はじめての方へFOR NEW COMERS
堺福⾳教会では、初めて出席した教会の集会が「礼拝」でしたという⽅がとても多くおられます。「礼拝」と聞くと何か特別な集会の様に想像されるかもしれませんが、出席するのに特別な条件は何もありません。⾃分にはよくわからないとか、まだ信仰⼼がないという⽅でも、ご遠慮なく礼拝にご出席ください。
教会では礼拝に初めて出席される⽅をいつも歓迎しています。聖書やキリスト教に関⼼のある⽅、また、個⼈的にご相談のある⽅も礼拝にご遠慮なくお越しください。礼拝では神様に向かって聖歌を歌い、また祈ります。賛美も聖歌のような伝統的な曲から、ゴスペルに⾄るまで⼼を込めてご⼀緒に賛美を主なる神様に捧げています。また、礼拝プログラムの中⼼は聖書からの「お話」です。初めて聞くお話でも、その中からほんの⼀部分でも⾃分の⼼に留まる箇所があれば良いのではないでしょうか。神様は聖書を通し、また語られる聖書の真理から私たちの⼼に語ってくださいます。ここに初めて教会の礼拝に来られた⽅が、その後も礼拝に続けてこられるわけがあるように思います。
礼拝に出席された方の感想は、肩の凝らない、オープンな雰囲気ですねとおっしゃいます。この⾃由さは、神様を真摯に礼拝する中にも、神様からくるいのちの流れが、出席するひとりひとりの⼼のうちを満たしているからだと思います。教会の礼拝には⽇常とは違う神様のご臨在があります。神様が礼拝に集うおひとりおひとりに、神様の思いや励まし、慰め、また癒やしを語ってくださいます。ですので、たとえ動機が⾃分のためであっても構いません、⼀度、礼拝に出席されてはいかがでしょうか。⼼よりお待ち申し上げています。
聖⽇礼拝 毎週⽇曜⽇
2階礼拝堂にて
| 早朝礼拝 | 午前7:00〜午前8:00 |
|---|---|
| 第1礼拝 | 午前9:00〜午前10:00 |
| 第2礼拝 | 午前11:00〜午前12:00 |
| 教会学校 | 午前9:00〜午前10:00 |
Morning worship every Sunday at the 2nd floor chapel.
| Early morning service | (7:00 am-8:00 am) |
|---|---|
| 1st service | (9:00 am-10:00 am) |
| 2st service | (11:00 am-12:00 am) |
| children’s church | (9:00am-10:00am) |
どちらの礼拝も内容は同じですのでご都合の良い⽅にご出席ください。
2階へはエレベータをご利⽤くださり、⾞イスや歩⾏器でもお越しいただけます。
Both services have the same content, so please attend a convenient service. You can use the elevator to the 2nd floor, and you can come by wheelchair.
“Church History”
The foundation for Sakai Evangelical Church was laid by Mr. and Mrs. Helge Jansson, a Swedish missionary couple who came to Japan in 1949. During this critical time in the aftermath of WWII they offered people the hope found in the Bible, and led many to Christ.
Among those they led to Christ, there were the former Pastor Mitsuo Gakiya and his wife, Michiko. The missionary couple began our church with a small group of people using a dressmaking school as the meeting place. The missionary handed it over to the former Pastor Mitsuo Gakiya and church members in 1959, and our church moved to Daisen-cho in 1960 since it grew and needed own building to worship and to have fellowship.
In 1997, our church moved into a second new building in Wakamatsu-dai, Senboku-Newtown, where we currently meet.
A seminary called EBI was founded beside the church in 1961 to train people to be pastors; it is now known as KBI (Kansai Bible Institute). The gospel spread with the students, and new churches were founded in other cities such as Nara, Wakayama, Misaki, and Yao. The churches started to form a church group called JEC (Japan Evangelical Church), and now there are more than fifty churches within what is now JEC.
“Characteristics”
Because it was planted by Swedish missionaries, Sakai Evangelical Church has inherited certain Nordic cultural values: respect for humanity, the pursuit of moderation, and the appreciation of simplicity.
The churchʼs operation and activity richly reflect these values‒we cherish the connection between people more than anything. As a result, we have assisted in the births of new churches in Tondabayashi, Kawachinagano, Niwashirodai, Senboku, and the opening of new branches in Tokyo, Gunma, Nagano, Aichi and Okayama. We seek to expand the work of the church in a natural way.
We also value the ability to connect with other believers around the world, and have enjoyed maintaining our friendships with people from Sweden, Finland, the United States, Canada, Russia, India, Indonesia, and other nations. We try to approach all of our relationships‒international and local‒in the same spirit.
“Worship Service Attendance and Church Members”
Sakai Evangelical Church started with twenty-three people on February 3, 1952. In 1975, we had over one hundred people in a worship service. Today, we have three services every Sunday, with about 250 to 300 in each one.
We have mainly 4 groups in our church, that are men’s group called “Joshua”, women’s group called “Olive”, young adults called “Wing”, and children’s group called “Church School”.
“Church Activities”
Starting with the Sunday Service, we have several activities or meetings in a week. Joshua has prayer meeting in the first Saturday morning every month. Olive has her services in the first and third Friday morning. Wing also has a service called “Wing Worship” in the third Friday evening.
We have Church School every Sunday morning, and it is separated according to age to teach them the Bible. 30 – 40 kids in total come to the classes regularly, and about 30 volunteering teachers are serving for the kids.
In addition to the Biblical education we offer on Sundays, we also schedule picnics, summer camps, Christmas meetings and more. We value working with the children in our local community and offer a children’s church called “Rainbow Kids” on Saturdays for children in the neighborhood.
We value the opportunities to reach out to the neighbors, we hold numerous concerts inviting musicians from a variety of genres, including gospel music and classical music. Concerts are usually held at a concert hall called “Big-i” in front of Izumigaoka Station.
“Greetings from Pastor Akira Gakiya”
You may assume I am from Okinawa because of my name, but I was born and raised in Sakai. The former
Pastor (my father) moved to Sakai, Osaka during the turmoil of World War II. He met the Swedish
missionaries, and my mother, and I was born.
“If he had not left Okinawa…”
“If the missionaries had not been there….”
But I am here, now‒beyond many “ifs” woven in Godʼs history.
Recently, our church has been moving forward, carrying “Rainbow Church” as its theme. A rainbow in the
sky is Godʼs promise that dispels our “if.” It may be covering, encouraging, comforting,
and shining upon you today. I would be very grateful if I could share and taste the grace of Jesus Christ with you. I am looking forward to seeing you.
“Service Times”
Childrenʼs Class: Every Sunday 9:00 am
Sunday Worship (Service): 7:00 am, 9:00 am and 11:00 am
“Access”
The church has a parking lot.
The nearest train station is Izumigaoka station on Senboku Kousoku-sen (Senboku Rapid Railway)
On Sundays, there is a church shuttle bus.
For more information, please call 072-290-0888 or email to info@sakaigospel.com