The entire world has been suffering with the Corona Virus pandemic, and Kyodan churches are no exception. Our ability to meet together to sing praises, preach the Word, and share Holy Communion has been severely curtailed. This situation can even be described as a threat to the very existence of our churches. The Kyodan General Assembly has been postponed until the fall of 2021, and various activi……
Yoko was very grateful for the life she lived in Japan and in Canada and for all of the opportunities she was given by the United Church of Canada. Moving to Canada with her family was a major turning point in her life. She was 41 years old at the time. The first few years were especially tough, consisting of learning English and studying at Vancouver School of Theology while serving UCC’s Fraser ……
As a church damaged by the nuclear explosion in Hiroshima, we have endeavored to preserve and communicate the reality of war. By teaching the public this history, including the negative parts of wartime cooperation, we desire to contribute to the realization of peace.
In August 2020, Hiroshima commemorated the 75th anniversary of the nuclear bombing. Those who experienced and know first-hand of t……
Annyeong-haseyo! (A Korean greeting meaning How are you or Hello.)
I am a mission coworker sent by the Kyodan to the Presbyterian Church in the Republic of Korea (PROK). I came to Seoul in February 2015 and currently work at the PROK headquarters and in one of its congregations, Seoul Jeil Church (Seoul First Church).
I have particularly focused on Korea-Japan exchange programs for teenager……
Horikawa Aiseien, incorporated as a social welfare group home for children, was founded in 1945. Pastor Yamakita Takihiko of Misakicho Church, together with Kagawa Toyohiko, had procured land in Hokkawa, a forested mountain area in the town of Tanagura, Higashishirakawa district in southern Fukushima, to provide a safe and peaceful living space for children who had lost their parents and homes dur……
The Evangelical Mission in Solidarity (EMS), an international mission organization centered in Germany, held its biennial general meeting Nov. 12-14 via Zoom. In addition to representatives from each of the provinces in Germany as well as from Switzerland, South Africa, Ghana, Jordan, Israel, India, Indonesia, and Korea, there were denominational representatives from Japan, the Basel Mission (Swit……
At the beginning of 2020, I was told by Global Mission Personnel Secretary Patti Talbot of the United Church of Canada that the church had disposed of a missionary property it owned in Japan and planned to donate funds to the Kyodan and other related bodies. Secretary Talbot intended to visit Japan in March to discuss the details, but her trip was canceled due to the corona virus. In June, Kyodan ……
The 9th Executive Council meeting of the 41st General Assembly Period (2019-2020) was held on Oct. 26, with the core leadership (moderator, vice-moderator and secretary) meeting together with the executive secretaries and a few of the council members at the Kyodan office, while most of the other members attended online.
In his report, General Secretary Akiyama Toru reported that due to the Coro……
“Feliz Navidad.” Brothers and sisters in the Lord, I bring you midsummer Christmas greetings from Paraguay! Paraguay is in the Southern Hemisphere, where the seasons are exactly the opposite of Japan so Christmas is in the height of summer, and Easter is in the Fall. We made the advent wreath while sweating in the heat of summer last November. I keenly sense that the seasons of the Bible are those……
The sixth Executive Council meeting of the present 41st General Assembly Period was held Feb. 3-4 at the Kyodan headquarters, with 28 of the 30 members in attendance. Executive Secretary Akiyama Toru reported that the Kyodan will cooperate with the operations of the Multi-Faith Center of the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Chaplaincy as the chair of the Japan Confederation of Christian Churches.
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