Growing Sweet Potatoes in the Neighboring Vacant Lot"God Gave the Growth"There is a 15-square meter vacant lot on the south side of our church.Completely covered with almost impenetrable weeds, it posed the dangerof sooner or later becoming a trash dump. To help the children becomebetter acquainted with the adults, our church school joins the adultworship services on Easter, Thanksgiving, and Chri……

by Tabei Yoshiro, principalFerris Jogakuin Junior and Senior High SchoolFerris Jogakuin, Japan's first school for women, was started by MaryEddy Kidder. Kidder was the first missionary woman to Japan, arrivingfrom the U.S. in September 1870.The school got its start when Kidderbegan to teach in one of the infirmary rooms of the Presbyterian medicalmissionary, Dr. James Hepburn. (The infirmary was l……

EMS Mission Council Meeting Held in GhanaReport on Missionary Council of the Association of Churches and Missionsin South Western Germany (EMS) "Department of Mission and Ecumenism, andDeveloping Nations Church Assistance" of the Wu"rttemberg ChurchThe International Mission Council of the Association of Churches andMissions based in Southwestern Germany (Evangelisches Missionswerk inSu"dwestdeutsc……

Taiwanese Churches Promote the Gospel in JapanTakadanobaba Taiwanese ChurchThe Taiwanese church in Takadanobaba, Tokyo, was established through thepioneering work and hardships of God's faithful servant, Pastor ShoShuji. On April 2, 2008, the church celebrated its 30th anniversary withjoy and thanksgiving, giving praise to God. I myself took over as ShoShuji's successor on October 6, 1991, and loo……

Reflections on the Kyodanby Sasaki Michio, vice-moderatorKyodan General AssemblyI have been serving as the Kyodan vice-moderator since being elected tothe post at the 36th Kyodan General Assembly in the fall of 2008. Thereis so much for me to learn as I participate in the various committeemeetings, such as the Kyodan Executive Council, and in ecumenicalrelations with our partner churches overseas,……

Commemorating 150 Years of Protestant Evangelism in JapanThe worship service commemorating the day of the Kyodan's founding, heldon June 24 at Fujimicho Church in Tokyo, also celebrated 150 years ofProtestant evangelism in Japan. This was the Kyodan's 68th commemorativeworship service, which 320 persons from 133 churches attended, givingthanks for the planting of the seeds of Protestant evangelism……

Executive Council Establishes an Executive CommitteeThe second Executive Council meeting of the 36th General Assemblybiennial period took place at the Kyodan headquarters on July 6 and 7.The Executive Council consists of 27 delegates elected at the GeneralAssembly, including the san'yaku (the three top officials: namely, themoderator, vice-moderator, and secretary of the General Assembly). Priorto……

On the 17th of March, 2009, I attended the dedication service of the Togi Mission Church--one of the churches whose buildings were destroyed by the Noto Peninsula earthquake. This mission church is an outlying mission point of the Hakui Church and is a place of unforgettable memories for me.For 20 years I was the former pastor of a church in Kanazawa, Hokuriku area's major city. During that time, ……

by Nathan and Nozomi Brownell, missionariesYokohama, Kanagawa DistrictTrue to the meaning of its name, we purpose the "Green House" to be a safe place for youth to be nurtured and to grow. No matter how inhospitable the climate outside, a greenhouse is a place to set the atmosphere and environment for vegetation to grow and blossom or produce fruit. Those who observe modern Japanese culture and so……

by Ibaraki Kimiko, memberAgeo Godo Church, Kanto DistrictThe World Day of Prayer has been observed in Japan for 70 years, with the exception of the years 1941 to 1946, due to the Second World War. This year, gatherings sponsored by the National Christian Council in Japan's Women's Committee were held in various areas and places under the theme prepared by church women in Papua New Guinea: "Though ……