October 27, 2011
Request to
participate in the “second fund-raising campaign”
in response to the Great East Japan Earthquake
Reformed Church in
Japan Diaconal Action Committee
At
the 66th general assembly of the Reformed Church in Japan held October
18~20, 2011, the motion was adopted for the “second fund-raising campaign”
in response to the Great East Japan Earthquake. The motion and explanation
of the thinking behind this campaign is presented below. We continue to
request everyone’s prayers and cooperation.
- - - - - - -
MOTION TO THE 66TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE REFORMED CHURCH IN JAPAN (RCJ),
MEETING IN YOKOHAMA, OCTOBER 20, 2011: PROPOSAL FOR THE SECOND FUND-RAISING
CAMPAIGN IN RESPONSE TO THE GREAT EAST JAPAN EARTHQUAKE
Presented jointly by
the Expanded Emergency Response Committee
and the General Assembly Diaconal Action Committee
MOTION: We move the
adoption of the 2nd fund-raising campaign as described below to support
relief efforts in response to the Great East Japan Earthquake.
GROUNDS: The purpose is to provide further support to enable response
activities for the middle and long term as envisioned in the “Principles to
Guide Use of Funds Raised to Support Relief for the Disaster (April 11,
2011)” (see Appendix I).
SUMMARY (For details, please refer to “II. Summary of the second
fund-raising” below)
GOAL: ¥60 million
(presently already have ¥35 million on hand, so the actual amount needed
is ¥25 million)
PERIOD: The campaign will run throughout this general assembly’s fiscal
year (offerings should be sent from November, 2011 through July, 2012)
PURPOSE: To support and implement the support centers and the middle and
long-term relief and recovery activities as envisioned in the
“Principles to Guide Use of Funds Raised to Support Relief for the
Disaster” and to implement the “Northeast Presbytery Restoration Plan”
RESPONSIBLE BODY: RCJ General Assembly Diaconal Action Committee
“SECOND
FUND-RAISING CAMPAIGN” FOR RESPONSE TO
THE GREAT EAST JAPAN EARTHQUAKE
I. Explanation of
development of and reasoning behind the motion
In response to the disaster, the Reformed Church in Japan (RCJ) quickly
implemented a fund-raising program, developing the ‘Principles to Guide
Use of Funds Raised to Support Relief for the Disaster,” promulgated
these on April 11, 2011 (see Appendix I below), and clarified the
distribution plan for the funds received. At the RCJ special meeting in
June, the general assembly approved the plan for distribution of the
funds that came in for the first campaign and decided that the second
fund-raising campaign would be implemented after the regular (fall)
general assembly. Afterwards, the Northeastern Presbytery met for a
special assembly on August 30, 2011 and adopted their “Northeast
Presbytery Restoration Plan” (see Appendix II below). This second
fund-raising campaign will be carried out with due consideration to
these principles and plans.
This campaign envisions the total
offerings of ¥60 million that will be used to support a three-pronged
response: 1), restoration of church buildings: 2), support of
restoration activities by the churches; and 3), support of mission
activities focused on diaconal service. In the first fund-raising
campaign, we distributed 25% of the offerings for social support
programs. At this time, the plans for support centers that were
introduced at the special general assembly are proceeding, and it is the
expectation that the amount of support for these in the second
fund-raising program will increase significantly. It may well result on
this occasion that the Reformed churches will develop a new vision of
the church as these activities are pursued.
The special general assembly approved
terminating the first fund-raising campaign as of June 6, 2011 and
carrying over subsequently received funds for the second campaign. Funds
received after June 7 until the end of September have totaled about ¥35
million. This second campaign will start out building on this grace
already received and therefore the actual campaign goal will be ¥25
million. The campaign period will go until the next regular general
assembly, and offerings will be received until July 31, 2012. The
support activities will be carried out with this funding and will
continue beyond the period set for the offering campaign. The General
Assembly Diaconal Action Committee will have responsibility for the
stewardship of these funds, including their disbursement.
