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NOVEMBER 2014 – ISSUE 8
Open Circle
The Newsletter for the Women’s Fellowship of Tokyo Union Church
“The Grateful
Crane” Ballet
By ABC – Tokyo
Strawberry
Shortcake
November 6 – Page 2
Mashiko
Pottery
Tour
November 11 – Page 6
November 13 – Page 3
Mandarin
Orange Picking
November 14 – Page 3
5-7-7 Jingumae Shibuya-ku 150-0001
Web: www.tokyounion.org/wf
Email: [email protected]
Reception Desk: 03-3400-0047
Monday through Friday
10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Open Circle is published nine months
of the year: January through June and
September through November.
PROGRAM FOR NOVEMBER
“The Grateful
Crane” Ballet
By ABC – Tokyo
“The Grateful Crane” (“Tsuru No Ongaeshi”)
“is a story from Japanese folklore about
a crane who returns a favor to a man”
(Wikipedia). The ballet will feature beautiful
kimonos and a captivating performance,
blending Japanese culture and Western
ballet into a memorable event.
ABC – Tokyo is known for its excellent
combination of directors, choreographers
and dancers and has toured both nationally
and internationally, including Germany,
Switzerland, Austria, China, Brazil, U.S.A.,
and Australia.
Thursday, November 6
Tokyo Union Church
9:30 a.m.
Social time in the fellowship hall – Coffee, tea,
and conversation. Please bring a snack to share.
10:30 a.m. Program in the sanctuary – Welcome followed by
ballet performance
Fee Women’s Fellowship Members: Free
Non-members: ¥1000 donation requested
The company began as the Austrian Ballet
Company in 1995 and became the Austrian
Ballet Company – Tokyo in 2004. The
company’s repertory has included classical
works as well as original contemporary
ballets based on Japanese roots. The
directors are Christian Martinu and Rio
Mitani.
What is the monthly program? It’s a program
usually offered on the first Thursday of the
month featuring topics on educational, cultural,
and Christian themes. Some topics have included
Japanese dolls, sumo life, and dressing in
kimonos. Feel free to bring a friend.
ADDITONAL UPCOMING EVENTS
Sayonara Tea
for Vera
Christmas
Luncheon
Grand Sumo
Tournament
Tuesday, November 4
Thursday, December 4
Friday, January 16
2:00 – 4:00 p.m., Fellowship Hall
of Tokyo Union Church
10:30 a.m., Program, Fellowship
Hall of Tokyo Union Church
Vera Wolowec will be moving
back to the U.S. mid-November.
Let’s get together to say
goodbye and wish her the very
best. Please bring your favorite
tea cup to use during the party.
What fun it will be to see a
variety of styles.
Please bring a dish to share.
We’ll sing carols and enjoy
a leisurely lunch together.
Free for Women’s Fellowship
members, ¥1000 donation
requested for non-members
Experience a Grand Sumo
Tournament in Tokyo. Tickets:
¥5100. Non-members also pay
¥1000 Women’s Fellowship tour
fee. Optional dinner afterwards
of chankonabe (¥5100). To sign
up for one or both, contact
Rose Nagakura, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.,
M – F, 03-3400-0047, wfdesk@
tokyounion.org
OPEN CIRCLE — NOVEMBER 2014 — PAGE 2
CROSS-CULTURAL SHARING FOR NOVEMBER
Strawberry
Shortcake
and other
Christmas dishes
Host
Stephanie Kim
Fee
• Free for members of
Women’s Fellowship
• ¥500 for non-members
Day
Thursday, November 13
Meeting time
10:30 a.m. to Noon
Meeting place
Library of Tokyo Union Church
What is Cross-Cultural
Sharing?
Cross-Cultural Sharing (formerly
called “Shinboku-kai”) is a
casual gathering held each
month to develop international
friendships and understanding.
Feel free to bring a friend.
Activity
In Japan, a favorite Christmas
treat is strawberry shortcake.
Bring a photo or sample of one
of your favorite winter holiday
dishes and tell us about it. How
do you like to celebrate?
TOUR FOR NOVEMBER
Mandarin
Orange Picking
Pick sweet mandarin oranges
(“mikan”) right off the trees,
eat lunch in the orchard, and
take in a view of Mount Fuji.
Bring
• Picnic lunch
• ¥2500 to ¥3000 plus a bit
more for following:
– Women’s Fellowship tour
fee (¥500 for members,
¥1000 for nonmbers)
Day
– Train fare (around ¥1500)
Friday, November 14
– Cash for possible taxi
ride between Shinmatsudo
Station and Naitouen Farm
Meeting time
9:25 a.m.
