Professional Documents
Culture Documents
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THDMB-NAIL SKETCH FOR MISSIOKAIiY FAMILIES
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MAY 1 01976
Tokyo May 3, 1976 Dear Friends at Horizons,
Forgive our lack of communication through Horizons, but do want you to note the emergency newsletter and its contents.
You will see that we^are moving and with 2 months time on most mail getting her from you'by surface mail, please correct the
address now for the Horizons and also for your missionary list.
We are
Sayama Shi, Saitama Ken, 350-13 Please do not send ooiyto the Bible College at this old address. We have closed the School for Prayer and Evangelism in preparation for the move. Also all students read only Japanese most of the time so we would keep your paper for our files only. So please list us above at this address and maybe note in your paper our new forwarding agents George and Georgia Crawford 1075 NW 123rd Ave., #16 Portland, Oregon 97229
Also if you wish'^o make a news note of our relocation and that
the central church is relocating in central Tokyo also, place is not yet decided. ^ ^ but that
Thank you for your ministry. Hope to get our pictures and sketch in future and some pictures and ilides for your files. At present we can?l hardly keep up with mission correspondence to us directly and through our forwarding agent.
Sincerely,
(\j^ V
August i
windows, and roof and outside plastering from the old metal beams of the Shimoochiai buildings.
Materials in Japan are now three times higher than when we constructed the church 12 years ago.
PURPOSE
The pastor John Morohashi and the Tokyo congregation shall use 2/3's of the money received in thfe sale. We, the missionaries shall take 1/3 of the net gain from the sale plus the usuable
parts of the old buildings,
THE NEED
The above purchase of land and construction of the shell superstructure at SAYAMA will use our
entire 1/3 share of the money received from the sale.
Another $25,000.00 is needed to finish the inside of this building. The first floor of this 48X30''
building will house the chapel, church office, and class room and kitchen.
THE VISION
will serve as housing for the Fleenor family* The hope that the energetic soul winning church in Tokyo shall continue to grow and be self-
supporting on their new land site. We are still in consultations about the site of relocation but temporary rooms have been rented not far away from the present church building. The hope that the Fleenors be used to build a strong witness in SAYAMA and that a strong selfsupporting church will be planted there, ,
PRAYER
APPEAL****
his! round trip fare and his room and board whjile working. He has done this in South America,
PROBLEM
At this point we will need eit^r $25,000'in>-^ifts or loans to finish the project. We are ask ing you to rememSer speciai mission funds. Vacation Bible School offerings or Summer Camp offering funds. If any individual or church would loan us $1000,00
repay $100 at the end of each year for 5 yeark. Do you have any funds you would like to use
for planting a new church in Japan?
Three more have made decisions to receive Christ since wp returned.
for a 5 year period we'would repay from our mission funds at the rate of $200,00 at the end of each year for 5 years. If an individual would loan $500.00 we would give them a contract to
a:oramunication with God and the Church. Summer Camp evanplista jplans continue for the month of August.
Teaching, prayers of intercession continue for those here in Japan.
REMEMBER THE EMPEROR OF JAPAN AND HIS FAMILY ESPECIALLY ON HIS BIRTHDAY APRIL 29.
Christ as His Saviour is our prayer.
a discouraged Christian who was attempting suicide. This person has been restored by repentance and
Sincerely,
4-25-8 Irumagawa
This is being printed in Tokyo and airmailed in bulk to our forwarding agent to send out to our special list of supporters and prayer warriors. Our plans for a regular newsletter in March were changed when we learned that
Thelma Littrell, of the Lockhaven Christian Church of Inglewood, California who has been handling all our printing
since 1975, had to have major surgery in March, Please pray for her total recovery. Lord willing, we will have a picture story newsletter to our entire mailing list by the end of May mailed through the Lockhaven Christian Church,
Item 1:
January 15 we arrived back in Japan with our mission accomplished for our 6 month emergency furlough.
