Reformed Presbyterian Minutes of Synod 1997 - Rparchives.org

REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF NORTH AMERICA 187
REPORT OF THE JAPAN PRESBYTERY
Dear Fathers and Brothers,
We greet you In the name of our One Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We rejoice
that we are able to report to you for the first time as the Japan Presbytery of the
Reformed Presbyterian Church.
The Japan Presbytery held six regular meetings during the past year and several
special sessions to deal with crucial matters. An Ad Interim Commission was
formed which has dealt with the organization of the new presbytery.
A document declaring the formation of the Japan Presbytery has been prepared
to be distributed to the congregations, as well as to other Kobe churches and
denominations with which we have fraternal relations.
The Japan Presbytery consists of four organized congregations: Higashi Suma
pastored by Sumito Sakai; Okamoto Keiyaku pastored by Shigeru Takiura;
Mukonoso pastored by Gene Spear; and Kasumigaoka which is currently without a
pastor. There are also two mission stations: Hontamon pastored by Sumito Sakai
under the Higashi Suma Session; and Kita Suzurandai pastored by Bill Sterrett.
Lie. Shigeki Komuro has gone to Korea for study and his work at Inano was
closed at the end of 1995. He was examined for eligibility to receive a call, but
the examination was not sustained.
Pastor Nobuo Miwa has continued to do independent evangelistic work in
Korea. He is still a member of the Japan Presbytery, but his work is not officially
under the Presbytery. Support from Japan is through private voluntary
contributions.
Pastor Gene Spear's membership credentials have been transferred from the
Midwest Presbytery to the Japan Presbytery.
Pastor Sterrett was in the process of transferring his membership from
Presbytery of the Alleghenies when he received a pastoral call from the Trinity
Christian Community Fellowship in Cyprus. The transfer was postponed to
expedite the processing of the call which he has accepted to begin as pastor of
TCCF from September 1997.
At the time of this report, the Presbytery is in the process of a Church Court
Trial against Samuel Youn, former pastor of Kasumigaoka Church.
At the beginning of this year Elder Yoshio Nitta of Higashi Suma Church retired
after more than thirty years of aaive service. He had been Higashi Suma's regular
delegate to the Japan Commission and Presbytery and had served as treasurer for
many years. The Presbytery gives thanks to God for the faithfulness of Elder Nitta.
We are thankful for the Lord's provision of ruling elders. During the past year,
Yoichiro Fukuya and Kazuo Ishii were ordained and installed as ruling elders at
Mukonoso and Higashi Suma respeaively.
Mukonoso congregation has purchased the house with its enlarged worship
room for their church center from the Foreign Mission Board.