Churches in the 17 districts of Kyodan utilize substantial funds, received from offerings, to promote cooperative evangelism through “mutual aid” in each district, subdistrict and congregation. Without such a mechanism, small rural churches, as well as churches without full-time pastors (i.e. multiple-charge churches and churches with interim pastors), would not be viable.
For this reason the former mutual aid system known as Kyodan Subsidies for District Activities, which was administered by the districts with voluntary contributions for mutual support, was phased out by the 2014 Kyodan General Assembly. Following this overhaul of regulations by the Kyodan, a mutual aid system was reinstituted under the name of Evangelism Fund System, through which all districts participate responsibly on a weighted contribution basis that is now administered by the Kyodan. With this, then, the Kyodan initiated an epoch-making, church-wide mutual aid system on a large scale. We can now honestly say the Kyodan is a church that is sustained by its mutual aid system.
Relevant to this, the Kyodan presently consists of 1,714 churches, with 173,672 members, among whom 85,001 are communicants, and 2,061 active ministers. (Figures are from the 2016 Kyodan Yearbook). As we consider these realities, it is important to be aware that, for example, 35% of the 50 churches in the East Chugoku District spanning Okayama and Tottori prefectures are without a minister, as is the case in 13% of all churches nationwide. Looking at this data, we can generally say that while the number of churches has not changed much from before, there is a great change in the numbers of members, especially communicant members, which has fallen drastically. This leads to a decline in the capacity for offerings. In fact, this problem was very strongly related to the startup of the aforementioned Kyodan Evangelism Fund System.
From within this reality, the Kyodan has chosen “Let us be on fire for gospel evangelism” as its watchword. On this subject of evangelism, Kyodan Moderator Ishibashi Hideo gave the following message in his greetings to the 2016 General Assemblies of each district:
“To be sure, there are many churches facing difficulties due to the advance of aging and declining birth rate in the church, even to the point of threatening the existence of the church in some places. But it is by the power of evangelism that churches, which make up the body of Christ, have been erected in these regions. I am encouraged to see, in areas where evangelism is difficult, churches living in faith that ‘The Lord of the Church is present in this town’ and formulating visions of evangelism uniquely suited for each community, and to hear their voice, ‘We are on fire for Gospel evangelism!’”
The Kyodan is seeking to unite on this point and is receiving the hope given to the Church that lives in the Lord. (Tr. DM)
—Nagasaki Tetsuo, general secretary
日本基督 教団（以下教団）Kyodanの１７教区における教会は、
In 1957, 12 years after the battle of Okinawa, the Okinawa Christian Institute (present-day Okinawa Christian Junior College and Okinawa Christian University) was born out of the desire of Christians in Okinawa who had experienced the misery of war to nurture a new generation of young people who would take on the task of building a peaceful island. It was the second university to be established in Okinawa, following the University of the Ryukyus. Its founding was not initiated by overseas mission boards. However, it could probably never have been established without the tireless efforts of two missionaries from the United States who gave themselves fully to this project: Walter W. Krider from the Methodist Church and Maeda Itoko from the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). The first President, the Reverend Nakazato Chosho, provided the necessary spiritual guidance for the Institute, but it was the financial assistance of missionary Krider and the curriculum skills of missionary Maeda that helped to get things started.
Krider received his MA degree from Boston University Graduate School of Theology in 1920 and came to Japan the following year. He was involved in mission work in Tokyo until l922 and in Nagasaki until 1935. He returned to the U.S. and became quite rich as a lumber merchant but returned to Japan in 1955 to continue his mission work in Okinawa. He contributed generously to mission work in Okinawa and to the establishment and maintenance of Okinawa Christian Institute until 1960. His financial assistance was outstanding.
Okinawa Christian Institute began in Shuri Church, which was then within the Okinawa Kyodan, but was later able to put up a new building in a corner of Shuri Castle Park. (It has since moved to the town of Nishihara.) In order to erect the new building, Krider donated US$10,000 that he had made as a lumber merchant. The church in Okinawa did not have adequate financial resources to build the school at the time, but Krider also worked through the Interboard Committee to call upon churches in the U.S. to contribute to building the new school. As a result, the Methodist Church, the Disciples of Christ, and The Evangelical and Reformed Church each contributed $10,000 for a total of $30,000. After returning to the U.S., Krider died in 1965.
