Christian Academy in Japan

createdthe gift of music

Fall 2020

tocreateMessage from

Head of School
C H R O N I C L E
EditorDonna Lewis
Photo Editor
Linnea McGlothlin
Contributors
Rick Seely
Photo Contributors
Linnea McGlothlin
Todd Thicksten

The fact that we, as human beings, are created in the image of acreative God, is evidence that this is an important trait to develop
and nurture. Creativity is an avenue for worship, for loving God andenjoying him forever, and an avenue for service to others. Music is
one of the ways we understand ourselves and are empowered toexpress the depths of our emotions, and is therefore an importantpart of the education students experience at CAJ. Among many
benefits, music provides social interaction, trains young ears,
provides motor skill development, relieves stress, provides a senseof discipline, and can enhance learning in other subjects...and it isfun! Music has been an important part of CAJ's curricular and cocurricular program since the school began. We are grateful for ourGraphic Design

musical legacy; we are nurturing our music program during thisJuliana Barker

unprecedented pandemic; and we look forward with anticipation
to the many ways students will continue to honor God and serve

Christian Academy in Japanothers through the gift of music.

1-2-14 Shinkawa-cho
Higashi Kurume-shi
Tokyo, Japan 203-0013

Anda Foxwell, Head of School+81–42–471–0022
www.caj.ac.jp

Follow us on Facebook@christianacademyjapan

3

REFLECTING HIS IMAGE
4REASONS FOR

music
education
SCOTT PONZANI | Music Department Chair & Fine Arts CoordinatorThere are a host of general reasons, which are not necessarily
Christian, for all students to have music education. Music gives anavenue of expression to the musician. It can communicate both fact andemotion, connecting with head and heart. It can draw together and reinforce
all other subject areas from math to science to literature, social studies,
physical education and more. It can be beautiful,* engaging, exciting, calming
and have myriad other characteristics. Music both emanates from and gives
insight into culture and history.

All of these are valid reasons to learn to appreciate and to make music, that is, to be
consumers and creators. However, why does a Christian school provide music education? How is it different from music education in a public school?

God is Creative V We are Creative
The Bible speaks of God as a creative being. He made things that are interesting,useful and beautiful in a multitude of ways, from the foundations of heaven andearth and all that is in them to mud as a healing balm.
His Word also tells us that we are made in his image. We have certain characteristics akin to God’s. One of those is creativity. We can’t go about making worlds fromnothing. However, he has imbued us with the ability to create objects and experiences that are interesting, useful or beautiful, as he does, and to evaluate them. We
are creative because God is creative.
Looking at creativity from a slightly different angle, the Bible teaches that God
created beauty itself. All that is beautiful starts with the Lord, including music, art,
poetry, nature and so on. In imitation of God and by his grace, we can convey his goodand perfect gift of beauty. One could think of it as re-creating his beauty, mirroring it,
or becoming a vessel for it, even in our imperfect presentations.
This great gift affords us a host of possibilities. In addition to imitating the Lord, creativity allows communication in sound, light, various materials, words, food and more.
We glorify God and magnify his name when we create beautiful things. We serve
when we share this beauty for the benefit of others. We proclaim his goodness, love,
mercy and grace with the products or experiences we create. All these are summed
up in an acrostic we use:

M agnif y the Lord

U se music to communicate
S er ve God and others

I mitate Christ through creativity

C reatively proclaim God

We have been given a marvellous gift in the ability to create as our God does. This is
the layer, if I may, that Christian schools should add and rightly emphasize when they
provide music education for their students.

Music Education at CAJ
We want our young people to be good at both understanding and making music, atbeing creators as well as consumers. This is the impetus for the lessons we teach in skill
acquisition, music theory and music history. CAJ’s elementary curriculum is repletewith age-appropriate instruction on the fundamentals of these aspects of music.
Young children are taught to interpret music notation and perform the rudiments*Beautiful is a subjective word, for sure. In reference to visual beauty, there is an adage thatstates “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” Transferring that to music, we could say, “Beauty
is in the ear of the listener.” In addition to personal taste, beauty must be understood in thecontexts of culture and history.

