Itayanagi Chapel

English Class Outreach

2010-06-14T06:21:00.001-07:00

English Class

The English class that Ruth leads on Thursday nights is a safe place for people to come and develop their English speaking skills. It was great to be involved because my role, as well as other short-term team members, was to assist in conversation practice. It was intentional space to get to know some men and women in the area which allowed for relationships to be built. I quickly got to know three women in particular and we plan on being pen pals as I return to Canada. I rely on words to express myself and therefore it was a way to slow down and work on the language barrier. I wished I could have participated in a Japanese language class while I was here! I’m eager to be the student and learn from the people I’ve met while here in Itayanagi. It was a great experience to have the opportunity to build their confidence in their language skills and to have fun telling stories with one another.

Youth Group in Itayanagi

2010-06-14T06:18:00.000-07:00

One of the highlights of each week’s ministry was YoungLife every Friday night. Our team would sit down with Naomi Ghent some point before Friday and plan out the program, usually consisting of songs, games, a testimony, a Bible talk, and some sort of snack. It was always great to see a combination of church youth and local town kids come each week and be able to spend time getting to know them better. Each week, through every song, game and talk, we hoped to further develop relationship between each youth and the church, hopefully showing them that being a follower of Jesus is exciting and fun. In North America, our temptation is often to only see God in big things, such as a stadium full of people coming up to an alter call to give their lives to Christ. During our time in Japan, our team really began to learn the importance of celebrating God’s work in the little things such as a local youth simply having the desire to even walk into the church. Even though the process of becoming a Christian in Japan is much slower than in other places, it is still exciting to see God walking with each youth, drawing each of them closer to Himself through programs such as YoungLife. Each week, we really got a sense that they were not simply games or songs or stories, but God really using all these different mediums to call his children back to Him.

One Way Jesus

2010-02-10T00:43:00.000-08:00

The youth meet every week. It is led by high schoolers and attended mostly by church kids. Lately a few town kids have started to attend. May each one follow Jesus.

Youth Specials

2010-01-18T10:36:00.000-08:00

Lately the youth group has had a number of interesting evenings. They had a dress up party- interesting to see what costumes people came up with. The New Zealand team helped with an evening which added spice. Every week music is a vital part of the night. They are getting quite good and at times lead the music during worship services on Sunday!!

Christmas Kids

2010-01-18T10:32:00.000-08:00

In December there are many opportunities to share Jesus with others. Flyers were handed out in front of 2 schools. Around 40 kids attended. Micah and Aaron just in from Bible school on winter vacation led games and did the Bible talk.

Engagement Party

2010-01-18T10:23:00.000-08:00

Because numbers are few in a Japanese church, it is a real joy to baptize and to wed people. They aren't married yet but church member and previous short termer were engaged in a church ceremony. Because the wedding ceremony is planned elsewhere it gave the church family an opportunity to celebrate; and the responsibility to pray for and encourage them during this period of time.

Skiing on Mt Iwaki

2010-01-18T06:07:00.000-08:00

Jan 9th saw a number of church folk on the slopes. It was initiated by the church youth group but in all about 20 folk skied. The weather was great- lots of new snow and not much wind. Even Ruth Mae was coaxed to go by her daughter conditional on lessons. She managed 2 times down on top of the skiis. A number of friends were also out that day.

Senior Rest Home Ministry

2010-01-05T19:28:00.000-08:00

Senior Rest Home. By Sarah

Our first dew days in Ityanagi we only went to preschools so I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect when we went to the senior rest home. I was expecting to sing and do our dance and I had heard from past teams that the people got a bit emotional sometimes however I wasn’t expecting how emotional it would be for myself too. Seeing the elderly people, talking to them afterwards and receiving their generous gift made me wonder if they knew Jesus Christ as their own Saviour. I don’t know where each of them were at in their own life but their experience opened my eyes even more to the Japanese culture. I thoroughly enjoyed our visit and interacting with these people who at times may not receive much attention from outsiders was very rewarding.

