Sims Harold Lois 1986 Japan

Christian
"Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature" Mark 16:15
Volume 85
PATTONS'
NEWS
CHRISTMAS CAMP
The Christmas and New Year's season is
one of the busiest times of the year in
Japan, especially for churches and Chris
tians. Each year we try to plan a camp for
these holidays. But we have found that
people at that time of year have no more
leisure time to devote to a camp than they
do at other times.
We found the 1985 Christmas Camp held
on December 25-28 no exception to this
rule. Since duties, school excursions, and
school sessions held until December 29
prevented most people from attending the
camp, only five young people and 2 adults
registered for the camp. But all in all there
were 15 present at different times during
the camp.
Mr. Kanamura from the Kamiochiai
church, Tokyo, bought a turkey and pre
sented it to the camp. We added another
turkey to that plus all the other dishes of a
traditional American Christmas dinner on
the night of the 26th.
During the camp we again had our
version of a Bible Bowl - a contest on
answering previously submitted questions
on Acts chapter 3. Before camp Andrew
spent many weeks translating his English
copy of questions and answers on chapter
3. Mr. Taninari corrected the Japanese
copy and typed it to be copied and handed
out to each camper. One hour a day was
devoted to the study of the questions and
answers by the campers looking forward to
the last morning of the camp for the test.
Mrs. Leone Cole helped in the kitchen
and taught handcraft class in the after
noons. Each camper and the helpers made
Mrs. Leone Cole teaching handcraft at the
Christmas Camp.
January 86
a Christmas tree from old Christmas
cards, dowels, ribbons and styrofoam. The
campers disassembled their finished trees
and returned home with them.
Mr. Ishii, minister of the Kotesashi
church, Tokyo, brought the vespers
messages and Harold Sims and Paul Pratt
taught the morning Bible Classes.
Penny Boggs also helped in the kitchen.
One half hour before lunch she taught all
the memory verses which were set to
music. Beautiful harmony of 11 male
voices rang throughout the building. Four
of the high school boys were musicians -
piano, cello and violin and read music
well.
Campers learning memory work set to music.
The candlelight service, led by Mr.
Taninari on December 25, brought in 13
neighbors to worship with the camp group.
Later in the evening games and
refreshments were served. We were
thankful to declare again the message of
Christ to our unsaved friends, our
neighbors.
Christmas Candlelight service at Shinshu Bible
Camp.
The supreme blessing of a Christian
Camp experience is learning to know our
Saviour, Jesus Christ, better. We hope
Number 1
each of our campers did just that during
our 1985 Christmas Camp.
-Andrew Patton
CAMP COUNSEL
LOR'S MEETING
On October 19 the persons who were
chosen to be on the camp advisory com
mittee met in the home of Harold and Lois
Sims at Hachioji, Tokyo.
We had prepared beforehand reports on
the various phases of the camp activities --
financial, accomplishments during the
preceding year, a graph giving compari
sons of statistics with preceding years,
proposed projects for this year, and a
budget" and these reports were read to the
group and discussed with them. Bits of
helpful advice were inserted into the
discussions.
The reports revealed that there was an
increase in the number of campers in 1985
compared with 1984. In 1984 wehostedthe
Japan Missionary Convention, which
boosted the number slightly above that of
1985. The full capacity camps greatly
helped with the expenses of the annual
upkeep of the camp. At present about half
of the camp manager's salary is paid from
the camp funds and the taxes on the camp
(about $3800 annually because the local
authorities wouldn't give us tax-free
status) are paid from the Yotsuya Zaidan
funds.
A schedule for our 1986 camps was made
at the meeting and in relation to that a
discussion was held as to the availability
of teachers and helpers for the 1986 camp
year. Some of our regular teaching staff
and workers will be absent due to
furloughs and other reasons. So we will be
rather hard pressed to find enough leaders,
teachers and helpers for this year's camps.
Following the counsellor's meeting,
continued on page 2
1986 Shinshu Bible Camp Schedule
1. Spring Camp
2. Golden Week Camp
3. Work Week
4. University Camp
5. Study-Bible Camp
6. Nagoya Church
7. Moriguchi Church
8. Christmas Camp
March 26-29
May 3-5
July 14-24
July 25-27
August 11-15
August 2-3
September 13-15
December 25-28
Mr. Taninari, Dean
Mr. Harold Sims, Dean
Mr. Andrew Patton, Dean
Mr. P. Pratt - Mr. Hinson, Deans
Mr. Kensei Yokomizo, Dean
Mr. Yuse, Dean
Mr. Sugiyama, Dean
Mr. Andrew Patton, Dean
Other dates are being filled in by rental camps.
CAMP COUNSELLOR'S
MEETING continued from page 1
however, we were able to engage the
services ofBrotherKishimoto, a university
student, during his summer vacation and
he will help with outside work, leading and
teaching during camps and in any way his
services may be needed.
We anticipate a good and fruitful camp
year for 1986 and preparations for it are
already being made.
Andrew Patton
NOTES
On November 19 Joe Petron from Bryn
Mawr church, McKeesport, PA, came for a
short visit to the camp. (Joe and his wife
are teachers ofmusic in the public school in
PA.) Joe came to Japan to study the Suzuki
method of teaching violin with Mr. Suzuki
himself who is 87 years of age. The music
school is about a 90 minute drive through
the mountains from our camp. We met Mr.
Petron at a Warm Springs area at a bus
stop and brought him to camp for a grand
tour. Also we treated him to a Japanese
meal cooked at the table called
"yosenabe." While Joe studied at the
school he fellowshipped with missionaries
in the community and played for the
church services each Lord's Day. Also Joe
witnessed to many of his Japanese friends
while he was here. We thank the Lord that
Joe brought Christ with himwhen he came
on business.
On January first and second Mr. and
Mrs. Kensei Yokomizo came by train from
Yokosuka to be with us. Kensei is now the
Japanese minister of the Yokosuka
church and works with Jonathan Sims. We
spent an evening going over the old photos
we had of the 3 years that we worked with
Kensei at Yokosuka. We pray that Kensei
and his wife will be blessed as they work
together in the church. Kensei and his wife
will also be with us August 11-15 during
camp.
As we write this today, January 7,1986,
Andrew is celebrating his 38th year in
missionary work in Japan. We pray that
God will give him another few years to sow
the Seed here where it is needed.
On December 23 Noel, our oldest son,
called to say that Daniel Ray was born to
him and his wife Jamie. This makes the
third grandson that Betty hasn't seen.
Andrew has been fortunate to see all of
them but Daniel Ray.
Andrew and Betty celebrated their 33rd
wedding anniversary on December 20. No
celebration took place as they were
preparing for Christmas Camp.
- Betty Patton
INVITATIONS
On December 22 Mr. Taninari and
Andrew visited most of the homes in the
camp area. Cookies had been baked in the
Patton kitchen a few weeks before this
particular date. A plate of goodies, a
printed tract about the real Christmas, and
a special printed invitation was presented
to the households inviting them to the
candlelight service on December 25 at the
camp.
Before leaving the camp, we were
lamenting of having no special service
that Lord's Day for the Sunday School
children. But as each home was visited, we
quickly realized that there were no
children in the neighborhood. At last
someone revealed the fact that the school
was having a Christmas PARTY thatday.
Had we planned a special program at the
camp that day the attendance would have
been zero! Our regret was that the program
at the school would not be presenting
Christ, the Saviour of the world, but would
be a PARTY in every sense of the word.
We were thankful that the true
Christmas message reached the ears of a
few students of the school on Christmas
night here at camp along with mothers and
a grandmother.
" Betty Patton
JANUARY
"HELLO"
When January 1 arrives, all the people
you meet for the first time during the New
Year's holidays, you bow and say,
"Akemashite, Gozaimasu," (literally, the
new year has opened, congratulations).
Here in the neighborhood a meeting on
January 1 consisting of all paid members
of the local council meet together to give
each other this very important greeting.
Mr. Taninari's and Andrew's interest in
the group as members is truly to become a
"full-fledged" neighbor and to have
contact with the men of the community.
However, as is true of almost all of these
meetings in Japan, drinking monopolizes
the program. But orange juice was
provided for Andrew and Mr. Taninari at
the time of the toast. Mrs. Kanai, a
neighbor lady, had fixed a special sack
lunch of Japanese goodies for Andrew and
Mr. Taninari. Mr. Taninari was asked to
speak again this year.
Later the same day Mr. Takahashi, a 72
year old farmer, came to our home to visit.
Having had plenty to drink earlier in the
day, he became bold enough to enter our
home. He kept reassuring us that we
(Americans and Japanese) are human
beings and must be friends and visit one
another. We assured him that we would
visit his home soon. (It just so happened
that the Takahashis were out when we
visited the homes on December 22).
Mr. Takahashi is a man that drinks
every day of his life. He's no different from
any one of the other men we have met in
the neighborhood. It will take all the pow
er of the Gospel to transform his life and
theirs into a Christ-like life. He needs your
prayers and we need your prayers as we
take the Word to his home.
- Andrew Patton
SIMS' NEWS
WEDDING BELLS
IN OSAKA
H K.
Yokomizo-Hirokata Wedding
On November 23 (Japanese Thanks
giving Day) Kensei Yokomizo, who
graduated from a Tokyo University in the
field of engineering in 1981 and from
Osaka Bible Seminary in March 1985 and
is now serving as preacher at the church in
Yokosuka along with Jonathan Sims, was
married to Yoshie Hirokata, a member of
the Nakaburi Church in Osaka. Since her
graduation from a Junior College with an
English Language major several years ago
she has been working for 5 years as a
computer programmer there.
Harold, Lois and Jonathan Sims went
down to Osaka the previous evening and
enjoyed a short visit with the Martin
Clarks. The Yokomizo family left Tokyo
early in the morning of the wedding day,
and returned rather late that night as we
did.
The wedding was held in the chapel at
Osaka Bible Seminary, with Harold and
Lois Sims standing with the couple and
Prof. Saito performing the ceremony. A
large crowd of friends of the young people
attended, including all people connected
with the Seminary there. A reception was
held immediately following pictures in the
Sugano Hall at the Seminary, with her
home church preacher, Bro. Kimura,
serving capably as Master of Ceremonies.
All of the decorations and preparation of
the food that was served was very
beautifully done by some ladies from her
Nakaburi church and the Rokko church
where he served while a student, and these
people also gave some musical and verbal
greetings to the new couple as they start
their lives of ministry to Christ's church
together.
The homemade and heart-felt reception
was a good contrast to the very expensive
(averaging between 10 and 20 thousand
dollars according to the newspaper)
banquets and ceremonies being promoted
by "Wedding Palaces" in modern Japan,
and both families remarked about how
nice it was and how fitting the style was to
their "calling."
His father works at a farmer's
cooperative in the town next to their home
of Yokosuka. Her father is an insurance
man. Her mother died when she was 9
years old, but the father, who enjoys
cooking, did most of the housework and
held the family together. All members of
both immediate families attended,
although one of her father's sisters aiid her
husband are the only Christians in either
family. Part ofmy duty was to preside over
a formal meeting of the two families after
the ceremony where everyone was
introduced to the others and all made brief
congratulatory speeches. I took the
occasion to make a little speech about its
being an honor to have one of thefamily in
the service of God and the chmch and
trying to get all of them to understand and
accept the meaning of the Christian
ceremony and the ideal of a Christian
home and family.
- Harold Sims
NEW YEAR'S DAY
WORSHIP
The newspapers reported that about 80
million Japanese people - 2/3 of the entire
population - went to some nearby Temple
or Shrine to pray for good fortune during
this new year on one of the first 3 days. I
feel tempted to make some comments
about what this indicates about the
religious situation, evangelism and daily
life and customs in Japan, but will leave
that aside for now.
Several years ago it occurred to me that
we ought to take advantage of the oppor
tunity offered by this cultural propensity to
be religious at the start ofa newyear, so we
always have a worship service at 1:00 PM
on 1/1. In contrast to the milling crowds at
the usual places, we had 19 people here.
There were 6 couples. Some ofthe men may
not be back many times during the year,
but on that day they were dressed in suits
and ties and participated in all the acts of
worship, including reciting the Apostle's
Creed together. Also some children were
here. Each one received a small card with a
promise from God's Word written on it, and
we all greeted one another with the
traditional Japanese greeting, "It has
opened up! Congratulations! L^st year I
enjoyed your good favor, and beg you to be
well-disposed toward me during this year
also."
This is the year oftheTiger, accordingto
the Oriental zodiac system. "The animal is
not native to Japan, and is looked upon
with some dread. Girls bom in this year
sometimes find it difficult to marry and
sometimes lie about their birthdayto cover
it. Here at Mejirodai we have adopted a
rather contrasting theme, "Year of the
Servant."
FIFTH-SUNDAY
RALLY AT MINATO
On Dec. 29 in the early evening the final
worship service of the year for all ofus was
held at the Minato Church of Christ. The
church was packed with a few people from
many of our churches in the greater Tokyo
area making a good group. There were 2
short messages and some very special
music in that a new song with words
written by Stephen lijima and music
written by the church organist there (Mr.
Kawaguchi) was introduced. It was a fine
way to end what was a very richly blessed
year of our Lord.
WINTER VISITOR
(I became used to this term over 40 years
ago when we lived in Florida).
Miss Evelyn James, from the Columbus,
Ohio area, and a friend of Helen Sims since
their school days, is teaching English for a
year in a school operated by an indepen
dent, non-denominational Japanese
minister in a small town of Fukushima
Prefecture, about 200 miles north ofTokyo.
The New Year holiday week provided her
the first opportunity to take a few days off
and come for a visit to our home.
In the past she has studied at New York
Christian Institute, worked with "Go Ye"
Chapel, studied and graduated and worked
as a nurse.
During her time with us she was able to
attend our morning worship Dec. 29 and
the 5th Sun. Rally at Minato church that
evening and also see the Yokosuka and
Isehara churches. Because we had a New
Year get-together of our missionaries on
Jan. 3, she was able to meet most of our
group working in this part of Japan. We
were sorry she didn't get a chance to see
any of the famous sights in downtown
Tokyo, but she didn't seem disappointed.
