished, the fact that the church becomes known is not a bad thing at all. In fact, this is one testimony to our church having become a trusted institution by the people in the community since its founding 35 years ago.
Our most important calling as a church is, of course, to preach Christ; the holding of this yearly bazaar is just one method of achieving that goal. Even if there has been little prior contact with Christianity, people living in Germany certainly do come to the realization that churches hold worship services every Sunday morning because they hear the ringing of church bells from all around the city. However, unless they have an opportunity to know what this activity is that the church does every Sunday, those who know us only as “the place where they hold an annual bazaar” will go no further in their understanding. Thus, while it is good that they come to know and trust us, it is a shame if they do not also come to join in with us in the blessings of worship.
It is for this reason that we seek to find ways to invite more people to join us. The location of our rented facilities is, however, not along a main street in the center of the city but on the outskirts of Cologne, close to what is known as the “Citizen’s Forest.” This is a place surrounded by nature but inconspicuous. Likewise, we are not able to have a prominent sign, stating that we are a Japanese Christian church. Thus, the old saying that “the church building itself preaches Christ” is not applicable to our church. Therefore, we cannot just wait for people to discover us and come on their own accord; we need to employ every means possible to advertise our presence.
One opportunity presented itself to me when I learned of the need for Japanese volunteers to help German people who are studying Japanese at the Cologne Japan Cultural Center. I immediately sent in my application and visited the center. There I found that quite a few Japanese people had volunteered to help. When we give self-introductions, I introduce myself as a Christian pastor, which usually is met with surprise. Participants ask what a pastor does, so I share with them about our weekly worship service, adding an invitation, “How about coming sometime to see for yourself?” I am happy to say that about ten people have acted on that invitation and come for a visit.
Similarly, we decided to make use of the new “social network service,” which has become such a large worldwide industry in recent years. Many churches already have websites through which they try to reach out to people, but unless people actually search out those sites, they do not know of their existence. Thus, we decided to take out an advertisement on Facebook, one of these new services. There are approximately 6,000 Facebook users in the area that can utilize the Japanese language, so when they open it up, they automatically see our advertisement on the side of the page. We are charged approximately 15 yen each time someone clicks on the advertisement, so this has involved a bit of financial outlay. But as a result, during the one month we advertized, our church was visited for the first time by six people who said they learned there is a Japanese-language church in the area through that advertisement.
It is my desire to continue to find new ways to bring new people to church to share in the blessings and joys of worshipping together. (Tr. KY)
ここに教会がある
ケルン・ボン日本 語キ リスト教会
牧師 齋藤 篤
一人でも多くの方々へ「ここに教会がある」ということを知って頂きたいという思いは、世界中の教会が 抱く 共通の願いでしょう。ケルンにある私たちの日本語教会でも、そのことを常に念頭に置きながら、教会の存在をアピールし続けてまいりま した。
古くからケルンの街に住む方々にとって、私たちは「11月1日にバザーを開催 する 教会」として認識されています。1981年から始まった教 会バ ザーも数えること32回。この街にこれ ほど 多くの日本人の方々が住んでいたのかと、その来場者の多さに驚かされます。どんな方法であれ、教会の存在が知られているということは 決して悪いことではありません。私たちの教会が35年の歴史の中で、 地域 に信頼されている一つの証と言えるでしょう。
その上で、私たちはキリストを宣教するという最も重要な務めが与えられています。そういう意味で言え ば、 例年開催されるバザーはその一方法に過ぎません。ドイツに住んでいれば、教会で日曜日に礼拝が行われているということは、たとえキリ スト教に馴染みが無かったとしても、あちらこちらで鳴り響く鐘の音を聞いて、それに気づくことができるのです。ただ、礼拝とは何 か、 教会が日曜日の礼拝を中心に動いているのだということを知る機会がなければ、教会は単に「バザーを行う場所」という認識で終わってし まいます。信頼されるのは嬉しいことですが、礼拝の恵みを共に味わうことができないのは、あまりにも勿体ないことなのです。
だからこそ、礼拝に少しでも多くの方々を招くための工夫が求められます。私たちが礼拝所として間借り して いる教会は、決して街の目抜き通りにあるわけではありません。ケルン市郊外にある「市民の森」と呼ばれる場所の近くにあります。自然 豊かではありますが決して目立ちません。そこには日本語教会の看板が大きく掲げられているわけでもありません。ですから、「会堂 が伝 道する」としばしば言われる格言は、私たちの場合はあまり当てはまりません。ですから、「教会を見つけて来るのを待つ」のではなく、 こちらからありとあらゆる方法を用いて「宣伝」することが求められます。