II. Summary of second
fund-raising campaign
GOAL: ¥60 million
(presently already have ¥35 million on hand, so the actual amount needed
is ¥25 million)
PERIOD: The campaign will run throughout this general assembly’s fiscal
year (offerings should be sent from November, 2011 through July, 2012)
PURPOSE: To support and implement the support centers and the middle and
long-term relief and recovery activities as envisioned in the
“Principles to Guide Use of Funds Raised to Support Relief for the
Disaster” and to implement the “Northeast Presbytery Restoration Plan”
RESPONSIBLE BODY: RCJ General Assembly Diaconal Action Committee
BANK ACCOUNT INFORMATION:
[Domestic transfers]
Yuucho Ginkou “Taikai Shitsuji Katsudou Iinkai” Furikae account #
00210-4-65619
or Saitama Resona Ginkou “(Shuu) Nihon Kirisuto Kaikakuha Kyoukai”
Fujimino Branch (branch # 674) regular savings account # 0614356
[International transfers]
Account Name: Noboru Nomura
Beneficiary Address: 1-22-8 Uenosaka, Toyonaka-shi, Osaka-fu, Japan
Multimoney Account #: 92575001
Account Type: SAVINGS
Bank Name: CITIBANK JAPAN LIMITED
Bank Address: 2-3-14 Higashi-Shinagawa, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo
Bank Address Country: JAPAN
SWIFT BIC Code: CITIJPJT
[Additional information for transfers]
In the communication box, please indicate “for great east Japan
fundraising campaign #2”
When there is no communication box, please send emails to inform about
the donation as follows:
If this is an international donation, please contact Rev. Takayuki
Ashida <takarcj@yahoo.co.jp>.
If this is a domestic donation, please contact Mrs. Kyoko Kimura <smile-kyoko@live.jp>.
As a rule, receipts will not be automatically issued. If a receipt is
needed, please advise by email.
III. Categories of
disbursement for the second fund-raising campaign
1. Church building
repairs (to restore buildings that were heavily damaged by the disaster)
A. Ishinomaki Evangelistic Station: Amount: not yet determined (¥3.5
million was disbursed from the first fund-raising campaign and has been
set aside for the second purpose below)
We will provide funding and assistance for Rev. Shiratsu and his family
so that they can find a safe place to live in temporary housing and for
other housing related expenses (also cover as needs arise expenses for
storage of church equipment, funding for temporary meeting place, etc.).
In regard to rent for the temporary housing, public funds will cover
this for up to two years.
In regard to repairs to the church building repairs and plans to
continue evangelistic activities,
B. Kita-Nakayama Evangelistic Station: ¥7.50 million (combined with the
¥5 million disbursement from the first campaign, so a total of ¥12.5
million)
Investigation after the special general assembly clearly showed the need
to strengthen the foundation. Boring test results (submitted on 8/30)
were used to produce the following cost estimates:
Repair and strengthening the sagging of the 1st and 2nd floor: about
¥12.5 million
Other expenses for foundation improvement (including ¥315,000 for the
tests): about ¥500,000
C. Sendai Church: Amount: not yet determined (amount that might exceed
the ¥7.5 million from the first campaign for construction costs incurred
during the second campaign)
• The following construction is planned:
Stage one emergency repairs: these will be carried out with the
assistance from the Orthodox Presbyterian Church
Stage two major reconstruction: this will be carried out as
circumstances permit and arrangements can be made.
2. Funding for restoration activities by the churches
A. Posting of cooperating evangelists: Amount: not yet determined
Cooperating evangelist (pastor or lay believer) will be posted for a
long term as needed in order to give lateral support to the work of the
pastors and/or to strengthen the evangelistic capacity of the
evangelistic stations.
B. Enabling presbytery-wide fellowship and strengthening the pastors:
Amount: ¥3 million total
Financial assistance for logistics will be provided over the next 5
years for the following activities for the purpose of strengthening the
unity and fellowship within the presbytery.
• Office-bearers (elders, deacons and steering committee members) for
attending presbytery meetings, presbytery discussion meetings, training
sessions, etc.
