Beckman George Ethel 1992 Japan

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Missionaries:

George & Ethel BeckmanJenann Beckman

2-4-15 KiyoshikojinTakarazuka, Hyogo Pref.

665 JAPAN

Phone #0797-86-1261March 5,1992

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Osaka Bible Seminary

Forwarding Agents:Roger & Beryl Johnson3320 Westgate Parkway

Rockford, IL 61108

815-399-3690

Dear Christian Friends,Greetings in the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ!December 19,1991 marked the third anniversary of our move to Takarazuka. It was a very big

move for us. We have been very busy and blessed in manyways these three years. Six people wereadded to the body of Christ through baptism and four others transferred their membership to thechurchhere. Sincemoving here Ethelstarted twonewBible classes eachweekand divided another fora total of five classes (one each on Tuesday through Thursday and two on Saturday). Some of themembers who livein Nishinomiyafind it too far to travel here everyweek for study and no longer come,but new students are coming, including three from the neighborhood.

Beginning about the timeweweregetting readyto move Georgestarted developing Parkinson'sDisease. Medicine has helped him - once it was properly diagnosed - but he does not have the energyhe had. Asa result he hasgraduallyhad to reduce histeachingload at Osaka BibleSeminary. He taughtone class this term on Jewish religious and political history between the Old and New Testaments. Hehopes to teach Introduction to the Books of the NewTestament during this coming fall or winter term.

We spent a short time in the States visiting our main supporting churches last summer. To ourregret, time did not permit us to visit Northwest Christian Church in Phoenix, Arizona.

We were able to enjoy a week's vacation with our son, John, and his family in Cheyenne,Wyoming, on our way to Wisconsinand Illinois. This took us to Glacier National Park. We also spenta few days in South Dakota with George's brother and sister and a few days with our daughter Mary inOhio. We thank Robert and Harriett Anderson for their gracious hospitality the times we were inRockford and Dick and Margaret Saevre for the times we stayed with them in Wisconsin.

The annual preaching convention known as "Tanemaki Kai" at Osaka Bible Seminary was heldfrom the evening of November 2 through the 3rd, a national holiday. The theme for the convention"From Judaism to Christianity"waswelldeveloped in three main lectures. One outstanding feature ofthese conventions is the time of worship in song, both congregational singing and special numbers.Because it began on Sunday evening this year, several people who live at a distance were unable toattend. However, there were more from the area churches.

Our Christmas activities began with the annual Osaka area missionary get-together the firstFridayevening inDecember. Sunday, the8th, we attended thejointChristmasworship ofthechurchesinTakarazuka City inthe afternoon andanevangelistic Christmas festival in Nishinomiya City intheevening. The following Tuesday evening therewas a program ofChristmas music at Vega Hallwhichisnear our trainstation. ThatFriday we attended theannual sukiyaki partyfor the students ofOsakaBibleSeminary. On Thursday, the 19th,twoof Ethel's Bibleclasses had a Christmas dinner and a shortprogram at the house.

Megumi Church hadtheirChristmas worship themorning ofthe22nd followed by a fellowshipdinner at noon. Then onChristmas Eve we had a worship program ofhymns andBible readings andcommunion.

OnSunday, the29th, we enjoyed having Robertand Bernice Greenewith ustogether with theirson, Steve, and his family who are living in Kyoto.

Ruth and her family came New Year's Eve and spent two days with us. We had our familyChristmas-dinner-together-on New-Year's dayl-That-was afterthe worship in theafternoon. Since theHinsonswerein theStates for ayearuntil June lastyear and we were gone last summer, we had notseenmuch of them. Both Levi and Miriam are taller than we are now.

Mr. &Mrs. Kishimoto moved toTokyo thelast week ofJanuary, where they will work with theMejirodai Church and he will study for a Master's Degree in one of thecolleges there. We went to

Tokyo February 2 to attend his ordination.Mr. Ikeda, who isstudying in Abilene Christian College, plans to come to be our preacher at the

end of June. He and his wife have a son who will be ten months old then. In the meantime Mr.

Sakasegawa, a 3rd year student at Osaka Bible Seminary, is preaching for us twice a month. Otherstudents have been asked to preach one Sunday a month and we will fill the remaining Sundays.

On February 14, our Naomi Kai (Women's Fellowship) prepared a lunch and program forfellowship with our sister churches in the Osaka area. As part of the program we showed the video"Hello, World." Twenty-five women from five different churches took part in the meeting, includingour eight women. The women are veryhappy to hear several enthusiastic reports from those whocame.

Ethel has lost two members of her family in the last three months. Her brother, Roy Brown, inPennsylvania died of heart failure shortly before Christmas. Her mother of 96 passed away on March2. She had been in a nursing home in Beloit, Wisconsin, for the last four years. Ethel was not able togo to either funeral, but she had seen her mother while she was in the States last summer.

We ask your continued prayers and support for the seminary. Please pray with us for more•teachers and more financial support. It is the only seminary for educating preachers for the churchesof Christ in Japan and essential for the continuing of the work here.