ある日、牧師館近くにある「ケルン日本文化会館」で、日本語を学んでいるドイツ人の話し相手となるボ ラン ティアがあることを紹介して頂きました。早速申し込んで行きますと、会場にはドイツ人と共に、日本人ボランティアが大勢集まっていま した。それらの方々に自己紹介をします。「私は牧師をしています」と言えば大体の方は驚いて、牧師の職務について必ずと言ってよ いほ ど尋ねてこられます。そこで私は初めて、日曜に行われる礼拝についての説明ができるのです。そして最後に一言、「実際ご覧になりませ んか？」と付け加えます。その勧めに応じ、礼拝に出席してくださった方がこれまで10名ほどおられたの は、 本当に嬉しい体験でした。
また、最近一大産業化している”SNS(ソーシャル・ネッ ト ワーク・システム)”の活用も試みるこ とに しました。多くの教会ではホームページを作成して、インターネットユーザーに教会の存在をアピールする方法がとられていますが、それ らのページは検索をしなければ決して目に留まることはありません。そこで、SNSの一つである”Facebook”ページの片隅に、 教会 の広告を掲載することにいたしました。教会からある程度の範囲で日本語を用いているFacebookユーザー約6000人が、そのページ を開 けば自動的に教会の広告を見ることができるという仕組みです。広告料金はワンクリックするごとに約15円。(説明不要か？)
ちょっとした投資 では ありましたが、掲載を試みた1か月間で、広告を 見て6名の方が初めて教 会を 訪ねられました。その方々が一様に口にされたのは、「ここに日本語の教会があることを初めて知りました」という言葉でした。
礼拝に共に与る恵みと喜びを味わうために、これからも大胆にチャレンジする者でありたいと願います。
by Shimada Naomi
Kwansei Gakuin University, Theology Department
I enrolled in the youth camp that was sponsored by CSI and held Nov. 12-17, 2012 in Chennai (Madras), India. The camp was international and ecumenical, with 85 participants from Nigeria, Scotland, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Japan, and all over the India.
The title of this camp was FEST-ZOE, which means “celebration of life,” and so Indians, who love to dance and sing, were singing and dancing all throughout this camp. There was a campfire on the last night, but for some reason, it actually started from 8 p.m. inside the room. We just sang and danced to loud music. Finally, we went outside at 1 a.m. and had the campfire until 3 a.m. People asked me, “What did you do at the camp?” I said, “Just danced and sang.” It was like being in Bollywood.*
Of course, we did not only dance and sing. There were sessions about globalization, youth culture, mission, and leadership. What really left an impression on me was the discussion about the influences of the caste system on Christianity and women’s rights. Although 80 percent of Christians are Dalits (untouchable), many churches refuse Dalit pastors. Even though they are Christians, they are only allowed to marry people of the same caste. If a person likes someone who is Dalit and wants to get married, the parents and society will never allow their marriage. I asked young people, “If your child wants to marry a Dalit, will you agree with that?” They replied that they would.
Thus, it seems that with the change in generations, along with the change in society, this issue is being resolved. When it came to the issue of women’s rights, I was very shocked and even had tears in my eyes. In Hinduism, women who are menstruating are not allowed to enter a temple. Even in some Christian churches, while they are allowed into the church for Sunday services, they are not allowed to participate in communion. Likewise, in recent years, while women are being accepted for ordination, I heard that they are sometimes not allowed to officiate at a communion service.
In my daily life, I just live, go to church, and go to school, normally. However, I learned that my normal life is not normal for other people. Also, I learned that we are all equal in God’s sight, but there are lots of unequal things in Christian society.
________________
*”Bollywood,” a portmanteau word derived from Bombay (the former name for Mumbai) and Hollywood (the center of the American film industry), has become the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai in Maharashtra, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema.
南インド合同教会との協議会報告
報告者 加藤 誠
2013年2月19日～25日の間、南インド合同教会（以下Ch
22日からはナマカルに向けて小旅行をした。途中ベルーアではＣ
At the invitation of the Church of South India, the following Kyodan representatives visited the Church of South India Center in Chennai, Feb. 19-25, 2013: Akiyama Toru, pastor of Ageo Godo Church and chair of the Commission on Ecumenical Ministry; Omishima Yoshitaka, executive secretary of the Commission on Mission; and Kato Makoto, executive secretary of the Commission on Ecumenical Ministry. Our aim was to deepen mutual understanding between both united churches as well as to consider possible cooperative areas of missionary work, including the exchange of personnel. The program began with morning worship on Tuesday, Feb. 20, with Akiyama preaching. We took our shoes off and sat Indian-style on the carpet.