Her work has been somewhat different
from and more difficult than she expected
because of not knowing Japanese
language and the consequent communica
tion gaps, the poorly heated buildings in a
very cold area, the heavy work load and
other things, but she has had some good
experience.
More and more such "tent-making"
types of employment opportunities are
opening up for young people who want to
see the world and witness for Christ in
other lands. But everyone considering
such should prepare for unexpected things
to happen and nurture a will full of faith
and obedience, a head full of humor and
common sense and a heart full of love and
understanding.
- Harold Sims
CHRISTMAS
REFLECTIONS
- WHEN
- during November we print, address and
mail out over 400 Christmas greetings to
churches and individuals in the United
States (by boat to halve the postage costs)
and before December 15 we address and
mail almost 200 of the same English
language letters to missionary co-workers,
Japanese Christians and various other
friends up and down this island chain with
whom we seldom have face-to-face contact
for news sharing;
- we feel "caught-up" on correspondence
for a brief period of time;
- over a 3 week period the post-man
delivers 126 Christmas Cards and Family
Letters from fnends in both U.S. and
Japan;
~ Harold gets 4 or 5 boxes ofchocolates and
Lois tries to hide them;
~ on the afternoon of Dec. 6 alone we spend
about 300 dollars on gifts for our various
Bible and English classes, attendance
prizes, teacher gifts and treats for our
Sunday School and then about 200 dollars
at the Kinokuniya Supermarket for
groceries;
~ almost every other day during the month
of December we have some kind ofparty or
special Christmas-related activity in our
schedule ~ including attending 3 evenings
of wonderful music by various orchestras
and choruses;
~ Harold decides on Sat. afternoon Dec. 14
to cut down the tall fir tree in our yard that
blew down in last summer's typhoon and
was still loose at the roots and slowly djdng
and use the top of it for our tree this time;
~ after finally cutting it down, he got it into
the back door ofthe house but it was too big
to turn the corner into the living room, and
also too big to back up, so Lois advised
taking it straight out through the wash
room and around the house and putting it
through the large window;
~ dragging the tree with 6 ft. diameter
branches through our narrow wash-room
left a mess of small green needles from the
tree and most of the soap, empty jars,
grocery bags, work gloves, flower vases
and other things that accumulate in such
rooms on the floor, just as if another
typhoon had passed through;
~ we finally got the tree into the living
room, found it was too tall and had to cut
off the top 2 times ~ covering the carpet
with nice-smelling damp sawdust;
~ we stayed up until late that night putting
lights, 30 year old balls, 10 year old icicles
and tinsel on the tree and cleaning up the
mess;
~ we remarked that we "old folks" had the
biggest and best tree in all our 30+
Christmases in Japan and yet there were
none of our children or grandchildren here
to share the joy of it. But many of our
neighbors, friends and family in Christ
oohed and aahed over it daily;
~ the Jr. and Sr. High School students
stayed after the morning worship service
and helped decorate the church, using up a
roll of scotch tape and everything left in
the boxes and putting gaudy things on the
rubber tree;
~ two students of Tama Art College spend
over 20 hours (most of3 days) paintinga 12
ft. square paper mural of the manger scene
for the background of our stage for the
services of the season and 2 plays;
~ one of the neighbors loans us a genuine,
long-used "Manger" (really a heavy, round
wooden tub, worn in places by horse and
cow tongues) and a bundle of straw to put
on the stage for realism, and little pieces of
the straw are scattered all over house and there.)
church for 2 weeks;
- urged on by a special sale advertisement, the kitchen baked 3 turkeys, 100 potatoes,
wedecide to replace our 13-year-old ISinch and 7 pumpkin pies, 5
TV with a new 19 inch one that can be church came f .
connected to a video-recorder player and turkeys and chop a wash-tub full of - we go 5 hours by train up to cold and
that is capable of receiving bi-lingual cabbage for slawand then 85peopleare fed white Nagano Prefecture to attend 24
- hours of the Shinshu Christmas Camp
with 4 of our Mejirodai boys, Jonathan, the
in Japan to do this) for this year s gifts to special Christmas worship service; Puttons and others on Dec. 26, 27,
1 (Our average for the year was 27 adults
- 2days beforethe man comestoinstall the and 3 children.);
new things a parcel service delivers a - among the visitors at the church
Sanyo video and a phone call from Christmas service were an old friend we
Jonathan that night informs us that this is hadn't seen for years and his wife in
the joint Christmas gift from our 5 children church for the first time, a high school girl
who want to send us video tapes from the just back from 3 years in the U.S., and
homes there and want us to send them several couples of whom at least 1 are not
some from here;
" we manage
- Lois during 3 days of "Martha work" in
broadcasts, and to finally buy an Hitachi lunch on Dec. 22;
VHS video (probably the last missionary .. têre were 68 adults and 17 children in
each other;
Christians;
who understands the finer things of life; hospitalization;
" Bro. Akada, preacher at the Onta
Church, calls to inform us of his father's
death; he seems to be overflowing with
thankfulness and even joy.
" 36 people attend the candle service and
carol singing on Christmas Eve. Some of
them are in a church for the first time, and
most are not our regular members;
- Ole Daddy agrees to pay the bill later and
from"thrNakano phone for about an hour;
church for many years when we lived - 60 regular students and some visiting
children, 20 parents and 8 teachers enjoy a
good Sunday School program (2plays and
xuu puxaxuco, varied music) on the night ofDec 25, and
hx h-3, and 2ladies from the children received prizes for attending
for one day to help her stuff over 40 Sundays ofthe year.
THEN YOU KNOW
THIS MUST BE
CHRISTMAS!
This is always the busiest and best time
of the year for us, and I have a habit of
J.Q yi(jeQ paj-t Qf thg -- Mrs. Muraki is back after an enforced saying this was the best oneever. Wehave
previous order without offending anyone absence of 6 months because of her triedthrough theabove words torecord for
or extra cost becausethe salesman was one husband's long, serious illness and you a little of the atmosphere and activity
_ ; around here lately. But we all know that
" the young people manage the program the above is merely a human celebration,
arrangements and preparations, the gift The real meaning of it all is that The Word
/eriiowina wiin exchange, and then put on a little skit as Became Flesh. And we have beheld His
Shortly before P^^t of the afternoon program and then go glory, as of the only Son ofGod -- full of
his father died, and aftermany years of 2 <2 ^coffee-shop for ashort time '
disinterest in religion, opposition to his together after all is over,
son's decision to enter the ministry and -- two whole families take part in the
Osaka Bible Seminary about 25years ago, musical program - parents and children
and then a very slow opening of heart and participating and performing together on
mind to the things of God and some instruments;
attendance at special meetings in the .. ^^g parentsofthe young ladybaptized in
church where his son preached and at September, the parents ofan Englishclass
monthly home Biblestudies in the homeof student, our vegetable man and other non-
the daughter (nowa Christian) with whom Christians send offerings to the church;
they have lived for their retirement years,
he made a clear statement to the family
and friends of his faith in Christ as Son of
God and the Savior of the world, and of
repentance for his sins and failures and
prayed for forgiveness and eternal life.
(Mr. Akada had run a kimono dying shop
right around the corner L v'..^ I".
of great joy.
" Harold Sims
Home Bible Study Group
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wardingAgent: Mrs.Iîs Hessler, POBox287,
Meadville, PA 16335.
Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Patton, 571-1 Innaihara,
Mochizuki Shi, Kitasaku Gun, Nagano Ken,
Japan 384-22. Forwarding Agent: Mr. and Mrs.
G. Wade Fletcher, Rt. 6, Box 15, Rushville, IN
46173.
Mr. and Mrs. Harold Sims, 3-33-7 Mejirodai,
Hachioji-shi, Tokyo 193 Japan. Forwarding
Agent First Church of Christ, 315 E. Orange
Ave., Eustis, FL 32726-4194.
Two year subscription
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Christian
Volume 85
PATTONS'
NEWS
SPRING CAMP
Again we rejoice and praise the Lord
for another camp year here at Shinshu
Bible Camp. Our goals continue to be
the same:
1. to reach those who have need of
salvation,
2. to strengthen the Christians and
help them grow in Christ,
3. to have better Christ-centered pro
grams for all camps during 1986.
At the annual camp meeting in Tokyo
in October 1985, the Pattons again made
known their plan to give scholarships to
the Spring campers to encourage the Jr.-
Sr. High students and university
students to attend the camp, March 26-
29, 1986. At that time we had no idea of
the drastic dollar-yen exchange rate
difference that would occur before time
for the 1986 camp. However, a generous
offering at the year's end from a former
fellow-student at CBS made the scholar
ship fund easily available. So the
advertisements for the Spring Camp
read, "two thousand yen discount
($11.42) to each camper who registers
before March 20." We were thrilled to
pay the scholarship for 26 of the 33
campers that attended Spring Camp.
Seven did not qualify as they were part-
time campers or registered after the
March 20th deadline.
Mr. Taninari, camp manager, served
as Dean and teacher of the camp and
was assisted by Mr. Kishimoto, a uni
versity student from the Tanabe church.
Harold Sims, Mr. Ishii, preacher of the
Kotesashi church and David Cole served
as teachers also. Mrs. Leone Cole and
Betty served as cooks and dining room
help for the group of 40.
Among the 33 campers there were 8
new ones, mostly from David Cole's area
which is about 45 minutes from the
camp. A Catholic exchange student from
Australia was also among the campers.
There were eleven Christians, one third
of the group. Five of these gave their
testimony on Friday evening to encour
age their unsaved friends to become His.
We ask that you be in prayer for those
April 1986
Shingo who was baptized 2 years ago at camp gives
his testimony during Spring Camp.
from David Cole's area as he and his
family will be leaving for a year's
furlough in May. Classes will be taken
over by another missionary in their
area.
To assist the teachers as well as the
students, the Pattons purchased the set
of video tapes on Luke. Previous to this
time the set of tapes sold for over $1400
($1=174 yen). A few months ago the price
was $560 as they were done by another
group. So we were able to purchase the
set. (Genesis is also available for the
same price now and we hope to purchase
it in the future.) During the Spring
Camp the tapes on Luke 22, 23, and 24
were shown previous to the class period
each morning. The students seemed to
enjoy them and the teachers could get
the message across easier to the student.
The video Bible tapes were a first at the
camp. We're thankful for them and for
the VCR that Mr. and Mrs. Buttray left
here when they retired from the field.
During the winter camp we learned
that "unguided" free time must be held
to the very minimum. So "relaxation
and fellowship" time was time for choral
singing using "Seek Ye First," "Sing
Hallelujah to the Lord" and "Easter
Lily." Since there was about an equal
number of male and female voices, four
part harmony was heard loud and
strong.
One afternoon was to be devoted to ice
skating. But only indoor skating was
available due to warm weather and the
rink was rented out for the day. So a trip
to a nearby mountain provided for a hike
and snowball fight on top. A rainy after
noon was perfect for making wooden
postcards, a novel form for painting on
wood your message in picture form. A
few took on a religious message, others
were of famous cartoon characters along
with a perfect copy of "Coca Cola" script
Number 2
writing. Time was set aside for Bible
drama practice. The girls presented the
burial, and Luke 24 on Friday evening.
The boys presented the denial of Peter,
prayer in the garden, arrestofJesus and
trials of Jesus. During the dramas, a
deep snow fell outside frosting all the
trees and landscapes making it a "white
Good Friday." Saturday morning the
young people still enjoyed snow before
returning to their homes.
Mr. Ishii and David Cole brought
evening messages on II Cor. 12:9,10, the
theme for the camp. With these
messages, the present number one
problem facing the Japanese students
was discussed on Saturday morning in a
group session with Mr. Taninari
leading. Since January of this year, 10
or 11 students have committed suicide in
this country. These deaths have been
the result of "ijime," school bullying,
from other students and corporal
punishment by teachers. Some teachers
were involved with students in having a
mock funeral for a student. The student
committed suicide and left this note
behind: "I don't want to die but it's like
living in hell to go on like this." He was
13 and went to a school near our former
home in Tokyo. We pray that the
campers learned that they should not be
a party to such practices as bullying and
that if they are a victim of such they can
lean on the Lord and have strength in
time of distress and persecution if they
first obey His commandments.
We pray that there will be fruit from
the Spring Camp as each one goes back
to study God's word more in the Bible
classes. Each young person is so
precious in His sight and are needed for
witnesses here in Japan, to their own
family and to their friends.
"Andrew Patton
Spring Camp. Front row; Mr. Ishii, exchange
student, David Cole, Harold Sims, Mr. Kishimoto.
"IJIME"
(Bullying) and Schools
In Japan in 1985, sixty-eight percent
of the middle schools in Japan had
reported serious bullying cases. Some
victims were those who could not keep
up academically and some who were in
some way different. Much of this
problem is a result of rapid population
growth and drift to the cities and living
in small apartments in urban areas.
In the schools classes of 45 or more are
taught facts and figures so that a 12 year
old will pass the middle school entrance
exam, the 15 year old will pass the high
school entrance exam and that the 18
year old will pass the university en
trance exam. Government officials are
studying the whole education system
and the "examination hell" system.
Before the war the Emperor gave the
moral standards to the people. At the
conclusion of the war, he denied his
diety and now Japan has only foreign
religions (Confucius and Buddha) and
no god of their own. This has caused
confusion in this culture.
The Prime Minister says the schools
need to tighten up on already severe
rules for behavior and dress in the
schools and not look for new forms of
punishment. Some think that the Prime
Minister wants to again foster national
ism in schools. Already in some schools
a ceremony every morning and after
noon requires students and faculty to
pay respect to the flag and the national
anthem. On the island of Okinawa very
few schools pay anyrespect to the flag or
anthem.
At present some teachers are forbid
den to talk with parents. Also large
classes prevent a warm teacher-student
relationship. We all know that where
there's no communication, there's
bound to be problems.