5

REFLECTING HIS IMAGE
6

of music making. They learn how to play instruments and how to sing, and they acquire
knowledge of composers. Our middle school ensembles build upon this, using a mix of direct
instruction and concepts inherent in the music repertoire, giving students opportunity topractice their foundational skills and knowledge. In the larger high school groups, Concert
Choir, Symphonic Band, and Orchestra, students further their accomplishments.
The instruction becomes even more based in literature because the abilities and knowledge
the students have acquired in lower grades allows it. Listening lessons teach the students
to be analytical adjudicators of their own performances and those of others. Our selectgroups, Chamber Singers, Handbell Ensemble, Flute Ensemble, Jazz Ensemble, Percussion
Ensemble, and Chapel Band, provide students who excel and desire more challenge tohave a small group experience that is almost completely repertoire-based, performancefocused learning. Along the way we facilitate private music lessons for students who desire
one-on-one instruction and furnish opportunities for students, individually and in groups, toparticipate in music festivals, not only showcasing what they have learned and practiced but
receiving feedback from professionals and hearing what other international schools are doingin music education. Throughout the curriculum, we give chances for students to perform in
off-campus service situations, and we encourage them to seek their own opportunities.
CAJ’s music program endeavors to give students the tools and instruction to understandmusic and to make music as acts of love, worship and service. meet theMUSIC DEPARTMENT

Why We Teach the Arts

Left to right: Aaron Dishner, Don Ekstrand, Ayumi Tsuruta, Scott Ponzani, Denise Owen

As Fine Arts Coordinator, Scott Ponzani delivered a short speech to parents during our Backto-School Night. Why We Teach the Arts is a modified version of text that came to him from an
unknown source on the internet.

Scott Ponzani | Music Department Chair & Fine Arts Coordinator

We teach the arts not because we expect
your children to major in music, art, design,
fashion or another creative discipline. Not
because we expect them to play, sing, draw,
paint, sculpt, sew, or design all their lives.
And, not even so they can relax or have fun.
Although, any of these things may happen.
We teach them the arts so they can be
human and can connect to other humans
in beautiful and inspiring ways. We teachthe arts so they can recognize beauty and

Scott has been at CAJ for 22 years, working in the music, development, and technology
departments. He founded the CAJ Handbell Ensemble in 1999 and has directed the highschool choirs since 2014. He earned a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from Ohio
Wesleyan University and a Master of Arts in Choral Music from Eastern Michigan University.

its ultimate source, God, and praise him forit and with it. We teach in order that they
can use the creativity God has placed inthem, and thus be closer to him, the Infinite
beyond this world. We teach the arts sothey will have an outlet for expression andhave something to cling to through life’s
challenges. We teach in order that they will
have more love, more compassion, moreawareness, more gentleness, more good—in
short, more life.

Ayumi Tsuruta | Orchestra Director

Ayumi comes from Tokyo, and teaches strings at CAJ, as well as directing the orchestra. She
loves music, and also the challenge of trying new things.

Denise Owen | Elementary and Middle School Music Specialist
Denise started teaching at CAJ in 1981, after getting a degree in Music Education from
Oberlin Conservatory in Ohio, USA, and a Masters in Christian Studies from Regent College
in Vancouver, BC, Canada. Besides music, her hobbies include linguistics, seismology andvolcanology.

Don Ekstrand | Music Teacher

Don comes from Iowa in the US and has been teaching at CAJ on and off since 1987. He
graduated from Iowa University with a Bachelor degree in Music Education. He teaches brassand saxophone and is the Band Director for grades 5-12.

Aaron Dishner | Music Teacher



Aaron came to CAJ eleven years ago from Portland, Oregon. Before coming to CAJ, he studied
piano and professional music at Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. He
teaches the high school Jazz Ensemble, Digital Music Design (making music with computer
software), and co-teaches middle and high school bands with Don Ekstrand.