Missionary Maeda Itoko became a missionary to Japan but was actually a Japanese person born in Tokyo in 1918. She grew up in a house with a strong Buddhist atmosphere but became a Christian and felt a call to ministry while attending Seigakuin College in Tokyo, under the influence of Jessie Trout. Following graduation, she became a teacher at Seigakuin and Keisen Jogakuen Senior High School, after which she went to the U.S. and studied at College of the Bible of Eastern Mennonite College. After completing her studies, she was recognized as a missionary by the American Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and sent to Okinawa in 1956, where she engaged in mission work that included endeavoring to bring about the establishment of Okinawa Christian Institute. She worked hard to create a course of study that would compare with the high level of education she had experienced at Seigakuin. She designed the curriculum and helped to choose the staff. Her contribution was formidable. Outside of class, she was equally dedicated, making comments to students concerning their manners, behavior, and language and even accompanying them to their job interviews. Sometimes she smiled, and sometimes she scolded. This happened so often that they dubbed her “the scolder who also smiles.” But her students admit it was both her affection and her severity that enabled them to grow. She also directed her enthusiasm towards preaching in and leading women’s groups in the church. After leaving Okinawa, she was sent to Brazil and passed away in the U.S. in 2007.
Along with remembering the contributions of both Krider and Maeda, we are reminded of their relationship to the U.S. military bases in Okinawa. During the 1950s and 1960s, while they both were active in Okinawa, land was being expropriated and bases were expanding. Two of their former students accused them of depending too heavily on the U.S. military bases. In order to maintain the school buildings and raise money for scholarships, it is said that they took students with them to military bases and visited the chapels to ask for donations. Christian education and the relationship between mission and the military bases is one that came into question from this early time and continues to be questioned today. (Tr. RW)
—Dean Kim Young-Soo Office of Chaplaincy
沖縄キリスト教学院の創設と二人の宣教師
１９５７年、沖縄戦から1２年を経て沖縄キリスト教学院（
クライダー宣教師は、１９２０年ボストン大学神学大学院でM.A
の三教会から１万ドルづつ、
前田伊都子宣教師は、１９１８年東京生まれの日本人であった。
クライダー、前田、
（宗教部長 キム ヨンス金 永秀）
by Sasaki Ryoko, pastor Cologne-Bonn Japanese Protestant Church
I was sent as a Kyodan missionary to the Japanese Protestant Church in Cologne-Bonn and arrived here in April of this year. In 2015 the church experienced the trial of having no pastor for a year but was able to continue the observance of worship services every week, without fail, because of God’s leading and the help of many persons, such as area ministers and persons from overseas who were studying in Germany, for which the church members and I are very grateful.
The Japanese Protestant Church in Cologne-Bonn is proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ on the German Rhine riverside in Cologne. The first worship service was held in a room at the University of Bonn seminary student dormitory and afterwards was moved to Cologne, where worship services and house meetings have continued for the past 38 years. Historically, it is an overseas, foreign-language church. Of course, the fact that a small Japanese group has carved out this kind of history is due to the Lord’s support, but the second factor is that the church is affiliated with the German Evangelical Church (Evangelishe Kirche in Deutschland [EKG]), the Rhineland Evangelistic Church (Evangelishe Kirche in Rhineland [ERiR]), and the Kyodan, which have been blessed through their Mission Cooperation Agreement. Furthermore, due to the fellowship’s regular combined worship services, etc., with the church here lending us a place of worship at no cost, the fact that our Japanese church on German soil is not independent has deep meaning. Experiencing the long years of unity in Christ can also be said to be a special characteristic of overseas churches.
In regards to the German religious community, which has offered us this kind of blessed situation, we have come to think that giving a witness as believers to the outstanding nature of the Japanese church, with its emphasis on “prayer, Bible reading, and offerings,” is the mission of the church built in this land. A few days ago, the pastor in charge of foreign-language churches in the Rhineland Evangelistic Church conducted a ministerial installation service, and I was very happy to hear many people say that they are learning much from the Japanese church. My work is a tiny part, but while witnessing together with the church members, we are seeking church growth.
