Sunday, February 1st

THIS WEEK: Sunday, the 1st

11:00 AM – WORSHIP

FELLOWSHIP TIME: after the service

Sunday, February 1st – During the 11 AM worship, Rev. Christian Zebley will preach from Hebrews 13 and John 10 on a theme of equipping, bringing a sermon titled “Everything Is Ready.” After the worship service will be a robust fellowship time.

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About the preacher Christian is an ordained minister in the Evangelical Presbyterian Church.  Beginning in 1998, Christian and Kay served almost nine years in Japan as missionaries of the Presbyterian Church USA, building a national network of youth ministry leaders within the Nihon Kirisuto Kyodan, the UCCJ.  Anna and Emma Zebley were both born in Japan during this time. In 2006, the Zebleys were then called to Los Angeles, CA where they ministered to Christians in the entertainment industry. Christian served as the National Coordinator of Multicultural Alpha for The Alpha Course USA while based at the First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood. In 2011, God led them to Montreat, North Carolina where they studied and partnered with Presbyterian Reformed Ministries International (www.prmi.org) to form Global Leadership Dynamics  www.globalleading.org GLD ministers to leaders of diverse backgrounds, creates unity in the Body of Christ and forges strategic partnerships between organizations for global Kingdom impact. Since 2011, Christian has led GLD events in India, South Sudan, Japan and throughout the United States. He is a graduate of Swarthmore College BA, Princeton Theological Seminary MDiv, and currently working on a Doctor of Ministry in Leadership Studies at Denver Seminary. Kay is a graduate of Wellesley College with a degree in International Relations. She has also studied spiritual direction at San Francisco Theological Seminary. She is now a full-time educator leading the Zebley family home-school.

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AFARI, American Friends of ARI (Asian Rural Institute), is an organization of friends, former volunteers, expats who came to know ARI through T.U.C. and mission co-workers who have deeply respected the mission and people of ARI since its founding in 1973. Each year since 2004, AFARI has sought gifts of frequent flier miles (mostly on Delta/NWA and United, but also from other airlines that carry passengers from parts of Asia, the Pacific Islands and Central/South America to Tokyo.)  If you or a family member have enough miles for a one-way or round-rip flight that could be used to bring a participant from Kathmandu, Myanmar or Manila (for example), please be in touch with pamhasegawa@gmail.com at your earliest convenience.  The Hasegawa family, T.U.C members from 1985-89, enjoy a lifelong bond with A.R.I.   For the last 10 years their family has given at least one ticket a year to support the travel of a participant whose organization did not have the funds for air fare. AFARI members in North America agree, “It has been a joy for us to contribute to the mission of ARI in this way and we would invite you to join us, if you can, in making your own contribution of FF miles.”

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CHRISTIAN EDUCATION CORNER (we value your prayers & involvement in this vital ministry)  Any questions, please contact Pastor Teresa at wtucrev@gmail.com, or Julie Rogers for HS; Amy Harbaugh and Steve Bennett for Upper ES and Lower MS, grades 4-7; and Carrie Bennett for Lower ES, grades K-3.

All classes will resume in January – everyone is welcome!

Little Kids: all are welcome to go with Allie after the Children`s Message to have fun learning about more of Jesus’ Miracles.

Multigenerational Sunday School January 25th, 9:30 AM

Adult Sunday School January 25th, 9:30 AM

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Upcoming Preaching Ministry and Community Time

February 1st      Rev. Christian Zebley preaching, Communion

February 8th      Pastor Teresa preaching, Steering Committee meeting

February 15th   Pastor Teresa preaching, Communion, Healing Prayers

February 18th   Soup supper and Ash Wednesday service at Ann Tang`s house, 5:30pm (please bring a soup to share, bread, cheese or veggies; contact wtucrev@gmail.com for directions)

February 22nd   Rev. Dr. Paul Shew preaching

March 1st         Rev. Dr. Jim Sack preaching, Communion

March 8th        Pastor Teresa preaching

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MULTIGENERATIONAL SUNDAY SCHOOL!! ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL!!

We have Multigenerational Sunday School from 9:30 in the cafeteria the second and fourth Sundays of the month. Who is welcome? All ages. We will be creating, discussing, playing games, acting out bible stories and more. At the same time, the Sacks host the Multi-generational-worshipAdult Sunday School, also at 9:30 am in their living room. The method used is the, “Swedish Bible study method,” interacting with the texts for the service through our own life experiences. Their home is right across the Lutheran Campus from our sanctuary. Best coffee in town = ) Come and enjoy! (At times Adult Sunday School is held in the Upper Room, on the 2nd floor above the Sanctuary.) All are welcome. Need more information, contact wtucrev@gmail.com any time = ) Sunday School schedule: 2/8, 2/22, 3/8, 3/22, 4/12, 4/26, 5/10, 5/24, 6/14 and 6/28.

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WTUC Announcements:

*Questions or concerns? Feel free to email wtucrev@gmail.com anytime.

*Please enjoy and refer our website https://wtuc.net/ and FB page (West Tokyo Union Church) to others. Please make any suggestions for additions to the Pastor Teresa and/or Steering Committee.

*If you’d like to be added to the WTUC church email list, please contact Gene Witt ewitt@asij.ac.jp

*If interested in joining the WTUC Prayer Chain, let Pastor Teresa or Prayer Chain Coordinator, Kayo Ozawa, know of your interest. Please submit prayers to wtucrev@gmail.com or Kayo Ozawa.

*Sign up for snacks for fellowship time with Ann or on the list on the white board for next year. We appreciate your contributions to our community life!

*Each week we will be setting up the chairs for worship and preparing the sanctuary, anyone around at 10:30am is invited to be involved in the fun = ) Each week we will also return our sanctuary to it`s classroom style after the fellowship time.

*Interested in baptism or membership, please contact Pastor Teresa.

*Interested in a paid position setting up and/or taking down the chairs of our sanctuary? Contact Pastor Teresa at wtucrev@gmail.com

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Scripture Passages for the sermon –

Hebrews 13:20-21

20 Now may the God of peace, who brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, 21 make you complete in everything good so that you may do his will, working among us[a] that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen. 

John 10:1-15   New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Jesus the Good Shepherd

10 “Very truly, I tell you, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate but climbs in by another way is a thief and a bandit. 2 The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 They will not follow a stranger, but they will run from him because they do not know the voice of strangers.” 6 Jesus used this figure of speech with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.

7 So again Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who came before me are thieves and bandits; but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.

11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away—and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13 The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep. 

Psalm 18:25-36     New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

25 With the loyal you show yourself loyal;

   with the blameless you show yourself blameless;

26 with the pure you show yourself pure;

   and with the crooked you show yourself perverse.

27 For you deliver a humble people,

   but the haughty eyes you bring down.

28 It is you who light my lamp;

   the Lord, my God, lights up my darkness.

29 By you I can crush a troop,

   and by my God I can leap over a wall.

30 This God—his way is perfect;

   the promise of the Lord proves true;

   he is a shield for all who take refuge in him.

31 For who is God except the Lord?

   And who is a rock besides our God?—

32 the God who girded me with strength,

   and made my way safe.

33 He made my feet like the feet of a deer,

   and set me secure on the heights.

34 He trains my hands for war,

   so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

35 You have given me the shield of your salvation,

   and your right hand has supported me;

   your help[a] has made me great.

36 You gave me a wide place for my steps under me,

   and my feet did not slip.