The executive secretaries’ meeting, usually held every Monday morning, is attended by the six executive secretaries under the general secretary–seven members in total. The meeting on July 25 was centered on the reports of each executive secretary.
The Executive Secretary on General Affairs reported on the symposium to be hosted by the Kyodan at Ginza Church, Aug. 29-30, on the theme “Christianity and the Present Crisis in Japan–Issues Raised by the Great Eastern Japan Earthquake.” Oki Hideo, former president of Tokyo Union Theological Seminary, is to be the guest lecturer. Four other speakers (a pastor, a theologian, a Christian educator, and a Christian social worker) are to give presentations. Announcements about the symposium are to be sent to all Kyodan-related churches. A list of Kyodan churches within Ou, Tohoku, and Kanto districts that sustained earthquake damage was also distributed that included details about the extent of the damage at each of the 47 churches as well as at 8 related facilities. A joint meeting between the Kyodan Executive Committee and Kyodan Administrative Officers is scheduled on Aug. 9, and the matters to be discussed there were also reported.
The Executive Secretary on Financial Affairs shared that the Committee for the Examination of Financial Reports had issued its report. Included was an explanation about the decision to reduce the amounts of the annual church apportionments for the 2012 fiscal year (about 6 million yen [$77,922]), for the three disaster-stricken districts and to compensate for that from a fiscal year 2011 surplus fund. For the next three years after 2012, the other 14 districts will bear this additional burden.
The Executive Secretary for the Commission on Ministry reported on the orientation that was held June 20-22 for ministers newly appointed during this fiscal year, under the theme “Working together as ministers of the Kyodan to accomplish its mission.” There were 78 participants in all, including 49 newly appointed ministers and 3 directors of Christian education. It was a good opportunity to enjoy the blessings of new encounters and fellowship, and the participants benefited from reviewing the basics of the Kyodan system. However, the conspicuous decrease in the number of participants in recent years is an issue that needs to be addressed in the coming years. Another item reported on was the discussion of issues involved in disciplinary admonitions.
The Executive Secretary for the Commission on Ministerial Qualifications reported on the fiscal year 2011 fall ministerial qualification examinations to be held Sept. 13-16 at the Osaka Christian Center. There are 58 applicants in the category of ordained minister and 19 in the category of licensed preacher. (There are more applicants for the spring examination.) Final decisions on those who have passed the examination are to be made on Oct. 14. There has been a gradual decrease in the number of applicants in recent years, which is an indication of the weakening of the Kyodan’s evangelistic strength. This is an issue that the Kyodan needs to address immediately, along with the apparent weakening in the sense of calling of those taking the examinations.
The Executive Secretary on Social Concerns reported that the emergency fundraising campaign for the Great Eastern Japan Earthquake was completed at the end of June, with more than 100 million yen being raised. The collected donations have been transferred to the Disaster Relief Planning Headquarters and are being used for relief operations.
The Executive Secretary on Ecumenical Ministries reported that the persons in charge of the United Methodist Church’s overseas disaster relief came from the U.S. to visit the Kyodan to review the situation following the great earthquake and tsunami. They were informed about the extent of damage that the Kyodan has been able to determine, especially that caused by the severe tsunami, as well as the state of affairs caused by radioactive contamination from the nuclear accident. The Kyodan-based relief operations to date were also described. Incidentally, the relief donations from various overseas churches and denominations have already reached approximately 150 million yen, and quite a large amount of funds is expected to be sent henceforth through the Kyodan to support reconstruction projects in the stricken areas. (Tr. SM)
—Naito Tomeyuki, general secretary
総幹事日記
7月25日、幹事会を開く。幹事会は総幹事のもとに教団の各教務を担当する幹事が6名、計7名で毎週月曜午前に開かれている。この日は各幹事の報告が中心であった。
総務幹事報告：東日本大震災関係としては教団主催で行われる8月29-30日予定のシンポジウムについてコメント。主題『現代日本の危機とキリスト教―東日本大震災を通して問われたこと』。特別講師は大木英夫先生（元東神大学長）。教会牧師、神学者、キリスト教教育とキリスト教社会福祉の分野から各1名ずつ、計4名の発題者を立てること。会場は銀座教会。案内は教団所属の全教会に送ること等。また、奥羽・東北・関東各教区内にある教団所属教会の被災状況を記したリストが配られた。そこには47教会と8つの関係施設の名と被災状況が記されていた。続いて常任常議員会と教団責任役員会が8月9日に開催されること、そこで扱われる議事についてのコメントがあった。
財務幹事報告：予算決算委員会についての報告がなされた。その中で被災教区が担う2012年度の教団負担金を減額し（約600万円）、それを2011年度の剰余金から充当することにした旨の説明があり、それ以後3年間は各教区が代わって負担するとのことであった。
教師委員会担当幹事報告：6月20～22日に行われた今年度の新任教師オリエンテーションに関しての報告があった。主題『教団の教師として宣教を共に担う』。出席者は78名（うち新任教師は49名、キリスト教教育主事3名）。新しい出会いと交わりの恵みを味わう機会となった。教団がどのような機構をもった教会かという基本が学べたのは有意義であった。ただし、年々参加者が減少している傾向が顕著であり、それが今後克服すべき課題である。なお、戒規問題をめぐって話し合いがされていることも報告された。
教師検定委員会担当幹事報告：2011年度秋季検定試験について報告がなされた。試験日は9月13～16日。試験会場は大阪クリスチャンセンター。受験志願者は正教師58名、補教師19名（春季試験を受験する者が多い）。合否の最終決定は10月14日になる予定。ここ数年の受験者数の推移をみると漸減傾向がみられる。これは教団の宣教力が弱くなってきていることを示している。受験者の召命感の希薄化と共に教団として早急に取り組まねばならない課題である。
社会委員会担当幹事報告：東日本大震災発生後直ちに呼び掛けた救援緊急募金が6月末をもって終了。金額は一億円余であった。集められた献金はそのまま救援対策本部会計に繰り入れられ、すでに被災者救援活動のために用いられている。
世界宣教担当幹事報告：アメリカ合同メソジスト教会の海外災害救援担当の方々が東日本大震災被害状況調査のために教団を訪ねてこられた。教団対策本部が把握している大地震被害状況、特に大津波被害、原発事故による放射能汚染の実況を知らせると共に、現在までの教団として取り組んでいる救援活動について語った。ちなみに海外諸教会、諸教派からの支援献金はすでに1億数千万円になっており、教団が行っている被災教会、被災地域に対する支援プロジェクトに今後もかなり高額な援助金が送られてくることが予想されている。
内藤留幸総幹事
