LYNNWOOD – Among books in the shelf: “Shiawase-wo-kangaeru,” “Tsuma-to-tomoni-ikiru” and “Seisho.”
Translation of the book titles in Japanese: “Contemplation About Happiness,” “Living With Your Wife” and the Bible.
| The Lynnwood Japanese Church meets in the basement of the First Baptist Church of Martha Lake, 17319 Larch Way, Lynnwood.
For more information, call the Rev. Go Kaneda at 425-273-1224 or go online at jcpn.org/ljc. |
Near the bookshelf, six people sat at tables, studied the Bible and discussed how to apply its lessons to their daily lives.
“However small, everything you do for God is great,” Go Kaneda, pastor of Lynnwood Japanese Church, said to the others in Japanese.
The only Japanese church in Snohomish County meets at the basement of First Baptist Church of Martha Lake in Lynnwood. This is a place where people thousands miles away from their home think and talk about their faith in their own language and where they share their concerns, hope and information to live well in a foreign country.
Kikuyo Checkeye, 71, has lived in Lynnwood for about 30 years. The Japan native said she understands English, but Bible discussions are complicated and she prefers studying it in her native language.
“In Japanese, I can feel directly” what she learns, Checkeye said.
Her husband of 46 years, Mike, encourages her to go to the church. In addition to learning about Christianity, the church allows her to meet people from Japan who often feel isolated because of language and cultural differences, she said.
“This church is like a family,” she said. “Young people and (seniors) like me come here.”
Kaneda, who moved from Canada to Lynnwood with his family to start the church in December 2002, said that the church meets three days a week for Bible study, a prayer meeting and a worship service. It also provides counseling and has a group to help mothers raise children, he said.
The group is a boon for Rina Vanderpoel, 27, who moved to Everett about a year ago from Japan. The mother of two children isn’t proficient in English.
She finds comfort in the group and gets useful information such as where to get cheap diapers, Vanderpoel said.
“I can understand (others’) experience and way of thinking,” she said of what she likes about the group.
Reporter Yoshiaki Nohara: 425-339-3029 or ynohara@heraldnet.com.
Jennifer Buchanan / The Herald
Sumi Katsura’s fingers follow text along with the group during Bible study at the Lynnwood Japanese Church (above).
Go Kaneda (left) is the pastor of the church.
A Japanese Bible sits on a shelf with English versions of the New Testament (below).
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