I apologize to those who have been looking forward to and waiting for the renewal of our homepage for having been unable to do that for a long time. I hear that some people are concerned about my health condition.

It is true that we have been unable to renew the homepage as we want to, because we have been hard up for money. But it is not because of the health condition of myself who is in charge of the renewal.

In fact, I have been undertaking secretariat work on a major event that is starting this week and unable to handle the renewal.

As the event is about to begin and we move toward its success, I would appreciate your further prayers and encouragements for that.

I would like to share with you the path we have taken toward this event in a series of some articles.

The following is a plan of this event to begin with. I should be very grateful if you would have a look at it.

There remains a strong political tension between Japan and South Korea. But more than that, we are informed of our unity as one through our fellowship and love in Christ.

This even was prepared and prayed for by churches in South Korea and South Korean missionaries in Japan. The Touhoku HELP is helping ministers in the northeastern region of Japan to participate in this event.

This is to share with you an outline of that event. Next time, I think I would like to share with you what we have prayed and prepared for together with those who will participate from the region.

(Written by Naoya Kawakami on 12 February, 2013)

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A Travel Plan to Visit South Korea to Promote Japan-Korea
Inter-church Exchange and Mission Cooperation

Objective:
to promote Japan-Korea inter-church exchange and mission cooperation
Organizers:
Korean Evangelical Fellowship (KEF) and Japan Evangelical Association (JEA) Great East Japan Earthquake Disaster Recovery Office
Supported by:
The Executive Committee of Asia Japanese Language Churches Family Camp East Japan Disaster Relief Christian Network (DRCnet), 国際文化芸術機構(TCI) Touhoku HELP, Fukushima Christian Conference, 3.11 Iwate Church Network

Purposes：
1.Spiritual fellowship and study among Japanese and South Korean evangelical leaders who had no exchange for a long period of time;

2.To report on the current situation of the recovery from the disaster in the affected areas of the East Japan Great Disaster and express gratitude to South Korean churches for their support;

3.To give comfort and encouragement to pastors who are involved in the affected areas of the East Japan Great Disaster through study at South Korean churches; (by sharing testimonies at a Friday prayer meeting and a worship service at a South Korean church on the Lord’s Day)

4.To hold three charity concerts by Japanese and South Koreans Christian musicians
Participants from South Korea: Jung Mi Song, Deok Shin Choe, Do Hyun Kim
Friday: Ilsan Kang Sung Church
Saturday: Shin Heung College Hall in Pyeonggi Province
Sunday: Daechi Full Gospel Church and Korea Central Church

5.To report on the disaster areas and have exchanges at Seoul Family Camp of the Asia Japanese Christian Fellowship (Asia-JCF) Thursday, February
14: Dinner and fellowship and gathering led at Asia-JCF Camp (with all participants) Friday, February
15: Evening meeting of the Asia-JCF to be led at the Centennial Hall (with five people sent)

Members of the participants:
22 pastors, 2 office staff, and 9 Japanese gospel singers and pianists (33 people in total)
Note:
The accommodation costs of the Japanese gospel singers will be borne by the Korean Christian Music Association. The Korean Evangelical Fellowship will pay for the hotel for two nights and the rest of the accommodation and food costs will be allotted through donations.

Period: 4 nights from Thursday, February 14 to Monday, February 18
Hotels:
1. Hyundai Residence, 5-22-5, Chungmuro (24 people) tel. 03-3406-8000
2. The Centennial Hall, Jongno 5-ga (9 people)

The Main Schedule
Thursday, February 14
4:00 p.m.: Get together at Kimpo Airport and Inchon Airport and move
6:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m.: Dinner at a Chinese restaurant with the Union of Seoul Japanese Churches,
7:20 p.m.-7:30 p.m.: Music and Praise Service at Seoul JCF and a fellowship (7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.), mainly in Japanese.

The fellowship will be chaired by Pastor Ishida, with a word of greeting by Pastor Min Hyuk Kim and worship music by Chu Kosaka and Hideo Kobori for 30 minutes. Testimonies will be given by Pastor Takahashi, Pastor Minegishi, Pastor Kishinami, and Pastor Sumiyoshi for five minutes for each, with Kawakami as the chair. After that, a sermon by Rev., Domoto will be given for 20 minutes, followed by a prayer. The number of handouts will be at least 60 copies.

Friday, 15 February
7 a.m. to 9 a.m. Worship and a Forum to Promote Japan-Korea Mission Cooperation (Venue: Saemoonann Church)

Sermon: Pastor Young Hoon Lee
Panelists from South Korea: SooYoung Lee, Jung-ik Lee (simultaneous interpreters: Eun Hye Nak, Jangsu Chae, and Si Kyung You)

Panelists from Japan: Nakadai, Kondo, Nakazawa and Kida (5 minutes for each), with Kawakami as the chair

9:00 a.m.-9:30 a.m.: Breakfast
9:30 a.m. -10:30 a.m.: A round-table talk

It has been proposed that all of the 24 participants from Japan and all of the 20 members of the KEF Central Committee (44 in total) join to have the round-table talk. The proposal was made “to talk about anything freely”.

10:30-11:00 A tour of the Museum of the Saemoonann Church
All the participants are encouraged to join this.

11:00 Leave for a trip to sacred places (guided by Pastor Min Hyuk Kim)
It has been proposed that officials of the JEA and KEF have a meeting and talk on the bus.
6:00 p.m.: Return to the hotels after the trip to the sacred places. Then the group will be split into three and go separately.

Group 1 (those who will serve in the semi-all night prayer meeting)
6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Move to churches and have dinners.
8:00 p.m.- 10:00 p.m. Join and serve in the late-night prayer meeting.

Group 2 (those who will participate in the charity concert)
For a charity concert at Ilsan Kang Sung Church for the afflicted areas in the northeastern region. 3 people will participate in this besides Pastor Nakazawa.

Group 3 (those who will join the Asia-JCF Family Camp)
7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. 5 persons will serve at the Asia-ACF Meeting. The meeting will be chaired by Rev. Daniel.

30 minutes: Service by Samuel Takenouchi
20 minutes: Sermon 1 by Pastor Shin Win (translator: Eun Ji Cho)
20 minutes: Music by Ji-Hoon Han and Eun-Jung Chae
30 minutes: testimonies by 3 persons including Kida, Saegusa, and Kawakami (the chair)
20 minutes: Sermon 2 Pastor Jung-ik Lee (translator: Young Sang Cho)
The handouts will be at least 60 copies.

Saturday, February 16
In the morning Free time
1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. A study tour on the history of Korean churches

Tapgol Park, Seodaemun Prison, and Patriot Ahn Jung Geun Memorial Hall (guided by Pastor Yoshida of the Seoul Japanese Church)
5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. 5 people will serve at the charity concert at the Shin Heung College Hall in Pyeonggi Province.
Sunday, February 17 in the morning and the afternoon Attending churches in the City of Seoul to share testimonies and express gratitude Monday, February 18
6:30 a.m. Leaving for the airport
Coordinator: Young Sang Cho