• Presbytery level fellowship and training meetings for the women’s,
young adults’ and secondary school students’ societies
• Fellowship, pulpit supply, etc. for churches and evangelistic stations
both within and beyond the presbytery
C. General Assembly logistical expenses (travel, meals, lodging, etc.):
Amount: ¥2 million
• 2011 fiscal year June special GA meeting and October regular GA
meeting
• 2012 fiscal year October regular GA meeting (Total of about ¥600,000
per meeting)
D. Special funding for the Diaconal Action Committee for two years:
Amount: ¥1 million
E. Accumulation of funding for long-term evangelistic advance (to be
used for infrastructure and personnel expenses as needed for the pursuit
of evangelistic activities)
The accumulation of funding for personnel referred to here is related to
the “Posting of cooperating evangelists” noted above and also to the
sending of workers to Higashi Sendai Church as noted below. In order to
post people appropriately, highest priority will be given to seeking the
right people who feel God’s calling to this work, and the selection of
personnel will be carried out at the responsibility of the presbytery
and the calling church or evangelistic station. If the right people
cannot be secured quickly, funds will be set aside and we will wait
until this can be implemented.
3. Funding for
diaconal activities related to deed ministry (funds for mission activities
related to serving the Gospel through diaconal activities and works of
loving service)
In these support
guidelines, it is not possible to draw clear lines between support to
the churches and support to society in a way we might normally think.
Additionally, the activities for support to society are stimulated by
the love of Christ and are activities of the churches to reveal that
love. Because these activities involve testifying to the Gospel through
diaconal activities that are works of love and play an important role in
fulfilling our desire for the advance of the kingdom of God, we have
decided to call them “mission activities through diaconal service.”
A. Support to volunteer centers and to collaborative activities by the
missions
These volunteer centers and mission collaboration activities refer to
activities in the same locales.
Support of volunteer activities (refer to I.2 of appendix II below)
• Higashi Sendai Church’s activities
The activities in the Nobiru/Touna district of Higashi Matsushima City
were supposed to conclude in September, but the Higashi Sendai Church
has decided to continue them. In order to support this work, we will
dispatch one worker (an evangelist to assist with the church work).
In regard to support for the relief activities, please continue as until
now to send offerings directly to the Higashi Sendai Church’s account.
This will give opportunity for individuals to send their support
according to their own wishes separately from the support given by the
funds raised through this campaign. Additionally, we will support these
activities also by collaborating with the mission groups as described
below.
• Watari Evangelistic Station activities
We will strengthen the support activities for disaster victims through
cooperation with the missions.
Support for collaborative activities by the missions
• The Cooperating Missions Coalition (“Coalition”), composed of
representatives from the Orthodox Presbyterian Church Japan Mission (OPCJM),
the Christian Reformed Church in North America (CRC/CRWRC), Mission
Japan (MJ - the churches of the Republic of South Africa that
collaborate in mission work with the RCJ Shikoku Presbytery) and the
Korean Presbyterian Church Japan Mission (Kosin), have been
communicating closely with the Northeastern Presbytery and the RCJ
committee for mission cooperation and international ecumenism.
• The Coalition’s activities involve collaboration with the work in the
Nobiru/Touna district carried on under Higashi Sendai Church’s oversight
and a multi-faceted relief response to the various needs of those in the
Watari area. This involves acquiring through the purchase or renting of
facilities to use as response centers, dispatching dedicated staff
workers, and carrying out activities for a two to three year period. The
Coalition has already purchased a facility for the Watari area
activities in the name of the OPCJM (cost of about ¥5 million; location
is 43-81 Nishi Kashiranasi, Yamadera, Yamamoto-cho, Watari-gun,
Miyagi-ken).
Short-term activities will include supplying needed commodities, mud-out
work, demolition and repairing of damaged structures, etc.
Long-term activities will include “heart-care” activities for local
folks, etc.
• Up until now, the Coalition member missions have taken the initiative.
In the future, the Northeastern Presbytery and RCJ committee for mission
cooperation and international ecumenism will be joined by the RCJ
Diaconal Action Committee to participate, and the RCJ will become more
actively involved in the activities already being carried on as
described in the two locations noted above.
• The Coalition has come up themselves with about ¥50 million to help
carry out the envisioned activities, but this funding is not adequate to
implement the entire plan. This will become clear as things proceed. The
RCJ will give support from the second fund-raising campaign in accord
with the needs that arise.
• The development of an appropriate administrative structure to clarify
oversight responsibility and the relationship to the Northeastern
Presbytery, the RCJ committee on mission cooperation and international
ecumenism and the churches carrying out the volunteer activities is
presently under discussion.
