West Tokyo Union Church Weekly - Sunday, January 31, 2016 worship 

Pastor:  Rev. Teresa Thompson Sherrill     wtucrev@gmail.com

11:00 AM – Rev. Dr. Jim Sack will bring the sermon, Give me Faith to Trust and Forgive, from Luke 17. Kazuko Sacon will bring the worship music on the organ. Our delightful FELLOWSHIP time will be after the service.

***

about the preacher – Jim and Carol Sack have been long term missionaries in Japan with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Japan since 1982. Jim teaches clinical psychology classes in the undergraduate and graduate school as well as pastoral counseling classes in the seminary. Carol is director of “Lyra Precaria,” a ministry that provides harp music and voice at the bedside of the dying. 

***

Little Kidz: Please go with Allie to learn about Jesus Heals the Man with Hansen`s Disease.

Confirmation Class: Ash Wednesday simple soup and Imposition of Ashes service, soup: 5:30pm, service: 6:30pm.

HS Youth: Gathering cloth to continue with quilting projects, please give your usable material to one of the Youth. Next youth group meeting at Papa Pasta (on the six lane), Sunday, January 31 at 5:00 pm. Youth & Friends leading worship music on February 14th.

***

Upcoming Preaching Ministry and Community Events

January 31st – Rev. Dr. Jim Sack preaching, organ:Kazuko Sacon.

February 7th – Pastor Teresa preaching, Communion, organ: Kazuko Sacon.

February 10th Ash Wednesday – simple soup supper and Imposition of Ashes service, soup: 5:30pm, service: 6:30pm. All are invited.

February 14th – Adult Sunday School, Multigenerational Sunday School, Carolyn Morikawa preaching, Youth & Friends leading worship music.

February 21st – Pastor Teresa preaching, Communion, organ: Kazuko Sacon.

February 28th – Adult Sunday School, Multigenerational Sunday School, Dr. Wilbert Shenk preaching, organ: Kazuko Sacon.

***

MULTIGENERATIONAL SUNDAY SCHOOL!! ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL!! 

We have Multigenerational Sunday School from 9:30AM 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 Adult Sunday School, also at 9:30AM 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, hosted by Dr. Toshi Sasao, on the 2nd floor above the Sanctuary.) All are welcome. Need more information, contact wtucrev@gmail.com any time = )  Next Sunday Schools – February 14th and 28th!

***

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, are interested in baptism or membership, please contact Pastor Teresa *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. *Sign up for snacks for fellowship time with Ann or Jill. We appreciate your contributions to our community life!

***

Text for the sermon – Luke 17:1-6 (NRSV)

17 Jesus said to his disciples, “Occasions for stumbling are bound to come, but woe to anyone by whom they come! 2 It would be better for you if a millstone were hung around your neck and you were thrown into the sea than for you to cause one of these little ones to stumble. 3 Be on your guard! If another disciple sins, you must rebuke the offender, and if there is repentance, you must forgive. 4 And if the same person sins against you seven times a day, and turns back to you seven times and says, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive.”

5 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” 6 The Lord replied, “If you had faith the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.

West Tokyo Union Church Weekly - Sunday, January 24, 2016 worship 

Pastor:  Rev. Teresa Thompson Sherrill     wtucrev@gmail.com

9:30 AM – ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL in the cafeteria with Dr. Toshi Sasao

9:30 AM – MULTIGENERATIONAL SUNDAY in the cafeteria with Pastor Teresa

11:00 AM –  Rev. Matsumoto and Mark Penner will bring the sermon, Jesus` Keen Awareness, from Mark 7. Kazuko Sacon will be on the organ. Our delightful FELLOWSHIP time will be after the service. Great time to invite friends who are interested in hearing about some of the ministries and progress of of the Japanese Sign Language Bible.

Please click around this evocative website that introduces the work of the Japanese Sign Language Bible – http://www.jslbible.org/

a testimony from the United Bible Societies – https://www.unitedbiblesocieties.org/sign-language-bible-app-japan-change-deaf-culture/

about the preacher and the interpreter –

Rev. Eiji Matsumoto is pastor of the Yamagata Deaf Christ Church. He serves as board chair of the Japanese Sign Language (JSL) Bible translation project, and is also board chair of a network of Sign Language Bible translation project leaders called Asia Pacific Sign Language Development Association (APSDA). He is of the key leaders in the global Sign Language Bible translation movement.

