Due to an important announcement, I am sending Chihiro Times two months in a row. I appreciate your prayers, especially for this situation.
■Report from JCFN Board Meeting■□
On May 24-25, the Annual JCFN Board meeting was held in Irvine, CA. Board members from all over the United States and Japan gathered together to reflect on what was discussed during the annual joint staff meeting held in March, and to discuss what to expect for the coming years. It was a week before 3.11. The Tohoku earthquake happened when the annual joint staff meeting was being held. Thus, the situation around us changed and we were led to make arrangements on what we discussed back in March. However, what we need to do is to rely on God's timing and will in order for us to put His ministry forward. The theme of JCFN 2011 is to empower co-workers. This was made before 3.11, but it is still an important mindset for us to keep because of this situation in Japan. There was one another major issue covered during this Board meeting. That was regarding JCFN staff personnel change. It also affects my situation in the JCFN ministry, and I appreciate your prayers during this change. Here is the report from JCFN Board regarding the personnel change.
JCFN Members and Supporters,
Praise the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ!
How are you? We are so grateful to God for you who pray and support us for furthering His Kingdom through JCFN for Japanese living outside of Japan and for returnees. We also remember those who have been affected by the Tohoku Earthquake that our God of mercy would comfort and bless them.
Recently, we held our annual board meeting at JCFN's headquarters in Irvine, CA, May 24-26th. There were many things we discussed, but specifically, we would like to announce to you a major change regarding personnel and we would ask you to pray with us as we go through this transition.
Setsu Kuroda who has been, for 18 years seconded from OMF International (US) to serve full time at JCFN, and has been its International Director since 2005, will resign from that position due to the need to see her financial support increase. In order for her to continue to serve as an OMF missionary, she needs to trust God to raise her support to an acceptable level. We, as members of the JCFN Board of Directors, have accepted the change in OMF's policy (ie; all diaspora OMF members must be 100% supported by the end of 2011), and we have made a decision to release Setsu to do support raising (partnership development) as her top priority.
This is a big change for OMF and JCFN, and we have appointed Chihiro Nakamura as our Interim International Director. It is our hope that the ministry of JCFN will continue to move forward under new leadership.
This year we are celebrating JCFN's 20th anniversary, realizing that this has been made possible by many of you who have prayed and given sacrificially. For this special occasion, we have something that we want you to join with us in regarding prayers of thanksgiving. We give thanks and glory to God for OMF's support over the years and investment in JCFN's staff and ministries. When JCFN was first begun, without OMF's help and support, we could not have survived. OMF had leased to JCFN their first office space in their US headquarters building in Denver, Colorado. OMF helped us process donations, become a non-profit organization and set up a Board of Directors. Setsu Kuroda, an OMF missionary, was fully seconded to work with JCFN and became their very first staff and has been serving over 18 years, as mentioned above. We hope that can continue. JCFN is filled with gratitude towards OMF International.
Our personnel change is due to the personnel policy change of OMF, which has had such a rich relationship and history with JCFN. Also, at this time, Setsu is getting married to Masaomi Shimizu. Please pray for her that her support needs will be completely met, and that she can continue to serve in returnee ministry in fresh and invigorating ways.
We always face challenges due to a lack of volunteers, staff, and personnel. However, staff and board members are very grateful to God who is purposing this change so that we can learn to trust Him more and see His provision in the days ahead, and for this we are filled with much hope.
Lastly, we pray for all of you who are members and friends of JCFN, who support this ministry in Japan and around the world, and especially for those in the Tohoku area that God's richest blessings will be upon them. His hope and His faithfulness are new every morning!
In summary, Setsu Kuroda Shimizu, who took a role of JCFN International Director for the past several years, resigned from that position in order for her to concentrate on raising support starting June 1st. Due to this resignation, I was appointed to be the "interim" International Director and take director duties starting June 1st.
□What I feel after the Personnel Change□■
I would like to share what I am feeling right now after I have been through this personnel change with those who have been my great supporters.
This change was what I was NOT expecting to happen, although JCFN has been going rough times in terms of our personnel issues. The first impression hearing that I would become an interim International Director was that there would be no other way due to this situation. Then, I accepted the offer with that impression. However as I took a time of prayer, the story for the Scripture came to my mind. It was the scene of Genesis chapter 29 describing the conversation between Jacob and his father-in-law to be, Laban regarding the marriage with Rachel and Leah.