At the center, we were given a tour of each department and, in the afternoon, held our first consultation. Representing CSI was Moderator and Bishop Rev. Dr. G. Devakadasham, together with the deputy moderator, general secretary, treasurer, four directors, and the general secretary of the Women’s Fellowship. We first introduced the history of our respective churches then began discussions of specific areas. As it is rich in human resources, with 4 million members, and is active in mission work, with 2,000 lay missionaries domestically, CSI offered to help with evangelistic efforts in Japan, including short-term missions, as well as to send teachers to work in mission schools. The Kyodan was requested to send leaders and specialists in agriculture, in social welfare, and particularly, in nursing care of people who are aging. The Kyodan representatives said that our church wants to hold an international conference in Japan sometime in the future, which would include youth from India, and to encourage mutual interchange, such as exchange programs for ministers, youth, and directors of Christian education. The conference continued until the afternoon of Feb. 21, and we promised to pray for each other on the anniversaries of the founding of both churches.
From Feb. 22 we took a short side trip to Namakkal. On the way, we visited CSI’s Katpadi Agricultural Institute in Kasam Vellore and found that the institute will try to grow a variety of Japanese rice called Akitakomachi this year. Namakkal has a population of 170,000, of which 14,000 are HIV-positive. CSI has established the HIV/AIDS CSI Project Namakkal in Coimbatore Diocese to help these people. On Feb. 24, we took part in the worship service at two churches, where we were surprised by the volume of sound during the hymn singing, as it was at a level unimaginable in Japan. (Tr. AY)
—Kato Makoto, executive secretary
南インド合同教会との協議会報告
報告者 加藤 誠
2013年2月19日～25日の間、南インド合同教会（以下Church of South India）の招きにより、日本基督教団より世界宣教委員会委員長の秋山徹牧師と大三島義孝宣教委員会幹事及び 加藤 誠世界宣教幹事がチェンナイにあるＣＳＩ本部を訪れた。目的は共に合同教会である両教団の理解を深め、人事交流を含め、どのよう な宣 教の分野で協力できるかを協議するためであった。20日（火）朝の礼拝からプログラムが始まった。秋山徹牧師が説教を担当した。靴を脱ぎ、カーペットに 座って 礼拝を守った。本部の中の各部署を案内していただいた後、午後から第一回目の協議が始まった。ＣＳＩからは教団総会議長(Moderator & Bishop)であるRev. Dr. G. Devakadashamビショップを始めとして副議長(Deputy Moderator)、総幹事General Secretary)、財務責任者(Hon’ Treasurer)と4人のディレクターと婦人会担当幹事(General Secretary, Women’s Fellowship)が出席した。最初それぞれの教団の歴史を紹介し、具体的な分野での協議に入った。 ＣＳＩ側からは、豊かな人的資源（信徒数400万）、活発な宣教活動（国内信徒宣教師2000人）を背景に、短期間であっても共に伝道活動をすることや、ミッションスクールに教師を派遣すること が提 案された。農業指導者や社会福祉、特に高齢者のケアーについての専門家を派遣して欲しいという要望がなされた。教団からは将来インド の青年を含めた国際会議の開催を日本で開催したいこと。牧師、青年、教育主事等の交換プログラムを企画し、相互交流に力を入れた い事 等が提案された。21日の午後まで会議は続き、相互の教会創立記念日を互いに覚えて祈ることが約束された。
22日からはナマカルに向けて小旅行をした。途中ベルーアではＣＳＩの農業センターを訪問し、あきたこまちに今年はトライすることを知った。ナマカルは人口170000に対し14000人がＨＩＶポジティブである。 ＣＳＩは センターを設置して(HIV/AIDS CSI Profect Namakkal in Coimbatore Diocese)支援している。24日は二つの教会の礼拝に参加した。 日本 では考えられない音量の讃美に少々圧倒された。
by Iijima Makoto, executive secretary
Kyodan Great East Japan Disaster Relief
Planning Headquarters
In early January 2013, the Kyodan East Japan Disaster Relief Projects, in cooperation with Emmaus Ishinomaki, a relief center operated by the Tohoku District, held a New Year’s concert in Ishinomaki, one of the areas hardest hit by the March 11, 2011 disaster.