The
details concerning the death of Julius' mother were completed. The physical examinations and final decisions made by American doctors concerning future treatment of our Japanese adopted sons for their bone injuries were completed. Brain wave tests showed that our 12 yr old Japanese son John no longer has seizure activity and he was pronounced cured by a specialist. The IX6YE Mission to Japan was legally incorporated and has received tax free status from
the I,R,S, thanks to the legal help of Sherman Holmes, Our new forwarding agents have been oriented and doing a "good^jbb and c^aTfying"oh in the place of Maxine Seyb who had to give it up for health reasons. Item 2; DECISION WAS MADE ON APRIL 8 TO SELL THIS PROPERTY WHERE WE ARE NOW LOCATED IN TOKYO, Hours of prayers and consultations were made before this decision was made. We must move off by July 1, 1976, Contracts have been signed
and down payment received,
Item 3; FLEENORS TO RELOCATE IN SAYAMA CITY on the^utskirts of T^yo^ The Robert Warrick missionary family has
been living for six years on land leased by a formef-mfssiona'fy to Japan, John Kachelmeyer, The lease on half of the property has expired and he has lease rights for 7 more years on the front half. The owner asked Mr, Warrick to please buy the property at 1/2 of the going price for land in this area, Mr, Warrick, when he learned of our need to relocate, invited us to buy this property in the name of the church and continue the witness for Christ. which the Kachelmeyers and Warricks began in this area, Mrs, Marvel Hurt has taught English Bible classes in the front half of the building for the last three years and le^es""tor furlough in July, Together they have a nucleus
of Christians besides contact with the community and a children's work carried on by Mrs, Warrick, Thus we have
decided to work with this group of Christians in planting a church in this area. It is located next to a large park newly formed from part of the old U,S, Air Force Johnson Air Base, It is across the street from the Japan Self Defense Air Force Family Housing Area where thousands of families live who need to be evangelized, Mr, Warrick has taught many of the Self Defense Air Force men and business men in the area. One of these is a convert baptized by Mr, Warrick, Also a rental just four doors from this property has opened up as of July 1st so the Fleenors can live there during the construction of the Mission Center and Church, The Warricks will continue to live in an
old building in the back of the property until their furlough for two or three ye^s^" ^ THE PLAN 1, Tear down the building here at Shimoochiai between July 1 and 15 and move materials to the
in Japan!
George and Mrs. SSSS Georgia Crawford, 1075 H W 125rd Avenue, Apt. # 16,
Portland, OH 97229.
The land for their new location is
re-location pro^am.
Part of the.
(More
Gifts and/or
ij4Mr
Gleanings
IX0TI
F.leenors Intercessors
Forwarding Agents:
GEORGE CRAWFORDS
S.erving
H,iin
SPECIAL NEWSLETTER
Field address until July 1, 1976 1-5-15 Naka Ochiai, Sbinjuku, Tokyo
Phone 03-951-6025
May 1976
NEW ADDRESS AFTER JULY 1, 1976 ******** Sayama Church of Christ box 13 4 25-8 Irumagawa
Sayama Shi, Saitama Ken, 350-13
urge you to look at each picture and caption and stop and pray for each person and project mentioned, WE NEED YOUR
HELP.
^*i great harvest because Jesus said, "Lift up your eyes unto
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We need to
keep in close communication with God as to the means He wants to prayer use onand a day to day basis. sc-ripture is clear us that preaching the WordThe will get results,
'"hristians in Japan must be here, filled with His Spirit, faithful to His Word, obedient and loving Him so we can be
PRAY FOR US
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imperative, we are relocating the Shimoochiai Church of Christ where we have made our home and center for evangelism
for the past 23 years, JULY 1st WE WILL MOVE to the outskirts of Tokyo to SAYAMA
in Japan formed from the fomer U.S. Army Johnson Air Base, Across the street are thousands of apartments housing the families of the Japan Self-Defense Force. Walking five
yb
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Church bldg.
......
