St. Paul International Lutheran Church   *   Pentecost   October/November , 2006

Thanksgiving Luncheon

    This year's Day of Thanksgiving Potluck Luncheon will be held after the worship service on Sunday, November 19th, from 1-4 p.m. over at our parsonage in Kojimachi. Please bring something to share: salad, vegetable, dessert, bread, drinks, cranberry sauce, etc. The turkey will be provided and cooked by our talented chefs! Maps to the parsonage will be available at church every Sunday this month.
    Suggested donations to cover the cost of the turkey will be \600 per adult and \300 for children (no charge for infants and babies). Paper plates, napkins, and plastic forks & knives will be provided. Please bring serving utensils for dishes that you bring to share. Please contact Nancy T. or Martha H. (Fellowship co-chairs) for more information. We hope to see you there!


"Benevolence First Sunday" Every Month

    Beginning in October, the church council dedicated the first Sunday of every month as "Benevolence First Sunday." Each month, the outreach and benevolence committee is designating a charitable group that we as a congregation can learn about, pray for and support with our gifts. On the first Sunday of

JELA EVENTS in NOVEMBER

    Here are some upcoming events being held at the JELA Mission Center 1F Chapel/Exhibition Room for the month of November:
    November 2nd (Thursday) 10:30AM - 12:00Noon, there will be an Open Lecture by Yoshikazu Tokuzen, Professor Emeritus of the Japan Lutheran Seminary. (The lecture: "Martin Luther and Music" will be in Japanese only.) This event is sponsored by the Lyra Precaria (Harp Music Therapy) Program. Admission is 1,000 yen. For more information, please contact Ms. Furukawa at the JELA office, or e-mail us here at the church office.
    November 11th thru 17th 1:00PM - 6:00PM, there will be a Quilt Exhibition (Admission is free). Beautiful quilts made and donated by supporting congregations in the US as well as Japan, will be on display. Some of the quilts will be offered up for auction during the exhibit with the final results being announced during the Wine Tasting Party ( "Wine and Cheese Party" in Japanese!) on Friday evening, November 17th. All proceeds will be donated for needy children in Asia (India) and Brazil. Any remaining quilts will also be donated for JELA's children's programs in Asia and Brazil.
    November 17th (Friday) 6:30PM, will be the Wine Tasting Party. Admission is 2,000 yen (tickets and same-day purchase) You can enjoy several different wines along with cheese and other snacks. Auction bids for the quilts on display during the exhibition will be announced during the party and final bids can be made at this time as well.
    If you have any questions or need further information, drop us a line! Since many of us will be heading over to these events together, please let us know if you would like "to come along with!" SEE YOU THERE!
the month, any loose offerings collected in the offering plates that day will be designated in support of the selected group.
    On the "Benevolence First Sunday" in October, we highlighted the Koge Lutheran Church in Papua New Guinea, a congregation that is in the process of building up their church. They have asked for prayers and financial help. In addition to the previously decided gift of 50,000yen to be given
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immediately to help them purchase a new water tank, loose offerings on that first Sunday came to some 20,000yen. The funds have been sent and we received a note from our friend, Mrs. Maue, that she will visit there soon and bring us news and pictures from these partners in the faith. We pray God's richest blessings for the Koge Lutheran Church.
    During the month of November, we will pray for and highlight the work of the Asian Rural Institute in Tochigi. You can read about ARI here. For more info, please speak to Marcia or Yoshi.


