by Park, Heon-Wook, member

Kyodan Commission on Ecumenical Ministries

The 36th Conference for Japanese Christians in Europe was held July 25-28 at the Grand Hotel Napoca in Cluj Napoca, the second-largest city in Romania. More than 200 Japanese Christians residing in Europe, together with other constituents of their churches and 30 to 40 of their children, participated in the event. The conference initially began after a Japanese church in Düsseldorf invited two nearby Japanese churches to join them in sponsoring such a conference once each year. The event has been held every year since that first meeting in 1983, each year attracting a broader group of participants than the previous year and from various denominations.

The theme for this year was: “Live as One who has been Liberated - The 30th Anniversary of the Liberation of East Europe in Romania.” This year was the first time the event had been held in an East European country. Citizens of the various countries represented, people who had been freed from oppression after the collapse of the East European communist countries’ regimes in 1989, were celebrating the 30th anniversary of their liberation this year. The planning committee’s efforts to create an opportunity for reexamining the meaning and challenges of freedom and liberation, while redefining the two within the context of faith, bore fruit as a result of invitations received from a Japanese missionary who has been serving in Romania for 30 years.

For the first time, the Kyodan Commission on Ecumenical Ministries sent Executive Secretary Kato Makoto and myself, a commission member, to participate in this conference. Although this annual event is an ecumenical conference, many of this year's participants came from evangelical churches who encouraged the faith of other attendees through their passion for praise, testimony, prayer, and evangelism. Missionaries sent from Japan by the Commission on Ecumenical Ministries and their church members attend this conference and enjoy fellowship with the other participants every year.

As part of an optional two-night/three-day tour held after the conference, approximately 60 people participated in a tour of the Judetul Maramures region in Northwestern Romania, visiting the wooden churches and monasteries that symbolize the ancient orthodox faith. In addition, testimonies were given by three Japanese people at the Baptist Church’s Sunday evening service. One of the three, Rev. Kato Makoto, gave a powerful testimony about the hidden Christians and the persecution of Christians during World War II. He also shared the solidarity he felt with the Christians in Romania who had endured their own period of suffering and how that relates to our calling as Christians. (Tr. JM)

「ヨーロッパキリスト者の集い European Christian Conference」

報告　朴　憲郁　Park Heon Wook

　「第36回ヨーロッパ・キリスト者の集い」が去る7月25日から28日までルーマニアのクルジュ・ナポカ市のホテルで開催され、ヨーロッパ在住の日本人キリスト者とその関係者200名を超える大人とその子どもたち30~40名が参加した。1983年にデュッセルドルフの日本語教会が近隣の他の二つの日本語教会に呼びかけて、共同で年一度の集いを始めたのがきっかけとなり、それ以降一度も中止することもなく開催され、諸教派の信徒たちの参加の輪が広がったとのことである。

　今回のテーマは「解放された者として生きる－東欧解放30周年、ルーマニアで－」である。東欧圏国での開催は初めてであるが、1989年の東欧共産主義諸国の体制崩壊によって、圧政から解放された諸国民は今年、解放30周年を迎えた。自由と解放の意味と課題を見つめ、それを信仰的に問い直す機会としたいとの実行委員会の願いが、ルーマニアで30年活動を続ける日本人宣教師の勧誘の下で実った。

　教団世界宣教委員会はこのたび初めて、委員の一人である私と加藤誠幹事とをこのカンファレンスに送り出した。年一度のエキュメニカルな＜集い＞ではあるが、その多くは福音派系の教会信徒たちであり、讃美・証し・祈り・伝道に情熱を燃やし、信仰を励まし合った。世界宣教委員会が派遣した数名の宣教師とその群れの信徒たちも毎年これに参加し、交わっている。

　＜集い＞の終了後に二泊三日のオプショナルツアーがあり、約６０名がルーマニア北西部のマラムレシュ地方を巡って、伝統ある正教信仰のシンボルとなる木造教会や修道院などを見学した。またバプテスト教会の主日夕礼拝では３名の日本人の証言があり、その内の一人の加藤誠牧師は、日本のキリシタン時代や第二次大戦下のキリスト教徒迫害に触れつつ、ルーマニアにおける受難期を耐え抜いた信徒との連帯とキリスト者の使命について力強く証言した。