B. Strategies to deal with radioactive contamination
Along with continuing to take measurements of radioactivity levels, we
will take appropriate measures for decontamination when needed.
These measures will be carried out not only in the vicinity of the
Fukushima Evangelistic Station, the Watari Evangelistic Station and the
Shiroishi Evangelistic Station, but also as needed in the affected
regions of the East Kanto Presbytery and Eastern Presbytery, etc.
We will make arrangements for evacuation facilities for the believers in
case the need for these arises.
C. Other support
There may be occasions when support will be given to other groups that
are carrying out activities based on Christian principles.
Special support may be given to assist individual disaster victims and
churches.
Other.
Appendix I:
Principles to Guide Use of Funds Raised to Support Relief for the Disaster
(April 11, 2011)
Preamble: The Reformed Church in Japan (RCJ) has already begun a
fund-raising campaign for emergency relief (first campaign period is March
through May 2011*). The following principles will guide how the support is
carried out. We will determine at a later date in consultation with the
Northeastern Presbytery and the Diaconal Action Committee the period for the
next campaign and the uses of the funds raised in accordance with these
principles.
(* The first campaign dates were changed to coincide with the specially
called General Assembly meeting in June.)
1. Support to the Northeastern Presbytery (NEP)
The NEP was
established and has continued its activities since 1983. This was only
by the grace of God. Now 28 years after the establishment, many issues
have been clarified. The presbytery continues its organization and
activities under great duress and presently has one less congregation
than at the beginning. There is also a need to find successors for home
missionaries who have been working as tentmakers.
The disaster has struck this presbytery that was already facing these
difficult issues. So we consider that the assistance to be given to the
NEP should not simply seek to restore them to the situation they were in
before it hit, but must also include planning for a new future. Also, as
the restoration in the NE area will take many years, the plan that
should coordinate with planning for and progress in the restoration of
the region’s society is not something that can be drawn up quickly.
Therefore, we will begin with a response to emergency needs, and we will
adjust activities as we continually watch developments over the middle
and long term.
2. Ecumenical Support
and Social Support
This disaster has
rained down immense damage on the very widespread Northeast Japan
region. The tsunami in particular wiped away the lives of many people
and destroyed many homes, and it also swept away many churches in the
area. Therefore, as we wrote in the first period fundraising prospectus
before, “the aid will of course be extended to the Reformed believers,
but also to many other victims in those areas and to those beyond the
scope of our denomination.”
In regard to disbursements during the first response period, because of
the emergency nature of the early response, it will be very difficult to
get detailed accounting for how the funds are used, but we have
established the approximate proportion of funds that will go for support
to ecumenical and general social causes at 25% of the total. And we plan
to use this same measure in regard to the “support to the NEP” described
above in #1 beyond July in response to the situation at that time.
I. Emergency relief support (short-term)
1. Support within the RCJ.
A. Support to victims who are believers
At this time we have already given emergency assistance to believers
whose homes were destroyed or who have had to abandon them.
Subsequently, we will carry out careful investigations and provide
additional assistance to victims who are believers in accordance with
the needs. These investigations will be carried out by members of the
Emergency Response Headquarters (ERH) on site giving due respect to the
privacy of those involved.
B. Support to churches and workers in “tent-making” locations
We expect that this widespread disaster will create especially difficult
situations for the workers and believers who support them in places
where the workers have been supporting themselves through outside work.
We will provide support for the evangelistic stations and their pastors
in such circumstances for a short term.
C. Support to provide worship facilities and repair damaged buildings
When it is dangerous because of damage to gather in the church
buildings, we will give support to arrange for outside facilities and to
make repairs rapidly.
2. Support to those outside the RCJ.
A. Ecumenical support
The damage wreaked by the tsunami was concentrated along the coastal
area, and most of the groups in that area will find it very difficult to
recover and rebuild on their own. At this time, the “Sendai Christian
Association Emergency Support Network,” with its office in Sendai, is
carrying out investigations of the whole NE region and feeling their way
to give support to these churches and believers. Our General Assembly
Moderator Rev. Takashi Yoshida is serving with this group. We will
participate in giving ecumenical support through giving assistance from
our funds raised to this group.
B. Social support
This disaster has shaken the lives of the citizenry at its foundation.