From our President

Dear Friends in Christ,

    These are the Days of Thanksgiving in the life of our congregation! Just glancing through this month's newsletter you can see we have articles about our new joint Sunday School class for children ages 4 to 10, our "Benevolence First" Sunday efforts, and info on all the upcoming charity events taking place over at JELA in Ebisu. We have news from friends old and new, pictures also old and new, and you can see we're going to eat a big potluck lunch. Again! (We are Lutherans, after all!) We are here and we are thankful!
    Its hard to believe that a year has passed since we have been without a called pastor. At times, the going has been tough; that can not be denied. Some Sundays we have worried about attendance, a few times we've argued about theology, and once in awhile a few of us have even wondered out loud if we should keep going. But as in all aspects of our lives, some days are better than others--and for the most part, the vast majority of our days here at St. Pauls have been on the better side! And, through it all, the good and the not so good, we as a congregation have known that we are blessed. In the faithfulness of our members, in the beauty of the music and song each week, and in the prayerful, inspiring leadership of our pastor friends, we know that we are held in His hands. We are here and we are thankful!
    Not being able to "afford" a pastor, our congregation had no choice but to rely on our own members and the gracious help of our many pastor friends to lead our worship services. Seeking solutions to our numerous problems, members have spent many after-church lunches discussing, thinking, and adjusting our various ideas. Trying to accommodate the many opinions, theologies and cultures involved in our congregation has been a challenge. Through the laughter and the tears, the Lord has sustained us. And led us. And blessed us. We are here and we are thankful.
    Now we begin another year as a congregation. Our 42nd. It appears we will remain an independent congregation with continued ties to our stateside partners in the faith. In the coming months, we will work toward forging stronger connections with the Lutheran Church bodies here in Japan, strengthening our ministry and theirs. Even though our finances have steadily increased this past year, thanks in large part to the generosity of our former members around the globe and to the ever faithful giving of our current members, the church council will continue to seek long-reaching solutions to our financial problems. An always tough, but faith-filled adventure! We are here and we are thankful.
    Tomorrow is REFORMATION SUNDAY, a remembrance of the day when "Martin Luther dealt the symbolic blow that began the Reformation when he nailed his Ninety-Five Theses to the door of the Wittenberg Church." Please join us for this day's worship service that is the perfect setting for highlighting the beautiful pipe organ we have in our church. For the prelude, our organist will play Bach's Praeludien G Major BWV 568. During our worship service, we will be singing two hymns written by Luther, A Mighty Fortress is Our God and O Lord, We Praise You. At the conclusion of the service we will be singing Onward Christian Soldiers, a tune that has taken on greater meaning for us at St. Pauls over this past year. We are here. We are thankful. And we are marching onward!

    Blessings and peace to you in this season of thanks-giving.

                                Marcia K.

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St. Paul International
Lutheran Church

1-2-32 Fujimi, Chiyoda-ku,
Tokyo, JAPAN 102-0071

Phone :    03-3261-3740
FAX :    03-3261-2390
E-mail :
Homepage :


InkLink Editor : Marcia K.
InkLink-online Editor :

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Sunday worship
9:30 am, NRK Lutheran Center
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Church season: Pentecost
Colors: Green
October-November Rotation
October 29 ... Fellowship
November 5 ... Christian Ed.
November 12 ... Council Mtg.
November 19 ... Christian Ed.
                    ... Thanksgiving Luncheon
November 26 ... Fellowship
  

News & Notes from our Friends.........

    Over the summer, we had a number of former members worshiping with us....... Brian K. and Dianne L, visited on the same Sunday! Just Chad C. was here this time, but we told him he had to bring the whole crew next time. And former "Westsider", Bill J (with two ss's!) will have to come back again so we can get his picture. And can you tell where Takashi visited this summer with his parents .......

    And from Australia, Gillian H. writes, "I was very surprised and yet rather delighted to receive a farewell card from you all .... You are all never far from my heart and I often wonder how things are going and what decisions you are making for your future....I am back to 100% health thanks to God. I am enjoying running my own business which is both computer tutoring and home handyperson. I have just been to the General synod of Australia and New Zealand, held every 3 years, and have been elected to the General Church Council. Greetings in Christ."

