The fifth Executive Council meeting of the present two-year (39th) Kyodan General Assembly period was held Feb. 15-16 at Fujimicho Church in Tokyo, with all 30 members in attendance. General Secretary Nagasaki Tetsuo reported that the earthquake-resistant refitting of the Japan Christian Center was on schedule and that the various Kyodan offices would be moving back to the refurbished building between March 11 and 13.

In response to a question about the International Youth Conference on the East Japan Earthquake Disaster, Organizing Chairperson Akiyama Toru explained that the conference is officially sponsored by the Kyodan and is to be held from March 28 to 31, 2017 in Kyoto at Kansai Seminar House. Its purpose is to continue in the spirit of the International Conference held in March 2014 in Sendai, also sponsored by the Kyodan, so that the issues raised there can be passed on to the next generation.

Concerning the 500th Anniversary Celebration of the Reformation, Preparation Committee Chairperson Okamura Hisashi reported that a national conference for junior and senior high school students will be held at Megumi Chalet in Karuizawa Aug. 9-11, 2017 as well as a 500th Anniversary Commemoration Worship Service at Aoyama Gakuin on June 22, 2017.

Concerning finances, the main topics were the discussions surrounding the "Elimination of the First Fund for Mission Research" and the "Third Supplemental Budget for the 2015 Fiscal Year" [April 1, 2015 – March 31, 2016]. With respect to the first proposal, it was decided to eliminate that fund by transferring the money to the main budget and applying it to the costs of the retrofitting of the Japan Christian Center building and moving expenses. The proposed "Third Supplemental Budget" was approved by majority vote and will mainly be applied to the costs of moving back into the Japan Christian Center building and for costs to remodel the office of the Board of Publications.

Sasaki Michio, chair of the Committee on the Future Concept of the Kyodan, gave an intermediate report on the results of the eight meetings held so far. The three-page report stressed the necessity of the Kyodan finding a new direction with a structure that can deal with the realities of an aging membership and fewer young people, the lack of effective evangelism, and dwindling resources.

The last item on the agenda was a proposal by Executive Council Member Kita Kiyoshi to establish a selection committee for the next general secretary within the Executive Council. In response, Moderator Ishibashi Hideo asked for clarification of how the proposal should be handled prior to it coming up for a vote.  He indicated that he preferred that Article 50 of the Kyodan Bylaws be respected as well as the present tradition of the moderator nominating someone who is then approved by the Executive Council and voted on at the Kyodan General Assembly. He proposed that this procedure be voted on first, before consideration of the new proposal. By a show-of-hands vote of 16 of the 30 members, the moderator's proposal was accepted, and then those in favor and those against were able to exchange opinions as to which system would be better. With the moderator abstaining, the result of the final anonymous ballot was18 in favor, 10 against, and 1 abstention. Thus, it was decided to table further discussion, with the present system of nomination by the moderator to be further discussed at the next meeting. (Tr. TB)

—Kato Makoto, executive secretary

第39総会期第5回常議員会報告

第39総会期第5回常議員会は、2月15・16両日、富士見町教会会議室で常議員30名全員が出席して開催された。

　総幹事報告で長崎哲夫総幹事は、日本キリスト教会館耐震・改修工事は順調に進み、3月11日から13日に事務局3局は移転再入居と報告した。東日本大震災の 国際青年会議についての質問があり、秋山徹実行委員長が、2017年3月28日～31日に京都の関西セミナーハウスで開催する教団主催の会議であり、2014年3月に仙台で開催された国際会議の精神・課題を継続し、次の世代への継承をしたいと説明した。

　宗教改革500周年記念行事について岡村恒準備委員会委員長は、2017年8月9日～11日、軽井沢・恵みシャレーで全国中高生大会 を開催すること、青山学院を会場に2017年6月22日に500周年記念礼拝を開催することを報告した。

　財務に関しては主に、「宣教研究第一資金廃止に関する件」と「2015年度第3次補正予算案」が協議された。最初の議案で は、本資金を廃止し、経常会計に繰り入れ、会館耐震・改修工事費用および一時移転関係費用の支払いに充てることが承認された。「第3次補正予算」では、主に会館移転再入居費用と出版局内装工事のための貸付金が提案され、賛成多数で承認され た。

　教団将来構想検討委員会の佐々木美知夫委員長は、8回に及んだ委員会の中間報告を行った。３ ページにわたる報告書から、信徒の高齢化、若年層減少、伝道不振、財政の逼迫を踏まえ、教団が一定の方向を見出し、新しい局面を描き出せ る体制を取ることが必要とまとめた。

　議事日程の最後に挙げられたのは「総幹事選考委員会設置」（提案者：北紀吉常議員）だっ た。次期総幹事選考のため、常議員会のもとに選考委員会設置を求める提案である。石橋秀雄議長は、議案上程前に議案の取り扱いについて 諮った。教規50条②の規定を尊重して、慣例通り議長推薦、常議員会承認、教団総会にて選任決定することを先議してもらいたいと述 べた。挙手による採決となり30名中16名の賛成で議長案が先に上程されることになった。賛否両方の意見が交わされたのち無記名投票による採決とな り、議長以外の29名中賛成18票、反対10票、白票1票で、慣例通り議長による推薦が次回常議員会で諮られることとなった。（加藤誠）