If there are people related to the RCJ groups who are working to provide
relief to the area society, we will give them our help, and we will send
offerings to social welfare organizations that operate based on
Christian principles. Among these, we will include assistance to
International Food for the Hungry with whom the Christian Reformed World
Relief Committee partners and also the Southern Presbyterian Mission in
Japan’s Yodogawa Christian Hospital (the chairperson of evangelism there
is RCJ minister Rev. Eisuke Tamura) which is providing medical
assistance in Iwate Prefecture.
II. Support for evangelism and stimulation, etc. of the NEP (mid-term:
limited to this period)
1. In order to get started with planning for the future, the pastors of
the NEP will need healing from the serious wounds to their spirits
caused by this disaster and will need to gather repeatedly to discuss
how to move forward. For that reason we will give logistical support
(travel, lodging and meals expenses) for NEP meetings. Additionally,
when it is necessary to call pastors from other presbyteries for
preaching in NEP churches and evangelistic stations, we will provide
funding for their travel expenses. Fellowship not just with pastors but
with others too from outside areas is also important, so we will also
provide support when pastors or others are invited from other
presbyteries for other kinds of meetings. Application for this
assistance can be made to the GA Diaconal Action Committee through the
stated clerk of each presbytery.
2. Evangelism in the NEP area will be outreach to those bearing the
wounds of this disaster. Evangelistic activity is necessary everywhere
in Japan, but the spreading of the Gospel is especially demanded as the
mission of the churches in the disaster-hit Northeast region. So we will
give support to the evangelistic activities of the churches and
evangelistic stations of the NEP.
III. Support to the NEP for making and implementation of future plans
(long-term)
It will take time for plans to be made for churches that must move or be
rebuilt and for the future of the presbytery, so future fund-raising
campaigns will be inaugurated as these plans take shape. For the time
being, we will limit our fund-raising activities to phases one and two,
awaiting the proposals and implementation of plans that will follow
later on. As we want to make provisions for the possibilities of
assistance to others and for emergencies that may yet arise, we will set
some reserve funds aside also.
Supplement
1. In regard to the emergency assistance described in 1.A. and 1.3.
these may be provided to the NEP itself as circumstances may warrant.
Additionally, there is fear that the disaster caused by the nuclear
power station accident may spread to affect the churches of the Eastern
and Central Presbyteries. If that should happen, we will consider
additional response measures.
2. On the occasion of this disaster, various overseas churches are
offering their cooperation not only for the generation of offerings, but
for a variety of kinds of assistance. The (RCJ) Committee for
International Ecumenism will be the place to contact to arrange
implementation of the proposals of the overseas churches in accordance
with the needs in Japan.
3. In order for us to carry out the fund-raising and disbursement
activities in accordance with these principles, the most important thing
necessary is the strengthening of the “legs and feet” of the churches
all over the country. We will carry out these support activities giving
due consideration to the healthy growth of the churches and evangelistic
stations of the whole nation.
Appendix II:
Northeastern Presbytery Restoration Plan (adopted at the special meeting of
the Northeastern Presbytery on August 30, 2011)
We the Northeastern Presbytery of the Reformed Church in Japan give our
heartfelt thanks to God for the encouragement and support we’ve received not
only from the RCJ churches but also from other churches from Japan and
around the world who have prayed with great zeal and offered so much
emergency support on the occasion of the Great East Japan Earthquake that
occurred on March 11, 2011 and wrought such visible and invisible damage.
Even now though we face the ongoing and very serious influence left by the
quake among those in the Northeastern region, we desire to serve for the
advance of God’s kingdom in this area by carrying out the following
reconstruction plans.
I. In regard to restoration
1. Church building repairs
We will urge support from the RCJ so that the three churches/evangelistic
stations below may concentrate on the restoration needed according to their
situations.
A. Ishinomaki
Evangelistic Station
1. In order to
ensure the safety of the living environment for Rev. Shiratsu and his
family, we will provide assistance for moving into temporary housing and
the expenses associated with living there.
2. In regard to the evangelistic station building repairs and
evangelistic plans, we will continue our discussions as we observe the
development of construction and restoration planning in the city of
Ishinomaki.
B. Kita-Yamanaka
Evangelistic Station
We will implement
repairs to the building; however, there is a need to improve the
foundation.
