Yukata Party & Mini Gospel Concert

On Saturday July 23, Grace City Church had its annual Yukata Party.  This was our first time to attend, and we all had fun getting dressed in our traditional Japanese summer wear called Yukata and Jimbei.

The main event of the party was a mini-concert performed by Grace City Church Gospel Choir - which includes some church members as well as a number of people from the community.

Normally reserved Japanese really seem to enjoy the freedom to express themselves with the joyful music.  For many in the choir, the lyrics they memorize provide their first introduction to the real meaning of Gospel - "the good news" of a life changed by Jesus!



Here is Sarah with some new friends from the Gospel Choir.  You can see Olivia and Annabella in their yukata and Calvin in his jimbei.

Here is Daddy and Gideon enjoying the concert in our jimbei as well.  :)

Here is a great photo with Seima & Naoko Aoyagi, our good friends and future church-planting partners in Tokyo. Please be praying for us as we seek God's direction in this early preparation phase of ministry.

Living in the City ...

We moved into our apartment in Toyosu (click for MAP), a small island in Tokyo Bay in the Koto-ward of Tokyo city.

The area of Toyosu is less than 1/4 square mile, yet the residential population has grown from 14,170 to 25,391 in the past 5 years.  Toyosu has a number of tower apartment buildings, while also having quite a few office buildings and shopping areas.  Counting several surrounding islands, though, there are over 100,000 people with no known Christian church.

This is our building (with the blue border), one of 7 buildings that make up our complex of 989 units.  This is definitely a new sense of neighborhood for us!

The kids have really taken to their new environment, as seen by the nature of their drawings and building block play.  Tall towers are the favorite subject matter around here.  :)