.,-11 be torn will be torn down In July. The large park next door ill
helpt
May 1976
STORY OF THE RELOCATION AND BRIEF HISTORY OF SHIMOOCHIAI CHURCH
page 2
In 1952 the Fleenors were invited by the daughter of the former mayor of Tokyo who had formed,
a Christian Foundation in Japan to use the Shimoochiai, Shinjuku, Tokyo property to build a
church, Julius' father came to Japan and donated his time and money to building the mission home which first was used for planting a church. Christians in America donated money for a two story church building in 1964 to replace the simple temporary church building we used before, A contract was made with this Foundation stating the church could use the land perpetually. However, after the death of the founders of the Christian Foundation, the
new directors became involved in many business activities which resulted in their accumulating many debts. Eight years ago this Foundation was dissolved by the District Court of the City of Tokyo, We, the Church of Christ, were investigated and found to have kept our charter as a tax free church corporation running a kindergarten, Bible training school, and church building for the purpose of worship without making any personal profit. Finally
last year the court decided that the way to solve the problem was to sell this entire property and to pay all the debts against the old foundation since it was now dissolved. The balance of the money was to go to us the Church of Chirst, Actually, we shall^get only
about 1/3 of the value of this property after all legal fees and debts are paid.
Since we
the church never paid ^ny money for this land and have used it for 23 years, they felt this was a fair settlement. Thus we began to pray for God to give us land in two locations.
One location for' the Fleenors to start a new church and evan-
gelistic center,
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wife's family.
' Stephen in establishing a strong group of Christians who merged with the Shimoochiai Church in 1974 when he became the pastor at Shimoochiai, Until
land at the right price i^ found in central Tokyo the Christians will be using a nearby
Church of Christ building from 4 p.m, to 10:00 p,m, for their services. This land will be
very high so we are reserving 2/3's of the money we receive here from the sale for this
project. The Japanese Christians must donate or borrow money to finish this project if land prices and materials stay as high as they are right now, A few of the Christians live near the Sayama area where the Fleenors are relocating and will help in the Sunday School and canvassing of the area,
THE FLEENORS WILL REMAIN TRUSTEES OF BOTH PIECES OF PROPERTY. The land will be held in
the name of the Church of '"hrist Corporation registered with the Japanese government,
here and put up the concrete foundation, steel beams and super structure from the old building. These materials are three times higher now than 10 years ago. We are trying to
stay within the budget of 1/3 of the money we will realize from the sale of the land here
at Shimoochiai,
GOD'S PROVISION;
churches from Eugene, Oregon, who has builtchurchesin South America, Ethiopia, and Japan
in the past, has volunteered to come and do the entire finishing work FREE, All we need to provide is his and his wife's round trip plane tickets and room and board. Miraculously, a five bedroom rental has become available for one year just four doors away from the new Sayama Church site. It will rent for only $150,00 a month, A house that size would
be $1000,00 a month in Tokyo, Since God has opened the doors so wide and the missionaries
John Kachelmeyer and Bob Warricks who have the lease rights are so happy and willing for us to buy this land and build a church, we have made a contract giving 207o downpayment and will complete the deal in August when we get the balance of the money from the sale
of the property here at Shimoochiai,
LET US PRAISE GOD TOGEHIHER God has given us an open door for the gospel. We feel sure God will send in gifts from Christians for this project. We lack about $25,000 for the
completion.
We are willing to borrow money personally from Christians and give 7% interest
evangelism on that day. Please write if God puts it on your heart to give or lend for this
Sayama Project,
over 5 years and pay it back by teaching English one day a week each instead of doing
Page
Virginia says:,.,.If I had my life to live over there are three things I would do the same. Everything else I would probably do
I would have become a Christian. That was the best decision I ever made. Second: I would have married Julius and had his children, I would First:
Third:
have adopted our Japanese sons. These have been great personal joys and blessings. I would have responded to God's call to be a missionary to Japan because being in His will is a place of peace
has been a joy unspeakable in the awareness of His Presence, May I say to every young person reading this to take great care
The relationship :
with God, with your life mate, and with your life work No matter what trials you face if these relationships are right, you
can weather the storms,
to Japan since 1950, wife, to see God's promises as He speaks personally and mother of 7 children, and beautifully out of the scriptures. In John 14:21 we read:
Director of IXTHUS MISSION
AND I WILL LOVE HIM AND WILL MANIFEST MYSELF TO HIM."
No missionary can be contented to stay 25 years in Japan Virginia Fleenor, missionarj^^j-I^Qy^. gygg fixed on the Lord Jesus Christ and his eyes
secretary to Julius Fleenor uhe THAT HATH MY COMMANDMENTS AND KEEPETH THEM, HE IT IS THAT
LOVETH ME, AND HE THAT LOVETH ME SHALL BE LOVED OF MY FATHER,
Sometimes people say to me, "Virginia, I feel lonely, God never talks to me the way you say He talks to you," The above
scripture is absolute truth. Read it over again and again. If you keep the conditions you will know His love and He will
reveal Himself to you in a very personal way moment by moment, Jesus said Rivers of Living Water would flow out of our inner most being to bless every life we touch.
TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN JAPAN, I feel I have done nothing.
But praise God I know the Holy Spirit and His Word has not failed
but accomplished what He wanted to accomplish,
GREAT THINGS.
100 RECRUTIS FOR JAPAN
The picture to the left shows one recruit who came at age 50 6 years ago. She was saved and attended two years of Bible College. She cannot speak Japanese, She uses only English,
In July she will travel to America with Shozo, one of her
MARVEL HURT with
English students. He is a graduate engineer in electronics with a good job, but he feels called to preach the gospel so
he is entering Bible College using his own savings,
FOR THIS MAN TO BE A MIGHTY EVANGELIST..
SHOZO SANj, young engineer giving his life for evangelizing Japan
PRAY
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Princess Mikasa, Word comes that the General of the Salvation Army spent 30 minutes witnessing
Lnce and
The
Since we cannot keep up with our personal mail as we would like, we thought we would fill you in on the
Julius and
Virginia are in good health except for the chronic stomach ulcer problem that keeps Julius sipping milk between meals, but we both keep on a full
Becky 6, Peter, 4, and Debby Ih are on their first furlough from Japan in Eugene, OR. with Stephen taking
M,A. work in Japanese history and literature. They are available for some speaking dates at
Camp in a town where there is no church at all. They will be back in Japan early in 1977,
JULIA NADINE FLEENOR now is Mrs, Shinichi Shozen
Mi
Our Son Stephen and wife Carol with Becky and Peter. Missionaries to Japan
since 1971,
work at Harvard in 1974-1975 and now is employed at the Kuurokawa Architectual Firm in Tokyo, Julia has taken over all of Virginia"s afternoon
English children's classes and will use the KamiOchiai Church nearby after the Shimoochiai reloca
tion so that the children will maintain a contact
with a church and Sunday School, They live in Kamakura and commute into Tokyo for work. DANA LEE shown to the left in top picture has one
page 5
north of Tokyo) In 1952 a friend of retired missionary, Grace Farnham, was given
Grace and the Fleenors together paid $1200,00 for the land and a very old 8 room furnished summer house. Here we began taking groups of children and adult Christians to the cool mountains for rest and to hear the gospel, Tokyo often has 100 degree temperatures and 1007 humidity in July and August even at midnight. When Grace retired, the Fleenors were given the camp properJ:y. Gordon Hahn, of Los Angeles and director of the Nishi Arai Chris tian Foundation together with an independent missionary Dr, Rajmer raised $20,00Q to build a new L shaped camp house to house 30 to 40 young people. Since that time over 300 people ;have been baptized into Christ through the camp work and many thousands .have been introduced to Christ through our tent and village summer evangelism. This work will continue through the month of August, We will invite young people from the resort town
Our Japanese
LIFE, If you wish to send gifts for Bibles, tracts, or special summer camp expenses just tnark your offering "FOR CAMP", Also anyone who would like to send cake mixes they can be sent by sea mail and arrive in 6 weeks to 2 months. The Camp address is KARUIZAWA CHRISTIAN CAMP, THE FLEENORS 1073 Karuizawa, Nagano Ken, Japan. (August only address)
Path in front of
One of the Children's camps with the children eating out of doors
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A group of adult working people came to
study the Bible, One man brought his family and later opened a Bible class in his
factory.
IXTHUS MISSION TO JAPAN F.I.S.H. was legally incorporated as a t/^x free non-profit
organization on April 16th, 1976 , but we have in fact ministered in Japan since October, 1950.
May
1976
Page 6
NISHI ARAI CHURCH
furlough.