Reaching children in Japan

2010-01-05T19:27:00.000-08:00

Preschool. By Lizzy

I enjoy working with children and have really loved the opportunity we have had to go to preschools to teach cute kids sings and dance. It is lots of fun and encouraging to see them interact and enjoy themselves. I love seeing the joy on their faces when we sing in Japanese and they sing along with us. They have been very loving, happy children. And I hope that through our songs, baking, smiles and Christmas message, a seed will be planted and grow as they, hopefully, try to learn more about Jesus.

Young_Life Special - September 2009!

2009-09-16T22:03:00.000-07:00

Hello!

We had a special Young_Life this month and it was awesome! Wanna know why? Okay, I'll tell you...

ICE CREAM!!!! \(^o^)/

Yeah that's right, we had lots and lots of ice cream. So much ice cream. And things to go into that ice cream. We had more than enough! (Or so we thought)

The morning of the event, we stuck up a few posters and balloons inviting young people from around the local area to come have some fun in the church. I don't know if it was the fantastic selection of balloons or the free ice cream had anything to do with it, but we also prayed to God that he would fill the building with Himself and with young people. I also got some people in the UK praying for it also (I'm a short-termer here in case you were wondering!). And answer our prayers He did!

Groups of young people after groups of young people came to the church. They just kept on coming until the place was full of 50 of them! I think there were 6 boys in total so it was a lot of girls! It was amazing to see an answer to prayer like that!

There were fun games including balancing a balloon on a tray like a waiter and shaving balloon heads! And there was a talk about God too! And everyone listened and participated which was fantastic!

Then there was ice cream. The main attraction for the young people I am sure! You couldn't see the kitchen floor for kids. More ice cream and fillings had to be bought as there was just so many!

Overall, it was awesome. We hope that God will use that event to build relationships between the young people and the church. May they come back again for the next event next month!

Gary (Short-termer from Liverpool, UK)

Flexibility in reaching kids

2009-07-20T05:34:00.000-07:00

Last week the 2nd English Day Camp was held at the chapel. After a number of phone calls and a few weeks of advertising thru different contacts- yes we probably could have done more but only 2 kids and 1 mother showed. At first the team was disapointed. All staff weren't needed and so a number went to the neighboring park to play ball with kids. That developed into the skit and Bible talk also held in the park. They returned for luncch and the afternoon program.
We learned again the need for availality so that the Holy Spirit can guide us and use us for His purposes.

Thru food to Jesus

2009-07-20T05:27:00.000-07:00

Food is a great way to break ice and talk about Jesus.
Whether its a youth event, English classes, or church gathering, food is a part of the time.
This was a youth event in which attendees made shapes with dough and then they were made into unique donuts.

Glimpses of the Future

2009-06-09T01:27:00.000-07:00

For the past 3 Fridays, us Canadians have had the privilege of working on music with the YoungLife group that meets every Friday.

This was something I had been looking forward to for a long time. What a great honor it is for us to be able to pass on our own knowledge and experiences as worship leaders! It has been exciting to see the progression people have made since the first Friday we worked together. There is a passion and desire for worship in the YoungLife group that is just waiting to jump out and express itself.

Each friday starts with a few games, and then transitions to a time of testimony and teaching, usually including testimonies from our short-term team. The music teaching component concludes the night. Every week, our team records a worship song in Japanese in order to teach it to YoungLife. We split into our respective instruments and work on different techniques while the recorded song plays on a loop. After some practice with individual instruments, we then play the song together without the practice track!

Two weeks ago, we worked on the song "We Fall Down" by Chris Tomlin. This was a definitely a new song to most of YoungLife and they worked really hard to play it. With such a diverse range of skill-levels, it is difficult to know what to teach in order to get everyone playing and worship together. Simplicity is often the key with playing worship music and YoungLife played the song simply but confidently so that the glory of the Lord could shine through the song. At the end of the night, we just wanted to keep playing the song over and over again! There was a deep sense of accomplishment, but also an overarching feeling that everyone felt the holiness of God fall in the room. It brought tears to the eyes of our team members and we could see these young people one day leading this church to the presence of the Lord through music. The night was so encouraging that we all walked over to the Itoku and bought ice cream for everyone!