One school gives each student a book
that must be carried at all times. The
book states the time to arise in the
morning, safe route to school and tasks
to be accomplished in the school room
before class starts (cleaning etc.).
Also directions for the students' time
after school and at home are outlined.
But the school has had 3,000 violations
in 6 months. However, at no point was
corporal punishment used, but correc
tive guidance was given.
Middle school teachers are rated by
the number of students they are able to
prepare for entrance into the prestigious
high schools. Some teachers are
tempted to turn on the weaker students
when they become fhistrated. This lays
the ground work for the students to start
bullying the under-achiever and can
cause the person to commit suicide. The
police have been called in to stop some of
the bulljdng. But this is not an answer
nor does it prevent bullying.
Hot lines have been set up on radio,
TV, and at police headquarters for the
students and parents to call in and re
veal cases of bullying and offer suggest
ions to help deal with the problem.
Of course we who are Christian hold
the answer for each one concerned in
this juvenile crisis -- Christ. Now to be
able to get the message out to these
young people, parents and teachers
remains a gpreat task. As the school rules
get more rigid, time and permission to
come to camp and Bible studies will be
made more difficult for the students to
arrange. As we look forward to the May
camp for families and the August camp
for students, we pray that each will
know that Christ is his answer to all
things. Perhaps we Christians, too,
need to be reminded! -Andrew Patton
1986 CAMP SCHEDULE
At present we have 14 different camps
slated with a promise of over 500 in
attendance. It will be a full time job with
6 camps succeeding one another and
running full capacity. Mr. Kishimoto
from the Tanabe church will do his part-
time summer work here at the camp
instead offinding work elsewhere for the
summer vacation. Two of our boys,
Philip and Stephen, plan to be dis
charged from 6 years of navy duty in the
Atlantic, Mediterranean and South A-
merica areas, and come "home" after
July 15th for a few weeks to help with
camp work before returning to civilian
life in the States. Our last short visit
with them since their leaving their nest
in 1977 and 1979 was a few days in 1982.
So with these 3 helpers we will be staffed
to serve each camp well.
RENEWAL OF BIBLE
STUDY CLASS
In January efforts were made to revive
the Saturday-Sunday Bible classes for
students. A meeting with some students
took place February 1 to determine the
time of meeting. Saturday from 3-4 was
the hour chosen. Since then the class
has met regularly at the Taninaris'
home in their straw mat floor room.
When the weather warms up the meet
ing will be at the camp building. We're
happy to have 8 or 9 come regularly to
study the Word again. Hopefully others
will come as the new school year has
begun (April 2). -Andrew Patton
TANINARI - PATTON
Mr. Taninari leaves camp one Satur
day each month after Bible class and
travels by train to Tokyo to preach at the
Machida church on Sunday. Usually
that Sunday is also the day for the
Tokyo area preachers' meeting and he
represents the camp work when he
attends.
Andrew hasn't been able to receive
proper medicine and/or proper dosage
to get over a spell of irregular heart beat
since January. The doctors say it isn't a
serious problem but he's not up to power
to accomplish all the things he wants to.
In the meantime he has read several
volumes of the Millenial Harbinger
and done a lot of studying of the Word
with help of encyclopedias etc. He
and Mr. Taninari take turns at preach
ing every other Lord's Day (in Japanese).
All the camp signs along the roads fell
down this Spring. So Andrew has re
painted and repaired the signs and will
soon cut new posts to put the signs back
up.
We were fortunate this winter as Betty
and Mr. Taninari only had to shovel
snow once. Another time a bull-dozer
working nearby came in with a snow
blade and cleared the camp road for us.
It was a cold, cold winter but little snow
fell until March! Temperatures stayed
in the teens and low twenties for 3
months. Now we are looking forward to
Spring and cherry blossoms.
-Andrew Patton
CHANGE
We feel kind of bare here at the camp.
Along the entrance road to the camp, the
neighbor cut down his hillside of trees
that adjoined our land. Also the camp
land between the camp building and the
camp house only goes up a hill a short
way. The owner also cleared all above
that area of trees. It is true that it makes
our area lighter, but will also make it
hotter in the summer as well as wetter
during the rainy season.
We were told 2 years ago that the main
road leading to the camp road would
have major repairs done to it by April
1986. That seemed like a long way off
then. But sure enough the Spring
campers came in on the newly paved
road much to their delight!
There's much work to be done inside
the camp building and on the grounds.
So from this month on Mr. Taninari and
the Fattens will work on different
projects, looking forward to work week
when a crew can help put the finishing
touches on all projects (July 14-24).
-Andrew Patton
NEWS ITEMS
We have written before about Bill and
Akemi Belew, former members of the
Yokosuka church and now missionaries
in Niigata area. Akemi's father, 53, has
a muscle disease and is permanently
hospitalized. We ask prayers for him,
his wife and younger daughter who are
not Christians. We pray that God will
use this time to work in their hearts and
to cause them to become His children.
Bill Owens, last year's helper in camp,
will be married in June. He and his bride
will continue to live in Joplin and Bill
will continue his schooling at OCC. He
plans to preach and take some courses
after gnraduating to prepare his life for
the ministry. -Andrew Patton
SIMS' NEWS
GROWTH AT
KOTESASHI
Three years ago this April efforts
began to start a new church in the
rapidly developing new city of
Kotesashi. This place is in the edge of
Saitama Prefecture, but definitely a part
of suburban Tokyo. It began when the
Seibu Railway Company decided to
build a station and housing develop
ment in the middle of some flat farm
land along their right of way going out
toward Hanno city and the Chichibu
mountains. The Seibu conglomerate
also includes some large department
stores and one of the top baseball teams
in Japan. The Seibu Lion's Stadium is
not far away and eventually the main
company offices will move to a place
beside the station. Already the area is
full of multi-story apartment buildings
and many private homes and
businesses.
The Bill Turner missionary family
was renting a house in this area, partly
because it was located a convenient
distance from the Christian Academy
where most of the missionary children
get their schooling, and they soon
noticed that there were few churches in
this area and began making zealous
efforts to get a work going through
various English classes, and other
meetings and visiting. But they needed
a Japanese to do the preaching and take
the leadership of the church they hoped
to see develop.
In March of 1983 Akira Ishii gradua
ted from the Tokyo Christian College, an
interdenominational school for training
Christian workers. He and his wife were
members of our Arakawa Church of
Christ (she had lived right across the
narrow street from the front door of the
church and went to Sunday School from
the time she was a small child.) At great
financial struggle and sacrifice (she
taught organ lessons) they had trained
themselves for just such an opportunity
to serve the Lord, and they agreed to
work with the Turners on this project.
The Turners were renting a small
store and living-quarters near the
Station for their classes, and they could
continue that, but they could not pay the
necessary salary for the Ishii family.
(They had a little girl. Now they also
have a son.) So a number of us other
missionaries and some of the Japanese
churches in the area agreed to contribute
some money each month for the
evangelist's salary for the first few
years.
Soon after they started services a
porno shop opened next door, and they
decided to move from there and found
another place on the second floor of a
building about the same walking
distance from the station on the opposite
side. Also a modest apartment was
found for the Ishii family not far from
the meeting place.
They have continued prayerfully and
zealously to distribute tracts, have
various special meetings, advertise and
of course keep up a program of regular
services and home Bible studies. And
the Lord has given growth.
Some weeks ago Bro. Ishii sent a
report to the regular supporters of the
work, modestly noting the progress over
the past 3 years and appealing for
prayer and outside support to continue
for another year or two. Here, briefly,
are the main points:
1. There have been 14 baptized since
the work began.
2. There was a big drop in financial
support when the Turners left on fur
lough last summer. They had been
paying the total rent on the apartment
and meeting place, and some toward the
preacher's salary. The Dale Wilkinson
family is now working with this church,
but they are not able to support it
financially to the extent that the
Turners did. Also one of the Japanese
laymen who had contributed heavily
(member of Arakawa church) had to
stop his support because of circum
stances.
3. The local Kotesashi congregation
is now contributing 1/3 to 1/2 of the
total cost of maintaining the work -- rent,
salary, printing, teaching materials, etc.
4. The present meeting place has
become too small for the average
Sunday morning worship attendance to
sit comfortably. The room, counting a
small entrance and toilet is only 324 sq.
ft. So they have given notice (6 months
as required by contract) that they will
leave the present place in June.
We ask all of you who read this to join
us in prayer that a better, bigger meeting
place may be found for this church in an
area noted for high real estate prices.
The local people are looking for
something in faith that the Lord will
provide. -Harold Sims
EASTER AT MEJIRODAI
On Palm Sunday we had a heavy, wet
and very destructive snow about a foot
deep here. It collapsed a good number of
carports and sheds in our neighborhood
and a porno theater roof in our down
town area, but the church building and
our house suffered no damage - only
some tree limbs in our yard broke off. In
view of the weather, we were thankful
for the attendance of 18 at worship, even
though it was the smallest so far this
year.
At 6 a.m. on Resurrection Sunday we
had a small gathering in our local park
under a cold gray sky. Then during the
Sunday School hour we had our yearly
Primary Class on Promotion Day (Easter) in
Mejirodai Church.
promotion ceremony for the Sunday
School children (school year begins in
April here) along with a special
emphasis on the meaning of the day. At
the worship service we had 40 adults and
4 children. The Ladies Chorus sang
special music, and there was one lady
baptized. She is a housewife who began
coming to our meetings about 10 months
ago and recently began singing in the
chorus which practices every Monday
morning.
Harold Sims baptizing Mrs. Shindo at Mejirodai.
Kume Sayhri singing at community Resurrection
gathering on roof of Hachioji Station building.
In the afternoon we had an outdoor
service on the 10 story high roof of our
new Station Building for the general
public, sponsored by most of the
churches of Hachioji. This year Mr. and
Mrs. Kume were to have the special
music for this occasion. They are both
members here, and she used to be a
popular song-writer and singer.
There were no chairs down there, so all
churches were to take folding chairs.
Five of our young men ate a quick light
lunch of boiled eggs, rolls, potato chips,
etc. that Lois had prepared and then
helped load our 50 chairs into the back of
my light van and took them down to the
building. Because of our special
trucking purpose, we were able to get a
special parking place. The boys also
helped bring the chairs back down and
put them back in place in the church
later in the afternoon.
The weather was cool and threatening
rain all afternoon, but it held off until
after it was over. In spite of the weather
Part of crowd Easter Sunday afternoon.
there was an attendance of over 500
people, including a number from our
local church. One high school girl from
Mejirodai went forward at the invitation
after a powerful sermon by Mr. Hattori
who is the preacher for the popular
Pacific Broadcasting Association
program Word of Life, and we are sure
she will be baptized soon.
Our son Jonathan attended the Fifth-
Sunday Rally of our churches down at
Isehara and then came for a 2-day visit
with us - first we had seen himin about 6
weeks. So it was a good day.
"Harold Sims
SPRING CAMP
Five of "our boys" on the way to camp.
We had 6 boys and 7 girls go up to
Shinshu Camp during the spring vaca
tion this year. Five of them are Jr. High
School students, and the rest are Sr.
High. I had not seen two of the girls
until the day we left for camp, because
they were friends of our youth who had
been invited by our rather active youth
group. Among the 13 from here, 5 have
already been baptized, and we hope that
others will make that decision one of
these days. In some cases parental
warding Agent; Mrs, Lois Hcssler, PO Box 287,
Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Patton, 571-1 Innaihara,
0. Wade Fletcher, Rt. 6, Box 15, Rushville, IN
46173,
Agent: First Church of Christ, 315 E. Orange
Ave., Eustis, FL 32726-4194.
Two year subscription $.50
Subscription and Flaming Torch $1.00
Tokyo Christian
(No. 776-320)
Published four times a year in January. April,
Church of Christ, Cunningham Mission, Tokyo,
Road, Knoxvilie, TN 37920-9731. Second Class
postage paid at Knoxvilie. TN 37901-2427.
Box 2427, Knoxvilie, TN 37901-2427.
Students at camp forming
words "Love of Jesus" (in
Japanese).
opposition is a
big blockade,
but not in all.
They joined o-
ver 20 others of
the same age
group at the
camp. Snow
still covered the
ground up there,
so all probably
enjoyed most
the short snow
ball fights.
"Harold Sims
SIMS PLANNING
FURLOUGH
Harold and Lois Sims went to the U.S.
briefly just last summer with a group of
Japanese Christians, as reported in both
this paper and the Christian Standard.
But we do not count that as a "furlough."
The last one of those was back in 1982.
So we are planning another short one for
this summer, and looking forward to it.
Because Harold serves as the preacher
at a local church and also teaches part-
time at a local high school, they cannot
be away from Japan longer than about
two months, which always makes it a
rush trip.
Here is a brief outline ofthe trip we are
planning. Not all speaking appoint
ments are confirmed, and not all are
mentioned here.
July 3 Tokyo to Cincinnati, Ohio
July 5-11 Indianapolis, Indiana National
Missionary and North American
Christian Conventions. Harold is
to speak there on Thursday a.m.,
July 10. We will be at booth 118.
July 12-17 Visit with daughter Hope and family
in Kendailvilie, Indiana
July 13 a.m. So. Miiford Church of Christ
p.m. Garrett Church of Christ
July 16 p.m. Buchanan, Michigan Church
of Christ
July 18-22 Visit son Daniel in Belleville, Michi
gan
July 23-28 Western Pennsylvania. Visit Lois'
sister Norma and Stanley and
Mabel Buttray
July 27
July 29
July 31-
Aug. 1
Aug. 3
Aug. 5-8
Aug. 6
Aug. 10
Aug. 13
Aug. 17
Aug. 20
Aug. 24
Aug. 31
Sept. 2-5
a.m. First Christian Church, Turtle
Creek, Pennsylvania
p.m. First Christian Church,
Chester, West Virginia
Wilmington, Delaware. Visit
Harold's sister Margaret
Maryland. Visit Lois' sister Dorothy
First Christian Church, Charlottes-
ville, Virginia
Visit Harold's brother Ralph
First Christian Church, Johnson
City, Tennessee
Northside Church of Christ, Newport
News, Virginia
Christian Church, Bainbridge,
Georgia
a.m. Englewood Christian Church,
Jacksonville, Florida
p.m. First Church ofChrist, Eustis,
Florida
p.m. Central Christian Church, St.
