Message from Archbishop Nathaniel of Japan

Statement from the Archbishop of the Nippon Sei Ko Kai (The Anglican Communion in Japan)"> The Most Revd Nathaniel Makoto Uematsu

14 March, 2011

On the 11th of March at 2:46pm, the biggest earthquake ever to hit Japan struck just off the coast of the Tohoku region. This caused a tsunami and fires that brought massive devastation to a very wide area. This unimaginably strong earthquake triggered an explosion at the Fukushima No.1 nuclear reactor. The people living in the area around that and the No. 2 reactor have been evacuated. The stories and images constantly broadcast by the media have left people lost for words, unable to describe the sheer scale of the unbelievable devastation caused by the earthquake, tsunami and fires.

We see homes devastated, whole towns that were swallowed by the tsunami, and houses that continue to burn because fire fighters are unable to reach both the properties and the people who were the victims of this catastrophe. With hearts filled with grief and helplessness we see people who are mourning their lost loved ones and others who search tirelessly for missing family members. There are so many who have lost their homes and possessions. Towns and villages were obliterated by the tsunami, everything was gone in a second.

Since the earthquake the Provincial office has worked very hard to find out about the people and the churches in Tohoku diocese. However, we could neither contact them by phone nor email. Only yesterday were we able to start to see a picture of the devastation in the affected areas. I had been most concerned that I could not contact the Bishop of Tohoku diocese [The Rt Revd John Hiromichi Kato], but on Saturday he rang me and I was able to find out more about what had happened to the churches in Sendai City.

Bp Kato explained that he himself had not been able to find out much about the other churches in the diocese of Tohoku. This was largely due to the fact that neither power supplies nor telephone lines had been restored in areas most badly hit by the tsunami. There is particular concern for two churches: Isoyama St Peter’s Church in Fukushima Prefecture and Kamaishi Shinai Church and the kindergarten in Iwate that were close to the sea. Priests have been frantically trying to confirm that their parishioners are safe. We also know that it is not only Tohoku diocese that has been affected, some churches in Kita Kanto diocese have been reported to have been damaged also.

Sendai Christchurch (the Cathedral church) is badly damaged and yesterday, while there were still so many aftershocks, the church carried out their first Sunday after Lent service in the diocesan office.
In many affected areas there are roadblocks but as for Tohoku diocese the church is planning to establish an emergency relief centre within the diocesan building. Bishop Kato will lead the efforts to respond to the crisis.

At a Provincial level I am working to establish a structure for responding to this unprecedented natural disaster as soon as possible. This will include providing relief and sourcing volunteers and funding to help with the restoration of the affected areas. I am also trying to find more accurate information about our church family and the relief efforts, and to communicate that information as quickly as possible.
What we can do right now, however, is pray. Prayer has power. I hope and request that you pray for the people who are affected, for those who have died and for their families. Pray for the people involved with the rescue efforts, and in particular pray for Tohoku and Kita Kanto dioceses and their priests and parishioners during this time of Lent.

I am grateful for all the many prayers and messages of support from throughout the world; from the Archbishop of Canterbury and other Churches.

Pray for Japan

CMS Trustee Canon Dr Phil Groves writes from the Anglican Communion Office

The Primate of Japan, Bishop Nathaniel Uematsu, has spoken to Bishop of Tohoku, the Rt Revd John Hiromichi Kato last night. The people in Sendai City and beyond spent the evening in pitch darkness without any heating. The diocese of Tohoku is at the centre of the earthquake area: some churches are

* Konahama St Thomas Church have seen tsunami wave came 50 metres to the entrance of the church, and the front wall at the entrance to the church fell and much damage inside.
* Isoyama St Peter's Church is located 50 meters from the sea, and it is a great concern of their safety. Various damages are reported in other churches, and there is no news from a number of churches in Iwate Prefecture as it has not been possible to contact them.

Bishop Nathaniel envisages to set up an appeal (he has already taken an action within Japan) to help & support those churches in Tohoku Diocese to start rebuilding their lives.

Tohoku Diocese, which is directly hit by the earthquake, is located in north east of Japan (as you all saw on TV). Bishop Kato is a well known theologian and liturgist.

The Primate of Japan requests prayers from all of us, and he is overwhelmed with gratitude that so many Provinces in the Anglican Communion has sent him and the Province messages of support and prayers.