The following Sunday, our Canada team was leading worship and called the YoungLife group up to play "We Fall Down" with us during the service.

Our team still has one week left with YoungLife before we head back to Canada. We are SO excited about what God wants to do through all these young people!

~Colin

2009-06-05T09:00:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone,

My name is Aimee and I am currently working alongside Martin and Ruth Ghent and family as a short-term missionary in Itayanagi. I am here from May 12-June 15 2009 with a team of eight other students from a Christian university in Toronto, Canada called Tyndale University College. I would just like to share a little bit about my experiences here at Itayanagi Chapel and a bit of what it is like to work as a short-term missionary in an established church setting.
The chapel here in Itayanagi is unlike any other church I have ever experienced. The Ghents do not approach ministry from a “they’ll come to us” nor from a non-personal stand point, but are very active in the community and believe that the most important steps in leading a Japanese person to Christ come with building relationships with them. Some of the programs run out of Itayanagi Chapel are English classes, ballet classes, a youth group, Bible studies and a parenting class for mothers.

I have had the opportunity to help out with the Thursday night English class twice now and it has been such a great experience. The group is made up mostly of non-believers some of which are really seeking after the truth and even come out to some chapel services and Bible studies. Most of these people who are becoming more interested in Jesus really only started hearing about Him by coming out to English classes. They have heard at least part of the gospel either through testimonies shared by Ruth or other short-term missionaries or by coming out to church events advertised in the class. I have started to form some great friendships with some in the group and have had the opportunity to share with them, as a friend, why I decided to commit my life to Christ. I have changed through this experience because I have been refaced with the truth that our greatest callings are to love God and love people. The people in this class need so much more than a rational explanation of why they should follow Jesus, it is His love evidenced in the lives of the Ghents and other Christians that draws them closer to making a commitment to Him.

Some of the Thursday night English class students

Some of the group from the Thursday night English class at the church I have also had the opportunity to help out with the Friday night Young Life group. It was so evident from the first time we hung out with the group that the leaders are so passionate about the youth and seeing them grow in their faith. Most of those who attend are kids who have either grown up in the Itayanagi Chapel or who have been coming for a while, but there are also some who come who come from non-Christian homes. Young Life has such a welcoming and fun atmosphere as it starts out by introducing everyone and having a small share time and then moving into crazy/fun games. It is a great place for the kids and youth to be built up in their faith and for those who do not yet know Christ to learn more about Him. Each time they get together testimonies and creative messages are shared. Since our team has been here, we have had the great opportunity to teach them some new worship songs on their instruments. It is evident that they are a very musical group.

The Young Life group performing “One Way” for our team

Sunday mornings at Itayanagi Chapel are so alive. The chapel is nearly full on Sundays and there are usually about fifty people. The Christians here are so excited about worship and are so joy filled. The amazing thing about services here is that many in attendance have actually been coming out to church for years, but have not yet made a commitment to Christ. This is a concept which seems so foreign to many churches, yet this is the norm for this church. The average person in Japan takes about sixteen years to make a commitment to Christ from the time they first hear about Him. The Itayanagi Chapel is unique not only in the amount of seekers that fill it, but also in the ages of those who attend. There is a wide variety of ages here at the church from six months up to the eighties. Many churches in Japan have an average age of sixty, so this is quite different. There is a great sense of community here in the church. After every service, the whole congregation sits down for a meal together. I have enjoyed these times so much because they are such a great opportunity to get to know people and to catch up on their weeks.
Some of the Sunday morning children’s English class performing for their parents
I hope that you have at least a small glimpse of what it is to be a part of the life of Itayanagi Chapel. Please pray for continued growth, outreach opportunities, receptive hearts and strength for the Ghents and the other Christians of the town.
--Aimee

Spring Flowers

2009-05-15T04:19:00.000-07:00

The flowers in the flower beds are fabulous this time of year.
The clors and shapes are truly a work of art- showing how great Jesus really is.