7

REFLECTING HIS IMAGE
8

Eloise Merrill

Eloise Merrill served at CAJ as an elementary schoolmusic and piano teacher during a career that began in
the mid-1960s. She influenced multiple generations ofstudents in the classroom and was a dedicated pianoteacher who faithfully followed the Lord’s leading in her
life. She retired to Connecticut in 2001.
Eloise passed away in 2010 leaving a significant gift
to CAJ in her will. This month we received the final
distribution from her estate and decided to honor her
one more time for a life well lived.
Planned gifts, made as part of a personal estate plan,can provide tax benefits and provide the reward ofknowing your legacy gift will have an impact on future
generations of students. If you are interested in thisgiving option please contact the Business Manager,
Bryan Lewis, on blewis@caj.ac.jp

Tim Johnson CLASS OF 1977
Having come from a musical family (my father evendirected the CAJ Choir for one year in ’62-’63), I found CAJ to be
an environment that fostered and developed my own musicalinterests. Whether it was the rhythm band in first grade, playing
the tonette (they now use recorders), junior high and high school
choirs (Martie Tarter), or the piano lessons I received from Kae
Archer (’68), Hannah Friesen (’74), Ruth Drummond, and Margaret Halberg, CAJ provided a stellar foundation for my musicalcareer. Mrs. Halberg even entered me in a Tokyo city wide music contest for young
musicians, and, because of her encouragement and instruction, I was able to win
the piano section and play a solo with the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra as a highschool senior.
Since I graduated over 43 years ago, music has continued to be a source of great enjoyment and, in fact,
one of my favorite ways to worship God. He has faithfully opened up opportunities for me to lead worshipat Kurume Bible Fellowship and other churches andvenues since the early ’90s. To this day, I find great joy inleading worship at our church at the ripe old age of 61!
During the lockdown from March, my brother Than(class of ’80) challenged me to record Facebook Lives(play and sing with my wife Jeannie) to encourage listeners with refreshing music, as well as lyrics and verses
to focus our attention on God’s unchanging attributesof sovereignty, love and grace.
FACEBOOK | www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100006755387664

Dan Oxley CLASS OF 1975
I have many great memories of my timein the band program at CAJ. I started school
there in the 8th grade in 1970, and upon myarrival joined the band. My dorm parent, Tim
Mayfield, played trombone, and led a brassgroup I was a part of. On occasion we would
play along with the school choirand for other special school
events. I was also a part of the
pep band which played for thebasketball games. When I wasin the 9th grade, Terry Clark
became the band director. He
was a trumpet player in the US
Air Force Band and came to CAJ
to teach from the military basein 1971. A couple of friends, Phil
Foxwell and James Ford and
I formed a trumpet trio. I mustsay we were pretty awesome. We had a greattime traveling around Japan performing concerts in small churches and public venues. We
even took a trip down to Kyushu where I grewup and performed concerts. Last year, I had
the opportunity to spend time with Terry Clark
in our home while he was visiting Nashville.
It was great to reminisce and talk about thegood old days.
Over the past 40 years, I have had the priv-

ilege to travel all over the world playing mytrumpet in countries such as Russia, Israel,
Brazil, Canada, Japan, China, South Korea, andNorth Korea. Yep, you read that right, North
Korea. I have been able to return to Japan
many times to play my trumpet. I even went
back to CAJ to perform in themid 80s. One of my most memorable trips to Japan would bein the months following the tsunami of 2011. I was able to travel
3 different times with my brothers, Brian and Chris, to play forsurvivors living in shelters.
Over the years I haverecorded numerous solo albums
and produced and recorded
projects as an engineer in my
Nashville studio. I’m blessed tohave been able to continue playing the trumpet throughout my life. It all started in Japan
at the age of 10 in the town of Hitoyoshi on theisland of Kyushu, taking lessons from a nextdoor neighbor. I'm thankful that my parents
encouraged me and supported me over allthese years. My mother, who recently passed
away at the age of 95, was my biggest fan.
I will always hold my memories of growing
up in Japan close to my heart.