Meeting place
Outside of the West Gate of
JR Shinjuku Station
Note: Although JR is part of the
station name, you don’t have
to travel by JR to reach the
station. For example, if you take
the Metro Marunouchi Line,
follow the signs and stairs up to
the West Gate of the JR part of
Shinjuku Station.
– Fee for Naitouen Farm
(around ¥500)
Destination
Travel notes
• Having met outside of the
West Exit of JR Shinjuku
Station, the group will
travel with Hiromi Sato
via the Odakyu railway to
Shinmatsudo Station (1hr
30 min).
• From there, the group
will continue to Naitouen
Farm.
• Individuals may leave
when they wish or with the
group around 3 p.m.
To reserve a spot
Please call Hiromi Sato at
080-5502-5230.
Naitouen Farm, Nakai-machi
Ashigarakami-gun, Kanagawa,
Japan 258-0003
http://www.naitouen.com/
(Japanese language)
OPEN CIRCLE — NOVEMBER 2014 — PAGE 3
FUNDRAISER REPORT
Thank You,
Volunteers!
Asian Furniture Sale
• The sale ran for three days, Oct. 16 – 18,
from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• It featured Asian furniture, Christmas
decorations made by Ah-Sew!, and
baked goods
Thank you to all the volunteers . . .
• For sewing beautiful goods (Ah-Sew!)
• For making home-baked goods
As a result
Women’s Fellowship raised around ¥500,000,
after expenses. Income generated by the
three sale areas – Asian furniture, Ah-Sew!
goods, and baked goods – was roughly equal.
The bake sale did especially well this year
because it ran for all three days.
Supporting our homeless
neighborhors
Women’s Fellowship of Tokyo Union Church
puts on two major fundraisers during the
year: the Asian Furniture Sale in the fall
and the Flea Market in the spring. These
fundraisers are the main source of income to
support the onigiri project of Mission to Our
Homeless Neighbors.
• For packaging baked goods for sale
• For being cashiers, and
• For being sales people.
CLASSES THIS FALL
Buddy Up
Take a class with a friend or as a
way to meet new friends. Either way, you’ll
have a good time learning a new topic.
Registration is required only three days
before the first day of a class. Many classes
start in November.
To see the class catalog, go to http://www.
tokyounion.org/files/women_s_fellowship/
wf_2014_1002_fall_class_catalog.pdf.
The catalog lists every offering and has
complete information on registration.
Many of the offerings focus on Japanese
culture, but other topics are also included.
Class duration ranges from one session to
multiple sessions. Some classes offer a trial
session. The class fee is much lower than
similiar offerings at other places. It’s a great
deal. Go ahead and enjoy a variety of topics!
Rose Nagakura will be happy to help you
register for classes. She works at the Women’s
Fellowship Desk in the lobby of Tokyo Union
Church and is can be reached as shown:
Monday – Friday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
03-3400-0047
[email protected]
OPEN CIRCLE — NOVEMBER 2014 — PAGE 4
SMALL INTEREST GROUPS
Ah-Sew!
Lunch Bunch
Every Tuesday
10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.,
Library of Tokyo Union Church
Last Wednesday of the month,
meeting time is often 11:30 a.m.
Next meeting will be Nov. 26.
This wonderful group of ladies
work throughout the year on
craft and sewing projects. The
proceeds of these projects go to
support our outreach charities.
For more information, email
[email protected] or just
turn up.
The Lunch Bunch is a group of
lovely ladies who like to try new
restaurants and enjoy a chat.
If you would like to join the
fun, please contact Women’s
Fellowship member Natsu
Kikuchi to be added to the
e-mail list. You’ll be notified of
the upcoming lunch adventure,
and you can let her know
if you’ll be able to make it.
Contact Natsu at 03-3913-0527
or [email protected].
Tokyo Survival
Tips
Are you a newcomer to Tokyo?
Are you just brimming with
questions about living here?
Where to shop, what to buy,
what’s an earthquake kit?
Women’s Fellowship member
Hiromi Sato would like to help
you with your questions. Please
contact Hiromi Sato at
080-5502-5230.
text
TOKYO UNION CHURCH
Bible Studies
• Thursdays
Women’s Evening Bible Study
and small groups
• Fridays
New Parents Connecting
Tokyo Union Church offers many
opportunities to enjoy spiritual enrichment
through Bible studies and small groups.
Some of its offerings are listed here as an
introduction.
