I hope this newsletter finds you well, surviving this hot summer season. In particular, I pray that each one of you may be physically protected during this time. Here in Long Beach, the weather is great. Although it is hot in the daytime, it gets cooler in the mornings and evenings. Here is my ministry report since May!
■Conferences in May■□
During May, I visited two different conferences. One was Central Conference directed by JCFN Midwest volunteers.
It was the seventh conference and 157 people, including partial attendees, participated. This was the largest Central Conference ever. It was held at Judson University, located 40 miles northwest of Chicago. Rev. Masashi Sugita, who is the pastor of Dublin Baptist Japanese Church in OH, was the main speaker and shared Biblical insights on the conference theme, "ONE - the most important thing." I personally observed leadership change the Central Conference. Those who have been long involved from the beginning, now served in the background and were focusing on raising up the next leaders. I was so encouraged to see these mature leaders serving emerging leaders. It was evident that God's hands were on the Japanese ministries in the Midwest and I praised God for that. Please remember the Japanese people in the Midwest in your prayers.
The second conference I attended in May was ACMI, which stands for Association of Christians Ministering among Internationals. The main focus of this conference was to learn how to utilize online social networking tools such as facebook in ministries. I was amazed to see those in senior ages who have already retired from missionary work there to learn such a thing in order to reach out to the younger generations. What a humble learning posture they have! Also, JCFN had a seminar, "Understanding Young Japanese Minds and Hearts" to present what kind of backgrounds and culture Japanese young people grow up in. Those who are ministering to Japanese international students attended this seminar. Surely, God raised those local workers with a heart for the Japanese in order to reach out to them who are in the places that may not be natural for the Japanese to be. Please remember those workers in different places in the States in your prayers.
□Virtual Joint Staff Meeting□■
Usually, JCFN staff workers get together in March for an annual joint staff meeting. However since we had ANRC this past March, we decided to have an "online joint staff meeting" in June this year. Considering the time difference between Japan and US and our capability of concentration, we had three-hour online meetings for five weeks. It was a time to reflect on the previous year for each staff worker and to plan for the upcoming year. We thanked God for giving us the great tool for making this online meeting possible. But at the same time, we acknowledged how important it is to meet face to face.
My focus in the ministry this year is US regions. I will contact not only JCFN official regional meetings and conferences, but also different regional meetings happening all over the States. It is to know what God is doing in different regions, to identify returnees from such regions, and to follow-up with them. In fact, I have monthly accountability calls with regional leaders and talk about an hour with them on the phone. I listen to what they had for fellowship, consult for specific needs, ask about returnees of where they are going back and how they are doing, and pray together for their ministries and themselves. We cannot actually go there to support, but we have other ways to support them despite the distance. This is how we join in God's ministry together with them. Please pray for God's wisdom as I listen to, talk to, and pray with them.
□WIT 09□■
In July, we had our third WIT (Whatever It Takes) Leadership Camp at Concordia University in Irvine, CA. Twenty-seven regional leaders from 11 states got together to learn about leadership for three days. They did not just learn about leadership for themselves but also learned how to equip arising leaders. Especially in the States, it is a fast-paced ministry with lots incoming and outgoing leaders. It is very important for them to see beyond what they do as a ministry.
The mission statement of WIT 09 was "Nurturing Influential Leaders to Fulfill Christ's Mission." We as leaders learned in three perspectives, (1) Christ's Mission, (2) Assurance of Calling, and (3) Fulfillment by Influence. Planning committee members from past WIT participants planned detailed contents and taught workshops. It was great to see not only attendees to grow but also those who plan to be equipped as leaders.
As I mentioned about my responsibility in the JCFN ministry before, I will be following-up with regional leaders from various areas. During WIT, I was able to meet these leaders with whom I will be contacting monthly. Thinking of future communication, it was very helpful and meaningful that I could actually meet them face to face and spend some time with them. Please remember the leaders sent out from WIT 09 and their ministries back in their regions. Also please pray that WIT's follow-up ministry will be more effective.
Personally, it turned out to be a great time to reflect on how my gift, passion and what I am doing are related to each other. Honestly, I was anxious about heading into my third year as a JCFN staff worker. For the previous two years, although it was huge responsibility to be equipper conference director, that functioned as my identity. Now that I was in my third year, that identity was gone. I have been praying about what I am supposed to do as a JCFN staff worker and what God wants me to do. As I prayed and laid out an annual plan for the joint staff meeting and reflected on my given gifts and mission, I was able to see that everything was integrated with each other. My spiritual gift is "pastoring," which means having a heart to equip Christians. Also, I have always had a passion to support those who are wounded since I was in junior high school. I actually learned about this while I was in college in Japan. I finally recognized that my given spiritual gifts, passion and experiences are being specifically utilized to communicate and encourage regional leaders.
Through WIT, I identified my lifelong mission, which is "To be specifically involved in restoration and growth of those who are not in true love relationship with God because of their wound and unhealed identity from God. I take my opportunity to listen and speak as the privilege from God and would like to fulfill this mission. I thank God for giving me relationship with others.
□What's Going on with Chihiro□■
As I wrote in my previous newsletter, I am currently in the process of applying for a green card. I am done with all of the paperwork that I need to do, and am now waiting to hear from immigration. Especially, I am waiting to receive travel permit in order to have international travels and work permit because of my visa expiration next spring. Please pray that both permits may be approved shortly.
During October, I am planning to travel to the South to witness God's work there and to be an encouragement to the ministries in those areas. I will be traveling by myself but am hoping to have company with those who are in the South, and networking with new people.
Oct.: Trip to South
Dec. 27th - Jan. 1st: Urbana09 (MO) I will fly to St. Louis on the 25th and come back to LA on the 1st.
■Prayer for Chihiro■□
♪ Thanksgiving ♪
For the conviction I have about the ministry I am involved with and my role there.
For supporters continuously being provided.
♪ Requests ♪
For the process of applying for the green card.
For planning my trip to the south so that I can discern where to visit.
For financial supporters to be provided consistently.
