Join the West Tokyo Union Church community for a September online worship service. Our preacher for this Sunday will be Rev. Paul Shew. His message is entitled, “Globally Connected in God’s Love.” We will be using our new Zoom link which is attached below. In-person services will be scheduled as the opportunity arises.

Preacher Bio: Rev. Shew, an ordained minister in the United Methodist Church, holds a Ph.D. in Theology from Fuller Theological Seminary, an M.Div. from Harvard University Divinity School, and a B.A. in Japanese Studies from Earlham College. With a background in cultural studies, comparative religion and Church history, Dr. Shew has focused much of his recent research on Christian higher education in Asia. As Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Shew has special responsibility for leading the international strategy and initiatives for Aoyama Gakuin schools.

Dr. Rev.Shew has taught courses on Christianity, religion, ethics and education to over 18,000 students since joining Aoyama Gakuin, and his lectures have been viewed by many more on YouTube since the pandemic. He has been deeply involved in founding and leading numerous student organizations and programs including Shanti Shanti (international service-learning partnering with Habitat for Humanity), the Contemporary Worship Team and the University Gospel Choir. He is Vice-Director of the AG Historical Research Institute and a researcher in the Institute for Technological & Social Transformation. He also serves on the board of directors of several universities as well as other civic and social organizations.  

Dr. Rev. Shew is married to Mari and they have three sons (two in USA) and a dog. Rev Shew enjoys spending time in the beautiful lake of Nojiri where they have a cabin.

Scripture Readings:

Psalm 133 — Eph. 4:1-6 — Matthew 22:34-40

Welcome to friends and members from around the world who 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.

Topic: WTUC Worship

Time: 10 am JST 

New WTUC Zoom link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7852850403?pwd=T0pNaTQxM0R5Z28wOFN3WXdIeEdLdz09

ID: 785 285 0403

For the password, please see the WTUC newsletter or contact the webmaster at — ruth@joee.jp.

Join the West Tokyo Union Church community for a September online worship service. Our guest speaker for this Sunday will be Mr. Khai Ing Lu. His message is entitled, “The Blue Sky Beyond My Window” and will touch your heart as Mr. Lu shares how even through tragedy, we are encouraged to love and serve God and to be thankful. We will be using our new Zoom link which is attached below. In-person services will be scheduled as the opportunity arises.

Guest Speaker: Mr. Khai Ing Lu is a Chinese-Malaysian born and raised in Sibu, Sarawak, Malaysia. He earned a B.S. from University of Malaya. He is currently the General Manager of the Wilmar International, Bintulu Edible Oils in Bintulu, Sarawak. He is a member of Ming-Ong Methodist Church in Bintulu and is actively serving as a member of the Steering Committee. He is also an administrator and committee member of the Methodist Church Hope Counseling Centre.

Mr. Lu is married to Ung-Sii Wong. They have a son who recently graduated from Nottingham University. Mr. Lu enjoys playing ping pong during his free time.

Scripture Readings:

Psalm 1:1-6
Psalm 142

John 9:1-4

Welcome to friends and members from around the world who 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.

Topic: WTUC Worship

Time: 10 am JST 

New WTUC Zoom link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7852850403?pwd=T0pNaTQxM0R5Z28wOFN3WXdIeEdLdz09

ID: 785 285 0403

For the password, please see the WTUC newsletter or contact the webmaster at — ruth@joee.jp.

Join the West Tokyo Union Church community for a September online worship service. Our preacher for this Sunday will be Rev. Dr. Jim Sack. We will be using our new Zoom link which is attached below. In-person services will be scheduled as the opportunity arises.

Jim will be preaching on Luke 16:19-31 and also some on the Epistle, 1 Timothy 6:6-12, 17-19. The title of the sermon is “The Great Chasm” . 

Scripture Readings:

Luke 16:19-31
1 Timothy 6:6-12, 17-19

Welcome to friends and members from around the world who 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.

Topic: WTUC Worship

Time: 10 am JST 

New WTUC Zoom link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7852850403?pwd=T0pNaTQxM0R5Z28wOFN3WXdIeEdLdz09

ID: 785 285 0403

For the password, please see the WTUC newsletter or contact the webmaster at — ruth@joee.jp.

Join the West Tokyo Union Church community for a September online worship service. Our preacher for this Sunday will be Tim Boyle. We will be using our customary Zoom link but the link will soon change so stay tuned. In-person services will be scheduled as the opportunity arises.

