A Happy New Year with the Katagi kids!

It is such a blessing to be able to spend the holidays with my children and their spouses.  I am grateful for God's grace that brings us together.  

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Wishing all my friends and supporters a wonderful new year filled with goodness and joy!  


The new year will surely bring with it many new changes and challenges.  But I am also confident that God will provide us with the resources, strength and good humor to meet whatever those new circumstances may hold. 


For those in the LA area, I hope that we will have opportunities here and there to run into each other, either at  your church or some fellowship event.  For those in Brazil, espero que possa vos encontrar um pouco mais tarde no ano novo. 


Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created. - James 1:17-18


Happy New Year!  Feliz Ano Novo!
Pr. John  

The Christmas Journey

Luke 2

¹ In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. ² (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) ³ And everyone went to their own town to register.

 ⁴ So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. ⁵ He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. ⁶ While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, ⁷ and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

On a personal level, for Joseph and Mary, this census couldn't have come at a more inconvenient time.  We understand from a reading of Luke 2 that she was near to the time of her delivery.

Scholars estimate that Joseph and Mary would have needed about a week to make this 80-mile journey.  Although the average person travels at about 4 miles an hour, with Mary in her pregnant condition, the journey would probably have taken longer out of concern that she might miscarry.  The idea of Mary traveling on a donkey is nowhere found in Scripture, but it is not unlikely.  

Having just completed the process of making the sixty mile journey (by car) from Camarillo to Monterey Park, I can attest to the fact that moving isn't easy.  In fact, it can be very stressful. 

But we are reminded at Christmas, that the distances traveled to provide the world with a Savior aren't simply measured in miles.  God's provision of salvation is measured in grace and humility.  

Grace is evident in Romans 5:8 which tells us that "God demonstrates his own love for us in this:  While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."  God didn't wait for things to look better.  He intervened when our spiritual condition was at its worst.  

Humility is shown in Philippians 2:6-8 by the example of Jesus who spanned the gap.  Jesus "who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.  And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!"


JEMS South America also works to carry the good news of Christ to our neighbors in Brazil, Paraguay and (soon to) Argentina.  It is a journey that overcomes physical miles, culture, language and, in some cases, spiritual resistance.  But we carry the message with the example of Jesus himself.  We go in grace and humility.  

As we make our own holiday journeys this Christmas, take a moment to reflect upon the journey that made restoration with God possible.  A journey which spanned eternity.

Merry Christmas to you all!

Pastor John

Forget the Stereotypes (reprint from JEMS Journal, December 2011)

Appreciation is expressed to Tadashi Suzaki of the Guarulhos Holiness Church in Brazil for his personal observations of JEMS ministry in South America over the last twenty years.  


(For the full sized image, please click the link indicated below).



Click here for full sized image (more easily read).

What are South American pastors and leaders saying about the ministry of JEMS?

Please find the December 2011 copy of my prayer letter in the links below.  Unlike the print copy, these pages are in full color and have both English and Portuguese versions. 

Please take a moment to look through these four pages by clicking on the red links indicated below.


Page 1:  Pastor John's comments + words by Wellington Tsutsumida


Page 2:  Comments by Pastor Daniel Abe and Missionary Koki Nowada


Page 3:  Comments by Pastor Guto Umeki


Page 4:  Comments by Pastor Roberto Shinze Yahiro.


As I transition to full time service with JEMS, I would like to ask you to prayerfully consider becoming a financial partner with me.  For more information, you can choose to follow this link to the secure JEMS Website Donor page:  LINK


Gratefully,
Pr John

Transitions upcoming in 2012

With the celebration of my sixtieth birthday early next year, I have been considering how I would like to spend my remaining years of life and ministry.  This past year has been a time to pray about my future plans.  In my prayer times, it has become clear that God's calling for my life has taken a new direction.

The mission trip to Brazil this past July, confirmed God's calling and gifting for me.  Maybe as something of a test, I had asked the Lord to strengthen my Portuguese language proficiency by giving me the opportunity to preach a message entirely in Portuguese.  That opportunity came in the city of Londrina.  This past summer's mission was perhaps the best of my many mission ministries in the past.

In speaking with Rev. Rick Chuman, the executive director of JEMS, the invitation has been extended for me to return to serve as the director of JEMS' South America Mission program on a full time basis.  I will be based in the Los Angeles office and will either send or accompany mission teams to South America.  My immediate goals are to determine the possiblities of establishing an office in Brazil, to make contacts with churches in Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina.  It is not my intention to move to Brazil at this time.

With this new direction for my ministry in 2012,  I will be resigning from the pastorate of the Japanese American Christian Chapel in Camarillo, effective at the end of this year.

