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Shekinah Christian
Fellowship
YWAM Azumino
Nagano Prefecture Japan
The beautiful city of Azumino is situated at the foot of the Northern Japan Alps and is about 3 hours by train inland from Tokyo.
Azumino is known for its spectacular mountain scenery, summer hiking, close proximity to great snow fields, delicious apples, wasabi farms, museums and hot springs.
The YWAM Azumino team moved to this city through a word and guidance from the Lord and began reaching out into the community from November 1991.
Our church, Shekinah Christian Fellowship was established in January 2001. Since then we have received much blessing and have seen the Lord open many doors for ministry in our area.
Below are some of the areas of ministry that happen regularly through our church in Azumino. Please take a moment to browse through.
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Sunday Worship: We meet to worship the Lord, learn from his Word and encourage each other through prayer and fellowship. All church members are encouraged to actively participate in the service whether through prayer, worship leading, sharing from the Bible, testimonies etc. We also meet during the week for prayer and soaking in the Lord’s Presence. Sunday school is also being conducted for teenagers.
Bible Studies: We run a Bible study called “Curious” for those seeking to learn from the Bible but are not yet Christian. Over coffee and snacks this is a relaxed time of sharing, listening and finding out how the Bible addresses issues and helps us through the ups and downs of life.
Another study called “Grow” is for the believers who want to go further in their understanding of the Bible and apply it to their daily lives.
Playgroup: We run an exciting monthly playgroup programme for young mothers and their children aged from birth to school age. We use both English and Japanese to sing songs, dance, play fun games, listen to Bible stories and make interesting craft items. At the end we eat lunch together and enjoy a time of sharing and fellowship while the kids laugh and play with each other. Through this Playgroup outreach over the years we have been able to reach out to 447 families, some of whom we have come to know quite well and whose children attend Summer Club and youth events.
Summer Club: Every summer we run a five-day fun programme called “Summer Club” for children aged 5 to 12 years. A team of young people from Singapore churches and Ywam Singapore plan, set up and run an exciting programme through which to show the love of Jesus and introduce the children to the stories and teaching of the Bible. Our church members also get involved in various ways and enjoy great fellowship with our Singaporean friends. The theme for the week changes each year with the Singapore team preparing banners, booklets, decorations and props to match the theme. Activities include crazy games, cooking, outdoor water games, Bible stories, small group times and sharing lunch together.
The children who have graduated to junior high have become fantastic helpers at Summer Club and are learning leadership skills as they serve the younger children and assist the team.
Summer Youth Camp: Every year before Summer Club our church hosts a summer camp for teenagers. This is held in the foothills of the Japan Alps with activities including games, swimming in the mountain river, BBQ, camp fire and fireworks. Through the Bible times and sharing at camp, we seek to encourage the teens to find help and strength in Jesus and His Word so they can face their future positively with hope and expectation.
We also hold regular sleepovers, barbeque day camps, picnics etc for teenagers.
Breakout! Youth Camp in Australia: As a ministry of our church we take junior high students to Australia for a two week homestay experience during the Japanese Spring school vacation. We take twelve students to the Gold Coast in Queensland for English language experience, stay with Christian families, relate to a Christian School, spend a day at the beach, go horse riding, see Australian native animals, attend church, visit theme parks, take in the sights of Brisbane city and shop for gifts for family. This homestay programme is very popular and a great way to build confidence to speak English and learn about another culture.
Outreach picnics: Through taking Sunday worship outdoors in Spring and Summer we share the blessings we receive from God with the families we’ve come to know through our various events.
English Classes: We teach English classes for adults and have run English fun nights for teenagers.
Christmas Outreach: Every Christmas our church holds several events to share the joy of Christ’s birth with our community. In early December we hold a fun Christmas party for children with games, stories, drama, craft and a hugely popular snack and drink time. Sometimes we make it a cooking event. The teens help out with this exciting event and model serving and caring to the younger attendees.
Playgroup Christmas is also very popular with often an increased attendance for this fun event.
Family Christmas Outreach is our annual large event with whole families attending and sharing in the joy of Christmas with us. This event has been running since we first came to Azumino and is very much anticipated and enjoyed by many families in our community. We involve our English students, camp teens, and Playgroup toddlers who perform Christmas plays. Usually a guest artist will entertain us with music or song, the message of Christmas will be shared and warm fellowship will be enjoyed over a potluck dinner with everyone joining in singing Christmas Carols towards the end of the evening.
YWAM Teams: We welcome Ywam teams to visit and serve in whatever way they can. Since we have a church building and garden there is always maintenance work to be done. Also since we live in an unchurched, unreached region intercessory prayer and evangelism is welcome. Then there are opportunities to minister to our believers through worship, teaching, prayer ministry etc.
MDTS (Mobile Discipleship Training School): We have run two of these six month long schools in the past and hope to again for our believers in the future. We desire to equip believers to know God more deeply, grow in their faith and be enabled to reach out to people around them with the Gospel and the love of Jesus.
Through church planting in Azumino, opportunities abound for ministry to all ages and spheres of society. We welcome people to join us who have a love for Jesus and his church, a heart to reach out to those who don’t yet know Him, and a willingness to serve in various capacities in ministry. We also welcome those with vision to begin new ministries that will contribute to the building up and completion of the vision for Shekinah Church to bring the Presence and saving power of the Lord to the people of Azumino.
Please contact us if you sense the Lord leading you into an exciting adventure of faith with us here in the heart of Japan.
