Nichigo Ministry

The highlight of the Nichigo ministry in the year 2025 is a renewed focus on the ecumenical ministry, involving Christ United Presbyterian Church, Sycamore Congregational Church, Berkeley UMC, Buena Vista UMC, and Pine UMC. The programs and events included:

• Hitomugi-Kai Bible Study every 1st and 3rd Thursday
• Lenten Bible Study in March-April
• Bay Area Nichigo Retreat on 10/18/25 at Arington Park, El Cerrito
• Advent Bible Study in November-December
• Bay Area Nichigo Christmas Celebration

We would like to mention that the retreat was made possible by the AALM grant that had been initiated by Rev Joh Oda last year. We are also encouraged that a member of Fresno’s UJCC has recently joined Saturday morning prayer meeting and Hitomugi-Kai Bible study. Our ministry now includes the following programs:

Nichigo Worship Service
Every 4th Sunday of the month. Attendance has been 12~15 in person and 5~10 on YouTube. Our guest preachers were Rev Hajime Yamamoto, Rev Teruki Ohmori (Rev Johwi Huh), Rev Makoto Kondo, Rev Yasutaka Yoshioka, Rev Kei Miura, Rev Hiroko Suzuki, and Rev Michinari Matsushita. We are truly blessed by those pastors who continue to help our ministry even though many of them have returned to Japan.

On-going Ministries and Fellowship events

• Gihon-no-Izumi: every Friday 4pm (online), weekly fellowship and check-in
• Early morning prayer meeting: every Saturday 6:30am (online), weekly bible study and prayer
• Nichigo Ministry Newsletter: every  1st and 2nd Saturday with biblical article and news
• Care Ministry: bi-monthly to stay in touch with members and friends who are unable to come
• Saffron-Kai: 3rd Friday: Fellowship of Japanese-speaking women in greater San Jose
• Nichigo page in Wesley newsletter: Monthly article in Japanese on Nichigo ministry
• Ozoni on 1/12/25 with much help from UWF and Men’s
• Fellowship tea hosting in March, June and October

Easter visitation and Christmas Caroling for elderly Nichigo members

This year, we had to see two dear friends off, Takumi Ogawa to UCSD and Kenji Arita to Japan. At the same time, we continue to maintain close relationship with ex-members elsewhere in the US and Japan, and they actively participate in our ministry. For example, two long-time friends in Tokyo joined in the group who contribute to Sunday worship scripture reading. Even though people may have moved far away, they remain a member of the Wesley family.

Respectfully Submitted,
Mimune Tsukamoto