Family members of company transferees and students studying abroad are at the core of most overseas foreign-language churches, and since transfers of church members are frequent, I have heard that church structuring is difficult. However, almost all of our church members are married to German persons or are making their home in Germany, so for an overseas foreign-language church, its situation is very stable and church structuring can be done. While we have fewer than 20 church members, with their God given gifts, they are together doing the best they can to attend worship and support the church, but from here on the existence of the church financially as well as numerically will be a serious issue.
At one time, we received financial help from the religious sector of the German state, but five years ago that was discontinued. Even in the church in the Christian country of Germany, which will be celebrating the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation led by Martin Luther, many people have left the church, and the church is weakening. Thus, the German church is in a very severe financial situation and unable to reach out to Japanese churches. Previously, we were protected even financially under the umbrella of the German religious sector, but now lacking this support, we have fallen into financial trouble. However, due to this very situation, the believers’ faith is being tested. It is a chance to come to one’s senses, and I think this will be a new challenge for several years to come.
At the same time, we must also realize that the time has come to return to our beginnings. Church formation is not we humans working diligently to evangelize and increase the number of persons; instead, it is the body of Jesus Christ that anticipates the leading of the planner of the foundation, Jesus Christ. For that reason also, I believe that if the faith of each church member is blessed abundantly, it follows that the Lord will work and make use of it. The Lord Jesus is going ahead and leading us through a situation considered ended, so we should not live as though we were walking a darkening path. Rather I am earnestly hoping for a walk that is taken while waiting for the sunrise. We would be blessed if you remember and pray for this small German church that will be facing future challenges. (Tr. RT)
私は日本基督教団の派遣宣教師として今年の4月からケルン・ボ ン日本語キリスト教会(Japanese Protestant Church in Cologne-Bonn)に着任いたしました。教会は昨年、
ケルン・ボン日本語キリスト教会は、ドイツ・ライン河畔ケル ンの地でイエス・キリストの福音を宣べ伝えています。
このような恵まれた環境を提供してくださるドイツ宗教界に対して
大半の海外外国語教会のメンバーは、
五年前に打ち切られた為です。来年はルター生誕500年を迎えよ
by Matsuda Yoku, teacher Aino Gakuen Agricultural High School
Typically, I don’t have a clear sense of the Holy Spirit. However, I feel it in my work at school. Isn’t it that warmth that wells up in our hearts as we work and pray together when we confront the problems that come our way? Isn’t this the power at work in the hearts of the non-Christian as well as the Christian?
Nurturing Life, Receiving Life at School
I am responsible for actual farm work at Aino Gakuen Agricultural High School, a Christian school in Mie Prefecture. (The characters for Aino mean “love agriculture.”) This is a small school of about 60 students, all of whom live in the dormitory. Food self-sufficiency at our school is about 70%. We practice organic farming and produce most of the food we eat.
On our farm we are involved in all six areas of farming: crops, vegetables, fruit, poultry, swine, and dairy. We grow rice by using the aigamo (rice-duck) farming method, an organic process that utilizes ducks in the flooded rice paddies to control weeds and pests rather than depending on herbicides and pesticides, and fresh eggs and milk from our own cows and chickens are on our dining table each day. This causes us to reflect on our own lives as we realize that we are sustained by the life cycles of our farm products.
Every morning before breakfast, our students do farm work from 5:00 to 6:00. Then, after arriving at school, they participate in morning worship. Along with scripture and hymns, a member of the faculty or student body speaks openly from his/her own experiences, interests, or reflections on Christianity.
“The Bible says ‘Seek and you will find,’ so I want to pursue something.” “At our school I feel that something is missing when we don’t sing a hymn. I think we should sing something together other than the school song.” These are quotes from students who had never read scripture or sung hymns before coming to our school. As someone who grew up in a home with Christian parents, I must confess that somehow I thought the Bible and hymns were meaningful to Christians only. However, our students have taught me that they leave a significant influence in their hearts.