Please join us for our regular Zoom worship service Sunday at 10 am (link below). For those who do not know Rev. Boyle, we’d like to introduce him to you.

• Tim Boyle is a native of Arizona and earned a B.S. in physics from Arizona State Univ. and received an NSF fellowship at Florida State Univ. to get a PhD in weather science.  That, however, was interrupted by the draft and Vietnam War. But God used that to direct his steps into going into the ministry.  Tim received M.Div. and D.Min. degrees from Fuller Theological Seminary. Tim first studied Japanese at the East-West Center in Hawaii in 1967-68 and then served as a short-term missionary for 3 years on the northern island of Hokkaido from 1971-74. He married Yuko, a native of Japan, in 1974 before entering seminary. He is a member of the California-Pacific Conference of the United Methodist Church.
• Tim and Yuko (Juji) Boyle were first appointed to serve in Japan in 1982 by the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in a joint appointment with the United Methodist Church. Their first assignment was to a rural church in Hokkaido, and then from 1986, they served for 21 years at the Tsukuba Christian Center in Tsukuba Science City. His last assignment until retirement in 2016 was a professor at Kwansei Gakuin Univ. They presently reside in the Penney Retirement Community in Florida and spend the summers in Japan.

Scripture Readings:

Psalm 1:1-6
Isaiah 61:1-11
Hebrews 4:12-16

Welcome to friends and members from around the world who 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.

After the worship service, please join us in testing our new WTUC worship link found below:

Topic: WTUC Worship

Time: 10 am JST 

Zoom link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7852850403?pwd=T0pNaTQxM0R5Z28wOFN3WXdIeEdLdz09

ID: 785 285 0403

For the password, please see the WTUC newsletter or contact the webmaster at — ruth@joee.jp.

Join the West Tokyo Union Church community for the first online service of the fall season. Our lay preacher for this Sunday will be Malcolm Foster. We look forward to seeing you all again virtually. We will be using our customary Zoom link. In-person services will be scheduled as the opportunity arises.

Please join us for our regular Zoom worship service Sunday at 10 am (link below), when lay preacher Malcolm will be talking about “Peace Amid Upheaval.” As you know, the Fosters will be moving to Washington DC next week, and so this brings a major transition to their lives. And yet God promises to watch over the big transitions and upheavals in our lives, and already the Fosters have experienced God’s care and guidance even in the mundane aspects of moving. Moving can be a unsettling time, when we are forced to confront our past as well as think about the future. What role has God played in the big transitions in your lives?

We’ll be looking at a short, encouraging passage in Paul’s letter to the church in Philippi in which he exhorts his friends to rejoice always, be gentle with one another and not to worry because God gives us “peace that passes human understanding.” We all need that peace in our lives, whatever our situation. Mio will be liturgist and Kazuko will lead us with her organ-playing. Come join us for worship, fellowship and encouragement.

Scripture Readings:

Psalm 121
Heb. 11:8-10
Philippians 4:4-7

Welcome to friends and members from around the world who 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.

Join the West Tokyo Union Church community for the first online service of the fall season. Our preacher for this Sunday will be Rev. Paul Shew. We look forward to seeing you all again virtually. We will be using our customary Zoom link. In-person services will be scheduled as the opportunity arises.

Scripture Readings:

Psalm 139, Luke 14:25-33, Philemon 1

Hymns:

61 Come, Thou Almighty King

382 Have Thine Own Way, Lord

159 Lift High the Cross

Please come join us remotely to worship together. Thank you to Kazuko who will be playing the organ and to the many members who help out with our weekly services.

Welcome to friends and members from around the world who 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.

Join the West Tokyo Union Church community for the last online service of the summer season. After this June 26th worship service, we will take a break from our regular online communal services until we resume once again on the first Sunday in September. We hope that you will all find communities to join for worship services this summer, either online or in person.

Our preacher for this coming Sunday will be Rev. Paul Shew and his message is entitled, “Jesus’ Jubilee.” We hope that you all can join us.

Old Testament Reading: Leviticus 25:8-17

New Testament Reading: Luke 4:14-22

Our Call to Worship will be based on the beautiful Psalm 19:

Call to Worship:

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

Day after day they pour forth speech;
    night after night they reveal knowledge.
They have no speech, they use no words;
    no sound is heard from them.
Yet their message goes out into all the earth,
    their words to the ends of the world.