C. Sendai Church
We will implement repairs to the building.
• First stage (emergency measures) There are plans to carry these out
with the assistance of the OPC.
• Second stage (extensive construction) This will take place when the
circumstances permit.
2. Volunteer
activities
A. Higashi Sendai
Church
The present
activities being pursued with the approval and support of the general
assembly will be reevaluated in September. We will discuss positively
further involvement in the light of the policy of the church.
B. Watari Evangelistic
Station
With the
cooperation of the missions, we will seek to enhance the support
activities for the disaster victims that are being carried out.
3. Radioactive
contamination
In order to ensure
the physical safety of the believers, we will carry out the following
activities while keeping in close contact with the RCJ Diaconal Action
Committee.
A. Engage in decontamination as needed of the Fukushima, Shiroishi and
Watari evangelistic stations.
B. Evacuate believers if this is called for.
II. In regard to
reconstruction
1. Cooperating
evangelists
To provide
assistance to the pastors and strengthen the evangelistic programs, we
will appeal as needed to the general assembly, other presbyteries and
missions for the long-term financial support and posting of cooperating
evangelists (ordained or laic).
2. Strengthening
intra-presbytery fellowship and educational programs
In order to deepen
the unity and fellowship during this time of reconstruction of the
presbytery, we will appeal to the general assembly for support for the
logistical costs for a period of 5 years to carry out the following
activities.
A. Church officers (elders, deacons and steering committee members):
funding for attendance at presbytery meetings, discussion meetings,
retreats, etc.
B. Presbytery women’s, young adults’ and students’ societies: funding
for believers’ fellowship assemblies and training.
C. Funding for fellowship and pulpit supply within and beyond the bounds
of the presbytery between churches and evangelistic stations.
3. Support to
presbytery evangelistic stations and self-supporting evangelists
We will continue
the financial support for evangelistic activities for the evangelistic
stations and financial assistance to the self-supporting pastors in
accord with existing budgets and previously adopted plans (Special
Evangelism Budget, Northeast Japan Evangelism Fund, Northeast Japan
Freewill Offering Campaign).
4. Moving/rebuilding
evangelistic stations
We will explore
the possibilities for moving or rebuilding present evangelistic station
facilities with a view to our desire to make further progress in
evangelism.
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Reformed Church in
Japan Diaconal Action Committee
Emergency Response
Headquarters News #19
Report and thanksgiving to the Reformed Church in Japan
Support Network of the Sendai Christian Coalition (“Tohoku Help”)
Takashi Yoshida, representative (pastor of Sendai Reformed Church)
Praise the name of the Lord! “Tohoku Help” is a support
organization formed by the ecumenical gathering of the churches in the
greater Sendai area that includes both Protestant and Catholic churches in a
warm fellowship called the Sendai Christian Coalition. Through the Lord’s
amazing guidance, within a week of the great earthquake, the support
organization was formed with the three purposes to organize and centralize
the distribution of various needed goods, to provide a central fund-raising
location for churches that don’t have any denominational affiliation, and
provide various kinds of support through the churches to the communities,
and we immediately embarked on a two-month program of emergency support.
Subsequently, the activities expanded as we were guided, we received a great
outpouring of support and cooperation that continued for these seven months,
and in September our office was incorporated as a special foundation.
You in the Reformed Church in Japan supported us with prayers and
encouragement, and though the General Assembly you sent a great amount of
financial support as well. For this we thank you from the bottom of our
hearts! Below follows a summary of our current activities.
* * *
1. Direct support to churches
Of
the approximately ¥6 million in offerings received from all over the world,
¥5 million was distributed as consolation gifts, money for carrying out
repairs and funding for relief activities to churches in affected by the
disaster (particularly to those that are not part of a denominational
support network). Up until now, consolation gifts of ¥100,000 were sent to
79 churches and funding of ¥1 million was sent to three churches involved in
carrying out support activities. In the future, gifts totaling ¥20 million
will be distributed among 16 churches with heavy damage and ¥10 million to
churches which have experience deaths among the members. Remaining funds
will be disbursed for the projects below.
