My Soul Magnifies the Lord (Luke 1:46-48)
Junko Kikuchi, head of the German-speaking Church Relations Committee My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed. (Luke 1:46-48) Not a few of those who read the Bible might feel something odd when they see this verse in March. It is a part of the famous praise that was put in Mary’s mouth and is seen not now in Lent, but in the season of Christmas as one of the beautiful scenes. However, ...
Statement Regarding the 2.8 Independence Declaration
This year marks the 100th anniversary since Korea, which had been under the rule of the Empire of Japan, carried out the Independence Declaration on February 8th and Independence Movement on March 1st. On this occasion, NCCJ (National Christian Council in Japan) announces the statement considering how we grasp the historical facts and how Japan and the North and South Korea will advance toward the future. Please see the PDF. ２.8Declaration ...
God’s Thoughts Higher Than Our Thoughts (Isaiah 55:8-11)
Sunjae Kim, NCC General Secretary For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there until they have watered the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, ...
Merry Christmas!
Makoto Watabe NCC Moderator The Christmas season has arrived. The most significant theme of Christmas is that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, came to the world in human form. Moreover, that he loved the world, us as much as to give his life. I visited Armenia for a business of the United Bible Society (UBS) in October this year. Along with the Orthodox Church (Orthodoxy) and the Orient Orthodox Church, it was a signing ceremony to support the work of Bible translation through the Bible Society. In 301, the Kingdom of Armenia established Christianity as the state religion, ahead of ...
Solidarity with Hiroshima’s Pain (Psalm 147:3, Jeremiah 33:6)
Jun Kajihama, NCC Secretary Experiences ordinary for a person who grew up in Hiroshima: that I was transfixed in front of wax figures of adults and children just after the atomic bombing standing at the entrance to the Peace Memorial Museum; that I ran in front of the Japan Red Cross Hiroshima Atomic Bomb Hospital; that I was told often from grandparents and neighbors, "I don’t want to remember ‘Pika,’ I don’t want to talk about it." I spent my childhood in a town where the atomic bomb was dropped 73 years ago. In the comic "The Town of Evening ...