Jacob served Laban for total fourteen years in order to get married to Rachel in spite of his desire. He took the attitude not because there was no way other than that, but because he recognized God's intervention in this situation. When this story came to my mind, I was reminded of the different Bible story when I was led to decide becoming a JCFN staff member. It is the story of one generation prior to the story of Rachel and Jacon, the story of conversation between Laban (same Laban written above) and the servant sent to find Isaac's wife (Isaac is the father of Jacob). I was led to be a JCFN staff member by learning from what the servant prayed, how the prayer was answered, and how the servant responded to the answered prayer including the correspondence to Laban.
When I was reminded of these two stories, the pathway of this personnel change is not just something, "there is no other way to take," but there is actually God intervening in this situation. What I needed to is to be obedient to what God is allowing to be happened. This lesson from the Scriptures has been guiding me to be obedient to the Lord.
Please pray that I may be able to keep obeying to what God is telling me to do. Also please pray that I may be able to play the role of interim International Director in my unique way. Please pray for Setsu Shimizu as well. She resigned from the position of International Director; however, she uses her most of the time to raise her support by the end of this year as a JCFN staff worker. Finally, please pray for JCFN ministry especially during this season of change.
□What's Going on with Chihiro□■
Central Conference (May) and ec11 planning committee meeting (June) were held in guidance and blessings. It's during summer break in the US that JCFN is planning for the WIT leadership camp (July). Please pray that I would be a good resource for those who are involved in.
Jul. 17th: Message at Union Church of Los Angeles
Jul. 28th - 30th: WIT11 (CA)
Dec. 27th - Jan. 1st: ec 10 (CA)
■Prayer for Chihiro■□
♪ Thanksgiving ♪
- That God taught be how to be obedient to Him.
- For supporters continuously being provided.
♪ Requests ♪
- That I may be faithful to God's calling in the midst of changes.
- For my interim International Director role.
- For my home church, Chofu Baptist Church.
- For financial supporters to be provided consistently.
■Report from JCFN Board Meeting■□
On May 24-25, the Annual JCFN Board meeting was held in Irvine, CA. Board members from all over the United States and Japan gathered together to reflect on what was discussed during the annual joint staff meeting held in March, and to discuss what to expect for the coming years. It was a week before 3.11. The Tohoku earthquake happened when the annual joint staff meeting was being held. Thus, the situation around us changed and we were led to make arrangements on what we discussed back in March. However, what we need to do is to rely on God's timing and will in order for us to put His ministry forward. The theme of JCFN 2011 is to empower co-workers. This was made before 3.11, but it is still an important mindset for us to keep because of this situation in Japan. There was one another major issue covered during this Board meeting. That was regarding JCFN staff personnel change. It also affects my situation in the JCFN ministry, and I appreciate your prayers during this change. Here is the report from JCFN Board regarding the personnel change.
=============================================
Personnel Change Announcement
May 31, 2011
JCFN Members and Supporters,
Praise the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ!
How are you? We are so grateful to God for you who pray and support us for furthering His Kingdom through JCFN for Japanese living outside of Japan and for returnees. We also remember those who have been affected by the Tohoku Earthquake that our God of mercy would comfort and bless them.
Recently, we held our annual board meeting at JCFN's headquarters in Irvine, CA, May 24-26th. There were many things we discussed, but specifically, we would like to announce to you a major change regarding personnel and we would ask you to pray with us as we go through this transition.
Setsu Kuroda who has been, for 18 years seconded from OMF International (US) to serve full time at JCFN, and has been its International Director since 2005, will resign from that position due to the need to see her financial support increase. In order for her to continue to serve as an OMF missionary, she needs to trust God to raise her support to an acceptable level. We, as members of the JCFN Board of Directors, have accepted the change in OMF's policy (ie; all diaspora OMF members must be 100% supported by the end of 2011), and we have made a decision to release Setsu to do support raising (partnership development) as her top priority.
This is a big change for OMF and JCFN, and we have appointed Chihiro Nakamura as our Interim International Director. It is our hope that the ministry of JCFN will continue to move forward under new leadership.