Thank you

2009-04-20T06:52:00.000-07:00

We had a fabulous 5 and some years with a chruch member. She helped with Sunday School and anything else going on. The last 2 months before heading off to HBI, she became a short term assistant at the church. She led Bible talks, led 1 to 1 Bible studies, taught sunday school, cooked meals etc.. We misssss her.

Advertising childrens Easter meeting

2009-04-20T06:47:00.000-07:00

Many so called free nations now have restrictions on flyer distribution in public spaces. In Japan, there are changes and we can almost see the day when we will not be allowed to either- mmm wonder what would happen if one went against social wishes. Jail time? a fine? Anyway, we had freedom in April to hand out flyers to kids. Because we do charity events at the preschools in town, all the kids know us and gladly receive the flyer. Of the 300 kids, about 35 attended. yeah!!!

Activities Beyond the Worship Service

2009-02-04T04:26:00.000-08:00

From one angle, the previous week at Itayanagi offered little that was different than the usual programme. But when you consider that the basic program includes the Sunday service and fellowship lunch, as well as various English classes and a Youth meeting, you realise that there's fair bit to talk about! Bright and early on a Sunday morning, two hours before the service, children's English classes are held at the chapel. The kids bring a lot of energy with them, as you'd expect, but they do a pretty good job of focusing on learning the language. One week the vocabulary may focus on types of food, and another might be about getting washed and eating breakfast, ready for the day ahead. All of the kids were able to introduce themselves to me, telling me their names, ages, and something that they liked to do. (Skiing rates pretty high with most of them!) Thursday night held the usual English class for the adults, which all but guarantees friendly chatter and lots of laughter. Recent sessions have covered topics such as how to ask opening and clarifying questions, and how to tell others about skills and hobbies. The group members get along very well, and everyone hangs around to chat and share coffee for quite some time after the lesson.

The Young Life youth group meets on Friday evenings for a mix of games, food, worship and Bible study. Whether it's playing Capture the Flag or trying to negotiate a maze while linked to their teammates, the kids show a great deal of enthusiasm in their game time, which no doubt helps their appetite when the snack is brought out. Our worship last Friday was provided by the leader, accompanied by three of the young people; this four person band did a good job and hopefully we'll hear more from them yet! The Bible talk looked more closely at Jesus' own words about heaven and hell, and gave everyone a lot to think about. When the group meeting finishes, there's rarely a rush to leave - there's still time to spend practising music, or talking, or eating...

- Jonathan

Youth Program

2009-01-12T21:12:00.000-08:00

There are a number of youth events in Itayanagi chapel ove rthe Christmas season. Flyers are handed out in front of schools- outside the gates is still legal, inviting the town youth to an event. This year 60 people showed up. We had a lot of fun playing games, singing and listening to a message about Jesus coming for all people everywhere. And of course we ended off with food- a way to everyones heart and opens the door for the next time.

We also had a sleep over during which we watched full screen movies with the church projector and sound system! Just as good as the theatre.

Preschools and Senior Homes

2009-01-12T21:07:00.000-08:00

Part of the Christmas outreach time, the chapel goes to both day care centres and to the seniors home in town. During the simple 30 minute program there are a couple of songs, nativity skit and short messages. We pray that kids will start life knowing why Jesus came and that Christmas is about Christ and not Santa. And we pray that as people wind up their time on earth, they will reach out to the only One who can take them to the eternal home they want to go.

Cooking Class

2009-01-12T21:03:00.000-08:00

One of the great things about the Christmas season in Iayanagi Chapel is the cooking class. Ruth Mae needs to come up with a recipe that works and so we are the stuffed and happy guinea pigs. Then a number of people come and not only have fun but hear about Jesus coming to rescue us from sin and death. All round- an amazing time.

