Videos of our first Sunday Worship with the Haruna Church

Well I thought you all might like to see a little of the worship service here in Haruna so we recorded the service and here are a few parts.

This first video is of Brother Obata leading the old hymn favorite of “I surrender all” (in Japanese of course)

The next one is the whole of my first Japanese sermon. It was rough up there but exciting as well to finally be in Japan speaking to the church there. I had to read most of my sermon/introduction because I wanted to say exactly how I felt and not be limited to my limited use of the language. I talk for about 5 min. introducing us and then I moved into the lesson about 1 Corinthians 12, which Obata-san was very kind to read for me. Then I wrapped up with the application and a thank you. At the end they clapped for me which I guess they only do for a special speech like this introduction one for me. In Japan no one talks to you at all after the service about what you said or gives you any encouragement. I have yet to understand if this is cultural or just the local custom. At first I thought I had not spoken clearly or was not understood because no one said a word to me after the service. I later asked Obata-san about this and he said they don’t talk to you about your message here. They just kind of soak it in. He said when he preached a few times in the states so many people came up to talk to him and encourage him. He was so encouraged he told me. I told him that when I could understand better what his sermons were about I would encourage him myself. This video is a little long, about 10 and a half min.

The last video is the Lord’s supper. I just wanted to show that all over the world people are worshipping God in a very similar way!

Well I hope you enjoyed those!

-Paul