We Need Your Help

As we return to the States, we will be responsible to make up deficits in our financial support situation. After being fully supported for many years, our support has been waning this year. The Home Office has calculated that we are $648 per month behind which we are expected to make up before we return to Japan next July. We would encourage you to pray and consider contributing to our monthly support sometime in the…

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Very Untypical Four Days

We are often asked what a typical day is for us.  Well, we are still out searching for one.  But sometimes we have very untypical days. John was recently on a 4 day trip to 4 locations, 3 cities, 3 prefectures, 1421.7 km (883.4 miles) mainly by bullet train, 2 interviews, a sermon on forgiveness, sermon training for lay people, an ad hoc mission Executive Committee mtg., the Rengo Mission Liaison committee meeting, the Rengo…

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Mission Giving Thanks

This year our November brought our yearly ministry planning for the mission and a fun time of celebrating Thanksgiving together.  This year it was earlier than the traditional US date (but later than Canadian Thanksgiving Day).  We are so thankful to have our new missionary, Lori Harms with us.  Also the Asian Director and his wife were also able to celebrate with us.  We are looking for more people to join our Japan Field Team.

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John’s Research Project into Final Phases

It seems that God had orchestrated a “dream team” of church leaders for interviews for his field research on reproducing churches.  The group of leaders is a very good cross-section of leaders from around the country and various organizations.  John is nearly done with the Interview part of the FIeld Research.  Now he moves into the phase of analyzing all the information he has collected.  Ask God to grant strength and wisdom to John as…

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Japan’s Working Poor

Even though Japan is an advanced and prosperous nation there are the hidden human costs of progress.  The image of Japan, and one that the Japanese would love to project, is that this is a society with everything put together right.  One area that has been growing since the 1980’s is the number of people who are working but are just above the poverty line.  An article with a good example can be found in…

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Surprised and Amazed – Nov 08

Amazed by the expected and surprised by the unexpected. That describes our last 2 ½ year adventure. We returned to Japan, packed our belongings and moved to the other side of Tokyo. In a 6 month period, we sold our condo in the States, bought a house, moved into it, moved back to Japan, and moved to the other side of Tokyo. We said good-bye to our kids who stayed behind in the U.S., said…

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To Serve or Be Served

Thoughts Along the Way© Elaine Mehn For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. Mark 10:45 You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. Galatians 5:13 Over our 22 years in Japan we have had a number of visitors. Some have…

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Children’s workers critical need 04/09

The BGC Japan Mission needs one or two children’s workers to provide a children’s’ ministry program for 6 missionary children ages 8-18 during our annual Field Council April 6-9, 2009.  Those coming allow the field staff to conduct their annual Field Council without having to worry about also caring for their children.  Come and enjoy Mount Fuji and the rest of Japan.  For more information contact Mary Lou Ellison at MLTellison@aol.com.

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Impressions of a baseball fan, neither HERE nor THERE

It has been an extremely interesting year in that Major League Baseball officially started the season HERE in Tokyo in March.  Now my two Chicago teams THERE have won their division, the White Sox and the Cubs.  (Also my favorite Japanese team, the Seibu Lions, won their division too).  The White Sox and Cubs have not both won their divisions since 1906. Jay Leno said the world may end if the Cubs win.  He has…

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Pruning the Tree We Cut Down

Thoughts Along the Way© Elaine Mehn Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalm 139:23-24 Almost two years ago, we had the large tree in our front yard cut down because it was causing problems with the electric wires and was keeping any sun from getting to the front of the…

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