The Commissioning Service for missionary Takai-Heller Yuki took place on Feb. 11, 2018 at Ofuna Church under the auspices of the Commission on Ecumenical Ministries. Commission Secretary Nishinosono Michiko presided, and commission member Park Heon-Wook gave the sermon. Takai-Heller was sent to Taiwan in March, where she will do research in Tainan until September and then assume a position at the Tainan Theological College and Seminary as a lay missionary. Her field of study is the history of Christianity in Taiwan, specializing in Protestant Christian history during the period when Japan ruled Taiwan. Tainan Theological College and Seminary itself refused to acquiesce to the requirement imposed on it by the Japanese government in July 1940 that all schools must have Japanese leadership and closed its doors instead. As one manifestation of our repentance before God and the world for this grave error during Japanese occupation, the Kyodan has been sending missionaries to this school. As we deepen our mutual connections, we aim towards reconciliation through cooperation and see this as one step in realizing our mutual mission agreement.

—Hironaka Yoshimi, staff
Commission on Ecumenical Ministries

　The Commissioning Service for missionary Ueda Yoko took place on Feb. 25, 2018 at Union Japanese Church of Westchester in the northern suburbs of New York City. Kato Makoto, executive secretary of the Commission on Ecumenical Ministries, presided over the service, with Akiyama Toru, chair of the Commission on Ecumenical Ministries, giving the sermon. Normally, such a commissioning service takes place in Japan, but because Ueda was already living in New York, it was decided to do both his commissioning service as well as his installation service as pastor of Union Japanese Church in New York. Union Japanese Church was begun by the Special Ministry to Japanese with only two regular members and two associate members. It meets in space provided by Hitchcock Presbyterian Church and is also supported by the UMC and RCA denominations at the local district level. As a part of its outreach, Hitchcock Church provides English language classes for non-native speakers of English, and many Japanese are included among the 70 participants in the weekly classes. Ueda takes advantage of this opportunity by participating in the class and, through this and the website he set up, publicizes the new Japanese church among the Japanese people living in the area. If you are ever in the vicinity, please stop by. (Tr. TB)

—Kato Makoto, executive secretary

派遣式・就任式

　2月11日（日）、大船教会を会場にして、世界宣教委員会主催の高井ヘラー由紀宣教師派遣式が行われた。司式は西之園路子委員（書記）、説教は朴憲郁委員。高井ヘラー姉は3月に渡台し、台南で研究に従事した後、9月からは台南神学院に信徒宣教師として赴任する。高井ヘラー姉は台湾キリスト教史を専門としており、特に日本統治期台湾における日本人プロテスタント教会の歴史を研究されている。派遣地である台南神学院は戦時期に校長を日本人にすることを拒否して閉校を選んだ歴史がある。その場所に日本基督教団の名のもとに、宣教師を派遣することは「和解」に基づく宣教協力実践への一歩となるのではないだろうか。（廣中佳実）

上田容功宣教師派遣式・就任式

　2018年2月25日（日）午後2時半からニューヨーク北部にあるユニオン日本語教会において上田容功宣教師の派遣式及び牧師就任式が執り行われた。司式は加藤誠世界宣教幹事、説教は秋山徹世界宣教委員会委員長が担当した。通常派遣式は日本で行われるが、上田容功宣教師はニューヨーク在住であるため、今回は異例ではあるが派遣式とユニオン日本語教会牧師就任式を同時に執り行う事となった。ユニオン日本語教会はSMJ(Special Ministry to Japanese)の働きから生み出された教会です。現在は現住陪餐会員2名、準会員2名の小さな群です。しかし会場を提供していただいているヒッチコック長老派教会やUMC, RCAのそれぞれの教区から援助をいただいて活動が支えられています。ヒッチコック教会の伝道活動の中に英語を母国語としない人を対象にしたリビングインアメリカという英会話のクラスには毎週70名が参加し、日本人も多くいます。上田宣教師も参加の機会が与えられ、周囲の日本人にユニオン日本語教会の存在を知っていただくために、ホームページもリニューアルして励んでおります。ニューヨークにご旅行の折は是非お訪ねください。（加藤　誠）