• Sundays
Christian Faith and Business
“Grace” by Max Lucado
Young Adults Group (YAG) Bible Study
• Tuesdays
Bethel Series Study
Sermon Lab
“Bible as a Whole” Class
• Saturdays
Men’s Fellowship Breakfast
International Study Fellowship
Married Couples Fellowship
For more information on each group, such
as the meeting place and time plus a
description of the group’s activities, please
see the following document, available here:
http://www.tokyounion.org/files/women_s_
fellowship/2014_tuc_bible_groups.pdf
Questions? Please call the church office at
03-3400-0047.
• Wednesdays
Women’s Morning Bible Study,
Prayer Group
OPEN CIRCLE — NOVEMBER 2014 — PAGE 5
SPECIAL TOUR
Mashiko
Pottery Tour
Payment deadline
Leader
Fri., October 31
Fumie Kitano, Women’s
Fellowship member
Tour date
Visit Mashiko, a town known
for its pottery. Wander through
the many shops, enjoy lunch,
and have a show-and-tell on the
way back to Tokyo. Come and
join the fun. It’s a great chance
to pick up some beautiful
pottery.
For more Information on the
Mashiko area and its pottery
production, see this web page:
http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/location/
regional/tochigi/mashiko.html
Fee
• ¥5000 for members of
Women’s Fellowship
• ¥6000 for non-members
Tues., November 11
Maximum number of
participants
Schedule
Twenty
7:45 a.m. – Meet in lobby of
Tokyo Union Church (TUC)
8:00 a.m. – Bus departs from TUC
6:30 p.m. – Bus returns to TUC
Bring
• Bring money for
pottery purchases (cash
recommended).
Questions? Payment?
Please contact Rose Nagakura
at the Women’s Fellowship
desk, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday
through Friday, 03-3400-0047,
and [email protected]
• Pack a lunch or bring
money for lunch, which
can be purchased at a rest
stop or in town.
• Recommended – Bring
a roller cart for ease of
carrying your purchases.
MEMBERSHIP
Directory Coming
Join or Renew by
November 6
an emailed document. It will
include all current members.
What’s an easy way to
reconnect with that person you
just met? Look them up in the
Women’s Fellowship directory.
It lists each member’s name
and contact information for
Japan: her phone number, email
address, and residential address.
The last chance to renew
your annual membership (or
join for the first time) and be
included in this year’s directory
is November 6, the same day
as the monthly program, “The
Grateful Crane” by ABC – Tokyo.
On that day, you can also check
if your contact information is
current.
The directory was published a
year ago. The new one will be
published in mid-November as
The annual membership fee
is ¥4000. Please pay Rose
Nagakura at the Women’s
Fellowship desk, 10 a.m. to 2
Monday through Friday.
The fee is waived for members
of Tokyo Union Church.
p.m.,
Questions about membership?
Please contact Carrie Anderson,
membership coordinator, at
[email protected]
OPEN CIRCLE — NOVEMBER 2014 — PAGE 6
CALENDAR
November
M
03
National Holiday, Women’s Fellowship desk closed
T
04 Sayonara Tea for Vera Wolowec, TUC fellowship hall, 2:00 p.m.
Th 06 Program, “The Grateful Crane” Ballet, TUC sanctuary, 10:30 a.m.
T11
Pottery Tour, TUC lobby, 7:45 a.m.
Th13Cross-Cultural Sharing, “Strawberry Shortcake”, TUC library, 10:30 a.m.
F14
Tour, Mandarin orange picking, JR Shinjuku Station, 9:25 a.m.
F
14 MOHN: Dinner preparation, TUC fellowship hall, 10:30 a.m.
Sa 15 MOHN: Dinner serving, TUC fellowship hall, 1:45 p.m.
W
26 Lunch Bunch, place to be determined, 11:30 a.m.
TUC = Tokyo Union Church.
MOHN’s onigiri production continues in the TUC kitchen on Sundays at 12:30 p.m. and weekdays at 8:30 a.m.
For the complete TUC calendar, select a month on this page: http://www.tokyounion.org/calendar
MEMBERSHIP
Wish these ladies a big happy birthday
in November
Names are listed in
alpha-order by first name.
Aline Shick
Atsuko Ikuyama
Carol Kelley
Cathy Noyes
Hatsue Tashiro
Heidi Sanford
Ikuko Kobayashi
Karine Scheys
Kate Benfer
Katia Gesuato
Linnea VanHercke
Louise Lystig Fritchie
Maggie Yamasaki
Margot Harmsen
Marie Ando
Mary Lavin
Midori Takahashi
Pearl Cho
Robin Bradley
Teiko Smith Ujiie
Say hello to new
members from
October
Carol Kelley
Hanna Peterson
Maggie Yamasaki
Melissa Hanson
Takako Imai
OPEN CIRCLE — NOVEMBER 2014 — PAGE 7