All Saints Sunay at Hiyoshi Lutheran Church

All Saints Sunday was the first Sunday of Pastor Bob's work in the East District of the Japan Evangelical Lutheran Church. He and Chris began the day leaving their apartment at Japan Lutheran Theological Seminary at 8:00 am in order to make the 90 minute trip to Hiyoshi and arrive by 9:30 am at Hiyoshi Lutheran Church. Hiyoshi is a beautiful church in a college town setting. It has a nave with dark and beautiful furniture that was once the interior of the chapel for Japan Lutheran Seminary in it's earlier Musashino location. During worhip this very traditional furniture mixes nicely with the use of projected images for the liturgy and songs. Pastor Asano's congregation appreciates the alternative this provides to the small print in the hynmals.

Pastor Bob preached a sermon for All Saints Sunday based on the Beatitudes. It was well received as it was well translated by his colleague Pastor Naoki Asano; the same pastor who came to the South Carolina Synod and was at St. Paul, Aiken for Holy Week as the "Exchange Pastor" from Japan a few years ago. Pastor Asano also invited Pastor Bob to help with Holy Communion distribution. Worship was meaningful and the church was filled beyond capacity.

During this wonderful day at Hiyosih Church Pastor Bob and Chris met many wonderful and interesting people. One of them Mr. Yagisawa was someone who will stand out in the memory of this trip. This gentleman now 84 years of age is the pen pal to Mr Si Lambert, an active and faithful member of St. Paul, Aiken SC. Pastor Bob presented a gift to Mr Yagisawa from Si Lambert as well as his greetings and prayers. Mr Yagisawa was most appreciative and asked Pastor Bob to express his great appreciation to Si Lambert . He shared about his life as an engineer, his joy at being able to correspond with Si despite some difficulty with failing eyesight and had one more request. This was to be remembered to a young missionary whose picture he showed me. The picture was of a gathering of young Christian converts with their missionary pastor. The missionary in the picture, taken over forty years ago, was a young Rev. Charles Dawkins. Pastor Dawkins is now retired and living in South Carolina His faithful work planted the seeds that today are seen in a vibrant Hiyoshi Lutheran Church, Hiyoshi, Japan.

Keep praying,

Zen Ben