On the other hand, I also hear less than positive remarks about Christianity. “There is no God. I’ve never even thought that I needed God.” “I don’t understand it when the staff say they are praying. What they are saying and what they are doing is different. If they really believe in God, shouldn’t they be thinking more about us?” Our students are listening carefully to what we say, and watching closely what we do and how we approach them. Our task is not simply to quote scripture but rather to express our faith continually in our daily interaction with students.
Accepting Another’s Problem as Your Own
At our school, there are many times when prayers are offered. Beginning with prayer before morning worship, there is silent prayer before our evening meetings, and students’ prayers before lunch. There is also prayer during individual counseling.
Our students face numerous problems. They often feel lost as they consider their future and what their next step should be following high school. They struggle with interpersonal relationships among their classmates. There is frustration with school rules against dating, and many students struggle with relationships in their own families as well. As we listen to our students’ problems, we often feel at a loss for answers. At times like that, I suggest that we pray together. At that time, I feel something that has not come from me, but a warm and soothing force that brings brightness to one’s face.
“No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.” (I John 4:12) If we believe that God is love, I believe that the Holy Spirit works in the relationships formed when we accept another’s problems as our own. When I was struggling as a student myself, I experienced the truth of these words of scripture through the care of my pastor.
Faced with the problems of our students, I painfully experience my own lack of maturity. At those times I find support in this prayer: “Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. Then I will teach transgressors your ways, so that sinners will turn back to you.” (Psalm 51: 12-13)
With a renewed “steadfast spirit,” I want to be transformed from my inabilities. With this as my constant prayer, and as I continue to seek guidance from above, I want to be able to give full attention to each person I am with, to lend my ear, and to do everything that I can do to help. (Tr. JS)
From Shinto no Tomo (Believers’ Friend), May 2016 issue
証し:一緒に祈る場に働くあたたかさ
農業高校の現場で考える聖書の言葉
聖霊につい て、普段から明確に意識しているわけではありません。しかし、
それはクリス チャンにもそうでない人にも働く力なのではないか、と。
命を育み、命をいただく学び舎
私は三重県にある愛農学園農業高等学校というキリスト教主 義の農業高校で農場担当として働いています。全校生徒が約60名 という全寮制の小さな学校ですが、校内食料自給率はおよそ70％ で、
農場は全６部門（作物、野菜、果樹、養鶏、養豚、酪農）でア イガモ農法により育てられたお米や、産みたての卵、
生徒は毎朝、５時から６時の間に農場に働きに出て、朝飯前の 農作業をします。そして登校後、聖書を開き、
「聖書には『求めなさい』って書いてある。だから、俺は何か を求めてみたいと思う」「
一方、キリスト教に対して肯定的ではない意見を聞くこともあ ります。「神なんていない。必要だと思ったこともない」「
人の問題を自分の問題として
愛農高校では、祈りの場面も多くあります。朝拝の前をはじ め、夜のミーティング前の黙祷。
生徒が抱える課題としては、将来どうしたらいいかわからない という進路の悩み、
「いまだかつて神を見た者はいません。
生徒の抱える問題を前に、己の未熟さに胸苦しくなることの 連続です。そんなときこの祈りを支えとしています。「神よ、
「新しく確かな霊」によってどうしようもない自分を造り変え られたい。そう祈り求めながら、
Komyo-en Kazoku Church is located in a national Hansen’s Disease Sanatorium. Of the 13 national Hansen’s Disease Sanatoriums, two are located in Okayama Prefecture – Nagashima Aiseien and Oku Komyo-en. Although Nagashima Aiseien is the more well known of the two, Komyo-en is actually 20 years older.
With only 13 such institutions in the whole nation, one might wonder why two are located in Okayama Prefecture. Oku Komyo-en was originally located in Osaka and was known as Sotojima Sanatorium. Likewise, the church was originally named Sotojima Kazoku Church. According to the Reverend Fukuda Arataro, visiting pastor of the congregation, the word kazoku, which means “family,” was added to the name of the church because the members had been separated from their families and many had entered the sanatorium under assumed names to avoid bringing shame to their families. Thus, the church opened its doors to them as a family.
