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JAPAN – From May 5-6, 2014, the Japan Lutheran Church (NRK) held its 16th General Convention in Tokyon. At that time, the NRK elected Rev. Shin Shimizu to a three-year term as its President. He succeeds Rev. Yataka Kumei, who served the NRK as President from 2008-2014.

In Pentecost greetings, President Shimizu noted that the Church around the world speaks in many tongues but with one message. “After Pentecost, ‘other tongues’ have been given to the the churches by the Holy Spirit,” he writes. “Nevertheless, all of us look in the same direction for glorifying the Lord Jesus Christ.”

To that end, President Shimizu sent his greetings to Lutherans around the world, asking for “cooperation and good relationship in Jesus Christ” as he begins his service to the NRK.

“In Asia and also in some other areas in the world, we see many serious political problems,” he noted. “Christ’s Christ, which has many ‘tongues’ from the Holy Spirit, is to serve the Lord for the settlement of these problems and also for the possible unity of the nations.”

The Japan Lutheran Church has 26 pastors, 35 congregations, and more than 2,500 members throughout Japan. The NRK is a full-member of the International Lutheran Council and an associate member of the Lutheran World Federation.

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