Valentine's Day

At this time of year in Japan the department stores and supermarkets fill with various chocolate goodies as Valentine's Day approaches. Here it is a little different as it is only the guys who receive chocolates on 14th February. The ladies get their turn a month later on White Day. All good business for the chocolate makers no doubt. While Valentine's Day may not be a time that is normally marked in churches round the world, some here have used this as an occasion for an outreach event. This year the younger folks in Izumi Church - JP and Nora along with Sambi - are planning a simple get together at the Kochs' home over lunch on 13th February. It will be very low-key with food, chat, making something together. Sambi has some friends that she is keen to invite. Wataru (who is studying the Bible with David and JP just now) will come too. As we were talking about dates, Sambi was keen to have something over lunch on the Sunday as then her friends could come along to the worship afterwards later in the afternoon. It's a real joy for us to see Sambi using her gifts, looking for opportunities to invite friends and especially being keen that they can come along to the worship too. How we long to have more believers like her and to be able to help them to grow and play their part in the building up of God's kingdom in Japan. We are looking forward to see what God will do this Valentine's Day. It was on that very day last year that Wataru first came to church - he only came because he was invited on that day but now he really enjoys being part of the fellowship and is edging closer to faith in Jesus. You just never know what God might use to draw someone to himself - even something like Valentine's Day!

Lonely lives

This is the time of year when statistics on population movements and various trends within society are published. However, last year also saw a national census in Japan and the results of the information collected are beginning to appear. Over recent years Japan has become known for a number of social issues which are a sad reflection of where things have got to for some in this land. The suicide problem is well-documented. The problem of the 'shut-ins' too is well-known - younger people who can spend months, even years, in their own room. Recently a new word has been coined ('kozoku') which combines the characters for 'lonely' and 'group'. In a society where so much happens in the context of the group, more and more are now living alone. It seems that in time the 'single-person household' could become the largest percentage of home dwellers. A good number will have no friends and not be in contact much with anyone else. Among the increasing number of elderly living alone, it was eye-opening to read about the number of people who die alone, and the average length of time it takes for those deaths to be discovered. It is a strange paradox that in a society where the group plays such a dominant role that so many can be so lonely. And it is a further paradox that in a land which comes up with the most hi-tech mobiles and gadgets imaginable that so many struggle to maintain even basic communication with others. There are surely huge opportunities for the churches here to reach the lost and lonely and help them find a family where each one is connected to Jesus who came not just to be our saviour, but also our friend.

Let it snow, let it snow

Today we discovered something. It seems Sapporo can be classed as the snowiest city in the world (counting major cities with a population of over 1 million). Snow is just a feature of life here from November through to March. An overnight snowfall sees an early morning stint of snow clearing outside so that people can walk along the pavement. The car needs to be cleared. Occasionally (like today), snow needs to be cleared off the flat roof. Everywhere you go snow is piled up at the side of the roads. Although the snow is cleared away now and again, the road surface gradually gets higher and higher with packed snow. The roads of course get narrower too as the snow mountains at the edge of the pavements encroach on the road. Sometimes you can have a milder day like today resulting in the snow on the roads becoming softer and the outcome can be large (and deep) ruts in the snow - fun to drive through (if you have winter tyres and four wheel drive) until it freezes again. But life goes on, just at a slightly slower pace and you always need to allow a bit more time to get from place to place. And of course it's great fun for the boys - and good exercise and a chance to meet the neighbours as everyone goes out at much the same time (often very early!) to get rid of the white stuff. We do enjoy (most of the time) living in the snowiest city in the world.

Coming of Age

Yesterday was Coming of Age Day in Japan. It is a public holiday and ceremonies are held up and down the country, from the smallest towns to more grand affairs at Tokyo Disneyland, when those who turned 20 in the past year mark their transition to adulthood. For each of the last few years the numbers of those 'coming of age' have reached a new record low and this year was no exception. However, this is the first year since statistics started to be gathered over 40 years ago that the number of 20 year olds has been less than 1% of the total population. Another sign of the ever-decreasing number of young people in a rapdily ageing population. It remains to be seen what impact the new generation of Japanese will have on a society where change does not tend to happen quickly. It will be fascinating to observe how things work out over the coming years and even better to be here to be part of it. And the changes in demographics present both challenges and opportunities for the church in Japan.

Looking forward

As we look out on 2011, we wonder what this year will bring in the life of Izumi Church. The challenges are many but so are the opportunities. In fact at times the challenge can be the opportunity. We have our dreams and our plans. But what is on God's agenda? The constant challenge is to be listening to God and moving at his pace and in line with where he would have us be and what he would have us do. Being involved in the early stages of a church plant is an exercise in patience. We long for more - now! While it has been great to have made contact with so many people over the last year and a half in Hiragishi and to have begun to build up trust relationships, our desire now is to see some of these people come through to faith and be added to our church. As we think and pray about our plans for the coming months as a team, we look to the Lord to guide us to the right path for us to follow and get the right balance between 'being' and 'doing'. Faith often involves risk. One of the issues we are wrestling with as OMF just now is that of reaching what we call 'neglected frontiers' - not just in terms of location but also groups and sub-cultures which are not reached with the gospel. Where does Izumi Church fit into all of this? What is our role? We look forward with expectancy to what the Lord will do in these coming months as we partner with him in taking the gospel to this area of Sapporo.

New Year Greetings

We have left behind the Year of the Tiger and now entered the Year of the Rabbit. There are lots of traditions around Japan on the first day of the New Year. People hang special decorations outside their homes, special food is eaten and the same greeting is repeated wherever you are - あけましておめでとうございます(Happy New Year). There is one custom here that you will not find in the west - sending New Year cards. Very few people here send Christmas cards but almost all will send a special postcard to family, friends and colleagues. Any one family may have hundreds to print, address and post. This is holiday time here but not for the postal workers - many extra volunteers are drafted in to deal with the volume of post at New Year time. Many of the cards are delivered on New Year's Day itself. People often include a family photo and there may something to do with a rabbit (or whatever the particular year is). Not everyone will send a card though. Those who have lost a relative during the preceding year will send a special card towards the end of November informing those who usually send them a New Year card that they are 'in mourning'. People will not then send a New Year's greeting card to that family. Many people will keep a list on their computer so they can maintain up-to-date records of those to receive a card so that no one is missed out. Greetings form a big part of Japanese culture so people are happy to spend the time and effort in making sure they pass on greetings at the outset of another year.