Easter in Japan is only a church holiday.  Unlike Christmas, which is celebrated secularly, Easter is not.  No bunnies, Easter eggs, egg hunts or pastel colored candies to be found around here.  That fact can make it difficult to advertise for our special services.  It’s not known as a holiday, therefore aside from church members, there is no expectation of special events.

This year at our church, Nozomi Lutheran, we’ll be doing several things to celebrate Easter.  On the Saturdays leading up to Easter Sunday we are holding craft classes to make Easter table decorations.  We have several ladies from our ESL classes signed up to come and participate.  They’ll then join us for our Easter celebration and take their crafts home after that.

We hold a special Good Friday service, which is our only midweek Lenten service.  On Easter Sunday we will begin our day with a “mini-concert” put on by musicians in our congregation.  Following the concert will be our Easter worship service.  After the service will be our kids egg hunt and then a pot luck lunch.  Kids from our ESL classes have been invited and a number of them are signed up to join us for the day.  We’re thankful that God is bringing us visitors to our worship service!

Easter is my favorite holiday.  However, I always feel a bit sad on Easter in Japan.  The reason is this: millions of Japanese people go about their day on Easter unaware that it is even a holiday.  They have no idea that they have a Savior.  No idea that that Savior died for them.  And no idea of the joy we have on Easter Sunday as we celebrate his resurrection.  That’s why we’re here.  It’s simple.  There are millions of souls who need to hear the Easter message!  May God bless our ministry as we work to share our Easter joy with the people of Japan!!

Lynnette Stahmann