Petersburg, Florida
White Oak Christian Church, Cin
cinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati area.
Markle, Indiana. Faith-Promise
Rally
First Christian Church, Napa, Cali
fornia
Return to Tokyo
We will be with daughter Sylvia and
family at the NMC/NACC and will be
using one of their family cars for the trip
from Indianapolis all around and back
to Chicago on September 6. Then Sylvia
and her family plan to visit Japan
during the summer of 1987, which will be
the 40th year since our arrival in Japan.
Sylvia wants her children to see and feel
her "roots" and they want to help in the
work of Christ here in Japan during next
summer - especially husband Dave.
During our absence from Japan,
Motonobu Ikeda, a third year student for
the ministry at Osaka Bible Seminary
and youngest son of the preacher at the
church on Tanegashima Island, will live
in our house and preach here at
Mejirodai.
We ask your prayers for us both as we
prepare for this trip to the U.S. and the
Convention Message, and during our
many miles of travel. And we would like
to have brief visits with as many of you
as possible along the way.
"Harold and Lois Sims
Selore you move, please send the mailing label below, along wiin a copy o' your new address to
MISSION SERVICES ASSOCIATION. P O Bo* 2427. Knoxvilie, TN 37901-2427
Form 3579 Requested, PO Box 2427, Knoxvilie, Tennessee 37901-2427.
SIMS TOKYO MISSION
Harold & Lois Sims
MISSIONARY SERVICE:
First arrived in Tokyo Nov. 15, 1947.
1948-50 lived in Mikawashijm district
helped restart the pre-war churc!
people) there.
1948-58 taught 3 days a week in Tokyo Bible
Seminary until it was closed.
1950-66 lived in Nakano and led in establish
ing a church there.
1966-68 taught part-time in Cincinnati Bible
College.
1968-69 served as pastor of Sannobara church in
Isehara while Paul Pratt family was on furlough.
1969-70 took care of work begun by John Kach-
elimyer. In late 1969 the portion of the lot
at Nakano where their house had stood was sold
to a neighbor and in 1970 the proceeds of that
sale was used to buy a lot and build a house
and chapel in a hew housing development called
Mejirodai in western Tokyo.
1970 until present Missionary church planter.
The church now has 40 rrembers.
All of Harold's preaching for the past 35 years
has been in Japanese except when before American
audiences.
HAROLD SIMS
ji - 7-
-36-
and
(Korean
Christian
"Go ye into ail the world and preach the gospel to every creature" Mark 16:15
Volume 85
July 1986
Number 3
40 YEARS IN POST-WAR TOKYO
The Cunningham Mission in January 1946. Front L. to R.
Samuel Saunders, Mrs. Emily Cunningham, Becky Saunders,
Emily Saunders. Standing L. to R. Owen Still, Harold Sims,
Andrew Patton.
Forty years is a long time, a full generation. Because of the
number of times the figure appears in the Scriptures, it takes
on an added depth of meaning and makes us pause to consider
the providence and goodness of God. This has been a time of
peace and unprecedented economic growth, prosperity and
power for Japan. It has also brought an historically rare and
welcome period of democracy, political stability and freedom
to preach and practice any religion or no religion. We are
happy to have been called to live and work in Japan during
this time. We are sorry that the growth of Christ's Church in
Mo./Yr. Event
1/46 Samuel Saunders resigns as minister at Scottdale,
PA and begins traveling to raise support for the
Mission.
1/46 Mr. Owen Still begins preparations to return to
Japan from work with Japanese and others in
eastern Oahu, Hawaii.
1/46 Harold Sims and Andrew Patton begin weekend
speaking on behalf of the Mission while continu
ing graduate studies at Cincinnati Bible Seminary.
3/46 Mrs. Cunningham receives the first letter from a
U.S. Chaplain about the situation in Tokyo.
7/46 Sam Saunders begins editing the Tokyo
Christian.
1/47 Markle, Indiana; Newport News, Virginia; and
Eustis, Florida pledge living-link support to
Harold Sims.
1/47 Owen Still goes from Hawaii to Japan under U.S.
Military auspices to inspect property of Christian
Churches.
1/47 Andrew Patton goes to Hawaii to continue Still's
work.
3/47 Harold Sims and Lois Lutton are married in Turtle
Creek, PA. Her home church and First Christian
Church in Charlottesville, VA pledge her living-
link support.
4/47 M/M H. Sims arrive in Hawaii to cooperate in
Still's work.
6/47 Mrs. Cunningham returns to Japan.
The Yotsuya Mission Church of Christ Zaidan at present. L. to
R. - Andrew Patton, Betty Patton, Lois Sims, Harold Sims,
Jonathan Sims, Mark Pratt.
Japan has not been as great as we hoped and prayed for.
In this issue of the Tokyo Christian we are going to give a
brief history of this period, gleaned from a brief glance
through our stack of old issues. We hope it will be informative
to all. Different readers will see mistakes, ups and downs,
omissions, etc., but we hope all will be able to see that Christ,
according to His promise, has been with us.
We ask you to pray with us for a new generation of leaders,
both Japanese and American, to carry on the work into the
2l8t century.
Mo./Yr. Event
7/47 Mrs. Shirley Still joins her husband in Japan.
11/47 M/M Sam Saunders, M/M Harold Sims and Grace
Farnham arrive in Japan.
1/48 Andrew Patton arrives in Japan.
These days we had great Sunday Evening meet
ings in the Setagaya Church (only pre-war build
ing left standing). U.S. Army Major J.T. Nicholas
(from Kentucky) taught an English Bible Class
through an interpreter before the regular evening
service.
Wakaba-cho, Yocho-machi, Mikawashima and
other churches were getting started with Sunday
mornings in homes of members.
3/48 Hope Sims born. M/M Sims move to an apart
ment next door to Lee family in Mikawashima
district.
4/48 Tokyo Bible Seminary opens in Still house in
Setagaya, which had recently been purchased. 8
students. A. Patton, President.
6/48 Because Mrs. Still was seriously sick with
pneumonia several times during the winter, the
Still family leaves Japan to return to the work they
established in Hawaii.
8/48 First camp, at YMCA facility on Lake Yamanaka.
89 attended. Used 300 pounds of rice sent from
U.S. for that purpose. Rent of camp was free in
exchange for teaching English at the YMCA
during the previous spring.
Mo./Yr. Event
7/48 Rebuilding of "First Church" (Wakabacho) on the
pre-war foundation with same blueprints was
started.
10/48 Mikawashima church building erected. Mission
furnished glass andconcrete (onlyobtainablewith
dollars) and local congregation bought the wood.
10/48 New preaching point opened in ofhce building in
Adachi ward.
1/49 A.E. Sims (Turtle Creek, PA) becomes editor of
Tokyo Christian.
3/49 First Convention held in Osaka. 3 hrom Tokyo
attended.
10/49 Second All-Japan Convention held in Tokyo.
Over 200 attended.
10/49 M/M Harold Taylor had to leave China because of
Communist take-over. Worked with us for 5 years
and then to Korea.
A building for Tokyo Bible Seminary, homes for
Mrs. Cunningham and the Saunders family,
church buildings at Yocho-machi (U.S. Army
Quonset) Minato, and Nishi-Ogikubo erected.
There are 6 home churches, and 6 having
buildings at the end of the year. Total baptisms
for the year: 266. Three churches reported over
200 and 3 over 100 in Sunday School.
3/50 M/M Saunders leave the field because he was
found to have T.B. He recovered after some
months and has served in several U.S. churches
since then.
4/50 M/M Stanley Buttray and son, David, join the
Cunningham Mission and live in the former
Saunders' house.
6/50 Korean War breaks out. U.S. Army evacuates
M/M John Hill and family and asks the
Cunningham Mission to take care of them.
10/50 Mr. Hill begins work with Mikawashima church
(Korean group). M/M Sims and family move to
Mission property in Nakano and start services in
their home.
10/50 First meeting held in Yokosuka, at home of U.S.
Navy man. Stanley Buttray worked here and at
Yocho-machi. Total baptisms reported for year:
253.
3/51 First graduation at Tokyo Bible Seminary. Ste
phen lijima.
4/51 Peak enrollment at Tokyo Bible Seminary. 4
seniors, 8 juniors, 9 sophomores, 14 freshmen.
6/51 Taylors start Kamiuma church near their home in
Setagaya.
8/51 Several weeks of camp held at a place in Nagano
Prefecture, rented from non-instrument
missionary, Bixler.
11/3/51 Celebration of50thAnniversary ofCunningham's
arrival in Japan at Setayaga Church. 190
attended. 30 ofthem were members from before the
war. Total baptisms reported for year: 216.
2,3/52 W.L. Jessup in Japan for lectures at 2 Bible Col
leges.
2/52 Emperor's Brother, Prince Mikasa, and family
visit Mrs. Cunningham.
3/52 Arakawa Church building completed and dedica
ted. Second graduation from T.B.S. ~ 3 students.
6/52 J. Russell Morse, just released from prison in
China, visits Tokyo with his family.
12/52 Andrew Patton marries Betty Armstrong. Total
baptisms reported for year: about 100.
3/53 Third graduation from T.B.S. - 5 students.
3/53 Change of Policy announced in TokyoChristian.
This Change of Policy had a great effect on
events that followed. It was brought about by Mrs.
Cunningham's desire to find a "Director of the
Mission" and to continue on the same course
which had been followed for 50 years. This was the
"patriarchal system" where the foreign mission
ary controlled all operations, paid all salaries and
Mo./Yr. Event
owned all buildings. All Japanese preachers and
missionaries were considered "Mission workers."
Some ofus younger missionaries and theJapanese
preachers wanted to be more independent andself-
supporting. After long discussions a statement
was agreed upon. I quote from the summary ofit:
"The funds remaining in America and the
properties in Japan will be administered by the co
operating group of independently supported mis
sionaries associated with Mrs. Cunningham, with
a policy ofbuildingself-supporting loc^ Churches
of Christ . . . When the building funds are all
gone the burden will fall on the matured local
churches and Japanese evangelists now in
training . . . From Sept. 1 send all support
directly to each missionary in Japan or his for
warding agent."
6/53 Yokosuka church building dedicated. The local
people paid for the land, and the Mission built the
building.
8/53 Abiko church and kindergarten building dedica
ted. M/M Andrew Patton return to Japan.
12/53 On Christmas Day, Mrs. Cunningham dies at her
home in Tokyo.
In 1941
CHURCHES MINISTERS
Kida
Hanya
In 1946
BLOGS. MINISTERS
Torn down Gone to Nazarenes
To army and returned
MEM.
10
. 14
1
1. Youuya
2. Setagaya
3. Yochomaehi
4. 0^
5. Mikawashima
6. Nakano
7. Sakurayama
*8. Kamiochiai
9. Shinogawa
10. Hanozono
11. Saruc
12. Mcguro
VdtKuyu
SftiiKuyu
Yiwniimut-hi
Ogu
MikuwiiKhimu
Nukunii
Sukuruyumn
*K. No church, but a missionary residence now
THE FOLLOWING ARE NEW CHURCHES IN NEW LOCATIONS:
Minato 60 1949 lijima
Nishi-Ogikubo 60 1950 Oba
Kamiuma 30 Iwata
Yokosuka 30 1953 Buttray
Abiko 15 1953 Inoue
Soka 15 Sudo
Kadbmura
Tanala
Oda
Toyoshima
Still
Saita
Takada
None
Matsuyama
None
MEMBERSHIP
W Remained
A Burned
R Burned
Burned
Y Burned
E Burned
A Burned
R Burned
S Torn down
Sold
Sold
On December 7, wc remembered that it had been 12 years since the beginning o( the
war with Japan, and decided to make the above chart to explaio briefly some o( the changes
that have taken place in the 12 years as to the 12 churches that were associated with the
Church oi Christ Cunningham Mission in Tokyo, back in 1941quite a' lot o( changes Cor a
period of only 12 years.
Killed in Action
Sick and retired
Gone to Presbyterians
Managing Kindergarten
Mis'y (now in Hawaii)
Retired
Retired
I
Gone to Korea
In 1953
BUILT NEW MINISTER
150 1948 None
250 1950 Hanyu
40 1949 Walarai
34 I95I Kikuchi
30 1948 Elder Rim
50 1952 Haruyama
20 Daikuzono
3/54 Three students graduate from T.B.S.
4/54 Six new students enter T.B.S.
7/54 New house for Patton family completed on back of
Bible Seminary lot at Higashi-Nakano.
Sims return from furlough with 33,000 copies of
Life of Christ Vizualized III inJapanese language.
Their house is enlarged to accommodate the
growing family.
Wakaba-cho and Nishi-Ogikubo churches start
procedures for incorporation as independent re
ligious corporations.
Five men and 1 woman graduate from T.B.S.
One of the Japanese preachers delivers a letter to
Stephen lijima excommunicating him from the
Church of Christ, accusing him of sympathy with
the "non-church movement."
Spring 55 The Cunningham Mission trustees had met at the
NACC in Indianapolis and decided to leave re
sponsibility for the Tokyo Christian (including
its financing) to the 3 missionaries, to settle with
all holders of annuities, and to defer a decision
9/54
10/54
3/55
5/55
Mo./Yr. Event
about the Mission property in Japan until later.
This after an extensive letter-writing campaign by
E. Cunningham claiming to represent Japanese
Christians demanding that all funds be turned
over to her committee.
Summer 55
Eloise Cunningham issues a Tokyo Christian,
claiming to be the real successor to the Cunning
ham work, and ignoring the existence of the mis
sionaries on the field.