The law of the Lord is perfect,
    reviving the soul;
the decrees of the Lord are sure,
    making wise the simple;
the precepts of the Lord are right,
    rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the Lord is clear,
    enlightening the eyes;
the fear of the Lord is pure,
    enduring forever;
the ordinances of the Lord are true
    and righteous altogether.
More to be desired are they than gold,
    even much fine gold;
sweeter also than honey
    and drippings of the honeycomb.

Let the words of our mouths and the meditation of our hearts
    be acceptable to you,
    O Lord, our rock and our redeemer. Amen. 

Hymns:

#57 — O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing

#196 — Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus! Born to Set Thy People Free

#454 — Open My Eyes that I May See

Please come join us for worship at 10 am using the link below!

Please come join us remotely to worship together. Thank you to Kazuko who will be playing the organ and to the many members who help out with our weekly services.

Welcome to friends and members from around the world who 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.

The miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and fish may not be so much a conjuring up of food out of thin air, but the beautiful things that happen when we make ourselves vulnerable and share ourselves. Join our online worship this Sunday as Charles McJilton shares the message.

Charles McJilton is the Founder and CEO of Second Harvest Japan, Japan’s first and largest food bank. Second Harvest Japan is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. Its food project in Okinawa is now in its second year. Sherilyn Siy is a writer and educator. Together, they have three children and recently adopted two cats.

Hymns:

#85 We Believe in One True God

#428  For the Healing of the Nations

#664 Sent Forth by God’s Blessing 

Gospel Reading — Luke 9: 11-17

Old Testament Reading — The miracle of the bread: 2 Kings 4:42-44

Ruth will be bringing the children’s message with the help of her amiable puppet pals.

Please come join us for worship at 10 am using the link below!

Please come join us remotely to worship together. Ruth’s puppet friends are cycling across Japan and will join us on the following Sunday. Thank you to Kazuko who will be playing the organ and to the many members who help out with our weekly services.

Welcome to friends and members from around the world who 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.

Hope keeps us going, doesn’t it? We all have things we look forward to, things we hope will happen — but not all of them come true. But the hope God offers “doesn’t disappoint,” as the Apostle Paul says in Romans 5:1-5, the main text for this Sunday’s service. That’s because it’s not wishful thinking, but it’s grounded in the reality of Jesus’ death and resurrection.

If the Gospel is true, and Jesus did overcome death and sin, then we have nothing to be afraid of. We can have hope that everything is going to work out for good, as lay preacher Malcolm will be sharing in his message on “The Power of Hope.” Love, justice and good will win. 

This hope is powerful weapon against the anxiety and fears we all experience. So many times in the Bible, we hear the words, “Don’t be afraid” and “Don’t worry,” and yet we still fret. The hope God gives us means that ultimately we can be optimists — realistic optimists. Because we know the world is evil, that we will all suffer, as Paul talks about as well. But even death is not something we need to fear. And that hope can carry us through those tough times, too. It’s something solid, we can build our lives on.

Please come join us for worship at 10 am using the link below!

Please come join us remotely to worship together. Ruth’s puppet friends are cycling across Japan and will join us on the following Sunday. Thank you to Kazuko who will be playing the organ and to the many members who help out with our weekly services.

Welcome to friends and members from around the world who 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.

Our next Sunday service for the West Tokyo Union Church community will be held in person at our traditional meeting place on the campus of the Lutheran Seminary in Mitaka. It will also be broadcast remotely via our regular Zoom connection. We welcome all to join us one way or another. We often wear red on Pentecost Sunday as a reminder of the fire and the Holy Spirit that descended to inspire and bless those early Christians. Thank you to Dr. Jim Sack, who will be preaching the message for this Pentecost service.

Please come join us in person and remotely to worship together. The children’s sermon has been pre-recorded with the help of a sheep for ease of incorporation into this Sunday’s service format. Thank you to Kazuko who will be playing the organ and to the many members who help out with our weekly services.

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

Announcement: WTUC member, Ruth Ingulsrud, will be going on a 500 km fundraising bike ride June 9 – 12 raising money for educational programs for orphans in Japan. Prayers and donations are much appreciated. Link to the donation site is here: https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/kiwl-2022-events/ Please mention “JOEE” in the link labeled “In Honor.” The link to Ruth’s Joyful Opportunity English Education website is here: https://joee.jp

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.