Jesus Rose for Us – Third Sunday after Easter – May 8, 2022

Join us for our weekly online service! This week, Jon McCurley, from the Asian Rural Institute, will be preaching at our 10:00 am online service.

Rev. Jonathan McCurley has enjoyed visiting and sharing with the people of West Tokyo Union Church since coming to Japan to work with the community life as a chaplain at the Asian Rural Institute located in Tochigi, Japan.  Coming with his wife Satomi in 2009 to ARI, they both serve as missionaries through the United Methodist Church.  Jonathan was raised in Florida and Satomi, in Okinawa, so they both love the beach, ocean, and warm weather!   Even in cold Tochigi though they enjoy serving the Lord and all the wonderful people who come to the Asian Rural Institute.  Their daughter, Yuka, is 9 and they are involved in fostering and currently are blessed to have an 18-year-old living with them!

The ARI Chapel – photo by Jonathan McCurley

 
The sermon title for next Sunday is “Jesus Rose For Us.”

Jonathan writes: “Jesus rose again on Easter! Hallelujah! Have you ever wondered why didn’t the Kingdom of God just become a full reality on earth immediately or why Jesus didn’t take his followers to heaven? Jesus conquered fear and death; he came and appeared to hundreds of people to be a testimony to the power of God over fear and to commission his followers with this same power to continue preaching and living into their calling, continuing to proclaim the coming of the Kingdom of God. Sharing from the context of ARI and the pandemic, we will think about fear and the power of God in our lives.”

Hymns:  Because He Lives — UMH 364, Christ the Lord has Risen Today — UMH 302, The Hymn of Promise — UMH 707 

Scripture Readings: 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 & Isaiah 52:7-10   (Jon will be preaching from the Common English Bible.)

Please come join us remotely to worship together. Ruth brings the children’s message with help from her puppet friends. Thank you to Kazuko who will be playing the organ and to the many members who help out with our weekly services.


We welcome friends and members from around the world to join us as we continue to worship remotely. You may be distant geographically, but you are as close as our hearts and prayers.


We are very thankful that our little community church can keep on going even in the midst of difficulties. Many friends keep contributing to our worship services and to our parishioner connections. We appreciate everyone’s prayers, financial support and weekly acts of service as we help each other in doing the work of the Kingdom.

Offering Link: Please note that the link for sending in your gifts and tithes has been changed to https://wtuc.net/offering/ and now has recurring offering and fee recovery options.

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