Fall 55 Bill Walker, missionary of Christian Missionary
Fellowship, arrives in Japan to work with the
Wakaba-cho church. The 3 missionaries had good
personal fellowship with the Walker family, but
did not approve of the CMF connection.
The ministers of 9 of the churches met with Mr.
Walker and Eloise Cunningham and said they
would not work with us, but wanted to work with
himto take over the Mission. Mr. Walker refused to
go along with such plans.
Spring 56 The secondTokyo Christian by Eloise Cunning
ham is distributed at the North American
Convention.
Stephen lijima, replying in our Tokyo Christian
to the charges against him: "Yes! We believe in
the visible church of Christ. Yes! We believe the
ordinances according to the N.T. pattern. But, we.
never forget that the faith which causes us to ob
serve these ordinances is more important. How
easy it is to just observe themas mere forms ~ with
out love, faith and obedience. And I know many
pastors who are holding their job observing the
mere form of immersion and the Lord's Supper as
the only characteristics of the 'Church of Christ'
denomination. They have proved themselves able
to work in any kind of denomination, and how
lightly they have given up these things after they
have changed into some denomination. But the
church of Christ is not a denomination." About
this time, Bro. lijima began publishing the
monthly magazine BOKI^, which is still
continuing today with a circulation of over 600
through all of our churches in Japan.
Summer 56
We used the Camp at Lake Motosu, which had been
built by the non-instrumental Church of Christ
missionaries, for the first time.
12/56 Minato Church of Christ incorporated as
independent.
3/57 Three graduate from T.B.S.
4/57 The Cunningham Mission, Inc. in Atlanta, GA
officially dissolved, with all remaining funds and
properties going to the "Yotsuya Church of Christ
Iji Zaidan" (Holding Corporation) which
continues to be a legally incorporated body under
Japanese law - non-profit and for religious pur
poses. The trustees: M/M Harold Sims, M/M
Andrew Patton, M/M Stanley Buttray.
Summer 57
Sims family makes evangelistic trip to Hokkaido.
Spring 58 Tokyo Bible Seminary closed. There were 2 main
reasons: 1. The number of students had declined
to 3. 2. All the graduates expected "The Mission"
to guarantee them a job and salary, and it was
hard to match this system with the self-support
ideal.
During the 10 years a total of 80 students enrolled
in the Tokyo Seminary. 25 of them completed 4
years ofwork, another 11,3years, 8,2years and 17,
one year, and 6 were forced to quit because ofT.B.,
but one of those returned after 2 years in the
hospital and graduated. At this time 19 were
preaching and 6 were wives of ministers.
Summer 58
Mo./Yr. Event
The A1 Hammond family moves from Kyushu to
Tokyo.
10/58 Harold Sims teaches 6 weeks in Seoul Bible
Seminary, Korea.
3/60 Fattens revive the church at Sakurayama, in the
former Tokyo Bible Seminary Building. Also some
University students live in the dormitory while
studying at other schools.
10/60 Stanley Buttray publishes translation of "On the
Rock."
4/61 Shigeru Akada, firom Nakano Church, enters
Osaka Bible Seminary.
7/61 Kamiochiai Church of Christ building dedicated.
9/61 Mr. and Mrs. Yukio Itagaki become ministers at
Nakano church.
Spring 62 All 3 volumes of Life of Christ Visualized become
available in Japanese language, and were sold in
bookstores.
A long series of articles "One of the Tokyo
Christians you should know" began.
Fall 62 The "Red 'Tokyo Christian," another effort by
Eloise Cunningham and her group was circulated
in the United States.
3/63 The Minato Church relocated to Hiyoshi in Yoko
hama.
Fall 64 Street in front of Kamiuma church widened, and
church remodeling begun with funds received from
the citv.
The William Walker family returns to the U.S.
because of Lois' cancer.
M/M Paul Pratt and family move to Tokyo so their
children can attend Christian Academy. They
take over the house and work built in Isehara by
the Walkers.
6/65 Mr. Fumio Sato became minister at Kamiochiai
Church.
The following is a summary of the information about the
churches inTokyo compiled in a booklet "The Tokyo Churches
of Christ Salute You" shortly before the Sims family went on
furlough in June 1966.
Name of Church Membership Minister Avg. Sun. AM Baptisms '65
Wakaba-cho (First) 30 1. Haruyama & 23 0
Setagayo 100 S. Hanyu & 40 3
Yocho-machi 10 A. Watarai & 10 1
Arakawa (Ogu) 8 S. Kikuchi & 5 0
Mikawashima 93 S. Cho 80 10
Nakano 36 Y. Itagaki & 25 1
Sakurayama 18 A. Patton 15 2
Kamiochiai 30 F. Sato 20 5
Minato 60 M. lijima & 45 1
Nishi-Ogikubo 30 P. Obo & 30 3
Kamiuma 12 T. Sahara 10 0
Abiko 30 K.Inouc & 20 0
Yokosuka 5 K. Sugiura & 5 0
Shimo-ochiai 43 S. Hagio 35 11
Umeda 18 Y. Furusawa 15 2
Kumegawa 10 S. Akada 15 3
Isehara 2 P. Pratt 5 0
- The congregation has been incorporated legally and is self-governingand completelyinde
pendent of Mission support.
& = The minister is a graduate of Tokyo Bible Seminary.
= The minister is sympathetic to Eloise Cunningham, and a member of "the Church of Christ
Alliance" organization.
12/65 Lois Sims' mother (Mrs. Ethel Lutton) comes to
spend 6 months with the family in Nakano.
6/66 Hope Sims graduates firom Christian Academy.
The Sims family leaves for furlough in the U.S. for
2 years. Harold teaches part-time at the
Cincinnati Bible Seminary.
9/66 K. Sugiura, the Yokosuka preacher, moves to
Obihiro, Hokkaido.
10/66 Andrew Patton starts efforts to revive Arakawa
Church.
9/67 Stephen lijima makes a trip to U.S. and on around
the world. Harold Sims is president of the
National Missionary Convention in Dodge City,
Kansas.
4/69 20th All-Japan Convention held in Tokyo area.
9/68 - 6/69 Sims family lives in Isehara and takes care ofthat
church while the Paul Pratts are on furlough.
Mo./Yr, Event
6/69 -10/70
The Sims family lives in Sayama and continues
the work begun by John Kachelmyer there.
During this time the house they had lived in and
the lot surrounding it were sold to the next-door
doctor. The Nakano church was incorporated and
rebuilt. The Mejirodai land was purchased and the
chapel and Sims' house was built there.
7/70 Don DeWelt, Gordon Clymer and Conley Silsby
conduct a church growth seminar in Tokyo.
10/70 Mikawashima church builds a new building, com
pletely on their own.
1/71 Sylvia Sims and David Smith are married at
Nakano church in Tokyo, after a surprise trip to
Japan for Christmas.
4/74 Stanley Buttray found land for establishing
Shinshu Camp. Camps were held at Lake Motosu
every year from 56-74.
10/74 Mikawashima and Setagaya churches celebrate
50 year anniversaries.
10/75 Mr. Cho resigned from Mikawashima church. Af
ter a few months they got a new preacher from
Korea, and he led theminto loose aflhliation with a
Korean denomination and into a sort of inter
denominational position, so it is now known as
Tokyo Evangelical Korean Church.
12/78 Two-thirds of the Yotsuya Mission property at
Kamiochiai was sold to the government of that
ward of Tokyo. The church remains there. One
half ofthe funds were used for camp buildings and
development, and the other half by the Zaidan.
One fourth (half of the Zaidan portion) is being
used as a loan fund to assist Japanese churches
and missionaries to obtain land and buildings -
a major expense in the work in Japan. So far we
have made loans to 7 missionaries, 4 independent
churches and 1 camp in various parts of Japan.
5/79 Jonathan Sims comes to Tokyo on internship of 7
months.
6/79 Daniel Sims, Stephen Patton and 2 other Church
of Christ children (last child in each family)
graduate from Christian Academy.
8/80 Penny Hoggs comes to Mejirodai for 7 months
internship.
5/81 Jonathan Sims comes to Japan as a missionary.
6/83 Stanley and Mabel Buttray (age 69) retire fromthe
field to Meadville, PA.
Andrew and Betty Patton take over their work as
Mo./Yr. Event
directors of Shinshu Bible Camp.
Jonathan Sims begins ministry at Yokosuka
church.
10/83 100th Anniversary of Christian Church and
Church of Christ missionary work in Japan
commemorated.
7/84 35th All Japan Convention in Yokohama. Over
300 in attendance.
7/85 Group of Japanese Christians visit U.S.
Many missionaries from our churches in the U.S. have
worked in Tokyo for various periods of years. They were not
affiliated with the Cunningham Mission, but we have never
considered that as a barrier to fellowship in Christ and His
church work. We have enjoyed working with them in various
projects, and regular fellowship in monthly prayer meetings
in various homes and Fifth-Sunday Rallies in various
churches. We do not have space to list all of them here, but a
complete listing of the names and years each served can be
found in the Nov. 1984 HORIZONS magazine.
Buttrays were on furlough from the summer of 1955-the
summer of 1956, and '61-'62, '67-'68, '72-'73.
Patton furloughs were '51-'53, '57-'58, '64-'65, *70-'71, '75-'76,
'82-'83.
Sims furloughs were '53-'54, '59-'60, '66-'68, Summers of'71,
'75, '79,- '82.
There have been surprisingly few changes in the church
situations since the 1966 chart on page 3, but we will include
one more giving the present situation.
Name of Church Membership Minister Avg. AM Atten.
Wakaba-cho 50 I. Haruyama &
30
Setagaya 100 M. Hanyu g 50
(Son of former preacher, now emeritus)
Yocho-machi 15- A. Watarai &
Arakawa 12 S. Suzuki & (Osaka) 10
Mikawashima 100 Mr. Lee 80
Nakano 45 Y. Itagaki & 35
Sakurayama 15 H. Sato & (Osaka) 10
Kamiochiai 30 F. Sato & (Osaka)
25
Minato 100 M. lijima &
60
Nishi-Ogikubo 40 P. Oba & * 30
Kamiuma 15 M. Yamanouchi
10
Abiko 40 K. Inoe &
30
Yokosuka 10 J. Sims, K. Yokomizu
15
Sayama (relocated from Shim-Ochi) 30 J. Fleenor
25
Umeda 30 S. Takamura
25
Onta (renamed from Kumegawa) 30 S. Akada & (Osaka)
25
Isehara 30 P. Pratt
25
Mejirodai (started 11/70) 40 H. Sims
26
Machida ( " 75) 10 P. Pratt
10
Kotesashi ( " 83) 15 A. Ishii 15
Congregation incorporated, self-supporting, owning own building.
& = Graduate of Tokyo Bible Seminary.
The congregation is affiliated with "C. of 0. Alliance" and doesn't have close fellowship with
warding Agent; Mrs. Lois Hessler, PO Box 287,
Mr. and Mrs. AndrewPatton, 571-1Innaihara,
G. Wade Fletcher, Rt. 6, Box 15, Rushville, IN
46173.
Agent: First Church of Christ, 315 E. Orange
Ave., Eustis, FL 32726-4194.
Before you move, please send the mailinglabel below, along wilha copy of your newaddress lo
MISSION SERVICES ASSOCIATION. P O Box 2427. Knoxville. TN 37901-2427
Two year subscription
Subscription and Flaming Torch
- $.50
$1.00
Tokyo Christian
(No. 776-320)
Church of Christ, Cunningham Mission, Tokyo,
Road, Knoxville, TN 37920-9731. Second Class
Tokyo Christian, c/o MISSIONSERVICES, PO
Box 2427, Knoxville. TN 37901-2427.
Christian
Volume 86
NOTES
BLESSINGS:
On September 1 the Taninaris welcomed
their second child, a boy, Kotaro. Mrs.
Taninari's parents from Okinawa and sister
from Tokyo were here for the occasion.
Makoto, the first child of Mr. and Mrs.
Kensei Yokomizo {minister of the Yokosuka
church) put in his appearance October 3.
The Taninaris' newest addition.
We pray that these little ones will grow
mightily in stature and in wisdom in the
Lord.
WELCOME:
We welcome back the Stephen Fleenor and
Julius Fleenor families after furloughs.
Also Leone Cole and Simses after a short
furlough. Bill and Betty Turner, too, have
come back to work in Japan. Julia Fleenor
Shozen is recuperating at her parent's home
after a serious automobile accident in
Wisconsin on July 4.
THANK YOU:
We thank those who attended the
conventions in Indianapolis and who
stopped by to visit our booth and with our
forwarding agents. The special TOKYO
CHRISTIAN and the Patton up-dated
booklet were given out there. If anyone
didn't receive copies, please write to our
forwarding agents requesting them.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY:
Andrew celebrated his 69th birthday in
Tokyo at the monthly prayer meeting held
at the Fleenor home. Also the Simses
invited him to a special Japanese meal on
October 5. Thirty-nine years of his life have
been spent in the Lord's work in Japan,
arriving at Yokohama, Japan on January 7,
1948.
NEW FILM:
The Shinshu Film Library has just
received the new Moody Science film,
"Journey of Life," in Japanese. We thank
Louise Williams of Canton, Ohio for making
this film available. Harold Sims was able to
bring it back with him on the plane in
September. A new brochure of films and
videos is being prepared by Betty to be sent
November 1986
out soon to all the churches of Christ. Also
the video tapes of Genesis and Luke are on
hand for camp use.
CAMP NEWS 1986
(Note: Since April 1986 there has been no
camp news in the Tokyo Christian due to
the special issue put out for the conventions
in July.)
During this camp year (October 1985-
September 30, 1986) here at Shinshu Bible
Camp we have been hosts to a total of 512
different people using the camp facilities.
This was our best year yet for numbers. But
also we saw a decline ofteenagers attending
camp. This was due partially to the late date
of the Church of Christ convention here in
Japan that changed the date for the Bible
Study-School Work Camp to a later date.
