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A new minister for MJCC

Praise God, Rev Makoto Fukuda has accepted our invitation to come to Melbourne to pastor the Japanese church full-time from October 2023. This is a wonderful outcome for MJCC but we need to raise further funds to cover his expenses for the next two years. Please consider supporting the pastoral ministry of Fukuda-sensei at our church.

MJCC remains committed to taking the Gospel to the 18,000+ Japanese who live here in Melbourne.

Rev Makoto Fukuda

Originally from Tochigi Prefecture, Makoto graduated from Niigata University and Tokyo Christian Theological Seminary, before becoming the Minister at Yamanoue Church Grace Chapel in Yokohama City.

In 2008, he moved to Nihonbashi, Tokyo with his wife Michiru and four children, and in 2010 they planted Grace City Church Tokyo in cooperation with Redeemer City to City and MTW missions organisations. In addition, Makoto launched the Grace Church Planting Network which by 2020 had seen 10 church plants established in Tokyo. He also started City to City Japan to promote church planting efforts in major cities across the country.

In 2022, the Fukudas experienced the terrible pain of losing their son. With their daughter, son-in-law and new grandchild already living in Australia, the decision to come and pastor the Melbourne Japanese Church is God’s beautiful grace and timing. They look forward to being closer to family and being used by God in this vital Gospel ministry to Japanese in Melbourne.

Read Rev Fukuda’s full testimony concerning his call to MJCC here (Japanese-English PDF) »

Funding and prayer

We invite you to join MJCC in praying for these immediate needs:

*The church has applied to the Ministry Development Committee (MDC) of the Presbyterian Church of Victoria for a financial grant to help offset the employment costs of $40,000 in year 1.

 

Even with if we are successful with the grant, 2-years of support remains a significant financial challenge for this small group of believers, so the church is humbly asking for help.

‘He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness.’ (2 Cor 9:10).

Even small donations make a huge difference!

Here’s how you can help

Four key actions that will immediately support the church:

About MJCC and Canterbury

In 1991, the Rev Stephen Young established Melbourne’s first Japanese-language ministry at Canterbury. It is still the only Japanese church in this city and its Gospel witness is as vital today as it has ever been. Over those 32 years, the church has seen many, many Japanese come to Christ, be baptised, and grow in their faith. The ministry has also inspired many young Australian’s to commit their lives to missions work in Japan. It’s a wonderful legacy and we can only imagine what God has in store for the years to come. The church has been in vacancy for the past four and a half years and has faced many challenges but God is stirring us now with fresh vision and renewed vigour as we anticipate the arrival of Pastor Makoto Fukuda and wife Michiru.

Note: find up-to-date details on our regular Sunday worship service and church activities here.

MJCC is the Japanese congregation of Canterbury Presbyterian Church. We are a vibrant Christ-centred, Christ-proclaiming community representing many nations. We are committed to the reformed tradition, with a focus on the preaching of the Word of God and worship and fellowship on the Lord’s Day.

Canterbury Presbyterian Church is a constituent part of the Presbyterian Church of Victoria. The supreme standard of the church is the Word of God in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments. The subordinate standard of the church is the Westminister Confession of Faith (1646), as amended from time to time by the General Assembly of Australia, read in the light of the Declaratory Statement contained in the Basis of Union (1901).

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