Katie Vee Clarkson gave Che first $1000,00 for this work.' We
Jesus Christ, Soon Mrs. Aono and her daughter Mako came to help
us. Later a Christian couple were converted and we used their
home.
back and established a Christian Foundation known as the NISHI ARAI CHRISTIAN FOUNDATION, This Foundation supplied all the
money for the Nishi Arai Church and much of the money' for the camp building and Shimoochiai church building. Above that
thousands of dollars were sent all over the world for the preaching of the gospel. This little area was used to start
This church is now completely self supporting and has its own
Convention of
Mrs. Aono and her daughter Mako began the child evangelism at the Nishi Arai area,. This was a very tough area and their
lives were threatened when Mako refused to marry an unconverted
ex-convict. They fled to Karuizawa for some months and then to
Mako works part time. About 20 adults and young people have
The Fleenor Family with the accepted Christ through their ministry in this very Nishi Arai pastor and his Buddhist and communist stronghold. PRAY FOR THEM. family, Bro. & Sister Takamura
their home village. Here they have continued for 10 years in a Buddhist stronghold about 300 miles north of Tokyo. Me send rent for the building and Christian literature and fuel, but
difficult
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Stephen Fleenor baptizes a young lady who came to camp from the Nishi Arai Church.
Pastor Takamura is to the left.
Mako Aono teaching Children in a tent 'meeting. This was how the Nishi Arai
Church started 19 years ago.
Dear Friends, July 1st we moved from our mission center home in
that place. Now we are located on the very edge of Tokyo, adjacent to a large park and across the
street from the Japan Self-Defense Forces in the
city of SAYAMA, Our rental has a large yard and at present it is filled with lumber and two storage sheds. We are now completing the final payment
on the Sayama land and have HiOiieiyfor the foundation super-structure, roof, and windows. The Japanese contractor Mr, Murayama has built three
churches for us and our summer camp and has secured the building permit and is putting in
the foundation at this time. This man has built 30 churches in Japan, Remember that we
are using only 1/3 of the proceeds from the sale of the Tokyo land and leaving the 2/3*s
for the Japanese church in Tokyo to relocate as they will need far more than we do since we
bought cheaper land and are using the old timbers from the Shimoochiai Church building. Faith promise money is coming from the First Christian Church of Michigan City, Indiana for
this project, $180,00 came in June and $313,00 in July, expenses shall be put into this project. All funds over our basic mission
To date we have received $2000,00 in donations for Sayama building purposes, $2000 in loans from Christian to be repaid in 5 years at TU interest or to be forgiven by the person if they so desire at that time, $1290,00 has been given for water storage or well and for
tracts to be printed for evangelism in this area, CONIRACTOR DAVID REYNOLDS AND WIFE TO ARRIVE IN SEPTEMBER. David Reynolds has built nine churches in Oregon and others in South America, Ethiopia, and Japan, He has volunteered to
come and do the entire interior using what used lumber we have plus new fixtures and things needed to complete the job. He advanced $500,00 of his own money to buy a stapler and nailer machine and supplies which have just arrived in Yokohama, Friends have given them $300,00 to date for their plane fare. They will need $1200,00 more and we are praying God to provide this. We have purchased $2000,00 worth of fixtures from Sears at great savings for the interior finishing work. The mission shall provide their room and board while in Japan and other missionaries also wish the Reynolds to help them after the Sayama Church is finished,
Eleanor Rejmolds will teach English Bible, and act as a general missionary assistant during
her stay. This mature couple with five grown children are interested in giving their time for building God's kingdom throughout the world. They are an inspiration to us. The Word
says "A workman is worthy of his hire," We are believing God for a provision for all their needs and that we can give them a love offering for their labourers at the completion of the
Sayama Christian Center, mission home and Church building, pray FOIt THESE TO ARRIVE SAFELY
IN GOD'S TIME,
June 15th GRACE, our 15 year old daughter returned to Japan having stayed to finish her school year in Portland
with the Ronald Crawford family when the Fleenors returned