School clubs and athletic meetings at the
later date kept many from attending camp
in August. These campers have asked us to
set an earlier date for 1987.
Golden Week Camp, May 3-6, is a family
camp for our churches. Harold Sims was the
dean this year. Lonnie Mings, teacher at
Osaka Bible Seminary, used the camp's
video on the life of Joseph for his classes.
Lonnie has written several books with O.T.
background and has studied in Israel.
Jonathan Sims, Lois Sims, and Mr.
Taninari helped with the program.
For several years the school for
handicapped children in Tateyama City
has hiked to the camp and spent a day in the
out-of-doors here at the camp. We are so glad
to have them coming this year again and
look forward to seeing them next year.
We have always been surprised as to the
workers that God provides when work week
rolls around. This year a van full of workers
from Niigata arrived here early July 21
having driven all night to reach here. Bill
Belew and Joel Likins were able to solicit 7
more workers from their English and Bible
classes to come with them. Our sons, Philip
and Stephen Patton, had arrived on the
Japan scene just 4 days prior to that and
were already busy at work. All total we had
17 to help wash windows, re-do entrance
steps to second floor, dig out stumps, and
ready athletic fields for July 25 camp. Betty
and Taninari san cleared and washed all
camp kitchen pots, pans, cupboards and
dining room utensils. Andrew gave the
dining room chairs a scrubbing - all before
the helpers arrived on the scene. Grass was
sown where weeds once grew, camp ditches
around the 8 acres of land were readied for
the rains. We thank everyone for their
volunteered labor.
The Young People's Camp was July 25-28
Number 4
with Dave Hinson from Tanabe and Paul
Pratt heading up the program. Mr. Nomura
and Mr. Yokomizo, ministers, helped bring
the Word of God to the campers' ears and
hearts. English and music were also taught
during the camp. Mrs. Pratt and Mrs.
Hinson and a special music instructor from
a church in Tanabe were on the faculty
too.
Again this year a bus from Nagoya came
with the preacher, Mr. Yuse, and the
congregation on August 2. We workers
enjoyed fellowshipping with them and the
Sunday worship service on August 3. We
look forward to their 1987 visit.
The Kotesashi Church near Tokyo came
with church members and Mr. Ishii, their
minister, August 7-9 for Bible study and
fellowship. Mr. Ishii has been very helpful
in the camp work throughout the year,
teaching and working in our young people's
camps. He is originally from the Arakawa
church that we restarted in 1966.
Harold Sims was in the U.S. during the
Bible Study-School Work camp August 11-
15. Mr. Yokomizo and Mr. Kishimoto and
Mr. Ishii with helpers from Osaka Bible
Seminary led the camp. At this camp 3
made decisions to be baptized. One young
boy was baptized October 5 and a girl will
soon be baptized, both from the Mejirodai
church. We're glad to have had a small part
in these decisions made here at the camp.
May there be many more in the future.
Mr. Sugiyama, minister of the Moriguchi
church in Osaka, and Mr. Clark, president of
Osaka Bible Seminary, brought 2 vans of
campers September 13-15. This is the third
year that they have come for Bible Study
and fellowship. Also with them was Mr.
Niiro, a business man, who was a former
student at the Osaka Bible Seminary. Mr.
Niiro has visited the U.S. many times and
attended church in the Cincinnati area. Mr.
Sugiyama recently returned from
V,. u. ^ i
r i
Many groups arrived by chartered buses at the
Shinshu Bible Camp.
Cincinnati Bible College after receiving his
graduate degree in May.
This year the "rental camps" and family
group camps numbered 16 in all besides the
6 regularly scheduled camps. Of these 11
have come regularly for more than 2 years in
a row. Already 4 groups have put their
names in for the 1987 camp dates. We think
this speaks well of the facilities and service
that we, Andrew and Betty Patton and Mr.
Taninari and summer help, give to a place
where God's Word can be taught, studied
and lives renewed.
The annual camp meeting consisting of
Zaidan members, camp staff workers, and
advisory board will meet at the Simses'
church annex on November 30 to discuss the
future of the camp work. Suggestions for a
better camp season in 1987 will be of upmost
importance.
At present Mr. Taninari is finishing the
inside work - sunning Japanese bedding
and cleaning. Andrew is finishing the
outsi de work and gathering wood for winter.
October 17 is a deadline for inside work and
turning off water and winterizing.
The regularly scheduled winter camp,
December 25-28 will depend upon the
number of pre-registrations received by
December 10. Most Tokyo schools are
dismissed on December 25 at noon. We hope
to have a camp this year not only for the
SUMMER AT
MEJIRODAI
A Junior student at our Osaka Bible
Seminary and son of the preacher at
Nishinoomote Church of Christ on
Tanegashima Island off of Kyushu,
Motonobu Ikeda, preached at Mejirodai
church during the Simses' absence in the
summer. Before we asked him to do this, he
was already committed to go to Okinawa for
2 weeks of his summer vacation to help with
camp, VBS and other meetings there, but he
was able to preach all but one Sunday here
and also to help in our young people's camp
and take care of the house.
All of the church people were pleased with
his earnestness, and they were also rather
surprised that the attendance had been up to
average or above all through the summer.
This was because the young people felt a
closeness and loyalty to a preacher who was
only 21 years old and played the guitar and
sang with them, and also they were in
summer vacation and didn't have as many
school activities as usual. So every Sunday
there was a good group of young people
present for the morning worship. A big
farewell lunch and fellowship time had been
enjoyed with him the Sunday before we got
back. By then he was back in school.
After the morning worship the first
Sunday after our return two young people
SUMMER HELP
Needless to say the highlight of our
summer, outside of serving campers, was
having sons Philip 28 and Stephen 25,
u
Work Camp Week workers from Miigata Ken.
benefit of the campers but also because the the camp on the 25th.
families in the neighborhood ofthe camp are
invited to a special Christmas program at
"Andrew Patton
Mejirodai church on August 31
stayed afterward to talk about being
baptized. One of them was a ninth grade
boy who has been coming to our Jr. High
class for several years and is the cousin of
two of our Christian young men. The other
was a tenth grade girl who lives in our
neighborhood and has grown up in the
Sunday School here. She was born the very
return to Japan to work with us in camp.
After having left their nests 9 and 7 years
ago respectively and after having finished 6
years of Navy duty, their objective in
coming back and working this summer was
day the frame of our church building was
raised July 31,1970. These 2 were among
the 5 young people from here who went to the
camp in August and they had raised their
hands in decision to follow Christ at the
camp-fire there. There were various school
events to work around, but they were
baptized into Christ Oct. 5 and 12.
threefold - to visit their parents and see
Japan again and to help in the work.
Still their main objective was to come and
help Dad. And that they did.
Plans for their summer stay began
months ago as they neared their discharge
date July 17,1986. Because they were at sea
most of their last year, the business of
getting birth certificates, passports and
visas was complicated. Stephen was born in
Japan with only a hospital certificate (yet
good enough to enlist him for the U.S.
Navy!) of birth. Philip had to get an
"original" from Ohio. They applied for
visas in Chicago where they obtained visas
before, along with us, but were told to go to
New York City due to their F.P.O. addresses.
Finally, we got 12 documents together from
here saying we were correctly registered in
Japan and had some yen cash in the bank.
Philip left his ship in Spain after 2
appearances off the shores of Lybia. He flew
to Norfolk and arrived there the same day
that Stephen's ship did. Together they went
to Washington, D.C. and obtained their
visas. Final plans were made to meet in
Joplin, MO. later at their sister's home
before storing their belongings in
Oklahoma City. Stephen's final papers
were not processed in time for the two to
start across the U.S. together. Philip drove
Stephen's car packed full to Oklahoma City
then back to Joplin, MO. Finally Stephen
arrived on the scene in Joplin with the U-
Haul truck. They reloaded things into a U-
Haul trailer and traveled to Oklahoma City.
After spending the 4th ofJuly with Noel and
family, they went to the military air base to
wait for a military hop, costing only $10 to
Tokyo. Soon a plane took them to a
California air base. There, after waiting in
the lobby for 3days, their names werecalled
for a flight to Honolulu. Part of 2 days were
spent there until a hop was secured to the
island of Guam. After 3 more days a hop
was secured to Korea. After they spent 3
hours at the airport in Korea, a plane bound
for Tokyo brought them to their destination
on July 16 at 9 p.m. They arrived by train at
Komoro station on July 17 at 2:30 p.m. two
and one-half hours after their official
discharge from the Navy. However,
SIMS SUMMER
TRIP TO THE
UNITED STATES
From July 2 until September 10 this year
Harold and Lois Sims were visiting various
people and places in North America. The
purposes of the trip were: 1. to visit our
family, 2. to renew contacts with churches
and friends who have supported us through
many years and 3. to attend and speak at
the North American and Missionary
Conventions. Because of the rather heavy
schedule (speaking 24 times in as many
different places) and pace of daily activity
(traveling 5,400 miles through 15 states) we
hardly think the ordinary missionary word
"furlough" would apply to this, so we called
it a trip. We are not blaming anyone,
because we planned this ourselves; and we
want to say that we enjoyed every minute of
it and are most grateful for the host of people
who made such wonderful arrangements to
host us according to the schedule we had
Ahappy (iyth birthday with suns I'hilip and Slepht-n.
Stephen had to return to Tokyo later and
report to the U.S. Embassy and re-register
for the draft!
Their first stop in Komoro was at the
supermarket to buy all the goodie-goodies
they ate before during their 18 years in
Japan. Until the day they left they were still
picking out their favorite foods for meals.
The boys helped with a lot of the outside
work supervised by their Dad. We
appreciated their help in the kitchen -
cooking, washing all the camp dishes,
setting tables, folding bedding and making
salads and sushi. The camp fires and fires
for cook-outs were done by them. They
learned how to make the camp specialty at
the barbecue area - fried noodles, bean
sprouts, pork and vegetables. The
supermarket shopping lists for the camps
made by Betty were divided between the 4
Pattons. This took the sting out of having to
buy for a camp of 60 for 3 days --all within 2
hours. After the camp season there was
much creosoting to do, trees to cut and haul
to the wood shelter, 2 story windows on the
sent to them and send us on our way
refreshed and rejoicing. There are so many
incidents we remember from those 70 days
which we would like to record in detail, but
we will try to be brief and yet give a
summary of our trip and a few impressions.
1. Sims Family Reunion
We flew direct from Tokyo to Chicago by
NWA, and then, after customs clearance,
went on to Cincinnati by 6:15 p.m. the same
day. (It was 7:15 a.m. the next AM Tokyo
time, so we had jet lag.) At the airport gate
there sat Bob and Helen and their 10 day old
adopted baby boy, Joel, with a big sign,
"Welcome Grandpa and Grandma Sims."
The next day we rested, did some local
banking and other errands and greeted
Sylvia and her family coming in from Iowa
in two cars, one of which they were loaning
to us for transportation during the summer
a 1980 Mercury Zephyr. They stayed the
next two nights with us in empty dorm
rooms at CBS.
All day July 4 we had a family reunion in
the spacious house and yard of my nephew,
Scott Sims. There were 28 people there: four
of our children and their spouses and our
camp's A-framed house to be washed and
athletic nets taken down. Stephen remarked
after the last camp "no more prune-looking
dishpan hands for a while."
We enjoyed a bit of nostalgia with them ~
a visit to the active volcano nearby that
Stephen climbed several times during his
childhood, white waterfalls, making jig-saw
puzzles together, visiting Christian
Academy and talking with former teachers
who yet remain and attending the
Sakurayama church and being entertained
by Mrs. Colein "their home" where they had
grown up. Also they visited the shopping
area near the house and chatted with the
shop owners.
The boys returned to Oklahoma City on
October 13 to start civilian life in the U.S.
We pray that they will be able to find work,
get housing, attend schools of their choice
and adjust to life in America. It won't be
an easy road for them but with prayer and
trust in the Lord, they'll come through.
-Andrew Patton
eight grandchildren, my two brothers and
their spouses, two of my nephews and
spouses and our great-niece and great-
nephew. Since both of our parents and all
but one aunt and uncle are now departed
from this earthly life, Lois and I are now the
"old folks" of the family for what we hope
will be a period of years. It was a great day
of talking, eating and playing horse-shoes.
2. Convention
Saturday morning, July 5, we set off in
three cars for Indianapolis. Daniel and
Jeanne, who had comedownfromMichigan
for the reunion, led the way, and the rest of
us followed in Dave and Sylvia Smith's two
cars. Dan was busy a few minutes after
arrival at the Hoosier Dome in setting up the
display while Sylvia's family and we were
getting registered and settled into two
adjoining rooms of our hotel.
The nine of us ate at a Chinese resturant
Saturday night, and then got up and went
out to the Agape Christian Church for the
morning service and then were at the great
opening service of the convention that
night. It was one of the experiences of a life
time. All was good, but the music was
CONVENTIONS
IN JAPAN
As usual, there were two conventions
among our people in Japan this summer in
addition to several camps, etc. The Mission
ary Convention this year was held for the
two days preceding the Japanese one, and
both were in the Osaka area, planned by the
Christians in that area. Although it seemed
that there were an unusual number of our
missionaries in the United States this year,
about 40 people, counting children,
assembled at the Zion Lodge to enjoy
singing, sermons, discussions and
fellowship in English language. Bro. Elmer
Prout, who was mentioned in the Christian
Standard editorial for Aug. 3 and is a
member of the Non-instrument Churches of
Christ, was present and brought one of the
messages.
The Japanese Convention was held at a
place called the Esaka Inn, and there were
around 400 in attendance for this 37th
annual gathering. There were opportunities
for testimonies and/or reports from the
different areas of Japan during each meal
time, as well as good singing and preaching
sessions. One person who was present told
me it was one of the best-managed
conventions he had ever attended.