Kids Christmas Itayanagi

2009-01-12T20:55:00.000-08:00

The Christmas Eve Worship Service in Itayanagi Chapel was fab. There was about 90 people who nicely fit into the sanctuary. The candlelite service was first and after singing a number of carols Martin spoke about why Jesus came.
Then the English class had a presentation followed by the Sunday School nativity play. It may have been the first time we had a live Jesus!!
We ended off with lots of snacks. What a great time remembering our God coming to rescue us.

Aussie Nite in Itayanagi

2009-01-12T20:47:00.000-08:00

While an Aussie team was helping out in Itayanagi Chapels christmas outreach, there was an Aussie night. We ate some fabilous food, split up into groups for quizzes and activities, and had a modified folk dance. What a blast! Hopefully it made the church seem a easier to attend and the message more relavant to daily life.

A Welcoming Chapel

2009-01-12T20:23:00.000-08:00

I've only been in Tsugaru for a few days, and I had my first experience of the worship service at Itayanagi chapel on January 11th. The atmosphere at Itayanagi is warm and friendly; I felt welcome immediately! I greatly appreciated this when I was called upon to introduce myself with a short testimony. It's funny how the mind always goes blank at those crucial moments! Fortunately, I stumbled my way through an explanation of how I came to both Bible college and to Japan. Martin Ghent kindly provided a translation for me (which I may not have made very easy).

The rest of the service felt much like being at church back home in England, with the obvious exception that it was in Japanese. We sang songs, and Martin delivered both a sermon and a children's talk. It was particularly interesting to see the number of people taking notes during the service; clearly they don't want to forget anything! Despite the language barrier, I was able to exchange a few hellos after the service (at least, I think that's what I said). I also enjoyed chatting with a church member who spoke some English.

Following the service, everyone helped set up some tables for lunch, and we shared a (fantastic) curry together. It's a great way to have fellowship time after the service, since no one needs to hurry home to eat! The service also taught me a useful point about relationships and our Christian witness - you can communicate warmth and friendship even without a shared language.

- Jonathan

Cooking Class

2009-01-12T20:13:00.000-08:00

Cooking Class on Thursday, July 3
On Thursday, Brenda, Kathy, Jessica, and Madelynn went with Ruth to a cooking class. Brenda taught the Japanese ladies how to make tea biscuits, and she later shared about being a mother of three. There were nine ladies that came, most of them toting around small children. Madelynn got to play with children just a few months older than her. She even pulled herself up by the shirt of another child just to join in on the fun. The ladies really enjoyed cutting out the biscuits and making the recipe on their own. After everyone enjoyed a lunch of biscuits and maple syrup with salad, quiche, and English tea, many good conversations continued for another hour. It was as if the ladies didn't want to leave. Some of them spoke English quite well which helped. Makiko, one of the ladies, shared that she had come to a couple church events and planned to come to Sunday worship. We were blessed to see her with her husband and three boys the next Sunday. It's great to see God using these connections with Japanese women to get them interested in Christianity and ultimately bring them to faith in Him!

- Nghi, Jessica, & Maddie

2009-01-12T19:07:00.000-08:00

Monday, July 7, 2008

We heard the roaring of a HOG approaching Itayanagi Chapel. The thunderous bellow of a customized Harley-Davidson motorcycle stopped as the rider, Mr. Arthur Hollands, dismounted at the front door of the chapel at 6:45 PM, a scant 15 minutes before the scheduled meeting. He was scheduled to be at the chapel three hours earlier, but he found some extra ministry opportunity along his way. So, we were told that “he will be here before the meeting.” And he was.

He is not a big man by western standards. He is less than six feet in height. However, he appears to be much bigger man in his snake-skin boots and leather riding garb. He is trim and fit. At the age of 57, he still possesses the bearing of a former martial art champion. Friendly, but piecing eyes, and his confident walk, make it easier for us to imagine what he was like as a SAMBO and Judo champion in his youth.

He and his steed were the center of attention. Some people were very excited to see the man in person. I heard a lady shout, “He is here!” Some are interested in his motorcycle. One man came, riding his own motorcycle. Everyone was asking questions, taking pictures, and moving around this very unusual evangelist. Although his name is not Japanese, he converses with flawless Japanese; his “mother tongue” is Japanese. He was born to a Japanese mother and an American Marine, in Osaka. He finished high school in Japan before moving to the United States, where he excelled in the martial arts. There in America, he became a baptized Christian at the age of 23.