    And Sandi and Pastor Rich write, "Greetings from VIRGINIA! It's good to "re-connect." Whenever you come to mind...thoughts of happiness just seem to follow. May "...The blessing of the Lord be upon you....~Ps 129:8 It's always a pleasure to hear from you--our

dear friends at St. Paul Int'l Lutheran Church. Thank you for e-mailing us the InkLink online. You are often in our prayers.
    Guess who's coming to speak here at Hope Lutheran Church in Manassas next Sunday? Tom and Debi G.!!! And...guess where they visited before they left Japan? They went and visited our children/grandchildren in Indonesia. What a small world. : )
    We are both doing well. Our vacation travels took us to PA, MI, TX and KS to see our family. Next, I'll be leaving for Indonesia to visit the Semlers. Consequently, I'll be able to attend grandson Gavin's 4th birthday! : ) In January, Rich and I plan to go and visit together. (Last year Rich was recovering from his heart surgeries, and we had to cancel our plans.)
    GOD BLESS YOU while we're absent one from another.
    "...God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit whom He has given us." ~Romans 5:5 "We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him...." ~Romans 8:28"

    Also in our inbox from Ann Z. in Minnesota........
    Hello to all of my St. Paul family! I have recently been thinking about the time I spent in Japan . Even though it has been 6 years since I worshipped with you, you are still in my thoughts, prayers, and heart. I am still working at the University of Minnesota, and classes have begun for me for my second year at Luther Seminary. I am studying youth ministry, partly inspired through working with the youth at St. Paul. I am in an MA program, so at the other end would be something like a senior high youth director, but I am considering switching my program to MDiv, where I would be a youth pastor at the other end. It will be a long journey, as I am still going part time (I am attempting 2 classes this term, which hopefully won't overwhelm me completely!), but I have really enjoyed everything I have learned so far. Blessings on all of you as you kick off the new fall season!

    And we say to all our dear friends who will be traveling in Asia, make sure to stop in Tokyo on your way!

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Sunday School News

    October saw the beginning of our joint Sunday School class for children with the Center Congregation. Rally Day was a little rainy and quiet, but Kid's Day held on Saturday the 7th was a fair bit more active! Although the adults outnumbered the children, the event was deemed a success and all will be looking forward to such happenings in the coming months. Both Adult Forums were also well attended and participants said they enjoyed the bible study/discussion times.

    In November, the themes for the children's class will be: (11/5) Understanding and Loving Others (Luke 10:25-37; the Good Samaritan) (11/19) Learning (Luke 2:41-52; the story of Jesus learning in the Temple) Please join these Christian Education activities which begin soon after the worship service on the first and third Sundays. And bring a friend!


Agenda for Prayer

This Fall season, let us turn our hearts to the Lord in thanksgiving. He has blessed us in so many ways. Because of His love and care we are able to continue to worship together; praising Him and glorifying His name. Looking to the Bible, we find:

gJesus said to his disciples, eThe harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Pray therefore the Lord of harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.fh (Matthew 9:37-38 RSV) And, gSo I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.h (Mark 11:24 NRSV)

Trusting in God's promise and call, let us pray, Gracious God, Lord of the harvest, you send us out into fields and streets, neighborhoods and schools, places of work and places of play, and to the ends of the earth. As you send us, send also your Holy Spirit, that we might be renewed, strengthened and empowered to be bold witnesses to the Good News of Jesus Christ; in whose name we pray. AMEN

gDevote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with thanksgiving.h (Colossians 4:2-3 NRSV)

(taken in part from a litany written by John McCullough Bade)


Archive Corner

    As we begin another year in the life of the St. Paul congregation, we thought it would be fun to reach back into the photo archives and see what we come up with. Every month we will give some hints and you can try and figure out the who, what or where of each picture. (Since this is the internet, we don't give out too much info. If you want "real" answers, you'll have to write us a note. Sneaky, huh!)

    The hints for today ..... these pictures were taken 42 years ago, September, at Luther House. (We're guessing here on that last part!) And that's Pastor Goeres there in the middle with the paper.

* * Mission Statement * *
St. Paul International Lutheran Church brings together people of diverse backgrounds who are deepening and sharing their Christian faith through English language worship, fellowship, education, and community outreach.
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St. Paul International Lutheran Church     October/November ,  2006
(C) 2005-2006 All Rights Reserved.  St. Paul International Lutheran Church