The very first Sunday of the internship was at the cathedral-church where I’m staying – Saint Michael’s Church. It is quite a unique church building with tatami matted pews!
Saint Michael’s Church started as Saint Barnabas Chapel in 1876, three years after the missionary work began in Kobe. It was a storehouse （蔵）that was converted into a chapelin Shimoyamate（下山手）district. It was named after the first parish H.J. Foss (the missionary who kept evangelizing in Sumoto) had served in Liverpool, England.
The real church building was founded in 1881 in Koikawasuji (鯉川筋）, and the building was consecrated by Bishop Channing Williams on Christmas Day.
Within five years, there were more than 100 members! The church was named after a church that H.J. Foss had served in Chester, England.
In 1891, it burned down in a fire and a new church was built in Nakayamate (中山手）in 1894. Over 200 took communion at the dedication service.
The Kobe Air Raid In 1945 once again burnt down the third church. When Fr. Hinsuke Yashiro (who would become one of the greatest Bishops in Japan), returned from military duty on July 22nd, with the help of friends and acquaintances, he re-built the sanctuary out of the rubble, reusing wood and nails from the ruins.
Then from 1947 to 1959 they made use of the chapel in the International School that they had founded some time back.
The current building was completed in 1958, and it was consecrated by Bishop G. F. Fischer, the Archbishop of Canterbury, during his visit to Tokyo for the 100th year of Mission Work in Japan.
On January 17, 1995 the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake devastated the City of Kobe. The Church had damages to the tower, roof and parts of the ceiling, but it withstood. The Parish Hall became the center of rescue operation and distribution of supply and goods to the community.
The 07:00 Eucharist was held in the sanctuary instead of the chapel downstairs. I was asked to do both readings – Old Testament (Hosea 5:15-6:6) and Epistle (Romans 4:13-18), in Japanese. I practiced some and made sure I can recite it .
The second reader had not yet been assigned for the 10:30 service, so they asked if I would. In addition, a parishioner who was at the Welcome Party the week before, requested that I perform during the service. There was a bit of confusion about this, like where in the service, but finally it was finally settled that I would perform after the announcement immediately following the service so those who needed to leave or wasn’t interested in listening would have a chance to excuse themselves. Most everyone stayed.
I ended up playing the following:
- Johannes Donjon’s Etudes de Salon No. 1 (Elegie) and No. 3 (Chant du Vent)
- Taki Rentaro’s “Kojo no Tsuki” or “Moon over Castle Ruin” on the Shakuhachi
- JS Bach’s Partita in A minor for Solo Flute, BWV 1013, 4th Mvmt (Allemande)
They all enjoyed the mini impromptu concert, and I felt I was able to break the ice with the parishioners, and I felt fully welcomed.
Afterwards, we had the coffee hour downstairs in the Parish Hall, chatted for a while with the Bishop and parishioners. Since it was past noon, Bishop Yashiro led a group to go eat Ramen nearby, and I followed. It was delicious!
There was an evening Prayer service like the past week, except this week was an Evensong, which Deacon Miyata led, where the liturgy itself was sung. Chanting in Japanese had a different feel, but we sang many service music I remember as a child in Japan, and it was nostalgic.
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