JSL BIble:  For 300,000 Japanese Deaf people, Japanese is a foreign language they have to study arduously to learn. In reality, their first language (their heart language that is naturally absorbed), is Japanese Sign Language (JSL). JSL is a visual language more different from Japanese than English is from Chinese. The JSL Bible is a desperate need if the Japanese Deaf community is to access God’s Word and be transformed by it.

English website: http://www.jslbible.org

Japanese website: http://j-dem.net

Mark Penner grew up in Japan and serves here now as a WorldVenture missionary. He has worked in the Japanese Deaf community for 32 years, first in leadership development and now with a team of Deaf people translating the Bible into Japanese Sign Language.

***

“Composition of a Lifetime“ The 2016 Women’s Conference https://woconjapan.wordpress.com/ will be held January 29~31 at Amagi Sanso. Have you ever wondered about the meaning of life? Have you wondered about the meaning of your life? Do you admire great artists, writers, architects, and composers – and envy their genius (even just a little)? We forget that even the great geniuses who produced masterpieces had their dark moments, too. We don’t always know what goes into great compositions, but more importantly, we forget that we are great compositions! Maybe we don’t have that one thing to show for our lives. Except we do! It takes every major and minor part to compose an entire life! We have much to celebrate because we are each fearfully and wonderfully made.

Special Guest Presenter: Tomoko Arakawa, Director of Asia Rural Institute (ARI)

Join us for a celebratory weekend of rest, relaxation, restoration, and fun as we explore the wonderful compositions of our lives! Registration is open. Click here to register – https://woconjapan.wordpress.com/about-3/registration-2009/

Enjoy a short shareable promotional video http://youtu.be/egrWIelgD9E

***

Little Kidz:  Please go with Sophia to learn about Jesus feeding the 5000.

Confirmation Class: Ash Wednesday simple soup and Imposition of Ashes service, soup: 5:30pm, service: 6:30pm.

HS Youth: Gathering cloth to continue with quilting projects, please give your usable material to one of the Youth. Next youth group meeting at Papa Pasta (on the six lane), Sunday, January 31 at 5:00 pm.

***

Upcoming Preaching Ministry and Community Events

January 24th – Rev. Matsumoto preaching (Deaf pastor of Yamagata Deaf Church, board chair of the Japanese Sign Language Bible translation project and also of the Asia Pacific Sign Language Development Association) and Mark Penner (WorldVenture missionary who has worked in the Japanese Deaf community for 32 years) translating, organ: Kazuko Sacon.

January 31st – Rev. Dr. Jim Sack preaching, organ: Kazuko Sacon.

February 7th – Pastor Teresa preaching, Communion, organ: Kazuko Sacon.

February 10th – Ash Wednesday simple soup and Imposition of Ashes service, soup: 5:30pm, service: 6:30pm.

***

MULTIGENERATIONAL SUNDAY SCHOOL!! ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL!! 

We have Multigenerational Sunday School from 9:30AM 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 Adult Sunday School, also at 9:30AM 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, hosted by Dr. Toshi Sasao, on the 2nd floor above the Sanctuary.) All are welcome. Need more information, contact wtucrev@gmail.com any time = )  Next Sunday Schools – January 24th; February 14th and 28th!

***

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, are interested in baptism or membership, please contact Pastor Teresa *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. *Sign up for snacks for fellowship time with Ann or Jill. We appreciate your contributions to our community life!

***

Text for the sermon – Mark 7:31-37 (NRSV) Jesus Cures a Deaf Man

31 Then he returned from the region of Tyre, and went by way of Sidon towards the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis. 32 They brought to him a deaf man who had an impediment in his speech; and they begged him to lay his hand on him. 33 He took him aside in private, away from the crowd, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spat and touched his tongue. 34 Then looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.” 35 And immediately his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. 36 Then Jesus[a] ordered them to tell no one; but the more he ordered them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. 37 They were astounded beyond measure, saying, “He has done everything well; he even makes the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.”

