Kinki Evangelical Lutheran Church

Infobox Christian denomination
name = Kinki Evangelical Lutheran Church


imagewidth = 150px
caption = Logo of the KELC
main_classification = Protestant
orientation = Pietist Lutheran
polity =
founder =
founded_date = 1951
founded_place = Osaka, Japan
separated_from =
leader/moderator =
leader = Rev Shigeo Sueoka
parent = Norwegian Lutheran Mission, Evangelical Lutheran Free Church of Norway Japan Mission
merger =
separations =
fellowships =
associations = Lutheran World Federation, Asian Lutheran Communion
area = Japan
hospitals =
nursing_homes =
aid =
congregations = 29
members = Approx. 2,275
ministers =
missionaries =
temples =
primary_schools =
secondary_schools =
tertiary =
footnotes =

The nihongo|Kinki Evangelical Lutheran Church|近畿福音ルーテル教会|Kinki Fukuin Rūteru Kyōkai or KELC is a Lutheran church in Japan. It currently has approximately 2,275 members in 29 congregations nationwide [Lutheran World Federation: [http://www.lutheranworld.org/Directory/ASI/KkiEv-LuthChurch-EN.html Member Churches] - Kinki Evangelical Lutheran Church] .

The current president is the Rev Shigeo Sueoka.

History

The KELC traces its history to the eviction of foreign Christian missionaries from mainland China in 1950s after the establishment of the People's Republic of China. In 1951, missionaries from the Norwegian Lutheran Mission (NLM) and the Evangelical Lutheran Free Church of Norway (LFCN) established a mission in Japan, primarily in the Kinki region.

On November 3 1961, 14 congregations planted by the NLM and LFCN organised themselves as the KELC. In 1976, the KELC was accepted as a full member of the Lutheran World Federation [ibid] . The KELC was officially recognized as a religious body in 1980 [Kinki Evangelical Lutheran Church [http://www.kelc.net/kelchp/abou_lt/abo_kin/kinki.htm About The KELC] (Japanese)] .

tructure and organization

Congregations by prefectures

*Hyōgo Prefecture:Congregations in the cities of Amagasaki, Kawanishi, Kobe, Sanda and Takarazuka

*Osaka Prefecture:Congregations in the cities of Hannan, Izumisano, Osaka, Sakai, and Yao

*Wakayama Prefecture:Congregations in the cities of Kainan, and Wakayama as well as the town of Misato

*Nara Prefecture:Congregations in the cities of Nara, Sakurai and Kashihara

*Mie Prefecture:Congregations in the cities of Shima, and Tsu

Ministries

Some KELC local congregations operate kindergartens and nursery schools. The KELC also sponsors the Kobe Lutheran Theological Seminary together with the West Japan Evangelical Lutheran Church.

Affiliations & cooperation

The work of Lutheran missionaries resulted in the establishment of five major Lutheran church bodies and a number of smaller ones, with a total membership of approximately 30,000. The largest of these, with about 20,000 members, is the Japan Evangelical Lutheran Church. Other Lutheran churches include the Japan Lutheran Church, the West Japan Evangelical Lutheran Church, the Japan Lutheran Brethren Church, the Lutheran Evangelical Christian Church and the Fellowship Deaconry Evangelical Church (Marburger Mission).

Cooperation among the various Lutheran churches in Japan is common, particularly with respect to outreach ministries. Church planting plans are mutually shared in order to avoid duplications. Most of the Lutheran churches have also joined together to form the nihongo|Lutheran Literature Society|成文社|"Seibunsha", which publishes Christian books and materials; one notable endeavor being in the publication of a common Lutheran hymnal [Okinawa Lutheran Church: [http://church.ne.jp/okiluth/english/history.html Lutheran Mission in Japan] ] .

The KELC is also a full member of the Lutheran World Federation and is cooperates with the Norwegian Lutheran Mission and the Evangelical Lutheran Free Church of Norway Japan Mission.

ee also

*Christianity in Japan
*Protestantism in Japan

External links

* [http://www.kelc.net/ Kinki Evangelical Lutheran Church]

References