On Faith:
From one generation to another and bringing generations together“My life is always with God”
Keiko Ishii, Tokyo Church
My name is Keiko Ishii and I’m a member ofJELC Tokyo Church. My parents, Chuitsuro andTsukiko Ichimura, were members of Tokyo
Church since the time of Pastor Nobuki Honda.
Currently, my husband and I live with my son
and his family, my daughter-in-law and two
grandchildren, aged 11 and 6. So, myhousehold is Christian family of four
generations.
Before WWII, my father was a naval officer.
When he was a 19-year-old student of theNaval Academy, he became a Christian under
the guidance of Miss Estella Finch (later
naturalized and called Mitsuyo Hoshida), whowas at Kaigun Dendo Gikai (Naval ChristianMissions) in Yokosuka. Miss Finch was loved
by the students of the Naval Academy andcalled “Mother.” On Sundays many students
came to see her.
Mother Finch was close to Admiral Uryu
and his wife, who were both renowned
Christians (Mrs. Uryu was one of the five girls
sent to study in the US by the Meijigovernment) and Kanzo Uchimura, who called
her “Aunt Hoshida.”
My mother Tsukiko was from Kyushu.
When she was a girl, her sister died from anillness and left her mother a Bible and ahymnal. My mother became a Christian after
that. My father went to a local church when his
ship was staying at Sasebo Port. There he met
my mother and they got married.
It is difficult for working adults andchildren to go to church on Sunday. But for myfamily, it is a great joy that all six of us can go tochurch and attend the services together onChristmas, Easter and other church events.
My parents wanted their four daughters toserve the church by playing the organ, so westarted to take piano lessons when we werevery young. Their wish came true; I am one ofthe organists serving at Tokyo Church and myson Makoto Ishii plays the trumpet at theservices. My husband also has been working
for the church office since his retirement.
I am now 76 years old and have been
blessed with the grace of God. When introubles, sorrows and hardships, God hashelped me and kept me in His peace. I don’tknow when my days come to an end, but until
the day I go to His kingdom in heaven, I’d liketo live praying. I wish the members of myfamily also lived a happy life, just like me.

“We are closed but in business!”
Tomoaki Kai, Shion Church Houfu Chapel
Shion Church Houfu Chapel is a small
church with about eight people attending theservice. However, each member does a lot ofwork, especially the women do. Every Sunday,
at least an hour before the service, they open
the church door, arrange the altar flowers,
prepare tea for the fellowship and clean thefloor. There is a member who plays the organ
every week, never missing one. I cannot thankenough for their devotion. Last year about 100

people including the 20 high school students
came to the Christmas concert. Without these
women’s help, it could not have been possible.
The women’s group in Houfu Chapel iscurrently in recess, but the women of thechurch are still doing a lot of volunteer work
making the most of their talents. There is asaying: “open but not doing business.” I would
now like to say “Houfu Chapel Women’s Groupis closed but in business!”－８(1/2)－

“The sprouting faith”
Yoko Yoshida, Asa Church
It may be unusual nowadays, but fourgenerations of my family live in the same house.
My 93-year-old mother-in-law, my husband
and I, my son and his wife, and one of theirchildren live together.
Our family’s Christian history began withmy mother-in-law attending a Christiangathering held at the upstairs of a spa. The
group became Asa Church in 1964, whichcelebrated its 50th anniversary 3 years ago.
My husband was led by his mother andbecame a Christian. I met him when he was incollege and I was baptized in Kurume Church.
We were married there, officiated by Pastor
Nozomu Utsumi. My husband and I lived inmany places due to his transfers, but now weare settled in Asa with our grandchildren. My
grandchildren came to church with us when
they were in elementary school, but once they
started junior and senior high schooling, theyceased doing so. They went to church only
when camps were held. They would bring 4 or
5 friends to the camp and had fun. My older

grandchild left home for a job and no longer
attends Asa Church, but one of the friends hebrought to the camps still comes to the church
sometimes.
God has planted the seeds of faith in thesechildren. The members of my church and I
rejoiced to see that the young man mentioned
above came to the service even without mygrandchild. My younger grandchildparticipated in the Teens Camp two years in arow with the support of the church, the West
District and the women’s group. She learned
about the Holy Spirit on these occasions. First,
she told me she could not understand anythingat all, but in an essay, she wrote that she cameto realize that going to the church with herfamily, participating in the camps and making
many friends were all made by the Holy Spirit. I
was very happy to read it.
I realized that God stays in the hearts of thechildren and guides us to His way. I continue topray that He grows the children’s sprouting
seeds of faith into stout trees.

－８(2/2)－