Worship on March 28th at our English worship service as Meito Christ International Church (MCIC) began with palm branches waving in the air and concluded with singing the hymn Go to Dark Gethsemane. I did not preach, instead together we read in parts the Passion Narrative according to Luke.
After worship we had an important congregational meeting. Those who attended affirmed having Rev. Lowell Sheppard serve as pastoral leader for renewable one year terms beginning in July 2010. The attendees also affirmed the budget for 2010 which for the first time includes an honorarium. MCIC will begin to give an honorarium to its pastoral leader beginning in July with Lowell. These two decisions are important steps forward, as Meito Christ International Church has relied on ELCA missionaries from the United States to provide pastoral leadership since its inception. Please join me in praying for mission and ministry in Nagoya, Japan.
It was an excellent way to begin Holy Week.
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