The plans for this event began in late summer of 2012, when members of the New Japan Philharmonic Orchestra approached us with their desire to do something to help. The ensemble consisted of four members: pianist Suzuki Ryuta, violinist Yamamoto Sachiko, double bassist Watanabe Reo, and bassoonist Tanaka Shigeyuki. The four traveled to Ishinomaki in two cars for the performances, which were held on January 10. Their schedule for that day consisted of a morning concert at Ishinomaki Eiko Kindergarten (Kobuna Minoru, principal), an afternoon concert at Ishinomaki Elementary School (Suzuki Norio, principal), and an evening concert at Ishinomaki Yamashiro-machi Church (Sekikawa Yuichiro, pastor). At the kindergarten, there were roughly 50 children and parents in attendance and more than 300 at the elementary school. Over 50 members of community came to the evening concert at the church, despite the bitter cold winds from the coastline.
Although this was a somewhat unusual ensemble of instruments for a quartet, they were able to create beautiful sounds. Especially noteworthy was the violin and double bass duet of Csárdás, a traditional Hungarian folk dance. As soon as the performance concluded, the audience erupted into an enthusiastic standing ovation.
En route to the performance Suzuki Ryuta, who had been the most central figure in the planning of the event, expressed his concerns to the others in the car.“While I am performing for these people, what pops into my head is the question of whether or not the things I am trying to express can be conveyed through my music. Can the music truly have an impact on their wounds?”
The doubts he expressed lingered in my mind throughout the performance. However, as I witnessed that standing ovation with my own eyes, it became clear to me that the intended message had indeed gotten through. I suppose that what the members of the ensemble expressed in their music through their best performance and warm heart were able give their listeners relief from the pains and release from their anxieties.what they were expressing in their music with their best performance and warm heart were able give the listeners relief from the pains and release from their anxieties.
Although on that day strong, frigid winds were blowing in from the Ishinomaki coastline and standing outside was nearly unbearable, the warmth inside the hearts of the performers from the New Japan Philharmonic filled the auditoriums and embraced the listeners. (Tr. AKO)
石巻に吹く温かい風
―新日本フィルとその仲間たちによる石巻コンサートを終えて―
救援対策本部・飯島信担当幹事
２０１３年の年が明けて間もなく、日本基督教団救援対策本部が主催し、東北教区被災者支援セン ター・エマオ石巻が協賛した新春コンサートが、被災地である宮城県石巻市で行われました。
この企画は、昨年の夏の終わり、新日本フィルの現役の奏者とその仲間たちが申し出により実現した ものです。鈴木隆太さん（ピアノ）、山口幸子さん（ヴァイオリン）、渡辺玲雄さん（コントラバス）、田中成行さん（ファゴッ ト）の４人の奏者が２台の車に分乗し、石巻を訪れました。演奏会は１月１０日、木曜日に行われましたが、午前中は石巻栄光教 会附属栄光幼稚園（小鮒實園長）、午後は津波に襲われた石巻市立石巻小学校（鈴木則男校長）、そして夜は石巻山城町教会（関 川祐一郎牧師）が会場でした。幼稚園は５０名の園児と保護者、小学校は３００名の児童と保護者、そして教会は厳寒の中を訪れ た５０名を超える地域の人々が観客でした。
この４つの楽器の組み合わせは珍しいものでしたが、本当に素晴らしい演奏でした。特に、夜の部の 山城町教会では、ヴァイオリンとコントラバスによって演奏された「チャルダッシュ」が終わると、地域のおばさんたちがスタン デイング・オベショーンを演じるほどでした。
今回の企画の中心となった鈴木隆太さんが、会場に向かう車の中で言われた言葉に次の様なものがあ りました。「僕は、このような演奏をしながら、ふと考えることがあるんです。音楽がどこまで被災者の方々の心の深い傷を癒す ことが出来るのかと・・・」。
この言葉は、私の心に残りました。そして、あの、被災者のおばさんたちのスタンディング・オベー ションを目の当たりにしたとき、「確かに届いている。深い傷を負った方々であっても、この瞬間、音楽は確かにおばさんたちの 心に届いている」との確信にも似た思いが私の心に生まれました。
それは、演奏者が、自分の持てるすべての力を尽くして演奏し、生み出した善意の音の結晶が、傷つ き、閉ざされた、被災者の方々の心の厚い壁を解きほぐしていく場面であったと思います。
石巻の海岸線近くを吹く強い風は、５分と外にいることが辛く感じられるほどの氷のように冷たい風 でした。しかし、この厳しく冷たい風が吹く一方で、新日本フィルとその仲間たちのような善意の熱い想いが、幾重にも石巻の地 を優しく包んでいます。
by Kumoshikari Toshimi, Kyodan secretary
pastor, Akita Sakura Church, Ou District
At the 38th Kyodan General Assembly in 2012, I was appointed to my second term as secretary. As I have done until now, I will continue to “tend to the business of scheduled meetings under the leadership of the moderator and record the proceedings.” (Kyodan Bylaws, Article 15,) Further, I will do all I can to see that the work of the Steering Committee and the General Assembly is done in a manner appropriate to a meeting of the church.