The Missionary Convention
50 YEARS FOR
MRS. COLE
At the South-west Christian Convention
in October 1936 when Mr. and Mrs. Harold
Cole were ministering with the First
Christian Church of Yuma, Arizona, they
announced their intention to go to Japan to
work with the M.B. Maddens in the Osaka
area. Mrs. Cole was seriously sick between
that time and Christmas with typhoid fever
for a number of weeks, but at the first of the
year they started traveling and speaking
and arrived the following March in Osaka to
begin their work.
Mr. Cole died of cancer several years ago
in Long Beach, California, but Mrs. Cole
her son David are missionaries in Japan
now. Mrs. Cole is currently living in Tokyo
in one of the Cunningham mission homes
and teaching classes both there and in
several other places and helping in the
summer camp.
BRO. HATSUSHIBA
PASSES
On August 17 Bro. Hatsushiba, one ofthe
Eiders of the Minato Church of Christ died.
He was 57 years old, and the doctors had
only discovered that he had cancer 2 months
earlier. He first came into contact with the
gospel through a Bible Class on the book of
Luke taught every Saturday afternoon at
the Tokyo YMCA building by Br. Stephen
lijima. After he finished college, his career
was working for the Agricultural and
Forestry Ministry of the Japanese
government. But he was a steady and
serious student of the Bible, buying
commentaries and studying them on his
own, and even learning some Greek. Hewas
an active and exemplary elder in the church
and father of several children. The oldest
son was tragically run over by a truck right
in front of their house one Christmas a
number of years ago. He was another of the
"Tokyo Christians you should have
known."
The Japanese Convention in session
warding Agent; Mrs. Lois Hessler, PO Box 287,
Meadville. PA 16335.
Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Patton, 571-1Innaihara,
G. Wade Fletcher,321 N. Hannah St.,Ru6hvil]e,
IN 46173-1739.
Agent: F'irst Church of Christ, 315 E. Orange
Ave., Eustis, FL 32726-4194.
Two year subscription $.50
Subscription and Flaming Torch $1.00
Tokyo Christian
(No. 776-320)
Church of Christ. Cunningham Mission, Tokyo,
Road, Knoxville, TN 37920-9731. Second Class
Box 2427, Knoxville, TN 37901-2427.
Be'ore you move, please send ine mailing iaoel oeiow. along wiin a copy ol your new address to
MISSION SenviCES ASSOCIATION. P O 00x 2427 Knoxville. TN 37901-2427
superb in every way. We tried to take in as
much of the program as possible ~attending
a breakfast meeting to begin each day, and
returning to the hotel room after 10:00 p.m.,
but we still missed seeing many of the
exhibition booths and a lot of people we
knew were there. We spent the Friday after
the convention in Indy. with Sylvia and her
family, as we would not be able to get out to
Iowa to visit in their home.
Harold spoke at the Thursday morning
session on "Jesus Christ is Lord of His
Servants." Encouraged by the prayers and
smiling faces of many of the family sitting
in a row toward the front, he managed to get
through without any major flubs or without
reverting to using Japanese words, but had
to cut out the last three pages of his
manuscript in order to keep within the time
allowed. (I got the main benefrt from the
weeks of preparation for the message and
believe it will make me a better servant of
Christ.)
3. Family Visits
July 12-18 we spent with our oldest
daughter, Hope, and her family in
Kendallvill, IN, going to their church with
them on Sunday (South Milford Church of
Christ), walking through their com field,
picnicing and birthday partying at TOm's
parent's home on Otter Lake near Angola
and talking a lot.
July 18-22 was spent with our youngest
son, Dan, and his wife, Jeanne, in their
apartment in Belleville, Michigan. We also
went with them to spend Sunday, July 20 at
the Kenwood Chiurch of Christ in Livonia,
Michigan and to see the Henry Ford
museum, shop, purchase return airplane
tickets to Japan and play games each night
before gomg to bed. I won all 4 games.
Wonderful visit!
July 23 we drove across Ohio to Elkhora
Valley Christian Camp for one night with
over 100 young people and our missionary
friend. Penny Hoggs, who is almost one of
the family. We also enjoyed a good visit
there with Mrs. Doris Messenger who is a
long-time reader of this paper and very
interested inthe work here. It is good to meet
people so well-informed on Japan and the
details of our lives and work here.
July 24 we went on to Lois' sister Norma's
place in Irwin, Pennsylvania. While there
we enjoyed participating in the Curry (Lois'
mother's family name) reunion.
July 27 at First (Christian Church in
Turtle Creek, Pennsylvania, the three
Lutton girls sang a trio and we indulged in
some memories of my father's start of his
ministry there 40 years ago that month. It
was a great time of fellowship with old and
true friends. That night we spoke at First
Christian Church in Chester, WV, the place
my father was preaching when I was bom,
and the home of Penny Hoggs where we
spent that night.
Hie next day we went up to Meadville, PA
for a half-day visit with Stan and Mabel
Huttray who retired from Japan after 33
years of missionary work several years ago.
They are well-settled into their retirement
years.
July 29 we drove down the Tumpiketomy
sister Margaret's home in Wilmington, DE.
Her husband is a speech-writer and PRman
for Delaware's Senator Joe Hiden, and was
very busy in things connected with the
Rhenquist hearings, but took the next day
ofr to drive us around Pennsylvania Dutch
country, feed us our first shoo-fly pie and
entertain us royally at an old inn in
Newcastle. We also were able to briefly visit
both of Margaret's children who are
working now.
July 31 and Aug. 1 we spent with Lois'
other sister in Stevensville, Maryland, and
they had all their children and
grandchildren there most of one day for a
good visit.
4. Roots
Sunday moming August 3, we were in
First Christian ChurchCharlottesville, VA.
This church has supported Lois as their
living-link for 40 years, and last year
celebrated their 150th anniversary. Several
of my cousins are members there. That
night we were at Bethany ChristianChurch,
which is older than Charlottesville. My
great-grandfather was a member there, and
the original Sims land grant received from
the King of England in 1727 is near there.
The next day we went over to the ancestral
land to see the old well and talk with the
current owner, Mr. French, who makes his
living by lettingfoxes mnloose inthe fenced
farm andhavinghunters payhimto let their
hounds chase them all night. At Bethany
we also stayed with some cousins from my
grandmother's side of the family, and
enjoyed good country cooking and talking.
5. The South
This summer there was a terrible drought
in the southeastern U.S. When we drove
through in August there was quite a bit of
rain, but it was too late to save acres of com
and some other crops. We enjoyed driving
down the valley of Virginia to Johnson City,
TN on August 5, and the next day spoke at
the Kiwanis Club and First Christian
Church. Then we went down in the Smokies
to Gatlinburg for a get-together of the four
A.E. Sims children and their spouses. The
placewas a mountain-top hotel with an old-
fashioned front porch and plenty of rocking
chairs. The hotel was ownedby a member of
First Christian Church in J.C. who most
generously pickedup the tab for our twoday
stay. Since all of our 12 children are now
grown, it had been about 20 years since we
had been together like this. It was a real
high-light of our summer days. Whilein the
area we also attended one of the HeeHaw
shows of Archie Campbell, which was a lot
of fun for us.
We drove all the way across North
Carolina the long way on Saturday to visit
the Northside Church of Christ in Newport
News, VA on August 10. This church also
has supported us for 40 years, and while
chere we attended the 88th birthday party of
one of my teachers in Sunday School 50
years ago.
Another long two-day drive took us to
Bai'nbridge, GA for Wednesday p.m., then
on to Blountstown, FL and across to
Jacksonville (Englewood Christian Church)
for the week-end of August 17. The Circle
that corresponds with us and prays for us
prepared a nice carry-in dinner on Saturday
evening, with some nice gifts for us, and the
congregation, during the Sunday moming
worship hour, honored us with a plaque in
appreciation of our 40 years of service as
missionaries to Japan.
That aftemoon we arrived' in Eustis in
time for the church picnic. The next two
days were spent in the church office,
working on the address list, throwing away
old records and materials, sorting slides and
other things, but the church had arranged
for us to have meals with different families
and groups, and we enjoyed those visits.
On Wednesday evening, August 20, we
reached tibe furthest point of this trip at
Central Christian Church in St. Petersburg,
and really enjoyed the ice-cream after the
service. The famous Southern hospitality
was never better or more appreciated than
during our short time down there this
summer.
6. Cincinnati
We retumed to Cincinnati the night of
August 22, and little Joel was now 48 days
older. Sunday the 24th we were at White
Oak Church for the day. Bob and Helen
attend there, and we had a good time getting
acquainted with their class and choir
members at two parties over the week-end.
On Wednesday evening we attended the
convocation at Cincinnati Bible Seminary
and rejoiced with them in the opening of
school and easing of the financial crisis
which had been talked about all over the
country. I also met with two of the Vice
Presidents of the Milicron Company where
Bob works over lunch. They wanted me to
tell them how Japanese people think and
work in order to compete better. We also
enjoyed some meals and visits with friends,
including a breakfast with the Missions
Committee of Clovemook Church early on a
cold-for-August moming.
During that week we leamed that Frontier
Airlines, with whom we had tickets for thi
Chicago to Oakland retum trip, had gom^
bankrupt. Calls to them only produced a
recording, and for a while we didn't know
what to do and got various discouraging
advice. At this time our children were great
encouragement and help. After many phone
calls we became pretty sure that United
would honor the Frontier tickets on a
"stand-by" or "space available" basis, and
decided to stick to our original" planA" and
trust God for things to work out all right.
Sunday moming, August 31, we spoke at
the Alexandria Church in Kentucky and at
the invitation time a lady came forward and
was baptized to the tears of joy of some ofthe
local people. We were also happy. For lunch
we had Kentucky Fried Chicken, of course.
Dan and Jeanne, who were down for the
holiday week-end were with us also.
On Labor Day we did some final packing
of suitcases, and put some extra stuff in
boxes to send to Japan by sea mail, with Bob
helping us. That night we started out for
ice cream and discovered that the car
battery and starter were dead. The next
moming Bob took a half day off and fixed
the car.
7. Markle, Indiana
We went to Markle, Indiana where I spoke
at the opening night of the yearly Faith-
Promise Rally there. This was the third I
have been able to attend, although that
church has supported our work for 40 ye^s.
Hope and her family drove down to visit
with us briefly that night. It was a good time
of fellowship and eating with old friends
there through the week. On Friday morning
we visited one of our friends who had been
taken to the hospital the first day of the
Rally, and she promised to pray for us as we
went to Chicago on Friday afternoon and
then to the airport Saturday morning.
8. Trip back to Tokyo
We met Sylvia at the home of a relative in
Hobart, Indiana Friday night, and she had
brought along an empty suitcase for our last
minute packing needs which were well
anticipated. The next morning she went
with us to the airport, and we were able to
ride the United flight to Oakland on the
cheaper Frontier tickets with no trouble and
much joy and thankfulness. Sylvia then
drove the car we had used back home to Des
Moines.
We were met at the Oakland airport by
long-time friends in Napa church - the
Cranes, who have a daughter serving as a
missionary wife in Chile. We were at Napa
church on Sunday when they made a key
decision to buy the property next door that
had come up for sale, and as usual, enjoyed
and felt edified by our visit there. Early
Tuesday morning we left before dawn on the
airport bus for San Francisco and the
Canadian Pacific flight to Vancouver and
Tokyo. Jonathan was waiting in the airport
in Tokyo, so between September 1 and 10 we
had been half way around the world and
seen all five of our children briefly again.
-Harold Sims
YOKOSUKA
PROGRESS
Jonathan drove our car out to the airport
to meet us, and as soon as we got all of our
baggage loaded and started the long drive
back home through the rain he started
telling us in an excited tone of voice about
the good news from Yokosuka where he
works. Since we were tired from the long trip
and know some of the discouragements he
has had down there it was very refreshing
just to listen to him as we started out on a
new term of service.
On August 24 they had a night of music,
with some congregational singing, some
special music by local young people and
some specials by Mr. and Mrs. Kume from
the Mejirodai Church. She is a former
popular singer, song writer who is now
working in the gospel music field and on the
staff of a Japanese Christian magazine
aimed at young people. He is rather well-
known as a keyboard and synthesizer
talent, and formerly was the leader of her
back-up band. They had about a record
attendance of over 30 for that, including
many people coming for the first time.
Then they had an evangelistic meeting
Sept. 5-7 with one of the Osaka Seminary
Professors preaching. As a result of these
special meetings they had baptized 2
housewives from the neighborhood on Aug.
31 and Sept. 7. Both ladies had been
attending church for some time and had also
come for counseling because of serious
problems in their homes and work.
May God continue to bless and give the
increase.
S.J.B.C. and O.6.S. students
TWO BIBLE
COLLEGES AT RALLY
We usually have a rally in the Tokyo area
on fifth Sundays, but this August there was
a group of four young people from San Jose
Bible College visiting Japan briefly overthe
week-end of August 24, so some people from
several churches gathered in a Tokyo public
park that afternoon for some fellowship
with them. By coincidence there happened
to be four young people from our Osaka
Bible Seminary also in Tokyo that same
week-end, and there were two boys and two
girls from each school. Paul Pratt made a
picture of the eight students together in the
park.
Standing in rear left to right; Daren
Williams, San Jose; Hitoshi Nishiyama,
(first year student at Osaka, from Isehara
church where Paul Pratt ministers); Billy
Hammond, San Jose, (a son of a former
missionary to Japan, A1 Hammond, who
now teaches at San Jose); Motonobu Ikeda,
(third year student at Osaka, from
Tanegashima Island, Kyushu who was
preaching at Mejirodai during Sims'
absence). Kneeling in the front row left to
right: Heidi Gibson, from San Jose; Hiromi
Iwasa, from Osaka; Noriko Nakamoto,
from Osaka; and Joscela Bigham, from San
Jose.
Yoi'Dsuka pieachei-, Br. Yokfjmiza. and part ol ihe group utU-nd music night August 2'i.
