ベサニー・キリスト教会

English service at the Bethany Christ Church

On Sunday the 12th of October from 4:00pm, we will be hosting our English serivice. It is an informal get together, praising and worshipping the Lord with our brothers, sisters, and frineds. The service is conducted in English, with Japanese interpretation, so no one would be feeling left alone. Please come and join us. We also enjoy chatting over coffee and cookies afterward the service. See you there!


ベサニーキリスト教会　英語集会
10月12日（日）の午後4時から英語集会を行います。兄弟・姉妹・友達と共に、リラックスした雰囲気で賛美と礼拝をおこないます。集会は英語で行いますが、もちろん日本語の通訳も付きますので、どなたが参加して頂いても大丈夫。是非ご参加ください。集会後のコーヒータイムでおしゃべりするのも楽しみの一つです。お待ちしています。

　以下、昨日のディボーションガイド「幸いな人」からの抜粋です。

　知り合いが自分の救われたきっかけを話してくれました。
　「私が学生だった頃、科学の授業で先生がキリスト教を批判しました。
　先生は聖書はおとぎ話のようなものであり、神などいないと言い切りました。
　そして『君達は賢いので、そんなバカな事を信じないだろう』と言ったのです。
　すると、私のななめ前に座っていたある生徒が手を挙げて、『僕は信じて
　います』と言いました。
　先生は彼を馬鹿にし、色々な質問を投げかけましたが、彼は恐れることなく　
　自分が信じている神様について、はっきりと話しました。
　先生はとても不機嫌になり、『もし神が存在するなら、この試験管を落とした時
　神はそれらを割らないようにすることができるのか？』と尋ねました。
　シーンと静まりかえった教室の中で、『もし神様が願っているのなら出来ます』と
　答えました。
　先生が『なら落としてみるぞ』と言うと、彼は『まず祈らせてください』と言って
　声を出して祈り始めました。『神様、あなたが願っておられるのでしたら、
　あれが割れないようにしてください』
　祈り終わると、みんなが見ている中、先生はその試験管を軽く上に投げました。
　すると、試験管はゆっくりと回りながら先生の靴の上に落ち、割れることはなかった
　のです。
　その出来事を目の当たりにした私は、すべてを従わせ、試験管を割らないように
　さえできるこの神様は本物だと思い、教会に通うっようになり、救われたのです。」


　先日4人の日本人にノーベル章が授与されました。素晴らしいことです。
　けれども神様を認めない賞にどれ程の価値があるのでしょうか・・。
　　　　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　RS

I really believe that anyone who bears the name of Jesus Christ has a calling, whether they're a pastor or a layperson. We must all surender ourselves fully and make ourselves completely available to God. We must all ask, "What's my mission, God? Where do you want me to serve? What role would you have me play in your grand kingdom drama?"

Pages 185-186 "Courageous Leadership" by Bill Hybels

Why do I so enjoy rock climbing? What makes it so special to me ? I have been asking myself these questions lately and that has brought back some childhood memories of mine while growing up in Shiga Prefecture, Japan.

My earliest memories of "outside" play are of me playing in the traditional Japanese garden of the WEC Japan headquarters. This building and garden was built by a rich "Ohmi Shounin" (a merchant from the Ohmi area of Japan now known as Shiga) and was huge. In the garden were quite a number of really large boulders and my main activity there was climbing them. For a small child some of them presented quite the challenge. Also, some were in groups so that smaller boulders had to be first climbed in order to get to the top of a larger boulder.So, for me, "play" in the outdoors first meant climbing boulders.

When I got a bit older, the younger missionaries used to take me with them when they went on outings, These outings usually consisted of climbing the nearby Mt. Kinugasa. And of course this involved even more boulders-only larger. It also exposed me to real rock faces and I had a great time climbing there.

Finally, when I was in grade school I was able to attend many of the church summer camps held at the WEC campsite located near Lake Biwa. For most campers the beautiful beach of white sand was central but for me the endless line of boulders on both sides of the beach was more interesting. I spent endless hours climbing these boulders and sometimes seeing how far I could get out into the lake by jumping from one boulder to the next. I attended these camps all the way through my junior high school years and never stopped enjoying climbing the boulders there.

These memories of mine seem to be the answer to my questions to myself about why I enjoy rock climbing so much. Rock climbing has always been a part of my life and it looks like it will continue to be so. I am now in my 50s but I meet many rock climbers in their 60s and 70s and they seem to enjoy the rocks and the mountians now just as much as ever. So, I will no doubt do the same.

This is from Peggy Noonan's book, "When Character Was King" and is talking about Ronald Reagan's mother.

"She was busy and bustling and she believed completely in what was known as, in the title of a popular book of the era, The Christian's Secret of a Happy Life. This was the secret: Jesus is with you, is aware of your life and fully engaged init; God is in everything; He will let little befall you that will not be to the ultimate benefit of your soul. Sometimes He steps aside for trouble coming your way but only if it will refine you or prepare you to be with Him someday in heaven, where you'll know a happiness beyond all human understanding. So there is no cause then for sadness, only for joy. "Do not be afraid.""

Page 20 of When Character Was King by Peggy Noonan