Our church is a church belonging to the United Church of Christ in Japan. There is our church in Kenkyugakuen, Tsukuba city where is a center of Tsukuba-shi, Ibaraki.
Our church dates back to year 1977 in terms of its origin.
Already the Tsukuba University (former Tokyo University of Education) had moved to this area and several research institutions were being invited to come over here.
Where our church building stands today was then just a field with tall goldenrod, a species of wild grass.
In the autumn of 1977 Reverend Morito INAGAKI moved to this academic and research city of Tsukuba in his search for a new place of mission after completing long service at the Hijiri-ga-Oka Church in Tokyo from which he retired. Construction of the church building soon started at a corner of Higashi-Arai (a part of what was Yatabe-cho town of Tsukuba previously), where it stands till today.
The construction was completed in January 1978 and the first worship service held on February 26 of the same year was blessed with attendance of 41 people. The church held the founding worship service on March 21 and it made a formal start with the Easter Worship Service on March 26.
We have worship service regularly on Sundays. This ‘Lord’s Day Worship Service’ commences at 10:30 a.m.. The service begins with a prelude by pipe-organ and ends with postlude by it. During the service, a passage or two are read out from the Bible, and attendants sing together hymns and listen to story of the Bible. Simultaneous interpretation in English is provided in the morning services.
At our church the Bible we use is what is known as ‘Shin Kyodo Yaku Seisho (the New Interconfessional Translation,)’ a joint work of Protestant and Catholic groups. For a hymnal we use ‘Sanbika (Hymns) 21.’ They are both written in Japanese. For English speakers Bible passage for the day of worship service is typed on the English ‘Order of Worship.’ Hymns are also written on it in Roman letters with copies of English scores attached when available. Please feel free to pick up a copy of the ‘Order of Worship at the desk of the entrance hall.
Our church started (or shall we say restarted) observing evening worship service since May of this year. We regret having to say though that evening service is not giving English interpretation.
For more details, just a bit though, please go to xxx page.
Kids can come and attend worship service at Church School which commences at 9 a.m. every Sunday. Kids up to and including 6 graders will have service at the church building itself while middle- and high-school students have theirs in a building just behind the church building, called Kyo-iku Kaikan or the Education House. (This group of students is called ‘Karashi-dane-no Kai (Musttard Seeds Association.)
In addition to Sunday Services, our church school runs various programs throughout a year. Some of the major ones include the Easter Egg Band in spring, Summer School (Camp), Thanks-giving in autumn and Christmas Get-together in December etc.
For further details about the activities, please go to Church School page.
Held every Wednesday two times: one in the morning from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m., and one in the evening from 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Bible passage for the day is elucidated by the pastor and it is followed by mutual prayers of attendants.