Finally, he has to excuse himself to get inside the building. At the start of the meeting about 25 people were in attendance, which grew to about 35 by the end. His fast-talking style, humor, and anecdotal stories from his 30,000 mile annual journey on bike, simply captivated the audience, while slowly, but surely, he delivered the message of God’s love and His plan of salvation through the cross. One and a half hours later, he finished. According to Mr. Martin Ghent, the pastor of Itayanagi Chapel, about one third of the people in attendance were non-believers. It is important to note that this is a significant number of people hearing the gospel at one time in Japan; it, simply, does not happen often here, in Japan. He ministers in this way, 300 to 400 times every year, riding throughout Japan.

After the message many people requested his autograph and they took photographs. I had an opportunity to chat with him at the end of the evening. Both of us are born in the same year in Japan and stayed in Japan to finish high school. We became Christians at just about same age in the United States of America. Both of us have long hair and pony tails. And I have to admit, that I am a little unconventional, as is Arthur Hollands.

At the end I realized, although I am 100% Japanese and he is only 50% Japanese, he is more Japanese than me, because he asked my birthday and then added that I am “Oni-i-san” (Older brother) because my birthday is earlier than his! (For the interest of western readers: Japanese language has no word for brother. We always define ourselves as “older brother” or “younger brother”)

Takashi Ida

Itayanagi Youth

2009-01-12T19:06:00.000-08:00

Itayanagi Young Life (Friday, July 4, 2008)

This Evening Jordan and I helped Aaron and Naomi Ghent lead the Church’s youth group. We started by having everyone introduce themselves, say how old they are, what their hobby is, and what type of pencil lead they use. After everyone had a chance to share we sang a couple songs and then it was time to play capture the flag. Since the kids had never played the game before, Jordan explained the rules and Aaron translated them into Japanese. Once everyone understood the object of the game and how to play, we went outside to the parking lot and field that are next to the church. We divided into two teams and each team hid their flag. Once the game started we had a lot of fun running around trying to capture the other team’s flag and make it back to our side of the field without getting caught in order to win. The game took a long time but everyone enjoyed it. Afterwards we all went back inside and sang another song before Aaron gave the Bible talk. First he had everyone write down something that they currently can’t do but would like to be able to do. He then read from Matthew 19:26 and spoke about how even though there are things that we as humans my find difficult or even impossible to do, with God’s help anything can be accomplished. After the youth group meeting was officially over we took the kids out side to light fireworks since it was the fourth of July. Aaron and Naomi explained to them that in the United States July fourth is an important holiday because it celebrates America’s independence. It was really nice to be able to spend time hanging out with the kids and teaching them more about God.

- Chelsea

Flyer Distribution

2009-01-12T18:56:00.000-08:00

Tracting, July 4

Last Friday we were excited to get out and distribute tracts to the neighborhood around the church. It was a new and encouraging experience as we went out two by two. In fact, this is the first time we went out to see people and get a glimpse of how life looks like in this area. Two of us went out with a map in our hands trying to figure out where to go in an area where there are no street names. Most of the people we saw were women and children. It was encouraging because we saw people receive our tracts usually with smiles on their faces. The strange thing is that it's perfectly legal in Japan to put flyers in mailboxes…as long as it's not to sell something. The information we were passing out included details about church activities and a flyer about a guest evangelistic speaker coming to the area churches in Tsugaru. We had hopes that pictures of Arthur Hollands, the guest speaker, dressed in leather and riding a Harley motorcycle in the flyer would attract attention to the church and more importantly to the gospel. Later, we learned that some people came to the event of Arthur Hollands. Many of them came through established relationships with church friends and only one came because of the flyers we distributed (about 1,000 flyers). We pray that God will continue to touch people's hearts through any means we can use for His work in Japan.

