TMC At Four Months
12 Aug 2013TMC
We are thankful for a good beginning for Tokyo Multicultural Church. This church planting project is shaping up to be the most enjoyable of our missionary career.
FACILITY
We are thankful for a Sunday room we can rent for four hours or more every Sunday, right in our apartment complex. Typically in Japan, a rental room cannot be used for “religious” purposes. But after explaining in detail why we wanted to rent the room (Bible teaching, singing, outreach, etc.), our apartment manager assured us that we were more like a “circle” or “group” than a “religion.” So since April he has enthusiastically rented the room to us. We didn’t argue! The cost: only $2 per hour! Even after we move into a long term facility rental nearby, we will probably continue to use this rental room for some aspects of our church program.
PEOPLE
Our core group we began with on April 7 has seen some change with both additions and subtractions. Six of us are regulars, with about that many again who come periodically. Here is a quote from one recent multicultural visitor from Tokyo, not referring to the summer heat:
Even while we ask the Lord to lead us to people whose hearts the Spirit of God has prepared for the gospel, he is sending us leaders.
Jon Prins, a former missionary colleague returning to Japan as a missionary with the EFC of Canada Mission, will be joining our TMC leadership team as soon as his financial support is raised. He will provide intercultural insight and leadership.
Two interns from Tokyo Christian University, one from the EFC of Macao and the other from the EFC of Germany, will be joining us on Sundays for one year beginning September. As we encourage them in the development of their spiritual gifts, we are looking forward to their contribution in helping us plant TMC.
Yet another former colleague of ours in Japan, serving with ReachGlobal (EFCA), is seeking the Lord's guidance about joining our TMC leadership team. If he comes, his focus will be on developing our Japanese language worship service.
Our small group of TMCers have been joyfully contributing to the financial needs of TMC. We do not collect an offering during our worship services. Instead, contributions are placed in an offering box any time on Sundays. Donations from within Japan can also be made online. We now have enough funds on hand to rent a long term facility.
We are thankful for a Sunday room we can rent for four hours or more every Sunday, right in our apartment complex. Typically in Japan, a rental room cannot be used for “religious” purposes. But after explaining in detail why we wanted to rent the room (Bible teaching, singing, outreach, etc.), our apartment manager assured us that we were more like a “circle” or “group” than a “religion.” So since April he has enthusiastically rented the room to us. We didn’t argue! The cost: only $2 per hour! Even after we move into a long term facility rental nearby, we will probably continue to use this rental room for some aspects of our church program.
PEOPLE
Our core group we began with on April 7 has seen some change with both additions and subtractions. Six of us are regulars, with about that many again who come periodically. Here is a quote from one recent multicultural visitor from Tokyo, not referring to the summer heat:
"I felt very warm and comfortable at TMC!"
Even while we ask the Lord to lead us to people whose hearts the Spirit of God has prepared for the gospel, he is sending us leaders.
Jon Prins, a former missionary colleague returning to Japan as a missionary with the EFC of Canada Mission, will be joining our TMC leadership team as soon as his financial support is raised. He will provide intercultural insight and leadership.
Two interns from Tokyo Christian University, one from the EFC of Macao and the other from the EFC of Germany, will be joining us on Sundays for one year beginning September. As we encourage them in the development of their spiritual gifts, we are looking forward to their contribution in helping us plant TMC.
Yet another former colleague of ours in Japan, serving with ReachGlobal (EFCA), is seeking the Lord's guidance about joining our TMC leadership team. If he comes, his focus will be on developing our Japanese language worship service.
Our small group of TMCers have been joyfully contributing to the financial needs of TMC. We do not collect an offering during our worship services. Instead, contributions are placed in an offering box any time on Sundays. Donations from within Japan can also be made online. We now have enough funds on hand to rent a long term facility.