That is to say that in all of our meetings, each person in attendance will work for the realization of Christocracy (Christ’s reign). While seeking God’s will through prayer, members will listen intently to the opinions of one another as they confer together. In addition, we will follow the Kyodan Constitution, its rules and regulations, and the general rules of conferencing to make decisions. In order to insure that our conferencing can be done in this way, it is my hope that we can develop a clear path for adherence to faith and order in all the various efforts and decisions of the Kyodan.
I also want to advance the continued relief work in areas affected by the Great East Japan Disaster. The damage from the earthquake covers a broad area and comes not just from the earthquake and the tsunami but also from the multiple dangers of radiation. Added to this is the need for the long-term aid necessary for the recovery of the local areas affected.
In particular, meeting our national fund-raising goal of one billion yen for the repair and reconstruction of damaged churches and parsonages is an important task. Added to that is the need to continue humanitarian aid in the affected areas. This is being promoted mainly through aid coming from churches abroad. It is our hope that those of you in churches abroad will continue your support through your prayers and your gifts.
Finally, as we have seen the many volunteers and supporters from churches abroad working in affected areas, there is the strong realization that the worldwide church is in solidarity with the Japanese church, and we have gained a renewed awareness of that support. In that sense, within the Japanese church, as well as in our relations with churches abroad, we want to pray together for the advancement of God’s Kingdom around the world, and under the mandate of our Lord Jesus Christ, we want to be in solidarity as we “help carry one another’s burdens” (Galatians 6:2). (Tr. JS)
キリストにあって互いに重荷を担い合う 教団総会書 記 雲然 俊美
第38回 教団総会において、二期目の教団総会書記としての働きを担うことになりました。
私は、第一に、これまでのように、「議長のもとで会議の事務および議事の記録にあたる」（教規第15条）ことを務めとし、常議員会および教団総会が、その運営においても、また内 容に おいても、教会会議としてふさわしく整えられるために力を尽くしたいと思います。教会会議としてふさわしい姿とは、まず、それぞれの 会議において、出席している一人ひとりがクリストクラシー（Christocracy キリストのご支配）の実現のために、祈りの内に神のみこころをたずね求めながら、お互いに相手の意見を真摯に聞き合い、協議する とい うことです。その上で教憲・教規の規定に従い、会議の原則に則って意思決定をするということです。そのように会議が整えられ保たれる ために、教団の様々な決定や諸活動において、信仰職制的な道すじがきちんと整えられることを願っております。
次 に、前総会期から継続している東日本大震災救援活動をさらに推進して行きたいと思います。これは現在の教団の最大の課題です。2年前に発生した大地震による被害は、広範囲であること、地震、津波、そして原子 力発 電所事故による放射能汚染という多重被害であること、さらに、被害に遭った地域の復興の取り組みが長期的になること、といった特徴が あります。特に、被災教会の会堂および牧師館の再建・復興支援については、全国募金（目標額10億 円）の達成が大きな課題です。そしてそれと共に、被災地域における人道的支援を継続して行かなければなりません。これは主に海外の諸 教会からの献金によって推進しております。海外の諸教会の皆様には、今後もぜひお祈りと共にご支援をお願いいたします。
最 後に、東日本大震災による被災地域の教会において、本当に多くの海外の教会からのボランティアや支援者の姿を見かけ、日本の教会 は世 界の教会との連帯の中にあり、支えられているということをあらためて実感しました。その意味で、教団内においても、また、教団と海外 の諸教会との関わりにおいても、日本および世界における伝道の進展のために互いに祈り合い、「互いに重荷を担いなさい」（ガラテ ヤ ６・２）との主イエス・キリストのみ言葉のもとに互いに支え合って行きたいと願っております。
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