Born on September 14, 1827, in what is currently the state of West Virginia, Elizabeth Anne Priscilla Edgar Randolph was an educator in the United States before being commissioned as a missionary to China. Upon her return from China to the United States, Mrs. Randolph stopped in Japan for a short visit of rest and recuperation from the harsh conditions of China. However, her short stay in Japan tu……
by Nomoto Shinya, board chair
Education Association of Christian Schools in Japan and Doshisha University
This organization, referred to in this address as "the association," has continued for 100 years. On this occasion, more than anything else, we need to give thanks to God our Father for guiding us through these years.
The seed of the gospel was planted in Japan some 150 years ago, and Christia……
by Tim Boyle, missionary
Kwansei Gakuin, Nishinomiya
For five nights in November 2010, Japanese television showed a ten-hour-long dramatic series entitled "99 Years of Love, the Japanese-Americans." It was a powerful and emotional drama that brought back memories of watching Alex Halley's Roots some 30 or more years ago, with its portrayal of the African-American saga.
The plot is quite true to hi……
rom April 26 to April 29, I attended the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Taiwan. There was heated discussion at the assembly, but what surprised me most was seeing, for the first time, assembly members taking blood tests. With health notebooks in hand, they got their blood tests; and the following morning, based on the results, those assembly members who had a reading that was marke……
by Kyodan Moderator Ishiabashi Hideo
"Amazing Grace"
On Dec. 16, 2010, the movie distribution agency, Prestio, sent me a DVD and an invitation to write a review. The DVD was "Amazing Grace" (2006, U.K.), and I was asked to write on John Newton for the mass media. "Amazing Grace" will be shown throughout Japan from March 2011. Through his faith, the main character, William Wilberforce, fought to in……
Recently, I heard the same wonderful report from two laypersons I know well in an outlying city. Last Christmas, three young people were baptized in their church, and this was in large part due to the enthusiastic efforts of a young pastor who had been called to that church the year before. I considered this as further evidence of a trend that I have seen recently of an increase in young, enthusia……
by Namba Masachika, pastor
Shibetsu Church, Hokkaido
Several times each month, the church school children at Shibetsu Church broadcast live programs over the Internet. The children enjoy making special programs about their experiences in activities of our church, churches in the northern Hokkaido subdistrict and in the district as a whole. They also enjoy covering events in the local community and……
In response to the disaster caused by the unprecedentedly strong earthquake and tsunami in eastern Japan, the Kyodan Executive Council called a special session on April 18, which was attended by 28 of the 30 council members. Kyodan Moderator Ishibashi Hideo outlined a basic policy for relief that aims to rebuild churches to serve their local communities. While focusing on rebuilding "houses of wor……
Being Servants of Life Together with the Churches in the Devastated Regions
by Kyodan Moderator Ishibashi Hideo
"Our help is in the name of the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth." (Ps. 124:8)
We wish to express our heartfelt concern for all the people affected by the recent earthquake and tsunami. At 2:46 p.m. on March 11, a devastating earthquake struck eastern Japan. At the magnitude of 9.0, i……
On March 12, the day after the recent massive earthquake, the Kyodan's Relief Planning Committee, headed by General Secretary Naito, decided to send to the stricken area a delegation of four persons: Kyodan Moderator Ishibashi Hideo, Exective Secretary Fujimori Yuki, Exective Secretary Kato Makoto, and Morita Kyoichiro, a member of the Committee on Social Concerns. Their main purpose was to visit ……
