The Apostolic Faith Church in Japan was started in October of 1962. We recently celebrated our 43rd anniversary with forty-one people in attendance. Our Lord has kept and blessed us for these many years.

Reverend Arthur Allen and his family came to Japan as missionaries in 1953 and started the church in Tokyo, but sadly after they returned to Portland in 1962, the church closed in 1970. The next year, our first Kawasaki church was built with old, used wood. It was a one-story building. It has since been rebuilt into a three-story building.

Our congregation is small – 30 to 35 members attend every Sunday. We have Bible study meetings on Wednesday in the morning and Thursday meeting in the evening.

We distribute 4000 of our church invitations papers five times each year. Most recently, we distributed a tract about honoring the Lord's Day. We started the canvassing efforts just after Reverend Allen passed away in memory of him. It has been nineteen years, and some of our members have been led to the church and saved because of this activity.

For the past nine years, every August, we have “praising night.” We sing and play hymns with joy and thanksgiving for the blessings of the year. It has been a joyful and happy two hours each time.

Vacation Bible School is a help for Sunday school children during the summer, too. This year was to be the 40th , but we couldn't do it because of the big typhoon that attacked our district.

In September, we invite senior citizens over 70 years of age to our special meetings. Our sister group makes “the lei of candies” each year to present to those who attend.

At Christmas time, we visit the nursing homes and several hospitals, and sing and play Christmas carols and music. They are always happy to see us each year.

We also have a birthday fellowship over lunch after the Sunday service every two months. We really enjoy the fellowship together.

Brother and Sister Harold Barrett used to visit us almost every year when they were missionaries in Korea. They were a great encouragement to us and we had blessed fellowship with them. We miss them very much now. But, we are so thankful for Brother and Sister McKibben and the other saints from Portland who recently visited us. We really enjoyed their time with us.

There is a big Buddhist temple “Kawasaki-daiski” about 10 minutes walking distance from our church. During New Year celebrations, about 3 million people come to worship there. But, we have our Lord's encouragement and promise in the Bible, “Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace: For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city.” (Acts 18:9-10) How thankful we are that there are many people of Christ in this city! Will you pray for us? Thank you!

Information about the schedule of services for the church in Kawasaki is available here.