WEBSITE | www.danoxley.com
FACEBOOK | 	www.facebook.com/pages/category/Musician-Band/
Dan-Oxley-Trumpet-Player-650455068733758/

9

TEACHING TRUTH

CAJ and the10

NEW NORMALANDA FOXWELL | Head of School

No onewould dispute that life has been turned upside-downby the COVID pandemic. Each person reading this has

stories of pain and loss, of lessons learned and new ways of communicating, offears, precautions, and a new normal we are all struggling to adjust to. Though
we are all in this together in one sense, each person encounters unique struggles
in facing the challenges brought on by this tiny virus.

Perhaps few institutions have had as

to see each other after so many weeks

many adjustments to make as schools.

apart, that even the physical distanc-

CAJ is no exception! In late February

ing and extra health precautionsof 2020, Prime Minister Abe madecould not dim their joy.

a call for all schools in Japan to shut
down on-campus education. We hadvery little warning, but our teachers
heroically made a very quick change
to moving all their classes and courses
to a Distance Learning model. We
had office staff forming an assemblyline for collating packets of resources
for students, IT staff members locating and providing electronic devices
for all students, and Leadership Team
members researching protocols andprocedures to guide us through theprocess. We had no idea at the beginning of March that this learning modelThis edition of the Chronicle contains some photos of pre COVID activities and concerts. We hope
to be able to stand that close together without masks on again in the near future, but in themeantime, we are wearing masks and social distancing at CAJ.

Though we received much appreciation from CAJ parents about theremarkable

ways

we

conducted

Distance Learning, this has been a difficult time for many at CAJ. One of thehardest struggles our community has
faced is the isolation from families andfriends, often oceans away from them.
Several of our staff members have lost
loved ones while Japan's borders haveremained closed and hospital visits
and funeral practices have been significantly regulated or prohibited. Though
Distance Education worked well in

would become so familiar to all of us.

many ways, some students struggled

We ended the 2019-2020 school year

the social support of their friends andwith an in-person graduation cere-physical presence of their teachers.

mony including only the graduates,

Communication between staff, stu-

but live-streamed to all their family

dents, and parents needed to be fre-and friends. The seniors were so happy

quent and encouraging.

with doing school from home without

11

Throughout the summer, our Leadership Team continued learning as much as we could

TEACHING TRUTH

about education during COVID. The Japan Council of International Schools (JCIS) was avaluable source of information and camaraderie. We entered the 2020-2021 school yearwith some renewed principles and priorities.

Our basic principles are:

•
•
•
•
•

Act with faithfulness to our vision, mission, and values.
Prioritize the health, safety, and wellbeing of students and staff.
Prefer face-to-face learning over distance learning, when it is safe to do so.
Ensure hygiene and health protocols are research-based, clearlycommunicated, effectively implemented, and consistently enforced.
Stay flexible to respond to changing needs and conditions.

And our priorities for safety include:

•
•
•
•

Individual health screening and preventive hygiene practices(temperature checks, masks, hand sanitizing)
Physical distancing and reduced group sizes, as possible
Cleaning and disinfecting, along with adequate ventilation
Clear communication of procedures

We began the school year with a Hybrid Learning Model. Half of our students attended
school on our campus in the morning, while the other half attended in the afternoon.
Class periods were shortened to allow students to attend all their classes where they
could receive direct instruction. They could then complete their class-work during thetime they were at home.
The two weeks of Hybrid Learning provided time for us to work through many new procedures and protocols with students while having lower numbers of students on campus.
Our "new normal" is not what we would have listed as a hope and dream for this school
year, but we have healthy students who are so delighted to return to campus.
We were also keenly aware that students would need additional support to regain theiremotional and social equilibrium. We put in place a stronger and more intentional socialand emotional learning curriculum, and our counselors conducted training sessions with
our staff. We want to support students' whole selves, not only their physical health.
It is impossible to know what the future will hold for us, but we have confidence in the
God who holds all things in his strong and loving hands. We are hopeful that eventually we will return to a more robust program with fewer precautions and rules, but wealso know that as stewards of precious students bearing his image, we are accountable
for their wellbeing. We appreciate prayers as we maneuver through uncharted waters,
knowing that God's plans for CAJ remain unchanged.
To see more about our COVID precautions, a CAJ video can be viewed here:
vimeo.com/460797099