I invite you to pray for the church as preparations are made for succession.  Please also pray for my housing situation (I will return to live in Los Angeles), for moving and for the re-establishing of financial support for full time ministry with JEMS. 

Mudanças em 2012

Durante o ano passado fiquei orando sobre meus planos para o futuro. Em tempos a minha oração, tornou-se claro que o chamado de Deus para minha vida tomou um nova direção.

A viagem da missão ao Brasil em julho passado, confirmou o chamado de Deus e os dons espirituais. Ao falar com o Rev. Rick Chuman, o diretor-executivo da JEMS, o convite foi estendido para eu voltar para servir como o diretor do programa JEMS 'Missão América do Sul' em regime de tempo integral.  Eu estarei trabalhando na sede em Los Angeles e vou enviar ou acompanhar equipes missionárias à América do Sul.  

Meus objetivos imediatos são a determinar as possibilidades de estabelecer um escritório no Brasil, para fazer contatos com as igrejas no Brasil, Paraguai e Argentina. Não é minha intenção de mudar para o Brasil neste momento.

Com esta nova direção em 2012, estarei saindo o ministério pastoral da igreja local em Camarillo (Japanese American Christian Chapel) depois de 7 anos de ministério.  Vou fazer esta transição no começo do ano 2012.

Eu os convido a orar pela igreja como são feitos os preparativos para a sucessão.  Por favor, orem pela minha situação de moradia (vou voltar a viver em Los Angeles), para mover e para o re-estabelecimento de apoio financeiro para o ministério em tempo integral com JEMS.

Agradeço muito sua parceria em ministério,

Pr John

Blessings in Londrina

Photo is a thumbnail. Please click to enlarge.

During my July visit to Brazil, I had the opportunity to visit my friend and former pastor, Jairton de Melo. Pastor Jairton is now serving as a missionary with SEPAL (Serving Pastors and Leaders) in the southern Brazilian city of Londrina.

God brought Jairton into my life at a crucial time, some months after my marital separation. I was struggling in my walk with the Lord, and I am convinced that God used Jairton to provide support, guidance and encouragement. When I first met him, I shared about my circumstances. He told me, "Well, John. Grace isn't simply for when we are doing well.  Grace is for when we are struggling, for when we have failed."

To demonstrate this grace, Jairton invited me to attend his church and to "help out in whatever way I felt comfortable."  The church was the Brazilian Community Christian Church, which was meeting in Monterey Park.  Some months later, the church moved to Culver City.  It was a chance to fellowship with Brazilians living in southern California and to practice my Portuguese.

But more than this, it was the chance to be restored.  In addition to the pastoral care and discipline I was undergoing with Pastor Gary Tawa, and the counseling I was receiving from the Asian American Christian Counseling Service, I was reminded that grace was for me.  In the Japanese American community, we sometimes struggle with the whole perfection thing.  And while I knew that I was far from perfect, I was made to feel as though God had not abandoned me.  I have Pastor Gary and Pastor Jairton to thank for that.  

So my visit with Pastor Jairton in Londrina this past July was a blessing that touched me deeply.  It was through his ministry that I was able to be restored.

Is there someone you know who needs to be reminded that grace isn't just for perfect people?

Transition Day in Brazil!

Transitions! Okada team left Brazil for Dallas last night. Greg Oda, Rosie Yokomizo, Helena and Darryl Wong left for a new week of ministry in Sorocaba. Justine Morey's team is spending their last day in Sao Paulo touring the city with Pr Daniel and Patricia Abe. Justine's team departs Brazil for LA later tonight!

All photos are in thumbnail format. Please click on the photo to expand!

The Okada family served in Acampamento (Camp) Shalom. Some are pictured here at the Santo Andre Holiness church.



Greg Oda and team pictured serving in the Diadema Free Methodist Church.



Justine Morey and team serving at the Pompeia Holiness Church.



Pastor John has been privileged during this mission to meet with the various teams and to reconnect with pastors and other key leaders. PJ is pictured here with the JEMS team in Jordanopolis and with Pr Jairton de Melo of SEPAL (formerly Overseas Crusade).

JEMS Summer Mission: Schedule of Ministry

If you would like to keep the teams in prayer during the months of July and August, please refer to the calendar listed here.  Click on the calendar to enlarge.

Thank you!

Teams and photos may be found here: LINK

PJ Prayer Letter: Mount Hermon 2011 Edition

Click letter above to focus and view.

Please consider how you might partner in support of Pastor John Katagi’s Summer Mission and ongoing ministry. Your support enables him to meet with denominational and local church leadership, as well as furthering the relationships that JEMS has already begun in South America.

Please click the following secure link to make an online donation through JEMS.  LINK