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Not-for-Profit Corporation
Missionaries:
George & Ethel Beckman
Jenann Beckman
2-4-15Kiyoshikojin
Takarazuka, Hyogo Pref.
665 JAPAN
Phone #0797-86-1261
March 5,1992
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Osaka Bible Seminary
Forwarding Agents:
Roger & Beryl Johnson
3320 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 verybig
move for us. We have been verybusyand blessed in manyways these three years. Sixpeople were
added to the body of Christ through baptism and four others transferred their membership to the
churchhere. Sincemoving here Ethelstarted twonewBible classes eachweekanddivided another for
a total of five classes (one each on Tuesday through Thursday and two on Saturday). Some of the
members 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.
Beginningabout the timeweweregetting readytomove Georgestarteddeveloping Parkinson's
Disease. Medicine has helped him- once it was properly diagnosed - but he does not have the energy
he had. Asa result he hasgraduallyhad toreduce histeachingloadat Osaka BibleSeminary. He taught
one class this term on Jewish religious and political historybetween the Old and NewTestaments. He
hopes 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 mainsupporting churches last summer. To our
regret, 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 wayto Wisconsinand Illinois. This took us to Glacier National Park. We also spent
a fewdays in South Dakota with George's brother and sister and a fewdays with our daughter Mary in
Ohio. We thank Robert and Harriett Anderson for their gracious hospitality the times we were in
Rockford 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 Seminarywas held
from the evening of November 2 through the 3rd, a national holiday. The theme for the convention
"From Judaism to Christianity"waswell developed in three main lectures. One outstanding feature of
these 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 to
attend. However, there were more from the area churches.
Our Christmas activities beganwith the annual Osaka area missionary get-together the first
FridayeveninginDecember. Sunday, the8th, we attended thejointChristmas worship ofthechurches
inTakarazuka City inthe afternoon andanevangelistic Christmas festival inNishinomiya City inthe
evening. The following Tuesday evening therewas a programof Christmas music at Vega Hall which
isnear our trainstation. That Friday we attended theannual sukiyaki partyfor the students of Osaka
BibleSeminary. On Thursday, the 19th,twoof Ethel's Bibleclasses had a Christmas dinner and a short
program at the house.
Megumi Church hadtheirChristmas worship themorning ofthe22ndfollowed by a fellowship
dinner at noon. Then onChristmas Eve we had a worship program ofhymns andBible readings and
communion.
OnSunday, the29th, we enjoyed having Robertand Bernice Greenewith ustogether with their
son, Steve, and hisfamily whoare living in Kyoto.
Ruth and her family came New Year's Eve and spent two days with us. We had our family
Christmas-dinner-together-on New-Year's dayl-That-was afterthe worship in theafternoon. Since the
Hinsonswerein theStates for ayearuntil June lastyear and we were gone last summer, we had notseen
much 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 the
Mejirodai 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 inAbilene 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. Other
students 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 for
fellowship 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, including
our 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, in
Pennsylvania died of heart failure shortly before Christmas. Her mother of 96 passed away on March
2. She had been in a nursing home in Beloit, Wisconsin, for the last four years. Ethel was not able to
go 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 churches
of 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 and
commentaries. We have a very good publisher working on them. We expect the commentary on
Matthewto be ready for sale bySeptember, 1992, and the grammar byJanuary, 1993. Several thousand
dollars are still needed for this project, and we believe it is a good investment in the work of the
Kingdom. Mr. Oda's Greek Japanese lexicon of the NewTestament iswidelyused throughout Japan
and 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
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Not-for-profit Corporation Osaka Bible Seminaiy
Missionaries: Forwarding Agents:
Georee &Ethel Beckman Roger &Beryl Johnson
Jenann Bcckmiin 3320 Wcsigale Parkway
2-4-15 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 to
serve the Lord.
Mr. Michiya Nakahara completedthe four year course and his wife Tomoko received a two year
degree in Christian eduation. They have returned to a full-time ministry with the Shizuoka Central
Church 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 to
continue his work for the Lord there. Mrs. Ikarashi was the cook for the students and a helpful friend
to them.
The members ofMegumi Church ofChrist have been very faithful during the time we have been
without a full-time preacher since Mr. Kishimoto left until the coming of the Ikedas. Mr. Ikeda
completed his work at Abilene Christian University with an MS degree.
Mr. Sakasegawa, a thirdyear student ofOsaka BibleSeminarydidagoodjob of beingan interim
preacher. 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 andwe
had 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 and
attended worshipwiththem. After her return to Japan and learningof Megumi church through a tract
that the young people had left in her home, MissOginobeganto attend worship and tostudy the Bible
with the Kishimotos. After the Kishimotos moved to Tokyo she has continued to study with Jenann
each week.
The semi-annualKobeWomen's Luncheon washeldonApril24witha littleover 120attending.
Mr. Patrick McElligott, a missionary in Kyoto brought the message. Mr. McElligott spoke on
parenthood. His messagecentered on the statement, "Thegreatest thinga man can giveto hischildren
is to love their mother."
On Pentecost Sunday we showed slides of the beginning of the church as recorded in the second
chapter of Acts.
We were thankful to find an apartment about a three minute walk from the church for the
Ikedas. On June 12the Naomi Kai (Women's Fellowship)held their June meeting at the apartment
and cleaned it. Duringthe next twoweeks until the arrival of the Ikedas on June 26, the women gathered
household 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. Kishimoto
havingcharge of the program. Mr. ShiroObata of the Ochanomizu Church of Christ (non-instrumen
tal) gave the ordination message. Participatinginthe layingonof hands were Daiki Kishimoto, George
Beckman, Motoyuki Nomura and Shiro Obata. Mr. Nomura and Mr. Terakado, who gave short
messages 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 of
Nishinoomote on the island of Tanegashima south of Kyushu. Jenann and the Ikedas attended from
Megumi church. Sunday morningeach of them gavea short statement of the highlightsof the conven
tion. The Nishinoomotechurchis the home churchof both Mr. Ikeda & Mr. Sakasegawa.
The missionary convention was held in Okayama Prefecture under the leadership of the
missionaries there: Mrs. Audrey West, Miss Daynese Holloway andKeith Summers. Mr.JimTaylor
and his wife, Marj, were our guests and special speaker for the convention.
In the wayof familynews - our son John and his family visited us from June 8-16. Anna will
celebrate hertenthbirthdaytomorrowandJennifer will beeight inOctober. While theywereherethey
helped us celebrate our 45th weddinganniversary.
At the counselor meeting of Osaka Bible Seminary Georgewas made Professor Emeritus.
Partlybecause ofhis Parkinson's disease hefinds ittoo much totry toteach any more. Hekeeps healthy
otherwise and takesa longwalk every day. He has trouble with his throat and issupposedto havean
operation when there is a bed available in the hospital, perhaps some time this fall.
Wethankyouforyourcontinuedsupportandprayers andprayGod'srichest blessing uponyou.
Your ministers to Japan,
!' -/. I i f. <, .. -
GEORGE & ETHEL BECKMAN