12

13

TEACHING TRUTH

T

program at CAJ is offered
for all students in grades
K-5. The threemain
musical elements are singing, playing
instruments, and learning to readmusic. All students learn the basics
of good singing technique throughposture, breathing, tone production,
diction and interpretation. These
are the Five Essentials and apply
to instruments as well. Singing andplaying instruments requires physicaland mental self-discipline and this ispart of the development of the wholechild that we focus on in music lessons.
A student who has gone through theK-5 music program will be able to readrhythms up through sixteenth notes
and notation in the treble clef. They
will also get to experience playing one
or more of each family of instruments.
PERCUSSION | classroom percussion
		 bell sets
		 handbells
KEYBOARD | pianica
WIND | recorder
STRING | guitar

SOUND

BEGINNINGS

Elementary Music at CAJ
DENISE OWEN | Elementary and Middle School Music Specialist

14

he elementary music

Our program starts with the basics
and builds on these each year. The
musical concepts we focus on in K-2
include: steady beat, reading rhythm,
the musical opposites (high/low, up/
down, loud/soft, staccato/legato, fast/slow), singing in tune with good tone,
and steps and skips on a keyboard
instrument and on the staff with noteheads. We use rhythm instruments,
handbells, bell sets and pianicas,
learning note names along the way.
We practice all these concepts withfull body movement, with listening
and identifying, and with reading andperforming rhythms or notes.
Grades 3-5 focus on being music
makers. We continue using theconcepts introduced earlier, and buildon them to play a wind instrument(recorder), handbells, and strings(guitar). We learn more about singing
15

TEACHING TRUTH
16

Grades K-2 use theacronym JOY to learn
the biblical perspective
behind what they are
discovering aboutmusic and that it is for:beautifully and start singing in parts. Again, we learn
by doing. At this age, fine motor skills are utilized, andstudents learn how to practice until they get it right. We
actively teach practicing skills which students can also
use in their private lessons.

J ESUS

O THERSY OURSELF

Listening lessons for all grades include learning about the
instruments of the orchestra: how they make sound, how
to identify their sound, and what instrumental family they belong to. As part of teaching about
God’s world, we also look at ethnic instruments from different cultures.
Music is a performing art, so our main job is to learn concepts and skills in order to perform. Our
first performances are in the classroom for ourselves and God! We then can perform for parents
and community members in our Christmas and Spring programs, and go out into the greatercommunity at choir festivals.
Elementary music at CAJ lays the foundation for each student to be a musician, not only
to continue in the CAJ music program in middle and high school, but also to be a lifelong
musician who can serve God and others,
and express themselves spiritually,
emotionally, intellectually and socially
Grades 3-5 use the acronym MUSIC:
through music. As creatures of the creator
God and made in His image, we help our
M AGNIFY THE LORD
students to develop their God-given giftof creativity through music. 
U SE MUSIC TOS ERVE GOD AND OTHERSI T'S FUN FOR YOU TOO!

C REATIVITY IMITATES CHRIST

Jesse McDaniel CLASS OF 2006
Prior to moving toJapan and attending
CAJ, I had unique opportunities in music. I wasable to play at a jazz
venue in my prime, (at 12
years old!) with my pianoteacher's band. Moving toJapan and attending CAJ
really molded my identity as a musician, andit was a time when I did a lot of songwritingand experimentation. The city of Tokyo gaveme limitless inspiration, and CAJ gave me theopportunity to play a lot of small fun showswith our band, Drypoint.
Since my time at CAJ, I've had a lot of great
opportunities in music. My first show uponlanding in Seattle was attended by 4,000
people at Rimac Arena in San Diego! God
definitely provides. That was a while ago now,
but during quarantine I decided to get backto songwriting. I have a small home studiohere in Washington and I used the quarantine time to write for our band, called "brotherfigure." We released an EP in which each partwas recorded separately. Even the choreography was done remotely by a local dance
center. You can listen to one of the songs that
I wrote for brother figure here: youtube.com/
watch?v=jclxj9huT5A