in January from their emergency furlough, Grace is pictured Laurie age 8, John I2, and.Joey 11 is partially out of the picture. This is our family in Japan now at home. They all help in preparing for the camps and doing errands
connected with having over 100 campers this year besides drop-in guests both missionary and Japanese,
City of Los Angeles and became inspired to start ^ a Foundation to help Christians around the world,
help with the summer camp projects and special evangelistic work and giving of scholarships to
GARLAND "BILL" POTTER, a widower and Christian Church elder, arrived in Japan on July 11th, Three Japanese
Jesus said, "NO MAN HAS LEFT HOUSES, AND LANDS, AND CHILDREN, MOTHER AND FATHER, SISTERS AND
BROTHERS, WHO SHALL NOT RECEIVE
A HUNDRED FOLD IN THIS LIFE WITH
PERSECUTION AND ETERKAL LIFE IN May of this year standing in front of his beautiful home THE WORLD TO COME." in Leisure World, Seal Beach, Cal, He just locked the wvn-uu xu door and left his daughter and grandchildren and sisters and brothers in America and said "I am available to do anything I can do to win Japanese to Christ," He paid his own fare to Japan, has paid his room and board. He is supported by prayers and reccxnmendation of
telephone
June
us the
that the daughter former to Japan, Alex and Betty Bills, was in Japan, Kathleen Bills Harder and her husband
Paul Harder are connected with the United
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Many asked us if we would attempt sxommer camp this year with the Sayaraa move and building going on. After prayer, we decided we should go ahead and have four small camps at least with over 100 Japanese attending
during late July and August,
JULIUS IS PICTURED AT LEFT BAPTIZING OUR FIRST CONVERT
of the summer. This young married lady is one of the 12 kindergarten teachers and helpers from Ibaraki that
came with 7 children for Bible study and recreation.
she had when she arrived. Her youngest child had an eye removed six months ago that was cancerous. Her
father died of cancer and she was a victim of fear.
We thank God we could bring her into relationship with our Lord who said, "Peace I give unto you, not as the world giveth, give I unto you, let not your heart be
troubled,"
The message of John 14 through 17 is one we give again and again to hungry hearts in Japan,
Who else ever arrived in history and said
"
^
^L_^EIKSi^HHPRHH^BHlR KINDERGARTEN TEACHERS AND WORKERS CAMP
has established two country churches and day care centers for children. Few preachers
will go to these difficult places but we
thank God for the women evangelists in Japan working in rural areas, PRAY FOR THESE,
visitor from the states dropped by camp for two days of fellowship, Larry was
a service man six years ago serving in Tokyo, His parents urged him to visit
the missionaries. While in Japan he
rededicated his life to Jesus Christ and
He and his wife Joan graduated from Cincinnati Bible Seminary and are now finishing their first year of Japanese language study in preparation for the
ministry God has for them in Japan,
garden where we stopped and prayed for the owner, and for all who come to Karuizawa, that they might know God,
the Creator of Heaven and Earth and His Son Jesus Christ,
LAURIE FLEENOR is pictured side view to the right of the picture looking in awe at beautiful
John had never seen a princess before and they were not disappointed in her gracious appearance
in the small mountain church where the concert
PRINCESS MICHIKO OF JAPAN leaving St. Paul*3 Church in Karuizawa following the Festival
Concert where Louis Graeler, world famous violist performed with Adamira Vaclav of
Czechoslovakia on the cello.
was performed, Virginia listened to truly great music and prayed again for the conversion of the entire Imperial Household during that
hour.
Karuizawa was just a tiny mountain village 90 years ago when a missionary found it in his missionary tours of the area. He decided it was an ideal place for prayer and rest in the summer. Soon hundreds of missionaries began to come to Karuizawa for a week or month of rest in the summer and for Bible and prayer conferences. By 1900 it was becoming an international resort. Twenty years ago a wealthy commoner Michiko Shoda was playing tennis in Karuizawa (just a five minute walk from our summer camp) and met the Crown Prince
of Japan, They fell in love and married over objections of some of the ^perial Household
Agency because her grandmother was a Christian and Michiko had attended private Catholic schools. Since she had not been baptized as a Christian, they allowed the marriage. The Crown Prince who will be next heir to the Throne studied English under a Christian missionary
for 10 years soon after the War, Paul said, "PRAY FOR KINGS,,.AND ALL MEN EVERYWHERE."