Along with the seminary, please remember the publication of Mr. Oda's Greek grammar andcommentaries. We have a very good publisher working on them. We expect the commentary onMatthew to be ready for sale bySeptember, 1992, and the grammar byJanuary, 1993. Several thousanddollars are still needed for this project, and we believe it is a good investment in the work of theKingdom. Mr. Oda's Greek Japanese lexicon of the New Testament iswidelyused throughout Japanand the grammar will greatly enhance the study of Greek.

May the grace of our Lord be with you.

Yours ministers to Japan,

George & Ethel Beckman

Osalt^^Ghri^ti^n

^Ii§sioiv, oj* ^iiiericq_Not-for-profit Corporation Osaka Bible Seminaiy

Missionaries: Forwarding Agents:Georee &Ethel Beckman Roger &Beryl Johnson

Jenann Bcckmiin 3320 Wcsigale Parkway2-4-15 Kiyoshlkojin Rockford, IL 61108

Takarazuka, Hyogo Pref, 815-399-3690_ . _665-JAPAN - -— —

Phone #0797-85-1261 Juiy 29, 1992

Dear Christian Friends:

All praise to our God and Father for His wonderful love.March 27, 1992 marked the end of another school year at Osaka Bible Seminary with the

graduation of three young people as they finished their formal study and returned to their homes toserve the Lord.

Mr. Michiya Nakahara completed the four year course and his wife Tomoko received a two yeardegree in Christian eduation. They have returned to a full-time ministry with the Shizuoka CentralChurch of Christ where they have been serving while attending Osaka Bible Seminary.

Mr. Motoe Ikarashi received a two year certificate and returned with his family to Niigata tocontinue his work for the Lord there. Mrs. Ikarashi was the cook for the students and a helpful friendto them.

The members ofMegumi Church ofChrist have been very faithful during the time we have beenwithout a full-time preacher since Mr. Kishimoto left until the coming of the Ikedas. Mr. Ikedacompleted his work at Abilene Christian University with an MS degree.

Mr. Sakasegawa,a third year student ofOsaka BibleSeminarydida goodjob of beingan interimpreacher. He preached twice a month. To take care of the rest of the Sundays Mr. Ikarashi, Mr.Shimabukuro and Mr. Tanaka each preached once. Jenann spoke twice and Ethel spoke twice and wehad a worship of praise (hymns) and Bible reading twice during that time.

For a special feature on Resurrection Sunday we showed the portion of the video "Jesus"portraying the crucifixion and resurrection. Followingthe video Mr. Sakasegawa gave a short message.The day was climaxed with the baptism of Miss Yumiko Ogino.

Miss Ogino had spent a year in Atlanta, Georgia, where she met some Christian friends andattended worship with them. After her return to Japan and learning of Megumi church through a tractthat the young people had left in her home, MissOgino began to attend worship and to study the Biblewith the Kishimotos. After the Kishimotos moved to Tokyo she has continued to study with Jenanneach week.

The semi-annualKobeWomen's Luncheon washeldonApril24witha littleover 120attending.Mr. Patrick McElligott, a missionary in Kyoto brought the message. Mr. McElligott spoke onparenthood. His messagecentered on the statement, "Thegreatest thinga man can giveto hischildrenis to love their mother."

On Pentecost Sunday we showed slides of the beginning of the church as recorded in the secondchapter of Acts.

We were thankful to find an apartment about a three minute walk from the church for theIkedas. On June 12 the Naomi Kai (Women's Fellowship)held their June meeting at the apartmentand cleaned it. Duringthe next two weeks until the arrival of the Ikedas on June 26, the women gatheredhousehold items and food so they could begin keeping house immediately.

On July 4, Mr. Ikeda was ordained into the ministry of Megumi Church with Mr. Kishimotohavingcharge of the program. Mr. ShiroObata of the Ochanomizu Church of Christ (non-instrumental) gave the ordination message. Participatingin the layingon of hands were Daiki Kishimoto,GeorgeBeckman, Motoyuki Nomura and Shiro Obata. Mr. Nomura and Mr. Terakado, who gave shortmessages during the tea time time after the service are also from the non-instrumental brethren.

The all Japan convention of the churches of Christ was held July 20-22 with the church ofNishinoomote on the island of Tanegashima south of Kyushu. Jenann and the Ikedas attended fromMegumi church. Sunday morningeach of them gavea short statement of the highlightsof the convention. The Nishinoomotechurch is the home churchof both Mr. Ikeda & Mr. Sakasegawa.

The missionary convention was held in Okayama Prefecture under the leadership of themissionaries there: Mrs. Audrey West, Miss Daynese Holloway andKeith Summers. Mr.JimTaylorand his wife, Marj, were our guests and special speaker for the convention.

In the way of family news - our son John and his family visited us from June 8-16. Anna willcelebrate hertenthbirthday tomorrow andJennifer will beeight inOctober. While theywereheretheyhelped us celebrate our 45th wedding anniversary.

At the counselor meeting of Osaka Bible Seminary George was made ProfessorEmeritus.Partlybecause ofhis Parkinson's disease hefinds ittoo much totry toteach any more. Hekeeps healthyotherwise and takesa longwalk every day. He has trouble with his throat and issupposedto haveanoperation when there is a bed available in the hospital, perhaps some time this fall.

Wethankyouforyourcontinued supportandprayers andprayGod'srichest blessing uponyou.

Your ministers to Japan,

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GEORGE & ETHEL BECKMAN