You can find more of our music at brotherfigure.bandcamp.com/releases. I named thealbum Tokyo Piano because I sold all of mymusical equipment a few years ago to invest
into my start up. My parents recently gave meback the piano I had in Tokyo and I used thatto write the songs. I hadn’t touched the instrument for over a decade, thinking it would be
used mainly for my daughter, so I was pleased
that it could be used to create songs again.
I've played many roles as a musician, but
I enjoy being a songwriter and producer the
most. My daughter seems to have taken aliking to music, and I enjoy watching her performances.

17

LIVING IN COMMUNITY
18

orchestra

ONLINEAYUMI TSURUTA | Orchestra DirectorThroughout history, countless natural disasters, pandemics and wars have occurred,
but none of these has been able to stop music! With the outbreak of COVID 19, music
events at CAJ, such as concerts and competitions, had to be cancelled. I wanted to thinkof a way to keep music flowing, even though no face-to-face learning meant that it was impossible for students to meet as an orchestra.
When distance learning began at our school, I began giving my students assignments in which
they had to read digital music and record themselves playing with the provided accompaniment. After having the students complete these assignments for some time, I thought about‘collaging’ their recordings and videos to create an online orchestra. In order to participate inthese collaborations, the students began to video themselves playing, while continuing with
their audio recordings.
The online orchestra is not a typical web meeting where people meet in real-time; it is made upof videos taken in the students’ rooms, at different times. For this reason, the students played
along to a recording which they had playing in their earphones. This meant that they were all
playing at the same speed and pitch! This was a good opportunity for the students to experience being in contact with people digitally, especially since Japan is well known for its natural
disasters, as we never know when we might need these skills again.
For this online orchestra, I deliberately chose pieces that were either comforting or encouraging. The corona outbreak was unprecedented and we all needed comfort and encouragement

Justin Lau CLASS OF 2009
My most vivid memories
of music at CAJ were madein A-13, that undergroundmusic room reminiscent of asound-absorbing bunker. Theseexperiences included: learning
to play recorder and singing inthree-part harmony with Ms Owen in elementary school, playing oboe with Mr Wackerman
in middle school, singing tenor in Chamber
Singers with Mrs Tarter and playing bass in jazzband with Mr Ekstrand in high school. To thisday, I still remember singing Mr Hippopotamus
Was Riding His Bike, and Ms Owen's musicals
like The Troubbable of Zerubbabel, and even
vocal warmups (Lasagna, Chocolate Cookie, I
Wander Through the Lovely Woods) — all thisfrom more than twenty years ago!
My highlights include auditioning on awhim and making it into Chamber Singers—
without even knowing what SATB* was! Thiskickstarted my singing life proper. I also formed
an a cappella group called the Junior Guys
which practised weekly in Mrs Tarter’s office,even performing in Hamonepu, a nationallybroadcast TV competition (our little claim tofame). And finally, I auditioned­—on a whim

again—for the musical, A Year with Frog andToad, landing the role of Toad. This was directedby Amy Wood whom I remember being mesmerised by when she played the lead in the
Cinderella musical I saw in 4th grade, eight
years prior. Talk about coming full circle!
Having low self-esteem in a school full oftalented people meant that I never thought
myself capable. But it was through the highschool staff—who encouraged, supported andchampioned me in my singing—that I began
to develop the confidence needed for my skills
to flourish. By God's grace, I now work as a worship leader in a church of 500 in Durham (innorth east England) where I also train younger
musicians and help them develop their skills
and faith­—similar to how
Mrs Tarter helped me.
I also played bass andsang backing vocals inHarri Endersby's electronic folk band for a few
years. CAJ's solid musiceducation equipped mewith the foundations on
which I still stand today.
And it all started in A-13!

*Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bassas our lives changed completely. It was almost as if
our daily lives stopped! However, this ‘stop’ gave us
all a chance to think carefully about many things.
Therefore, hoping for better things to come, I chose
pieces such as My Neighbor Totoro and the Hunter’s
Chorus. Besides these pieces, we played pieces like
Paprika, to thank and encourage doctors and nurses,
delivery and supermarket workers and bus and train
drivers, who have all kept working throughout thecrisis. To thank God for His grace, I chose the piece,
Amazing Grace. The online orchestra also played Ave
Verum Corpus in collaboration with the choir. Ave
Verum Corpus was originally composed by Mozart,
but Tchaikovsky incorporated orchestration andrenamed it Prayer. I was really comforted by thispiece and by its theme of prayer, and decided to havethe students play it. I sincerely wanted the orchestra
to be able to play with the choir, so I was really happy
when the dream came true.

No doubt, in the future music performers will facevarious obstacles. However people will always demand
music. Throughout history, music has adapted
through pandemics, wars and crises. Who knows? It’s
possible that after this corona crisis, it may becomecommon for performers all over the world to collaborate through online orchestras. Without leaving Japan,
people can even now enjoy sessions with people in
the USA, Europe, and around the world. and play andlisten to different genres of music, like jazz and classical music, thanks to the internet.
Nevertheless, nothing compares to live concerts.
The biggest strength of live concerts is the fact that
performers and audiences can share music while
breathing the same air. So, let’s pray that this corona
crisis calms down as soon as possible, and we can getback to living and making music peacefully. 

19

REFLECTING HIS IMAGE
20

GROUNDBREAKING

news
BRYAN LEWIS | Business Manager

There has been much cause for celebration recently.
After years of planning, the construction of our new building has finallycommenced! To mark the occasion, and to pray for a safe and successful

completion of the project, a groundbreaking ceremony was held on the site inAugust. Representatives from the school and our building team—RaymondArchitects, Koshin Construction and Takumi Associates—were led through a timeof thanks and prayer by local church pastor, Rev. Taizo Morimoto. We praise God for
His goodness, and excitedly look forward to the benefits of using the new building
when the new school year starts next August.
Our planning focus is now on the redevelopment of the field and playgrounds andwe look forward to sharing more about this as details are finalised.
Your tax deductible donations toward these redevelopments would greatly assist
at this time. We have recently updated the giving section of our website, caj.ac.jp,
to allow for an easier donation process and quicker processing of receipts for tax
deductions. You are also welcome to contact our Business Manager, Bryan Lewis,on blewis@caj.ac.jp if you wish to discuss in more detail how you can help. Thankyou for your consideration of supporting our mission in this way.
21

Alumni Updates

Do you wish there were more updates? You can help fix that! Spend fiveminutes right now emailing your update to alumni@caj.ac.jp.
Sharon Kruse Stradling | class of 1971

Blanche taught at CAJ for 21 years. While there,

this fall. She thanks you for your prayers. One of her

and English as a second language. She also taught

Sharon has survived 10 years with a brain tumor
classmates has visited her several times which has
been a joy. She is doing well.
Regina Dyer Nakamura | class of 1990

Gina is living near Toronto, Canada with her
husband and youngest daughter Maya, 16, who is ajunior in high school. Her eldest daughter Madison,
25, lives and works in Guelph, Ontario. Her middle
daughter Naomi, 22, is a nurse at Milton Hospitaland recently got engaged; her wedding will be in
July 2021. Gina’s husband is an HVAC mechanic
and works in downtown Toronto. She is enjoying
her role as a postnatal doula, ministering to new

she lovingly taught third grade, remedial reading,Class of 1990 | reunion
The 30 year reunion event that the Class of 1990 had scheduled in San Francisco, California, USA for early
July, 2020, had to be postponed due to COVID-19 concerns. Members of the class plan to reschedule forthe summer of 2021. Meanwhile, the reunion was moved online and class members met virtually threetimes over the summer. Photos are from the initial meeting, which was held on June 13, 2020. Apologies tothose members who joined subsequent meetings and are not pictured.

