New facility for Sendai Megumi Chapel after 19 years of meeting in our home!
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
We cannot thank the Lord enough for his mercies to this only lonely OPC outpost in all Asia. He has granted our tiny chapel its very own building, 2 minutes up the street, after meeting in our cramped one story since 1997. It even has sidewalks, a rarity in Japan where 127 million people live in an area the size of the state of California, and it is right around the corner from a bank, post office, and supermarket which makes for much better exposure.
How It All Started
- Dec. 8, after praying the umpteenth time for a building for our chapel, Tsuruko’s eyes lit on the property on her screen. She said excitedly, “We need to purchase it.” Incredulous, I retorted, “How are we going to do it?” She replied, “We’ll borrow.”
- Dec. 10, we entered the building with our realtor.
- Dec. 14, with chapel and mission personnel.
- Dec. 18, we signed a letter of intent, but not the contract until April 27.
The dental clinic that leased the building for six months last year finally removed the x-ray room, etc. but, providentially the clinic had installed a second toilet.
A local used office furniture shop had vocational school chairs with doodling that we were able to obtain at a quarter the cost. Childhood buddy Hisao, associate member Mr. Izumi, and WEC missionary Matt Cummings helped sledge and jack hammer concrete walls for easy access to parking, while Matt's wife, Annette Cummings, 5 kids, and a curious neighbor girl picked up the fragments. Inquirers, mission staff, and friends from other churches pulled weeds, fixed screens, assembled bookcases, cleaned chairs, painted signs, and arranged bouquets and we hauled over our podium originally made for my dad at East Sendai Church sixty years ago.
We had 19 for the first service, May 22, and 44 on the rolls for the dedication service, May 29, including 4 Lauers and 7 Cummings, as well as MA's, Todd and Melissa. Missionary Woody Lauer spoke for the Mission and retired RCJ pastor Shoji Sudo reminisced about how his wife Taeko assisted my dad at East Sendai Church when I was five.
Attendees of the Sendai Megumi Chapel Dedication Service on May 29.
Folks donated tables, chinaware, trays, chairs, kitchen and office goods, elbow grease, and just the right-sized professional organ with pedal set, as well as offerings. Pray for well-designed lighted signs and tax exemption as a religious facility. Upstairs projects include installing rooms, unit bath/toilets, removing stairs to warehouse side, and passageway between office/warehouse sides of former boiler firm. We look forward to an RPCNA carpentry team in August and covet prayers to repay loans.
What a joy to have a facility that neighbors want to peer into—after 19 years no less! This has been an incredible six months. As Dad would say, “Soli Deo Gloria!”
His peace,
Murray