We also pray that the Japanese people's outward politeness and openness will pave the way to their inward receptiveness of their hearts to the Gospel as well.

- Nghi, Jessica, & Maddie

English conversation class

2008-12-08T19:42:00.001-08:00

God provides another chance for hungry hearts to seek Him through Ruth’s Thursday evening English conversation class. It is an enthusiastic little group, and we really believe each member has been handpicked by God to be there. Alongside general conversation practice, the class also spends some time discussing a short Bible passage each week. Recently, a few Aussie short-termers have also had the chance to share their testimonies. Whilst class officially concludes at 9pm with tea and homemade cake, many members of the group routinely stay on until 11pm chewing over spiritual questions together! Praise God for their genuine interest and openness in discussing Christianity and please pray that they would all come to truly realize that it is Jesus alone who saves.

Parenting Class

2008-12-08T19:38:00.001-08:00

Every Tuesday morning at 10.30am, a parenting class for young mothers is held at the Ghent family home in Itayanagi. Ruth Mae Ghent leads bible studies introducing topics applicable for the lives of young mothers. Such topics may include communication with children, communication between husbands and wives, developing healthy relationships within the family and raising children in a loving and supportive environment. Young mothers are welcome to bring their young children along also. Over the past two weeks, a short-termer has been available to help take care of the children while the mothers are involved the bible study. Young women are supported and strengthened by fellowship and the forming of relationships with other women who share similar life experiences. Everyone is also welcome to share a meal together with the Ghent family following the bible study.

English class

2008-12-08T19:32:00.001-08:00

On Thursday nights an adult English class is held at Itayanagi Chapel. This week there were five students. Two of the Australian short-termers also joined the class. The students practiced self-introductions and learnt about Australian culture. In addition, one of the short-termers gave her testimony. Many students asked questions in response to this and spent the rest of the evening discussing religion. This was quite exciting as many of the members have been negative towards Christianity in the past. Please pray for their hearts to be continually softened. At the end of the night everyone enjoyed homemade chocolate cake and sweets. Next week, the rest of the Australian team plans to attend. We have also had several expressions of interest from people in the community.

Thanksgiving party

2008-12-03T17:03:00.000-08:00

We celebrated Thanksgiving at Itayanagi Chapel last Thursday (November 23). It was a great time of fellowship. We enjoyed a turkey lunch as a congregation while watching performances performed by various church members. There was singing, guitar playing, and a not-so-subtle magic show. At one point the whole congregation was even playing scissors-rock-paper with a tall, green frog-man!

Thank God for the enjoyable time we had, and ask God that he will continue strengthening the fellowship we share in. Thank Him with us for his faithfulness in blessing Itayanagi Chapel through all these years.

The Deck has Returned

2008-08-21T06:27:00.001-07:00

The deck between the church and the house has been used very extensively by kids from parenting class, english class and the church. So it was a sad day when it was dismantled in order to build the kitchen. July saw the rebuilding of deck and hauling in of the play house.

The swings, and playhouse roof are coming. Any one want to come and help with projects.

Fireworks

2008-08-21T06:24:00.000-07:00

Fireworks is an integral part of summer activities in Japan. During the last camp, the youth worked hard and came up with a sentence. Do you know what it spells?

Is it true of you?

Nagashi Somen

2008-08-21T06:20:00.000-07:00

It was a lot of fun. Waht is nagashi somen- well somen is a thin noodle, and nagashi means to run or flow.

Usually bamboo is used but we makeshifted a couple of eavestroughs and ran water down it. Then the somen was released bit by bit. People were lined up with chopsticks trying to catch their evening meal.

Cross Village

2008-07-28T06:07:00.000-07:00

The chapel first started holding events called Cross Village in November 2007.

There were 13 people who displayed and sold their wares or had workshops. Martin did a stained glass workshop. Ruth Mae baked lots of goodies and sold them. About 100 non-churched people attended the event.