English and Bible at the Ochanomizu Christian

L to R, top to bottom
Heidi Wenge Lomborg, Jamie Lucas Matsuoka,
Ken Seat, Hubert Kim, Natsuko Ueda Seki, Aogu
Matsuoka, Mark Klaus, Lark Amos Brenner, Marcy
Meenk Connett, Molly Sloan VanCleave, Charlie
Tamai, Becky Leigh Rivers, Russell Terhune

Center in Tokyo. In addition, she taught four classes
of English to neighborhood children, played theorgan at a church, and taught Sunday school forchildren. The Bartletts retired from the field in May
1997. Blanche was a consummate educator who
the Lord used to love, teach, and reach children
in Japan with the gospel. No doubt, her love forstudents and MKs (missionary kids) made a lasting
impact in their lives. Blanche is survived by herhusband, David, and their children Mary Elizabeth(J.) and Timothy.

moms. If anyone comes to the Toronto area andneeds a place to stay, she has a guest bedroom!
Rebecca Leigh Rivers | class of 1990

Becky lives in Folsom, California, USA with her
husband and one remaining daughter at home.
She is the proud mom of four, and works at

L to R, top to bottom
Ken Seat, Jamie Lucas Matsuoka, Hubert
Kim, Natsuko Ueda Seki, Aogu Matsuoka,
Mark Klaus, Lark Amos Brenner, Marcy Meenk
Connett, Molly Sloan VanCleave, Charlie
Tamai, Becky Leigh Rivers, Russell Terhune,
Tim Johnson (1977), Gina Dyer Nakamura

Anthem Blue Cross in management. She still loves
teaching piano as she has for the past 28 years.

Class of 1991 | reunion
Inspired by the Class of 1990, the Class of 1991 got together online on August 30, 2020.

She is delighted to be the grandmother of three
beautiful grandkids.

L to R, top to bottom
Brad Schmidt, Tanya Chislett Hall, Tasha Long
Eyler, Charis Horne Chelen, Aogu Matsuoka,
Ernest Leaf, Yasuhiro Hane, Jennifer Fujita
Sentani, Sarah Kent

Kristy Endersby Severson | class of 1990

Kristy and her husband Erik live in Faribault,
Minnesota. She teaches first grade at a small ruralschool and Erik works at The Caves of Faribault,
a small company that is known for making blue
cheese. They have been happily married for sevenyears.

Benjamin Bailey married Ayumi Watanabe inJames Yaegashi | class of 1991

Kyoto, Japan in November 2019. They also had an

family. His daughter, Anna, started high schoolwith CAJ alumni Luke Cole (1999) and Tracey Bailey

James is still in Brooklyn, New York, USA with hisand his son, Samuel, is a senior this fall.
Blanche Bartlett | staff member 1975-1996

Blanche Bartlett went to be with Jesus on
September 29, 2020. She and her husband, David,
served in Japan from 1967 - 1997. For 30 years, they

22

Benjamin Bailey | class of 1999

American wedding in Hawaii in February 2020
Delamarter (1994) attending. Ben and Ayumi areboth professors at Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto.
Mark Hancock | class of 2010Mark lives in Garland, Texas, USA. He has threechildren: Christian, Charlie and Caroline. Charlie

were involved in the education of missionary kids,

got married last year and Christian is engaged toprimarily at Christian Academy in Japan in Tokyo.

be married this year.

L to R, top to bottom
Bob Clift, Tanya Chislett Hall, Brad Schmidt,
Tasha Long Eyler, Shin Saoshiro, Mai Yoshikawa,
Charis Horne Chelen, Yayoi Sakurai, Robert Fred
Hayashi, Matthew Cummings, Minori Takao

CAJ Alumni Updates is a forum for updates from alumni, provided as a community service. The inclusion of any pieceof alumni updates is not necessarily an endorsement by CAJ.

23

Equipping students to serve Japan and the world for Christ.
Thank you for your ongoing prayers and support making our mission possible.

www.caj.ac.jp