When the sanatorium was destroyed by the Muroto typhoon in 1934, 187 patients, staff, and family members perished in the disaster. The government made plans to rebuild in the Senri District of Osaka but was unable to do so because of strong opposition by local residents. At the back of the 60 acres that made up the grounds of Aisei-en in Nagashima, an unused plot of about 20 acres was available where the sanatorium could be rebuilt. Four years after the 1934 typhoon, those patients who had survived were being housed in five sanatoriums across the nation as they awaited the opening of Oku Komyo-en Sanatorium.
According to records, in May 2015 there were 1,718 residents of the sanatoriums nationwide, with 132 residing at Oku Komyoen. (Currently there are fewer than 130 at Komyo-en, among whom 23 are members of the congregation). Roughly 80 residents pass away each year nationwide, and currently the average age is 84 years.
On Nov. 11, 2012, Komyo-en Kazoku Church celebrated the 100th anniversary of its founding. The small church was crowded with over 100 people who came from as far away as Kanto and Kyushu areas to join in the celebration. We did not think that many would come to such an event, but on second thought it was a 100th anniversary, and there would likely not be another such celebration. So the event far surpassed our expectations.
Our congregation is different from an average parish church because one day its ministry will come to an end. When the sanatorium is closed, the church will be closed along with it. Until that day comes, as long as we are physically able, we desire to continue our worship services and prayer meetings.
Currently, there is a pastoral vacancy at our church. The Reverend Otsuka Shinobu is serving as the interim pastor. Our Sunday morning worship services are led primarily by retired pastors and the mid-week prayer meetings have been led by Aioi Church and congregations in the central region of the Okayama District, for which we are very grateful. Since the spring of 2015, Kurashiki Church has been holding its prayer monthly prayer meetings at Komyo-en Kazoku Church, which has been truly an unexpected blessing.
For the past several years the Kansai Choir League of the Korean Christian Church in Japan has been visiting Komyo-en annually, and along with sharing their beautiful music, the members have joined us in playing games and other fun activities. Given that recently only four or five people have been able to attend the performances of their beautiful music (and last year there were only three), we sent word that perhaps this should be the final year for their visit. We began the event, thinking it would be the final one. But as we enjoyed our time together, something happened that changed it all. One person said, “I remember years ago when the folks from Komyo Kaikan sang and the folding chairs were all set up in rows. The names of the donors are written on the backs of those chairs. I was surprised to find my father’s name written on one of those chairs. He was a pastor and had donated that chair. That shows just how many years we have been coming.”
The Church member Hanamura Keiko, who had kept repeating, “This is the last year,” said, “Let’s do this again next year,” and everyone laughed out loud in agreement. So we concluded the gathering with a round of applause, agreeing to meet again next year. So they will continue to gather to rehearse and to perform. What a wonderful thing indeed! (Tr. AKO)
—Nanba Satsuya, member and Komyoen Kazoku Church From Higashi Chugoku District News, No. 160
教会紹介；光明園家族教会
光明園家族教会はご存知のよう に、国立ハンセン病療養所内にある教会です。
1934年の室戸台風で療養所は壊滅し ます。患者と職員とその家族を合わせて187名の人々が亡くなり
全国の入所者は15年5月の調べで1718名です。（
光明園家族教会は、創 立100周年の記念会を2012年1月11日に持ちました。狭い 教会に入りきれないほど、100名を超える方々が神奈 川や九州からもお祝いに駆け付けて下さいました。「
私たちの教会が、いわ ゆる教区内教会と違う所は、やがて閉教するということです。
そして無牧（大塚忍牧 師が代務）の私たちの教会は、現在1か月に礼拝と祈祷会の説教者
そんな中で、在日大韓 基督教会(KCCJ)の関西聖歌隊連合の方々が毎年来てくださり
光 明園家族教会 長老 難波幸矢
東中国教区ニュース 160号より
〒169-0051 東京都新宿区西早稲田2-3-18-31
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