2. Sister Church
Project
In
order to build a long-term support organization for disaster zone churches
which do not have a denominational affiliation, while continuing the
fellowship among the churches of the Northeast Japan region, we will assist
the formation of “sister church” ties mainly with churches in the Greater
Tokyo region. We desire to see this result in the fruit of a new structure
to pursue the evangelization of the Northeast in the future. The Japan
Evangelical Association is supporting this effort.
3. Mourning Project
We
are cooperating with the Miyagi Prefecture Association of Religious
Corporations in an interreligious effort to offer funeral services for
unidentified remains, provide interment for remains without burial places,
make visits to temporary housing areas with a “traveling café” and
supporting radio programs to offer “heart consultation room.” We are also
coordinating ecumenically and inter-religiously to sponsor special
commemorative mourning events at the customary anniversaries from the time
of the disaster.
4. Radioactivity
Pollution Response Project
This project is still in the preparatory stages. We are still investigating
the situation of churches in areas affected by the spread of radioactive
substances, but we have set up a “Center to measure radioactivity levels in
food” in association with the church network in Iwaki City, Fukushima
Prefecture and in Sendai City. We will begin to offer radiation measurement
services beginning in December especially for households and facilities
where there are expecting mothers and small children. We expect that there
will be many opportunities for counseling also while the measurements are
being taken. The Japan Council of Churches is supporting this activity.
5. Diaconia (support
to semi-governmental and other groups)
For
the few months following the earthquake, Japan International Food for the
Hungry, Samaritan’s Purse, CRASH Japan as well as other Christian groups
have cooperated with the churches to provide effective support to their
response efforts in the areas around the Northeast. Subsequently they
continue to provide many services, for example support to the temporary
housing areas (providing guard service, assisting with children’s education,
offering meals. etc.). However, beginning in the autumn, the support
activities are taking new directions in cooperation with various groups (for
example, providing support programs for victims of the disaster who are
foreigners).
With your ongoing prayers and support, excellent office and
project staff workers are carrying out the above activities. The fact that
despite the great sadness and suffering on the occasion of this natural
disaster, the many tiny churches of the Northeast are able to work together
in this way, is a great joy and privilege that the Lord has given to us. We
earnestly request everyone to continue to pray for us.
For more information about our activities, please refer to the home page
<http://tohokuhelp.com> or search on the Internet for “Tohoku Help.”
Looking toward the
General Assembly
Please pray for the General Assembly meeting to be held next week. The
Expanded Emergency Response Committee and the RCJ Diaconal Action Committee
will jointly present the proposal for the “Second Fund-raising Campaign” at
that time.
The
Expanded Emergency Response Committee’s mandate will expire with the
convening of the General Assembly. Our work will be finished when we present
our report. So this news release will be our final one. Subsequently, the
RCJ Diaconal Action Committee will manage communications.
October 1, 2011
Reformed Church in
Japan Diaconal Action Committee
Emergency Response
Headquarters News #18
Report from Rev. Hidenori Tamura, director of the evangelism department of
the Yodogawa Christian Hospital
Thank you very much for the generous offerings. Here is a report of our
support activities.
On the afternoon of March 13, two days after the earthquake, we had a
special meeting of the administrative department and made the decision to
carry out support activities in accordance with the hospitals regulations
regarding times of disaster. We determined that we would work in support at
the request for help of the Takeda General Hospital (in Wakamatsu City, Azu,
Fukushima Prefecture) by sending a medical support team, materials for
dialysis, and other supplies, establishing a support team headquarters in
the reception area, and making arrangements for transportation, housing and
other logistical matters as rear support.
On
Monday March 14 the first team was dispatched from Osaka (2 doctors, 2
nurses and 1 administrative staff person). The team took the Tokaido and
Joetsu Shinkansen trains to Niigata and drove a rent-a-car to Aizu
Wakamatsu. They carried out medical activities at a school sheltering
earthquake victims and delivered about a ton of dialysate, prepared foods
and other medical supplies to the hospital. These had been brought by truck
from Osaka.
The
next week the second team was dispatched, and after they surveyed Fukushima
and Miyagi Prefectures, in the end they made the decision to assist the
efforts of the United Church of Japan Shinsei Kamaishi Church (Rev. Yusuke
Yagitani) in Kamaishi City, Iwate Prefecture, where the tsunami damage had
been very severe. Beginning with assisting recovery efforts of the church
and those who remained in their homes by providing visiting medical
services, subsequently over the next four months 17 teams (about 70 people)
carried out support activities to those in that area without interruption in
that vicinity while based at an inn about an hour inland from Kamaishi at
Tono City.
