The Kobe Chinese Reformed Presbyterian Church was founded in 1949, during the period of reconstruction after the Pacific War by Presbyterian Missionaries Dr. and Mrs. Wilfred C McLaughlin. (Some of you know their daughter, Catherine Peterson) The pastor is Rev. Chang-Fen Yang. The motto of this congregation is "True to the Scriptures, the Reformed Faith, and obedient to the Great Commission of Jesus Christ".
Picture of Chinese Church Sanctuary
Rev. Yang has been the pastor of this congregation since 19??. In many ways he has grown with the church and his family grew up here too.
Picture of Rev & Mrs Yang
Picture of Congregation
Picture of Kindergarten
Below you will see various pictures of the damage which faced this congregation, but there is no way to visualize the heart-wounds resulting from the loss of life and livelihood. These are hidden by smiling faces and good manners. When Moderator Bohl visited the congregation, a member of the congregation appeared with a frozen smile on her face as she arrived and left on her bicycle, but the shock had been so great to her system that she died within days of our visit. The shock killed some, but others it trapped with unforgettable memories.
Financially the church has suffered great losses, but it will of course survive. God has shown great blessings to this congregation and this congregation has been willing to be used of God. For this reason, I have no fear for the congregation no matter how they have suffered financially. God really is taking care of them.
In closing, I would like to quote from the Church bulletin on June 14, 1998.