CHRISTMAS 1986
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Our hearts overflov vith happy nenories and thankfulness to God as ve cooe to
the closing veeks of another good and busy year in the service of Christ, Looking
back, the tine seens to divide Into several segsents:
00 days of vinter. While continuing our regular schedule of seroon and lesson
preparation, seetlngs and classes, we planned an Itinerary for the susBer trip to the
U.S. and wrote to all people connected with it and did sooc reading and reflecting
about the speech and article asslgneients that Harold had been given.
This period ended on Resurrection Sunday, March 30; with a sunrise prayer
meeting, the Promotion Sunday Program in the Sunday School hour, 44 people in the
morning worship which included the baptism of a young house-wife, and a Community
Easter Service that afternoon on the roof of the new 10 story Station Building in
our city. Lois sang in the combined choir, Mr. and Mrs. Kume from Mejirodai Church
gave the special music and testimony, and one of our High School girls went forward
at the invitation time. She was baptized on April 14.
2. 70 days of spring. Intensive work writing the speech for the NACC-NMC Convention
on "Jesus Christ is Lord of His Servants", the Bible School lesson "A Kingdom Divided"
which appeared in the Christian Standard in October, and the 40 year history of our
work in post-war Tokyo which was In the July issue of the Tokyo Christian. The
manuscripts of all 3 items were sent off on June 9, just before the deadlines.
3. 20 days of rainy season. Preparations for leaving Japan went into high gear.
Getting re-entry permits, purchasing airplane tickets, arranging things for the
church work to keep going, leaving many notes about the household things for Bro.
Ikeda (a third-year student in Osaka Bible Seminary) who was coming after we left
to take care of the church, house and dog during our absence, cleaning off my desk,
paying bills and packing suitcases. On June 29 we had a good service at Mejirodai,
a Fifth-Sunday Rally at Kamiochiai Church In afternoon and evening, and Jonathan
came home with us for a couple of days of finishing up and driving us to the airport.
4. 70 summer days in the U.S. Many who are reading this saw us face-to-face during
that time, and we wrote about it in the Tokyo Christian also, so we will try to be
brief. Words cannot adequately express our feelings about It anyway. But we do want
to thank again ail 22 families who shared the warn hospitality of their homes, many
others who provided meals, and Sylvia for letting us use her 1980 Mercury Zephyr for
the 5400 miles we drove. The highlights of the trip were:
Being met, .upon arrival in Cincinnati by Bob and Helen holding our 10 day old grand
son Joel and a welcome sign.
The Sims Family Reunion (28 present) all day July 4 at nephew Scott's place.
Opening night worship at the North American Ciiristlan Convention.
Speaking at the Thursday morning worship session of the Convention. I'm sure 1 got
more blessing and help toward being a better servant of the Lord from preparing the
message than the hearers did, and more encouragement from seeing our family sitting
In a row down front than seeing my name in the program book. It was certainly an
honor to me and gave a sense of accomplishment when it was done.
t i n g a senior citizen's discount special at Ponderosa Steak House for only 2.99!
5 days with Hope and Tom and their 4 daughters in Kendallville, Jnd. Going to
church with them at S. Mllford and Garrett on Sunday, and Heidi's birthday party
at Tom's parent's place on Otter Lake.
5 days with Dan and Jeanne in Belleville, Mich. Going to church service and choir
party with them at Kenwood In Livonia. And visiting Henry Ford Village, shopping
and playing games around their table at night.
An evening at Elkhorn Valley Christian Service Camp In eastern Ohio.
Curry Family (Lois' mother's maiden name) Reunion on Lois' sister's deck in Irwin
Penna. and talking with other friends and family In Lois' home territory.
Worship service, special music by the Lutton Sisters trio, and fellowship dinner
at First Christian Church, Turtle Creek, Pa. 40 years after A.E. Sims went there.
Talking.and laughing after the evening service with preacher, forwarding agent,
her mother and other friends on the porch at Penny Boggs' home in Chester, W.Va.
Visiting Stan and Mabel Buttray in their MeadvilLe, Pa. home.
Driving through Pennsylvania Dutch country and eating shoo-fly pie and other
tine foods during our visit with Harold's sister and fanily in tfileington, Del.
* All-day picnic with Lois' sister Dorothy, husband Alex and their children and
grand-children, on Maryland's eastern shore.
* Radiator hose broke in Fairfax, Va. at 1:04 P.M. Tesperature 104 degrees F.
Overnight stay with cousin Helen, dinner with Missions Conaittee, worship and
fellowship dinner at First Christian Church, Charlottesville, Va.
* Seeing the original (1727) Sios land and old well in Hanover county Va. and other
faoily pictures and lore with Reid and Heck Vare, seabers of old Bethany Church.
Speaking at the.Kiwanis Club and First Christian Church in Johnson City, Tenn.
* 2 day reunion of the 4 A.E,Sins children and their spouses at Wonderland Hotel
in Gatlinburg, Tenn. Rocking chairs on the porch and walks in the cool woods.
Week-end with Northside Church of Christ in Newport News, including the 88th
birthday part of foraer Sunday School teacher Mrs. Mitchell and lots of talking.
Eating T-Bone steaks at the home of new friends in Bainbridge, Ga.
Hours of talk, catching up on the years, with old friends in Blountstown, Fla.
Great 48 hours with Janet Circle members and Englewood Christian Church in
Jacksonville. Fish dinner and concert Friday night, fellowship and food at the
church Sat. night, and receiving a plaque from the congregation Sun. A.M.
u n d y evening church picnic and 3 days of office work and good meals and
visits with old friends in Eustis.
Mid-week presentation at Central in St. Pete, followed by ice cream.
* feck in Cincinnati for a week with Bob, Helen and baby Joel. Good times at
White Oak, Clovernook and Alexandria, Ky. churches. Convocation at Cincinnati
Bible Seminary. Eating out with friends old and new. Seeing Dan and Jeanne
again over Labor Day week-end.
Speaking at and attending the Faith-Promise Rally in Markle, Ind. (our third time)
and greatly enjoying the good food and fellowship and seeing Hope and family again.
Meeting Sylvia at Hobart, Ind., the home of Dave's cousin, and returning the car
to her and doing final packing and arranging for the return trip.
Getting on a United Air Lines flight to Oakland with Frontier (bankrupt) tickets.
Many people had been concerned, helpful and prayerful about this matter.
* Avery enjoyable week-end with Cranes and other friends in Napa, Calif. The
church made a decision to buy the next door property at that time.
We are thankful to say that these visits with our children confirmed our
feeling that they are adjusted to American culture, settled and enjoying their
work, in good health and active in local churches. They encourage us to keep on.
5. 50 days back in Japan. Jonathan told us on the drive home from the airport about
2 recent baptisms in YokosukaT afi3êDi(wl "ih a vefy lfêat mood in spite of th^
iinfavorable dollar-yen exchange rate bring.ing burdens on so many missionaries.
After the first Lord's Day worship at Mejirodai 2 young people stayed to talk
about being baptized. They had gone to our camp in August and made decisions.
After some delay for school activities, they were baptized into Christ on Oct. 5,12.
We are back into the weekly round of classes and meetings, and already into
Christmas plans around the theme: "We have seen His star in the East and have come
to worship Hia."
On Aug. 29 I heard my brother Earl preach for the first time in my life. It
was at the first chapel service for this year at C.B.S., and his teyt was Acts 28:15
"Paul thanked God and took courage." It well summed up the feelings of CBS as they
opened school after the financial crisis, and it also expresses our feelings as
this year comes to a close. Hay all of you also thank God and take courage from
Incarnate evidence of His love and power.
Harold and I. ois Sims
SIMS TOKYO MISSION
Newsletter
Forwarding agent:
1st Church of Christ
315 E. Orange Avenue
Eustis, PL 32726-4194
Make checks payable to ^'Sims
Tokyo Mission." Clearly mark
personal checks for the Sims
"Personal". Annual financial
report available by request
from Forwarding Agent.
'"Non-Profit Orgn.
U.S.Postage Paid
PERMIT # 57
Eustis, PL 32726
Missions Services Association
P.O.Box 2427
Knoxville, Tn. 3790r
Address Correction Requestev
1986 Report
Dear Friends.
Most of you received our Christmas
letter, Mhich gave a report of the
past year, and especially our summer
visit to the U.S., so this will not
be a full report of the year's
events, but a few summary statements
and comments.
Mejirodai churchs
We praise the Lord for 5 baptisms
during 1986s 1 housewife, 2 college
girls, 1 high school girl and 1 Jun
ior high boy. During the year 2
housewives and 1 high schooler moved
with their families to other cities.
One of the ladies transferred member
ship to our Minato Church in Yoko
hama. This leaves us an all-time
high of 46 members, 7 of whom are not
as active as we would hope.
At present our two leading deacons
are not able to attend the services
One is a university pro+es-
sor of physics and is busy writing an
article for publication in an English
scientific journal. The other is in
Osaka for 3 months installing and
testing a computer-control led system
for running an electric railroad
which his section at Toshiba Electric
Co. designed. They should be back in
a few weeks.
A lady from the United Church of
Japan, who has been attending worship
services hers for some years because
she lives nearby, dicided she should
either become a immersed member or
quit attending; she decided not to be
immersed. It upset some of her
friends in the congregation to see
her quit. The Japanese tend to make
some face-saving adjustments of mat
ters at such times. But she and I
mutually understood it to be a doc
trinal disagreement, and we parted
without anger, hostility or compro
mise, and with mutual respect.
So in view of the above things and
what sometimes seems an increasing
indifference to Christianity among
the youth and general population, we
are thankful to report an average
morning worship attendance of 27
adults and 3 children, and an average
attendance in Sunday School of 36.
An old man who used to worship with
us.some years ago and now lives in an
old people's home down below Atami on
the Pacific coast sent a large box of
cookies to the church a little after
Christmas. On Jan. 11th we Invited
those who had time to stay after the
morning worship for a short time of
fellowship, tea and cookies. Some
housewives must hurry home to fix
lunch for waiting families, and other
young people have places to go, but
those who stayed enjoyed the short
time of visiting so much that we have
found birthdays or other excuses for
a little fellowship after church most
Sundays since, and believe it is
helping our folks to know each other
better and grow in understanding and
experience of fellowship.
We had the usual schedule of happy,
we11-attended Christmas meetings:
Christmas worship, followed by lunch,
musical program and gift exchange on
Dec. 21 (48 adults, 15 children); the
Christmas Eve candle-light service
<49 adults and children)2 of the
adults and 3 o-f the children were in
church -for the -first time; Sunday
School program 6ec. 25 at 6:30 PM (49
children, 13 parents, 6 teachers, 3
older sisters.>
Other Churches in the Area:
Obviously the duties o-f -full-time
preaching and teaching at Mejirodai
tie us to the local work most o-f the
time. But we are happy to be able to
maintain fellowship with our other 10
or 12 missionaries in the area
through 1st Friday night prayer meet
ings most months of the year, and
with approximately the same number of
Japanese ministers through Sunday
afternoon gatherings at one of the
churches 9 or 10 times a year. We
also have Rallies at one of the
churches every Sth Sunday, attended
by 50 or more people usually. We
were very happy to see good growth
during 19B6 in the Yokosuka and Naka-
no churches, and the others are doing
all right.
On Christmas Eve Lois and I drove 2
hours up to the US Marine Camp on the
slopes: of Mt. Fuji to have a service
for some of our men there. 12 people
Including the Commander attended.
Then 6 of them came down to visit in
our home the afternoon of New Year's
Day.
Financesi
All of you are aware of the fall in
value of the dollar. In 1985 the
average exchange rate was $1-233 yen.
In 1986 it was $1=167 yen. This
means that the dollar we receive will
not go nearly as far, and this i$ the
reason that our financial report will
show we spent much more in dollar
amounts for postage, travel, etc.,
although the yen amount may have been
even less.
We and every missionary we- know are
of course feeling the pinch. We and
most of the others are doing some
teaching of English for some income
in yen to help us keep on in the work
here. We understand that many areas
of our country are not prosperous
these days, and we don't want to lay
an extra burden on anyone, but . we
would appreciate it If you would keep
this in mind and make it a matter of
prayer at all times as well as con
sideration when making out budgets.
The New Years
We are looking forward to another
good and busy year. In February
Harold and Jonathan will be going
with a group of 38 older Japanese
Christians from our churches for a
one week trip to Israel. It is the
first time for all but one of us. We
are hopeful it will stimulate all of
us to deeper faith and Bible know
ledge and devotion. . In March we will
have the first camp of the year. In
April Osaka Bible Seminary will cele
brate 50 years. In May our daughter
Sylvia and her family from W. Des.
Moines, Iowa, are coming for a long-
planned visit to her "roots."
Earlier this month both Lois and
Harold had upper 61 x-ray tests be-,
cause of some stomach troubles. Har
old has a hiatus hernia, but we don't
have ulcers or cancers and the doctor
says the problem can be .controlled by
eating less, exercise, etc., which we
are trying to dp daily.
The Kara Family:
When we got back from the US in
September, we were pleased to hear
from some members right away that the
Hara family had been attending since
August. We had known them for over
30 years, and they used to be very
active in another Church of Christ.
Now they live about 20 minutes on the
railroad line from here and had been
attending church only 2 or 3 times a
year. He works for a housing devel
opment and loan company, and she is a
kindergarten teacher. Sunday is
their only day off, so they felt they
needed to rest, clean, etc.like so
many other Japanese families. But
now they were coming almost every
Lord's Day.
One day after church as they were
on the porch, he told me that their
daughter was "pulling" them to chuch.
She was seriously reading the Bible
and considering becoming a Christian
especially since going to a Christian
High School and entering a Christian-
oriented college. She was baptized
on Dec. 28, and the parents transfer
red their membership to Mejirodai on
Jan. 18.
We feel that God did this, and that
He did it in answer to the prayers of
many of you who faithfully pray that
He will bless the missionaries over
here in Tokyo and our work. He is
indeed able to do this, and in fact
is, according to His great promises.
Harold and Lois Sims

Sims Harold Lois 1986 Japan

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