In 2019, JEMS celebrates the 70th anniversary of the JEMS Mount Hermon Conference. It was that first meeting that set the foundation for the beginnings of the Japanese Evangelical Missionary Society. Birthed from prayer and the personal financial commitment of pastors, who pledged $10/month, the organization came into existence in 1950. ($10/month in 1950 was equivalent to $106/month in today's dollars).
On the pastors' photo, left, I'm ballparking their names:
Back row: Carl Yoshimine, Ren Kimura, Masumi Toyotome, ______
Second row: Art Tsuneishi, John Nagamine, Ray Narusawa, Eishi Hirose, _________
Front row: John Miyabe, George Toda, Bill Kobayashi, Dan Shinoda, Harry Hashimoto
The 1951 Mount Hermon photo (below) represents a good cross-section of denominational participation. The pastors in the front are my personal "hall of famers."
Source: A Centennial Legacy, 1977
For the South America missions department, we stand in this same tradition of faith and consecration to God. We recently celebrated together with our Brazilian partners in São Paulo, fifty-five years of collaborative ministry. That's quite a milestone.
I am so grateful for your partnership and interest. May God bless you!
Pastor John Katagi
JEMS South America