This year we are celebrating JCFN's 20th anniversary, realizing that this has been made possible by many of you who have prayed and given sacrificially. For this special occasion, we have something that we want you to join with us in regarding prayers of thanksgiving. We give thanks and glory to God for OMF's support over the years and investment in JCFN's staff and ministries. When JCFN was first begun, without OMF's help and support, we could not have survived. OMF had leased to JCFN their first office space in their US headquarters building in Denver, Colorado. OMF helped us process donations, become a non-profit organization and set up a Board of Directors. Setsu Kuroda, an OMF missionary, was fully seconded to work with JCFN and became their very first staff and has been serving over 18 years, as mentioned above. We hope that can continue. JCFN is filled with gratitude towards OMF International.
Our personnel change is due to the personnel policy change of OMF, which has had such a rich relationship and history with JCFN. Also, at this time, Setsu is getting married to Masaomi Shimizu. Please pray for her that her support needs will be completely met, and that she can continue to serve in returnee ministry in fresh and invigorating ways.
We always face challenges due to a lack of volunteers, staff, and personnel. However, staff and board members are very grateful to God who is purposing this change so that we can learn to trust Him more and see His provision in the days ahead, and for this we are filled with much hope.
Lastly, we pray for all of you who are members and friends of JCFN, who support this ministry in Japan and around the world, and especially for those in the Tohoku area that God's richest blessings will be upon them. His hope and His faithfulness are new every morning!
Hiroaki Yonai
JCFN Chairman of the Board
And JCFN Board of Trustees
JCFN Chairman of the Board
And JCFN Board of Trustees
=============================================
In summary, Setsu Kuroda Shimizu, who took a role of JCFN International Director for the past several years, resigned from that position in order for her to concentrate on raising support starting June 1st. Due to this resignation, I was appointed to be the "interim" International Director and take director duties starting June 1st.
□What I feel after the Personnel Change□■
I would like to share what I am feeling right now after I have been through this personnel change with those who have been my great supporters.
This change was what I was NOT expecting to happen, although JCFN has been going rough times in terms of our personnel issues. The first impression hearing that I would become an interim International Director was that there would be no other way due to this situation. Then, I accepted the offer with that impression. However as I took a time of prayer, the story for the Scripture came to my mind. It was the scene of Genesis chapter 29 describing the conversation between Jacob and his father-in-law to be, Laban regarding the marriage with Rachel and Leah.
Jacob served Laban for total fourteen years in order to get married to Rachel in spite of his desire. He took the attitude not because there was no way other than that, but because he recognized God's intervention in this situation. When this story came to my mind, I was reminded of the different Bible story when I was led to decide becoming a JCFN staff member. It is the story of one generation prior to the story of Rachel and Jacon, the story of conversation between Laban (same Laban written above) and the servant sent to find Isaac's wife (Isaac is the father of Jacob). I was led to be a JCFN staff member by learning from what the servant prayed, how the prayer was answered, and how the servant responded to the answered prayer including the correspondence to Laban.
When I was reminded of these two stories, the pathway of this personnel change is not just something, "there is no other way to take," but there is actually God intervening in this situation. What I needed to is to be obedient to what God is allowing to be happened. This lesson from the Scriptures has been guiding me to be obedient to the Lord.
Please pray that I may be able to keep obeying to what God is telling me to do. Also please pray that I may be able to play the role of interim International Director in my unique way. Please pray for Setsu Shimizu as well. She resigned from the position of International Director; however, she uses her most of the time to raise her support by the end of this year as a JCFN staff worker. Finally, please pray for JCFN ministry especially during this season of change.
□What's Going on with Chihiro□■
Central Conference (May) and ec11 planning committee meeting (June) were held in guidance and blessings. It's during summer break in the US that JCFN is planning for the WIT leadership camp (July). Please pray that I would be a good resource for those who are involved in.
Jul. 17th: Message at Union Church of Los Angeles
Jul. 28th - 30th: WIT11 (CA)
Dec. 27th - Jan. 1st: ec 10 (CA)
■Prayer for Chihiro■□
♪ Thanksgiving ♪
- That God taught be how to be obedient to Him.
- For supporters continuously being provided.
♪ Requests ♪
- That I may be faithful to God's calling in the midst of changes.
- For my interim International Director role.
- For my home church, Chofu Baptist Church.
- For financial supporters to be provided consistently.
