The fourth Executive Council meeting of the present (41st) biennial general assembly period was held July 8-9, 2019, at the Kyodan headquarters. All members of the Executive Council were present, and Vice-moderator Kuze Sorachi led the opening worship service. General Secretary Akiyama Toru reported that one of the Kyodan's four executive officers had participated in each of the 17 district assembly meetings.
Noda Taku, a pastor heading up the Student Christian Fellowship and serving on the support committee for the Youth Platform, gave a presentation and appeal concerning that venture. The purpose of this "Youth Platform" is to provide a place within the Kyodan structure for youth to get to know each other and share information. Specifically, this includes operating a website for the Youth Platform, planning and operating various events, as well as arranging exchanges and cooperation with the various Kyodan-related schools and other organizations. One response to this by the council emphasized the importance of carefully guarding the personal information of participants.
Uda Makoto, chair of the Commission on Finance, presented the second revision of the budget and financial report on the 2018 fiscal year and explained the Kyodan's financial situation. Following the report on the Buraku Liberation Center's financial accounts by BLC Steering Committee Chair Saito Seiji, Kyodan Secretary Kumoshikari Toshimi pointed out that the amount transferred from the Kyodan to the BLC account differed from the amount recorded in the BLC account, although they should be identical. Also addressed was the large sum of over 26 million yen being carried over in the BLC operating budget. Action on this issue, along with the discussion on the related budget proposal was tabled until the next meeting. Next, Yamakita Nobuhisa, chair of the Kyodan Board of Publications' Board of Directors, announced that Shindo Atsushi, current head of the Board of Publications, will be submitting his resignation and that Ii Hikari will become acting head for the remainder of Shindo's term of office.
On the second day, the time was divided between discussion of the report on the Task Force for Evangelism in the Kyodan and the agenda item on the Promotion of Evangelism in the Kyodan. Both were accepted and approved by majority vote. In his report on the Task Force for Evangelism in the Kyodan, Vice-moderator Kuze Sorachi noted that a proposal to reduce the number of delegates to the Kyodan General Assembly from 400 to 200 was being considered. Likewise, in the report on the Promotion of Evangelism in the Kyodan, Kishi Toshihiko, chair of the Subcommittee on the Implementation of Basic Policies for the Promotion of Evangelism, proposed the designation of the third Sunday of every month, beginning in October 2019, as a "Day of Prayer for the Promotion of Evangelism in Japan" as well as the establishment of a fund to be called the "National Evangelism Promotion Fund." (Tr. TB)
The Kyodan Newsletter is the public English-language newsletter of the United Church of Christ in Japan and is published five time a year. Its purpose is to share various mission issues with churches and fellow Christians around the world.
Originally from: Kyodan Newsletter
CCD reprinted with permission.
