Japan
Missionaries
"..to Share the Gospel with the People
in Japan."
Support
Missions
JEMS is blessed by the many dedicated
men and women who are serving with hearts of compassion and love
for the Japanese people. Please join us in keeping our missionaries
in your prayers!
2011
Rev. Rick with JEMS Missionaries at Japan Conference
CURRENT
MISSIONARIES
Michael and Chris Mason - 1997 to present
Michael and Chris
are career missionaries, serving at Sakai International Bible Church
(SIBC) in Sakai City, a suburb of Osaka, in Japan. They arrived
in Japan in Spring of 1997, and in 1999 became associate pastors
or SIBC. In 2001, they were ordained as ministers and installed
as the head pastors of SIBC.
Besides preaching every week (in English), they are also involved
in teaching English, leading worship, teaching Sunday School, hosting
a Home Group, discipling believers and doing a myriad of administrative
duties in the church office.
Michael and Chris are also proud parents of their son Luke, who
was born in 2000.
For more information on the Masons, please visit their web page
at www.masonsinjapan.com
or their church web page at
http://www.sibcjapan.com/.
PRAYER LETTERS
2011 Feb PL 2011
June PL 2011
Sept PL 2011
Nov PL
David and Yuka Mills
Our mission
is to reach the people of Japan in ways that are culturally sensitive,
relevant to their lives and relevant to the spiritual conditions
of Japan. Our vision is to see generations of Japanese
believers reaching out to new generations after them. Matthew 28:19
and 2 Timothy 2:2.
That Japan might be transformed into the Land of the Risen SON
The ministry of Bridgehome exists to do four things -
1. To bring the Gospel to the people of Japan in
ways that are culturally sensitive and relevant to their
lives and the spiritual conditions in Japan.
2. Disciple them for a lifetime of love and service
to the Lord and to equip and prepare them to become
effective disciple-makers in Japan.
3. Follow up with the care they need in Japan through
personal interaction and by connecting them
with others in faithful, supportive fellowships.
4. Train others ministering to Japanese international students
so they can better prepare them to
remain strong in their faith after they have returned
home.
For more information, please go to http://www.bridgehome.us http://bit.ly/lW9E4D 2011 May Prayer Letter
Lily
Suzuki -
2000 to present
Lily Suzuki’s home residence is
in Canada. From July 2000 to June 2003, she was serving at Machida
Christian Center in Tokyo, where she was involved in witnessing
and many church activities, as well as teaching English. She served
at New Life Church Omochanomachi for one year. She currently serves
in a new ministry of JEMS in Amakusa, Kyushi region in Southern
Japan. To read her prayer letters, please go to
http://www.praise-god.com/
Kevin and Nozomi
West (2004 to present)
In July 2004,
Kevin served together with the Chigasaki Holiness Church near Yokohama.
He was also involved in ministry called J-Lodge, "J" stands
for Jesus. J-Lodge is a coffee shop designed to reach out to the
college students at Tokai University in the town of Hiratsuka, Kanagawa
Prefecture. In spring 2007, Kevin and Nozomi Ando were married.
From 2009, Kevin and Nozomi enrolled at Christ Bible Seminary in
Nagoya. For additional information, please visit www.kevinandnozomi.wordpress.com
http://wp.me/pMC4H-26
Anne Winters (2009-present)
Anne Winters is serving at New Life Church Omochanomachi in Mibu,
Tochigi prefecture, from July 2010 to March 2012. Anne
previously served in JEMS short-term mission in summer 2009 at New
Life Church. Her primary ministry is teaching conversational English
to children and adults as an entry point to share about Christ.
You can read more about Anne’s ministry at www.japanne09.blogspot.com
GAYLE GUTIERREZ (2009-present)
Gayle Gutierrez
has been serving at Machida Christian Center, near Tokyo, as a short-term
missionary since 2009.
In addition to teaching conversational English to children and adults,
she serves in a bi-lingual worship service on
Sunday afternoons. Gayle also has an outreach ministry involving quilting.
Gayle’s home church is in northern California.
JOHN AND KAZUMI VAN FAROWE (2011-present)
John
and Kazumi VanFarowe are currently serving as tent-making missionaries
with Japanese churches in the
Nagoya area. John teaches English at a private school and they also
run a “juku,” a special tutoring program
for students. The VanFarowes have two children, Cherry and Bianca.
Please pray as they raise support to
expand their ministries.
http://livingthecalling.blogspot.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFwNss1eUO0&feature=player_embedded
Past Missionaries
Sue Matsue Abe
(Anzai) and Jun Anzai -
2005 to 2011
Sue
has been serving in Amakusa since 2005 to work with Lily Suzuki. Her
background in education helped
the team reach out to the community in this island with the love and
grace of Jesus Christ. Matsue and
Jim Anzai were married in 2009. In January of 2010, they returned
to the US on a medical leave. In March 2011,
they were able to return for a short-term ministry in Amakusa.”
James
Ogata - 1993 to 2011 (retired)
James Ogata started ministry in 1999 at Machida
Christian Center (MCC) in Tokyo. James taught conversational English
classes and helped minister at the church. In December, 2000, he had
a 3-month term teaching English at private evangelical school in Manaus,
Brazil, working with Rev. Tomoyuki Nakada.
James Ogata served at Scion Grace Chapel in Hokkaido from 2001 until
June 2003 teaching English as well as other church activities. While
there, he lived in Iwamizawa, Hokkaido. He also helped with ministry
in Mikasa Christ Church in Hokkaido. James married his wife Sachiko
in 2003 and they served together at New Life Church Omochanomachi
from November 2003 to April 2004. Next, James and Sachiko went to
Izumi Hope Chapel in Osaka Prefecture in 2004 and served for two years.
Since spring 2007, James began serving again at Machida Christian
Center. James is originally from the Los Angeles area from Union Church
of Los Angeles.
David
and Eleanor Shimahara -
2005-06
JEMS sent Eleanor and David Shimahara to New Life Church Omochanomachi in Tochigi Prefecture for a one-year short-term mission assignment. They are definitely a blessing from the Lord, as a replacement was sought for a departing JEMS worker.
The timing of the Shimahara’s application had to be a divine act from God. A notice was sent out in December 2004 looking for two workers, at least one with experience in teaching English as a Second Language, and less than a month later, the Shimaharas called. From their end, the Shimaharas were looking for a ministry to serve in Japan, and were ready to go!
Eleanor and David were from Orange Coast Free Methodist Church in Costa Mesa. Eleanor is a retired teacher, and David is a retired firefighter. Both have been involved in mission trips to Brazil and Mexico, and David once did a mission trip to Haiti.