Executive Council Report
The third Executive Council meeting of the present 42nd General Assembly Period (Sept.27.2022-Oct.28.2024) took place Dec.5-6. This was the first in-person meeting since the new administrative structure was implemented. The first item on the agenda was a report by newly elected Kyodan Moderator Kumoshikari Toshimi on “dealing with the issues faced by the Executive Council of the 42nd General Assembly Period,” in which he outlined the various issues the Executive Council needs to deal with and laid out a plan for doing so.
Beginning with the importance of maintaining an attitude of common prayer for the “structure of the Kyodan as the Church, the Body of Christ,” including the various committees and each local church, he detailed policy goals for the formation and maintenance of an evangelistic network that includes the activities of Kyodan-related schools, institutions, and other groups. Specifically, he raised the ongoing issues of the formation of a procedure for continuing dialog on restructuring, formulating the most appropriate slimmed-down finances, continuing efforts to repair relations with Okinawa District, and continuing to make administrative improvements in the operations of the Board of Publications. Additionally, with respect to conductance of committee meetings and their activities, efforts to hold joint meetings to facilitate cooperation under the banner of unity of the Kyodan as a whole will be made. Based on this opening report, then, the Executive Council members shared their thoughts and opinions on how to best implement these goals through the remaining General Assembly period. Of particular note was the strong desire to continue with the theme of the “Day of Prayer for the Promotion of Evangelism.”
Likewise, at this Executive Council meeting, the various committee assignments were made, based on the recommendations of the nominating committee. Beginning with the Executive Committee, these included the standing committees, standing focus committees, and the Research Institute on the Mission of the Church, along with the selection of the board of directors for the Board of Publications and the Board of Pensions and the director of the steering committee for the Buraku Liberation Center. How to best begin and support these various activities will remain an important issue throughout this General Assembly Period.
With respect to the handling of “recognition of those who pass the ordination exams during the spring of 2023” and clergy transferring in from other denominations, that was delegated to the Executive Council by the General Assembly, it was decided that unlike the past, where the decisions were made by presidium, the Executive Council as a whole would meet online to approve the candidates. At the General Assembly, it was reported that there was a discrepancy of 500,000 yen in the figures for income and expenditures carried over from the 2019 and 2020 fiscal years. The chair of the commission on finance gave a detailed explanation of the cause, which was that there was no actual transfer of funds but only a misunderstanding due to the lack of an explanatory note on a change made in the balance sheet. It was decided to have an explanation by a financial expert printed in the Kyodan Shinpo newspaper.
Another agenda item delegated from the General Assembly involved the selection of a new general secretary for the Kyodan. At the recommendation of presidium, Rev. Aminaka Shoko (pastor of Yokohama Myojo Church) was nominated. Her experience as a staff member at the Kyodan headquarters as well as having served as the general secretary of the NCC, together with her thorough understanding of the Kyodan’s situation and her ability to coordinate with presidium were given as the reasons for her selection. While this would be the first time a woman had been selected as general secretary — something everyone applauded — there nevertheless were some reservations expressed about her perceived lack of experience as a local church pastor. However, after a careful examination of her history of baptism, licensing, ordination and pastoring experience, she was confirmed to be the new general secretary beginning on April 1, 2023. (Tr. TB)
Akiyama Toru, general secretary
常議員会報告
第42総会期第3回の常議員会が12月5日〜6日に開かれた。新しい執行部体制になって初めての対面の形での開催となった。冒頭で、先の総会で新しく議長に選ばれた雲然俊美議長より「第４２総回帰常議員会における課題と取り組みついて」の発題があり、今後の常議員会の運営方針と取り組むべき課題の大枠が示された。「キリストの体なる教会としての教団形成」の祈りを共有すること、各委員会、各教区及び教会・伝道所の取り組みを覚えて祈り、関係学校・施設・団体等の活動を含んだ伝道のためのネットワークの維持・構築に努めるとの方針が示され、具体的に機構改定についての協議の場を設けて継続課題とすること、教団財政の適正化やスリム化の検討すること、沖縄教区との関係修復に努めること、出版局経営改善について現在の取り組みを推進すること、委員会の開催についてこれまでの取り組み方を見直し、他の委員会との合同で集会を開催するなど、全体教会としての教団の一体性のもとに各委員会の活動が展開されることを望む、などが示された。この発題をもとに常議員会の会期中に協議の時が設けられ、常議員各自の教団の働きについての期待や意見交換が行われた。協議の中では、特に「日本伝道の推進を祈る日」で取り組んできたことを継続するようにとの強い要望があった。
今回の常議員会では常任常議員や教団の宣教を担う常設委員、常設専門委員、宣教研究所委員、また、出版局、年金局の理事、部落解放センターの運営委員長などの選任を行い、今期のそれぞれの部署の働きを始動させることが課題であり、選考委員会の推薦に従って協議の上、各委員が選任された。
総会から付託された「２０２３年度春季検定試験合格者承認に関する件」と「教師転入に関する件」では、従来のように三役一任としないで、常議員会をオンラインで開催して承認を行うこととした。また、総会で明らかにされた２０１９年度〜２０年度にかけての繰越収支差額５０万円が生じている件について、予算決算委員長からの詳しい説明があり、実際の資金の移動ではなく貸借対照表上の表記修正を行った結果の注記がなかったため生じたものであることが判明した事、このことを専門家の解説と合わせて教団新報に報告することとした。
総会からの付託事項として総幹事選任の件について、三役からの提案により、網中彰子牧師（横浜明星教会）が推薦され、教団事務局の職員としての経験、NCC総幹事等の経験を通して教団の事情によく通じていること、三役との連携が期待できることなどが推薦理由として挙げられた。協議の中で教団の歴史上初めての女性の総幹事が誕生することを歓迎する一方、牧師としての牧会経験の少なさなどが指摘され、詳しい受洗、准允、按手、牧会経験等の資料を確認した上で、２０２３年４月１日より網中牧師の総幹事就任が決められた。
秋山徹総幹事
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year
to all KNL Readers
Publisher: Akiyama Toru
Copy Editor: Hazel Terhune, Timothy Boyle
Staff Assistant: Niina Tomoko
Editorial Committee: Tokuta Makoto, Kofukada Yutaka, Suematsu Kozue, Kashiwabara Michiko
Translators: Timothy Boyle, Robert Terhune, Suematsu Kozue
Note: The names of Japanese persons are listed in traditional order, with last names first.