We
also collaborated with JOCS (Japan Overseas Christian Medical Cooperative
Service). As the medical facilities began step by step to recover along with
the Shinsei Kamaishi Church, by July there was less need for immediate
medical assistance, and we decided to reassess the activities, which were
terminated on July 8. Even as we were pulling out of Kamaishi, hearing that
the Nozomi Hospital net door to Shinsei Kamaishi Church had lost their
ambulance to the tsunami, we donated to them for their use our old ambulance
that we had taken there from Osaka.
Thank you for enabling us to carry out a variety of support activities, from
visiting medical care to helping the church, from cleaning up and removing
debris from homes and churches, setting up tents, chopping firewood,
delivering, organizing and distributing commodities, preparing meals for
volunteers based at the churches, giving a listening ear to those who
visited the tents, etc.
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Worship at the damaged Shinsei
Kamaishi Church |
Staff member serving team to a
visitor to our “red tent” set up in front of the church |
Report on the use of the “entrusted funds”
Funds disbursed by churches that applied for the funding
Purpose: to provide assistance to nearby disaster victims and churches of
other denominations, ¥1,100,000 (applications for funds received from 4
churches)
1. Morioka Evangelistic Station (Northeastern Presbytery) total of ¥200,000
-- assistance to
disaster victims: distribution of food to neighbors of two women members
of Morioka Evangelistic Station who live in Ofunato City of Iwate
Prefecture and in Iwaki City of Fukushima Prefecture (¥50,000), gift to
the Whale Center (¥60,000), commodities for the 3.11 Iwate Church
Network (¥30,000)
-- assistance to other denominational groups: Gift to Miyako Community
Church (¥60,000)
2. Watari Evangelistic
Station (Northeastern Presbytery) total of ¥400,000
-- support to 6
families of the kindergarten children who sustained losses
(¥60,000~70,000 per family)
3. Hitachinaka Church
(East Kanto Presbytery) total of ¥400,000
-- after surveying
damage sustained by other churches in the city and assessing their
ability to pay for repairs, decided to assist the following two groups:
¥300,000 to the Oarai Christian Church; ¥100,000 to the Naka Christian
Church (both groups belong to the Japan Gospel Church Coalition)
4. Shin Urayasu Church
(East Kanto Presbytery) total of ¥100,000
-- support to the
heavily damaged Holy Covenant Urayasu Church
Funds disbursed by
the General Assembly Diaconal Action Committee
Purpose: to provide
support for orphans and those with disabilities, ¥1,000,000 (to 4
organizations)
1. Iwaki Gospel
Association (Social Welfare NGO) ¥250,000
[40-44 Haguro,
Tairakamihirakubo,Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture 970-8001, tel.
0246-23-1903]
* a Christian social welfare NGO in Fukushima Prefecture that provides a
variety of support activities to those dealing with anxiety about the
nuclear accident
2. Sendai Christian
Children’s Shelter (Social Welfare NGO) ¥250,000
[7-1
Komatsushimashintsutsumi, Aoba-ku, Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture
981-0906, tel. 022-234-6303]
* a Christian children’s center with a history of over 100 years that
offers care for children who can’t be with their parents, a children’s
shelter and nursery home, short stays for emotionally disturbed
children, land local orphanage service.
3. Japan Family
Conference ¥250,000
[the head of the
conference is brother Yasuyuki Bokura, member of the Shiroishi
Evangelistic Station]
* works to provide a “family home” and a small orphanage to provide
shelter for children who need care due to parents’ inability to provide
for them, children in abuse situations, etc.; provides support for
foster parents who offer a home and child-raising assistance
4. Miyagi Support
Network for the Developmentally Disables (Special NPO) ¥250,000
[1-4-1 Kakyoin,
Aoba-ku, Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture 980-0013, tel. 022-265-5581]
* an NPO that focuses mainly on support for the developmentally disabled
with autism. The network began as a study center for care providers,
specialists and supporters with the goal of enabling the achievement of
a pleasant and anxiety-free life for autistic children and others with
developmental disabilities.