"GOD IS NOT WILLING ANY SHOULD PERISH, BUT ALL COME TO A KNOWLEDGE OF JESUS CHRIST AND TO REPENTANCE,
OPEN DOORS FOR SUMMER EVANGELISM
This year we have noticed a greater receptiveness by the Japanese to the gospel. Two nights ago Dr, Yamamoto, our lady dentist friend, who is a Christian opened her new home again for
a Bible study. There were 24 people present, one 80 year old artist who paints and teaches in Karuizawa and Tokyo became acquainted with us this svmmer. When we invited her to the
meeting, she came gladly saying "I have no religion. I am just a pagan," We gave her a gift of a Bible and she listened to the testimonies intently," Later that same night Virginia sat for two hours tea'ching a 35 year old mother who had come
to Karuizawa for dental work who had a hungry heart. She had studied the Bible as a child
Now as a mother of two daughters who want to become Christians her heart is very open,
She listened and read her Bible, She could not comprehend the cross and receiving Christ that night, but prayed a prayer of repentance and asking God to reveal His Son to her, A few days ago the Japan Times carried an article about Karuizawa and states missionaries preach the gospel in the church yard next to the large festival grounds during the Festival of Dead Souls August 13 to 20 each year. The Fleenors carried on this ministry for 15 years and this year the Union Church Committee will continue this witness, PRAY THAT THE WORLD
SHALL NOT JUST TAKE NOTE THAT WE ARE PREACHING JESUS CHRIST BUT THEY WILL RECEIVE THE WORDS OF LIFE.
Sincerely
Sayama
Box
Irumagawa
^ ^ ^
Ph. 0429-53-3327
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THANKSGIVING
NEWSLETTER
US IN TRIUMPH."
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JULIUS AND VIRGINIA FLEENOR with JULIUS AND VIRGINIA FLEENOR with
jOe, LAURIE, JOE, LAURIE, AND AND JOHN JOHN IN IN FRONT FRONT nf Mip <;f-a^A<^ Embassy FmhacQv of the TTnit-pH United States
(1) We are thankful for America and Japan that in each country we are free to worship
and proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ,
(2) We are thankful for the six people who have just made decisions for Jesus Christ under the ministry of Pastor Morohashi who leads the Tokyo congregation from Shimoochiai,
(3) We are thankful for the two who made decisions late in August at summer camp,
(4) We are thankful for opportunities to evangelize here in Sayama while building:
1, 2, 3, Sixteen new Japanese people have attended services since September 10 new children enrolled in English classes where we give Japanese Bible also, Thousands of tracts were given out in front of the building project at Sayama with our address and a gospel message during the 8 days of the International Air Show held just across from the church site and park at the Japan Self-Defense
Air Force Base,
4,
Three Japanese Christians from various denominations have come helping and
encouraging us. They live near but are members of Tokyo churches,
(5) We are thankful for beginning to see answers to our prayers for laborers in Japan, In
October three Japanese men came to us telling of how God was leading them to evangelize their people, Mr, Domen is weekly helping in music evangelism with his wife and five children while holding down an important job with Japan I,B,M, corporation, Mr, Handa an artist and high school teacher came saying he has moved from Sayama to Kyushu island
and has rented a house there to plant a church. Bob Varrick and Julius asked "How do you want us to help?" His answer"I have the money and will teach and preach, but please pray for me and have fellowship with my family and come and hold meetings sometimes
for me. I just need spiritual help. PLEASE PRAY FOR THIS MAN THAT GOD USE HIM TO PLANT
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Two American G.I.'s and one Japanese man have donated labour besides Julius and Bob Warrick and Paul Pratt helping, Louis Townsend has given many days of free
labour.
days off, WE GIVE THANKS FOR ALL OF THESE,
Koekoek) and other Oregon Churches, WHAT A BLESSING THEY have been to us. He has already saved us thousands of dollars. He works 10 to 15 hours a day, Eleanor is now teaching three adult Japanese English conversation and Bible.
WE ARE THANKFUL ALSO FOR GOD'S PROVISION THROUGH HIS PEOPLE FOR THIS BUILDING AT SAYAMA.
When the Reynolds arrived , we had just enough money to pay for the land and needed money
to pay'th^ Cfapariese contractor for work that went over the original estimate.
We needed
money immediately for David Reynolds to buy materials for finishing the interior.
in just as we needed to make payments. thnught would finish buying materials.
