About us
In the wake of the Northeast Japan Tsunami and Earthquake in November 2011, led by representatives from the Japan Presbyterian Mission, Brotherhood Christ Church Board, Evangelical Free Church of Japan Disaster Response Office (after dissolving in February 2012, a number of EFCJ churches carry on the baton), Reach Global and Ishinomaki Christ Church formed Ishinomaki Christian Center. These groups saw that church denominational walls came down through the disaster, and there was unity in serving the disaster-torn community. They foresaw the continual need for an organization to be able to help nurture this unity in the years to come.
Together, they formed a board with a representative member from each group, and bought land behind Ishinomaki Station in the hope of constructing a building there.
In December 2012, Stephen Nakahashi was hired to be the ICC field director with the vision that, with God’s guidance, unity would continue to be fostered between the churches in Ishinomaki and beyond once a team was gathered. Since Stephen’s hiring, a team has been formed with a focus in three different areas, which put ICC’s vision in action.
These areas are music, ministry support, and volunteer programs. Each staff member had been previously working in the area since the disaster with other relief organizations, such as Samaritan’s Purse and Grace Mission Tohoku. Their collective and individual desire is to see that Christ’s love is shown throughout the city and beyond.
Meet The Team
Ishinomaki Christian Center is a place that encourages growth and leadership. The staff are dedicated Christians who desire to have their faith incorporated in all aspects of life. With a professional and prayerful mindset, they seek to serve the church and community and to share the love of Christ as a team.
Stephen Nakahashi
FIELD DIRECTOR
Ann Nakahashi
STAFF
Our Board
The Board of Ishinomaki Christian Center is a group of people from the founding four church groups. Each member believes that God is doing something new through ICC in Ishinomaki and the surrounding areas.
The members:
Masahiro Takata: Chairman (Wycliffe Missionary, Japan Presbyterian Mission)
Kenji Kitano: Vice Chairman (Pastor, Evangelical Free Church of Japan, Hiroshima)
Moto Nakata: Board Member (Pastor, Brotherhood Church of Japan, Sendai)
Masamitsu Hattori: Board Member (Pastor, Evangelical Free Church of Japan, Oharu)
Yoshimitsu Osanai: Board Member (Pastor, Brotherhood Church of Japan, Ishinomaki Christian Church)
Consultants:
Eiji Yoshimura: Auditor (CPA and Tax Accountant)
Akira Takahashi: Advisor (Lawyer)
Kurihara Shinji: Advisor (Hiroshima Graduate School of Education Professor)
Advisory Committee:
Dan Iverson: Advisor (Pastor, Oyumino Christ Church, Japan Presbyterian Mission Representative)
VISION
The ICC staff and volunteers tangibly carry out the ways in which each area focus is expressed. The ministry support team seeks to find ways in which the ministries can be aided by the resources of ICC, either through the monthly network and prayer meetings or assisting events and activities. The music ministry is in the community through music programs teaching gospel and Classical music in the communities. The volunteer coordination team seeks to share the love of Christ by being the hands and feet of the church through volunteers who are deployed throughout the city.
CORE VALUES
As a team with the board’s direction, foundational verses have been prayed over and selected based on ICC’s three goals. Our foundational verse is Ecclesiastes 4:12 – “Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” Our goals and corresponding verses are as follows:
Serve the Body of Christ: Ephesians 4:16 “From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each does its work.”
Serve the Community: Ephesians 6:7 “Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people.”
Strengthen the body of Christ: Colossians 2:2”My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the riches of God, namely Christ.”
These verses express the vision and goal of ICC.
OUR PARTNERS
ICC works towards its mission by building long-term partnerships with and between churches and organizations who have a strong desire to be a part of restoring Ishinomaki. In partnering with local churches and organizations, ICC provides volunteer support, leadership development, prayer and facilitates information and resource sharing. In partnering with churches and organizations elsewhere in Japan and the world, ICC provides volunteers with the opportunity to do meaningful missions work, stewards financial support, and shares prayer requests. Please find a list of ICC’s long-term partners below. Please note that ICC is unable to list all the individuals who provide prayer and financial support, but is also incredibly thankful for those partnerships.
Churches
BASED IN ISHINOMAKI AREA
Ishinomaki Oasis Church
BeOne
New Life Center
J’s Cafe
Ishinomaki Christ Church
Watanoha Christ Church
Yamashiro Christ Church
Tokyo Baptist in Ishinomaki
Ishinominato Church
House of Prayer
Amazing Grace Center
House of Hope
Ishinomaki Evangelical Free Church
Ishinomaki Christ Church
Churches
BASED OUTSIDE ISHINOMAKI AREA
Palos Verdes Baptist Church
Faith United Methodist Church
San Lorenzo Japanese Christian Church
Every Nation New York City Church
Grace City Church
Oyumino Church
Mukonoso Christ Community Church
Nisshin Christ Church
Shiogama Baptist Church
Organizations
BASED IN ISHINOMAKI AREA
Tohoku Recovery and Development Initiative
Amazing Grace Network
Nozomi Project
Megumi Project
Ishinomaki Gospel Choir (IKG)
Sendai Gospel Choir
Minato Middle School
The Rock Gym
San Juan Park
Organizations
BASED OUTSIDE ISHINOMAKI AREA
Samaritan’s Purse
Mission to the World
Japanese Evangelical Missionary Society
Community Arts Tokyo
Fancl
Harvard Reischauer Institute of Japanese Studies