West Tokyo Union Church Weekly - Sunday, January 17, 2016 worship 

Pastor:  Rev. Teresa Thompson Sherrill     wtucrev@gmail.com

11:00 AM –  Pastor Teresa will bring the sermon, God`s Steadfast Love, from Psalm 36. Youth & friends will lead us in the worship music. Communion will be served and Healing Prayers will be offered. Our delightful FELLOWSHIP time will be after the service.

Enjoy one of the songs from our worship and our sermon text.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OBRvxrzhqs&list=RD0OBRvxrzhqs

Your Love Oh Lord (Psalm 36) – Third Day

***

“Composition of a Lifetime“ The 2016 Women’s Conference https://woconjapan.wordpress.com/ will be held January 29~31 at Amagi Sanso. Have you ever wondered about the meaning of life? Have you wondered about the meaning of your life? Do you admire great artists, writers, architects, and composers – and envy their genius (even just a little)? We forget that even the great geniuses who produced masterpieces had their dark moments, too. We don’t always know what goes into great compositions, but more importantly, we forget that we are great compositions! Maybe we don’t have that one thing to show for our lives. Except we do! It takes every major and minor part to compose an entire life! We have much to celebrate because we are each fearfully and wonderfully made.

Special Guest Presenter: Tomoko Arakawa, Director of Asia Rural Institute (ARI)

Join us for a celebratory weekend of rest, relaxation, restoration, and fun as we explore the wonderful compositions of our lives! Registration is open. Click here to register – https://woconjapan.wordpress.com/about-3/registration-2009/

Enjoy a short shareable promotional video http://youtu.be/egrWIelgD9E

***

Little Kidz:  Please go with Heather to learn about Jesus` baptism.

Confirmation Class: Ash Wednesday service, February 10th, 6:30pm.

HS Youth: Gathering cloth to continue with quilting projects, please give your usable material to one of the Youth.

***

Upcoming Preaching Ministry and Community Events

January 24th – Rev. Matsumoto preaching (Deaf pastor of Yamagata Deaf Church, board chair of the Japanese Sign Language Bible translation project and also of the Asia Pacific Sign Language Development Association) and Mark Penner (WorldVenture missionary who has worked in the Japanese Deaf community for 32 years) translating, organ: Kazuko Sacon.

January 31st – Rev. Dr. Jim Sack preaching, organ: Kazuko Sacon.

February 7th – Pastor Teresa preaching, Communion, organ: Kazuko Sacon.

***

MULTIGENERATIONAL SUNDAY SCHOOL!! ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL!! 

We have Multigenerational Sunday School from 9:30AM 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 Adult Sunday School, also at 9:30AM 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, hosted by Dr. Toshi Sasao, on the 2nd floor above the Sanctuary.) All are welcome. Need more information, contact wtucrev@gmail.com any time = )  Next Sunday Schools – January 24th; February 14th and 28th!

***

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, are interested in baptism or membership, please contact Pastor Teresa *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. *Sign up for snacks for fellowship time with Ann or Jill. We appreciate your contributions to our community life!

***

Text for the sermon – NRSV – Psalm 36 

1 Transgression speaks to the wicked deep in their hearts; there is no fear of God before their eyes. 2 For they flatter themselves in their own eyes that their iniquity cannot be found out and hated. 3 The words of their mouths are mischief and deceit; they have ceased to act wisely and do good. 4 They plot mischief while on their beds; they are set on a way that is not good; they do not reject evil. 5 Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds. 6 Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your judgments are like the great deep; you save humans and animals alike, O Lord. 7 How precious is your steadfast love, O God! All people may take refuge in the shadow of your wings. 8 They feast on the abundance of your house, and you give them drink from the river of your delights. 9 For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light. 10 O continue your steadfast love to those who know you, and your salvation to the upright of heart! 11 Do not let the foot of the arrogant tread on me, or the hand of the wicked drive me away. 12 There the evildoers lie prostrate; they are thrust down, unable to rise.

West Tokyo Union Church Weekly - Sunday, January 10, 2016 worship 

Pastor:  Rev. Teresa Thompson Sherrill     wtucrev@gmail.com

9:30 AM – ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL in the Sacks` home

9:30 AM – MULTIGENERATIONAL SUNDAY in the cafeteria with Pastor Teresa

11:00 AM –  Rev. Sabine Kluger will bring the sermon Become a Mentsh, from John 1. FELLOWSHIP Time: after the service.

