Author: antiochchurch

On Monday, November 18, a praise band Jerusalem held a Gospel Class in a small scale multifunctional facility in Misato City in Saitama prefecture, “Egao (Smiling Face).”

We sing Gospel songs, and in between the songs, I speak about my experiences.
They listen to the lyric of the songs intently, and other songs they sing along together. As they listen to Gospel songs their bodies and hearts are released and refreshed, and they sing with joy. There are lyric cards of Gospel songs in the songbook of the facility. The number of Gospel songs are increasing, and the staff member said, “Shall we make a Gospel songbook?” and we decided that we are going to make one. We thank that God’s work is advancing. The power of Gospel is going into their hearts.

The Gospel group “Elezait” of Okinawa Jerusalem Church sang Gospel songs at a day care facility “Bokkoh-no Koeda.”
We visited this place two months ago. Some of the users remembered us, and we were glad.

We began the concert with “Shiawase-nara Te-wo Tatako” and we sang together “What a Friend We Have In Jesus” “Bokyo” “Ookina Ai (Great Love).” A staff member said, “The songs really heal our heart.” And a user said, “Please come again.”

God poured out His Love to the concert, and we thank the Lord for this time of praise and worship.

Sasakawa J-Gospel Club of Yokkaichi Zion Church got on stage in a local cultural festival.

We visit them every year, and the staff members call us “Gospel-san” and we thank God for it.

There were more than 120 people in the hall. People began to take seat when we began to sing Gospel songs. Soon the hall became full. As we sang one song after another, the atmosphere of the hall changed, and the presence of God was poured out, and they listened to us fervently.

After the concert, a friend of a team member S came and said, “It was so good!”

We thank God that He has touched many local people with Gospel songs!

On November 4, the praise band of Suzuka and Matsuzaka, Glory to Him held a concert at a day service facility in Suzuka City.

After singing “Shiawase nara Te-wo Tatako (Clap your hands if you’re happy)” altogether, we sang six Gospel songs. We sang “Shiawase nara Te-wo Tatako” and “God is Love” with gestures and it made them so happy!

They called for “God is Love” as an encore, and the concert got lively.

We also delivered a testimony, and the users were listening quietly and intently.

After the concert, they said, “I enjoyed it! Please come again.” It was a blessed moment. We thank God!

On Monady, November 4, the GRACIOUS DOORS held a volunteer concert at a day service facility in Tokyo. About 35 people came including new comers.

When we sang an original Gospel “Anata wa daijobu (You are Alright),” an elderly lady was very glad and said, “It is a very good song. I was encouraged by the song.”

When we sang “SMILE,” another old lady clapped her hands with joy and said, “This song is so beautiful.”

Another elderly lady who used to say, “It’s boring.” when she heard a song she didn’t know sang almost all the songs together with smiling face and clapping of the hands. At the end she bowed deeply to us, and we were surprised.

Another elderly lady who seemed to be week these days, came to the concert with the support of the staff. She looked very happy with a beaming smile.

We thank wonderful God who filled each one of the users with joy and grace!

On November 4, the Gospel Choir of Nagoya Church held a Gospel Concert at special elderly nursing facility.

Since it was on a different day of the week that we visited them this time, so we saw many new faces. The users listened to J-Gospel songs intently.

Response of the users was good; they clapped thier hands as we sang, and a man who likes school songs sang together with us when we sang “Furusato.”

At the end of the concert, we sang “Hana (Flower)” as an encore.

We thank God who blessed the concert.

On Monday, October 21, a praise band Jerusalem held a Gospel Class in a group home at Misato City.

I heard that they were looking forward to the Gospel Club. This day, we made more lyrics cards and we sang more songs together. They said that the songs were difficult to sing, but they practiced them many times together.

As they sang longer, they said with smiles, “These are good songs,” “I feel that I would live to be 100 years old.” I praised the Lord as I watched them sing with joy. They were most energetic when they sang “Ookina Ai (Great Love).” There are no Christians in the choir. God is so wonderful who makes a choir which sings Gospel songs!