Cosmos Meeting

2008-05-23T03:51:00.002-07:00

This small group meets every 2 weeks. The group is made up of those who cannot make it out to the monthly mens night and ladies night out. So it is made up of 5 seniors and a man in his 40's who comes by bicycle who prefers to ride in daylight.
We have been working our way through Johns gospel- at the current rate it will take us over a year. Whenever Martin is able to make it, which is about 20 of the 26 times, he gives a 15 minute exposition and then we talk about the passage. After about 45 minutes pass, there is a prayer time for the church. Its a rally cool time of connecting with Jesus and each other.

Swiss Night

2008-05-23T03:51:00.001-07:00

Beat Richenbach has been our short termer since February. His time is wrapping up and so we wqanted to have a time to invite his friends and church contacts. He cooked all day May 16th and 17th and put on a spread. There were 49 in attendance- half nonchurched people. He gave a powerpoint presentation on Switzerland. The hilight was the 7 minute video clip of his hometown- wow!!! It would be hard to be impressed by scenery anywhere else after growing up there. He then gave a clear presentation of the meaning of the cross using the Swiss flag.Beat leaves us June 8th. We appreciated his servant heart.

Easter in Itayanagi

2008-03-28T16:01:00.000-07:00

We had a fabulous Easter season remembering Jesus dying for us thru the Passover meal. Then on Easter Sunday we celebrated to gether by worshipping the risen Jesus. The children did an Easter egg hunt after Sunday school.

The New Church Year

2008-03-24T05:08:00.000-07:00

With 1 week left before the new church year, plans are in place for some exciting changes.
First of all, a new series. We are in the process of reengineering the church in order to be able to facilitate new starts. Itayanagi is blessed with the privelege of sending out 10 people to start a new church. There will be holes and people are thinking again about what it means to build in God's kingdom. We will work thru Nehemiah April thru September.

For years Itayanagi folk have eaten lunch after every worship service. On the 2nd Sunday of ervery month starting from April, we will be scattering to 7 homes for a potluck lunch. Eating at each others homes is very, very revelotionary here in Japan. Lots of potential tho for people to learn skills in relating to each other and to the worlds they each live in.

Last fall, in order to evaluate whether we should be moving the dining and kitchen downstairs, Martin just moved tables and chairs down one Saturday. Even tho the kitchen is upsatirs, noone wants to move back up. So a kitchen project is planned to start at the end of April. Hopefully the men in the church can do the work- again revelutionary!!

If the Harvest Church Plant gets passed, the Ghents will only be spending 60% of their time in Itayanagi from next week. From 1991 80-100% of their time and energy have been in Iatyanaagi so this will involve some changes- pray us thru the changes.

who are we

2008-03-23T23:06:00.000-07:00

Itayanagi is ideally located in the middle of the Tsugaru Peninsula. It is known for its apples. There are 17,000 people in town with another 80,000 people within a half hour drive. The Chapel was started in 1991 with one Christian and now has around 60 people attending services. It is family oriented with all ages present. Easy to understand Bible messages, friendship evangelism, and small group ministries are some of the key things you find in this exciting church plant.
The building was purchased in 1991 and has been renovated and enlarged as the numbers grew and needs changed. Land has also been purchased as needed. The latest purchase of 0.75 acres completes the 14-year-old dream of having enough land to meet future needs.
### Regular Meetings ###
* Sunday * 10.00am - adults' Sunday school meeting * 11.00am - Church service * 12:20pm - Children's Sunday School
* Wednesday * 1:30pm - Seniors meeting on the 1st & 3rd week
*Itayanagi Young_Life is a meeting place for the church kids and their friends. Our aim is to create a fun, warm environment for the students, so they can relax and learn more about God. We feel this is a vital ministry in our church as we seek to see the youth of the church develop into committed and maturing Christians, and reach out to their friends in evangelism. They meet every 2nd Friday 7-9pm.There are upwards of 20 small groups in the chapel for various ages and in different locations.
*English classes are regularly held at the various chapels as a way of connecting with the children and adults in the surrounding communities, as well as providing an opportunity to serve them. The English classes also serve as an opportunity to share the gospel with those who attend, and provide a link between them and the church