***

our sending song will be from the theme of John 1,

Break Forth, O Beauteous Heavenly Light –

enjoy this rendition of this lovely anthem –

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51jBz8wIgYY

***

About the preacher – “My name is Sabine Kluger. German-born and raised, I worked in my country as a parish pastor for many years. After 3/11, Evangelical Mission in Solidarity, an international fellowship of 28 churches and missions in about 10 countries (including United Church of Christ in Japan), decided to send an Ecumenical Coworker to Japan in order to work together with Japanese Church institutions and the people tackled by the disaster. So I came to work at National Christian Council in Japan, mainly in projects of YWCA Japan in Fukushima City but also other places in the radiation and tsunami hit area. As my contract will be finished by the end of February, I am going to prepare my return to Germany where I probably will do the same work as before. Besides other things, I will miss the international Christian community in Japan very much, which I am really fond of.”

***

“Composition of a Lifetime“ The 2016 Women’s Conference https://woconjapan.wordpress.com/ will be held January 29~31 at Amagi Sanso. Have you ever wondered about the meaning of life? Have you wondered about the meaning of your life? Do you admire great artists, writers, architects, and composers — and envy their genius (even just a little)? We forget that even the great geniuses who produced masterpieces had their dark moments, too. We don’t always know what goes into great compositions, but more importantly, we forget that we are great compositions! Maybe we don’t have that one thing to show for our lives. Except we do! It takes every major and minor part to compose an entire life! We have much to celebrate because we are each fearfully and wonderfully made.

Special Guest Presenter: Tomoko Arakawa, Director of Asia Rural Institute (ARI)

Join us for a celebratory weekend of rest, relaxation, restoration, and fun as we explore the wonderful compositions of our lives! Registration is open. Click here to register – https://woconjapan.wordpress.com/about-3/registration-2009/

Enjoy a short shareable promotional video http://youtu.be/egrWIelgD9E

***

Little Kidz: Please enjoy books and coloring materials during the worship. Kidz upstairs will resume January 17th.

Little Kidz, ES, MS, HS and friends: Thank you everyone for your marvelous participation in the pageant! 

Confirmation Class: Monday January 18th, 6:30-8:00pm at the Bennett`s home, Pastor Teresa is teaching. Meal will be prepared by the Ochero family.

HS Youth: Gathering cloth to continue with quilting projects – quilts are being created to give to refugees – please give your usable material to one of the Youth.

***

Upcoming Preaching Ministry and Community Events

January 10th – Rev. Sabine Kluger preaching, organ: Kazuko Sacon.

January 17th – Paster Teresa preaching, Communion will be served, worship music: Youth and friends.

January 24th – Rev. Matsumoto preaching (Deaf pastor of Yamagata Deaf Church, board chair of the Japanese Sign Language Bible translation project and also of the Asia Pacific Sign Language Development Association) and Mark Penner (WorldVenture missionary who has worked in the Japanese Deaf community for 32 years) translating, organ: Kazuko Sacon.

January 31st – Rev. Dr. Jim Sack preaching, organ: Kazuko Sacon.

***

MULTIGENERATIONAL SUNDAY SCHOOL!! ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL!! 

We have Multigenerational Sunday School from 9:30AM 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 Adult Sunday School, also at 9:30AM 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, hosted by Dr. Toshi Sasao, on the 2nd floor above the Sanctuary.) All are welcome. Need more information, contact wtucrev@gmail.com any time = )  Next Sunday Schools – January 10th and 24th!

***

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, are interested in baptism or membership, please contact Pastor Teresa *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. *Sign up for snacks for fellowship time with Ann or Jill. We appreciate your contributions to our community life!

***

Texts for the sermon – John 1:1-18 (NRSV)

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2  He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being 4 in him was life,[a] and the life was the light of all people. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. 6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. 8 He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. 9 The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.[b] 10 He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to what was his own,[c] and his own people did not accept him. 12 But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.

14 And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son,[d] full of grace and truth. 15 (John testified to him and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me.’”) 16 From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17 The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son,[e] who is close to the Father’s heart,[f] who has made him known.