People
in America and Japan begin to pray and in October another $2000.00 loan came from Calffornia
and another Christian sent $1000,00 and another $500.00 and several smaller offerings came
Still we were short about $20,000 for what we Just as we needed money for a deadline. Pastor Morohashi
of the Tokyo Shimoochiai Church came to the house. He told us the congregation had moved to a church building and was using this place for afternoon services and since they had not
found land yet, they had prayed and God directed them to bring us $20,000 from their reserve
for us to finish up the building. This is a no interest loan and we agreed to pay them $330.00 a month payments starting in December,
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money for two months to help, John had originally got lease rights on the Sayama
land 15 years ago and then turned them over
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Please pray for "UNCLE BILL" as the children all call Garland "BU.J," Potter, He received a telegram late in August from his daughter asking him to come to the states immediately for business and family reasons. In September his elder brother died and he also sold
his home at Leisure World.
News came that on Oct. 27th he had emergency surgery and they
relieved the cause of his acute pain, but told Bill he had cancer of the pancreas.
He
for a Japanese student to study at one of our Bible Colleges in America, 0ne of our fine Christian girls who will graduate from a Tokyo University in March had expressed a desire to do this. Her family will pay her
many of her friends and teachers to Jesus Christ, Pray these plans might be flexible
within the will of Christ for all, HOW THANKFUL WE ARE FOR BILL POTTER'S FINE
SERVICE in Japan.
The above picture shows Julius with Bob Warrick at the. fin^l _^gning & the payment for ^,the Sayama property. The owner, Mr, Kobayashi, shown to the right sold us the land at half the going price because of the seven year lease rights Bob Warrick held. Another
Japanese Christian business man whom we have known some years, Mr, Kitagawa, helped us
with all the legal papers and registration, THANK GOD FOR THE PROVISION IN THESE DETAILS,
Page 3
Julius stands with David and Eleanor
Reynolds the morning they arrived in Japan, Just the frame of the building
was finished at that time.
Six weeks later all the double flooring was in, half the electrical work, the downstairs plumbing, and the wood paneling for the main meeting room
of the church,
half price. If we are to stay within the funds we have now of $12,000
remaining from the Shimoochiai Church
as the Missionary Home, The first floor will be the sanctuary and classrooms and church office and study for Julius,
liiriLiii!
Outside plastering will be done by Japanese workmen at the cost of $3000,00, We hope to have this done by December
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ALL CHRISTMAS OFFERINGS RECEIVED WILL BE USED FOR THE SAYAMA CHURCH BUILDING
^ROM DECEMBER, WE SHALL BE MAKING PAYMENTS OF $330,00 BACK TO THE JAPANESE CHURCH FOR THEIR NO INTEREST LOAN TO US TO COMPLETE THE SAYAMA PROJECT,
Eleanor has been a great help cooking, driving the mission car, and assisting around the building.
Her interest and love for the Japanese is appreciated and we give thanks , for her special ministry.
Page 4
WHERE IS THE TOKYO (FORMER SHIMOOCHIAI) CONGREGATION SINCE YOU HAVE RELOCATED TO SAYAMA CITY? is a question which
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area where they have been looking for land. There is a possibility they may be able to purchase this church building as this church has been without a pastor and most of the
members have moved away and only a few
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Pastor Morohashi owns his own home in Tokyo near the present temporary location of the Tokyo congregation.
In October we wrote many asking prayer for a solution to our financial problems in Sayama. We feel this unexpected loan coming from the Tokyo congregation was a result
of your prayers,
NOW PRAY GOD WILL MULTIPLY BACK TO THIS CONGREGATION many times what they have loaned and that they soon shall have their own land and building.
Grace, our 16 year old daughter is in the 11th grade here at the Christian Academy in Japan (school for missionary children). She was contacted by Japanese friends of ours asking if she would appear weekly on the Japanese Government Educational T.V, Station
once a week and gets $17,00 a week for 5 hours of work and 4 hours travel time. It has been a good learning experience for her. Now N.H,K, has phoned asking us if they can do a "special" on our home and the church here at Sayama, We said that they could do so when
DOORS,
GRACE
This has been a difficult year with moving, decisions to be made, and many stress situations. Looking back we can see God's clear leading,
PRAY NOW THAT GOD WILL KEEP BRINGING
BUILT FOR HIS PURPOSES.
FLEENOR
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