AND A PRAYER BY A CMS MEMBERS

Father in heaven, you are the absolute Sovereign over the shaking of the earth, the rising of the sea, and the raging of the waves. We tremble at your power and bow before your unsearchable judgments and inscrutable ways. We cover our faces and kiss your omnipotent hand. We fall helpless to the floor in prayer and feel how fragile the very ground is beneath our knees.

O God, we humble ourselves under your holy majesty and repent. In a moment—in the twinkling of an eye—we too could be swept away. We are not more deserving of firm ground than our fellowmen in Japan. We too are flesh. We have bodies and homes and cars and family and precious places. We know that if we were treated according to our sins, who could stand? All of it would be gone in a moment. So in this dark hour we turn against our sins, not against you.

And we cry for mercy for Japan. Mercy, Father. Not for what they or we deserve. But mercy.

Have you not encouraged us in this? Have we not heard a hundred times in your Word the riches of your kindness, forbearance, and patience? Do you not a thousand times withhold your judgments, leading your rebellious world toward repentance? Yes, Lord. For your ways are not our ways, and your thoughts are not our thoughts.

Grant, O God, that the wicked will forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts. Grant us, your sinful creatures, to return to you, that you may have compassion. For surely you will abundantly pardon. Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord Jesus, your beloved Son, will be saved.

May every heart-breaking loss—millions upon millions of losses—be healed by the wounded hands of the risen Christ. You are not unacquainted with your creatures' pain. You did not spare your own Son, but gave him up for us all.

In Jesus you tasted loss. In Jesus you shared the overwhelming flood of our sorrows and suffering. In Jesus you are a sympathetic Priest in the midst of our pain.

Deal tenderly now, Father, with this fragile people. Woo them. Win them. Save them.

And may the floods they so much dread make blessings break upon their head.

O let them not judge you with feeble sense, but trust you for your grace. And so behind this providence, soon find a smiling face.

In Jesus’ merciful name, Amen.

Sendai Earthquake, Japan

The drawing of the Sendai Earthquake is by a Japanese girl in Osaka

Pamela Cooper who worked in Japan for 41 years as a CMS MP, was back visiting a freind in Osaka when the earthquake struck. She writes:

I am in Osaka with friends so I am far from the north-east part of Japan where the centre of the earthquake and the tsunami hit so i am reliant on what I am seeing on TV as you are.
This northern part of Japan is a rural area with not so many large towns, but villages. The largest is Sendai near where the centre was. It is mainly farming land - rice and apples and fishing. There are small industrial centres. The district is more tradition than most of Japan with Buddhism and Shinto being important to community life. The Anglican Church and other denominations on the whole are small with ageing church members.
The area that is affected is vast and we have three disasters - the earthquake, the tsunami and now the problems of the nuclear plants.
Most of the houses would be Japanese style wooden frame houses built to move in an earthquake, but it was impossible for such houses to stand in the force of the tsunami, which as you will have seen was often as hugh as a 3 or 4 storey building. Tsunami warnings have been lifted but there are still many after shocks. Japan is well equipped to give people warnings of tsunami but this one came so fast with such force that in some case the warning and the tsunami came at the same time.
Watching the news tonight 15,000 people are still missing. Bodies are being swept up onto beaches and are slowly being found in the debris. cars, boats etc. Over 1000 have now been declared dead.
The failure of the nuclear plants and other plants means that many people have no electricity, gas, water and are short of food and water Many thousand are in evacuation centres, in schools etc. Now temperatures are dropping and snow is expected again from Wednesday. In many other areas north of Tokyo power is being restricted on a 3 hour rotation. Train services in Tokyo an other places are being restricted or stopped to save power. Shops are shutting early. Disney Land has shut for 2 weeks etc, etc all these things to save power.
Today I have been visiting friend in the area of the Hanshin earthquake area 17 years ago. A new modern city is there now. Japan will rebuild and they will learn from this unbelievable disaster but it will take years.
There is so much to pray for at this moment and I know you all have been praying and will continue. Please pray also that through this the Grace of God will be seen and people, and the nation, will be helped by Christians to see the love of God for each one of them. and that His presence is there in the deepest despair bringing hope.

Greetings in Christ, Pam