Ministry of Presence: A Community of Easter Hope

Christ is risen!

Easter Sun rose out of dark night in the semi-empty town of Haramachi, Minami Soma.  I started praying about visiting Haramachi Bible Church (HBC) on a Sunday to join their worship among those returned residents after evacuation. When Midori suggested that we should visit them on Easter Sunday, I exclaimed with joy with no hesitation or even thinking about logistic difficulties of our transportation choices (we are moving by public transportation, not driving a car).

Rev. Ishiguro, his wife, and the small but steadily growing congregation warmly welcomed us. I have visited this church a few times since the disaster five years ago, but it was my first time to join them for Sunday worship. Whenever we came to visit the Ishiguro's in the past, I could sense the deep peace flowing from their years of experience, wisdom and perseverance in leading a small independent church. 

From denominational dependence to independence, to inter-dependence

In Japan (and most Asian contexts), denominational hierarchy plays a big role in how the church exists or operates. Especially if a denomination is originated from foreign missionaries's work or is part of foreign denomination, then financial dependence can be significant when it comes to pastor's salary, housing, and other ministerial expenses if a congregation is not able to self-finance. For some years in the past before the disaster, Rev. Ishiguro had worked in a denomination but left his relatively 'comfortable position' to start this independent church by faith. 

To support his family and not to depend on church offering for his salary, he held various part time jobs from editing magazines, serving at town council, and so on. By having so many part time jobs, he got to know his community very well. Then the disaster struck and the city fell into the "stay-indoor" order or voluntary evacuation zone because of its proximity to Fukushima Daiichi Power Plant. The Ishuguros themselves were under significant pressure from their loved ones that to evacuate, but they decided to stay with the church at all costs. This meant for the church, as most members of the congregation one by one left their homes for their safety elsewhere, and this small church was left with the Ishiguros and only a couple of elderly member for more than a year. Without any denominational ties, they were all alone in the city of Minami Soma. 

However, because of their conviction and their obedience to the call to stay present where they were, they faithfully kept the door of the church open week after week, to the point that their health was being compromised. This is when other likeminded independent churches outside Fukushima started coming in contact with them. One of such churches was Seibou Christ Church in Ichikawa where my Vancouver friend, Shihoko, had worked for ten years before her family moved back to Canada (read the story of this church here). 

"I repented of my independence and stubbornness about how I thought I should serve God's church. A church can never be independent. We need to be connected with other parts of the body of Christ," said Rev. Ishiguro in his quiet deep voice with conviction last year when I visited together with Shihoko and her husband. Interdependence is a costly lesson that the disaster gave for this small church. 

"Now people are coming back to Minami Soma. Some of our church members returned and we are seeing new people showing up at the worship on Sundays." Christians who wanted to help Fukushima moved with jobs and started attending the church. Though HBC has been steadily growing for the last couple of years, still many responsibilities fall on the shoulders of the pastor and his wife who act as Sunday school teacher, sing in a choir, and serve meals for the fellowship. 

We sat down at a corner of the sanctuary for me to be able to take photos. The small sanctuary with only four long tables became full as the worship began. The reality of small church goes likes this.   

Church Administrator (left) and Ms. Ishiguro (right) present a picture story of Easter for the congregation. This is helpful for new believers. 

Special music for Easter

Rev. Ishiguro's preaching.  

Getting ready for Easter group photo.

Easter celebration with gourmet Japanese food prepared by the church members.

Today was a bitter sweet day as the church said good bye to two of their brothers that they got to know for the last couple years because their assignments at the recovery sites were completed.

Mr. Nishimura (left) and Mr. Muramoto (right)

Mr. Muramoto is from the Philippines and started coming to Fukushima as a clean-up worker in the restricted zone since 2012. His family is still in the Philippines and he comes to Fukushima for six months and goes back to the Phillipines for the other six months of the year. He is soon leaving Fukushima and not sure this time whether he'll come back in the fall or not.

Mr. Nishimura is an architect from Shizuoka (central part of Japan) who applied for a job with the ministry of disaster recovery because he wanted to serve in Fukushima. For the last three years he was involved in reconstruction of a local hospital in Odaka town, located 11 KM northwest of Fukushima Daiichi. His assignment is complete so he is due to return home next month.

Other than these two men, HBC has been receiving other Christians from elsewhere during their time in Fukushima. There are also new members who became Christians while in evacuation in Tokyo and then returned to Minamisoma.  Some of the HBC members are still in evacuation outside Fukushima.

This small church's demographic makeup has dramatically changed and is still changing. Perhaps this ministry of presence seems a passive posture, but it is most fitting for this rapidly changing and yet ever complex city of Minami Soma.

I do not speak Japanese and Rev. Ishiguro doesn't speak English or Korean, so our communication is very limited without Midori's help, but I can feel the presence of the Spirit working in this community. The quiet smile of Rev. Ishiguro speaks more than a thousand words.