We have just received an interesting email from Andrew Smith, formerly of Chatham Corps and now Songster Leader at Wellington City, New Zealand.
Andrew
Andrew writes as follows:
Our Band tour to Japan starts Wednesday. Here’s the itinerary:
Wednesday 14/11 – fly to Auckland, bus to Whangarei, evening concert at Whangarei
Thursday 15/11 – bus back to Auckland, stopping for lunchtime concert at Orewa; evening concert at Auckland Congress Hall
Friday 16/11 – fly to Osaka (11hrs) followed immediately by a 5 hour bus ride to Hiroshima
Saturday 17/11 – play at Hiroshima Peace Park (memorial to atomic bomb victims), evening concert in Hiroshima, bus back to Osaka same evening
Sunday 18/11 – united holiness meeting for Western Japan Division at Osaka Central Corps, evening concert at Ibaraki City Hall
Monday 19/11 – bus to Hamamatsu (travel day)
Tuesday 20/11 – tour of Yamaha instrument factory at Hamamatsu, evening concert
Wednesday 21/11 – free morning! Concert in Tokyo in evening
Thursday 22/11 – afternoon concert at Maebashi High School, travel to next venue afterwards
Friday 23/11 – Afternoon concert at Utsunomiya with local youth band, travel to next venue afterwards
Saturday 24/11 – hospital playing and open airs in Kiyose, return to Tokyo, workshop with Japan Staff Band
Sunday 25/11 – pan-Tokyo holiness meeting at Tokyo Central Corps, rest of day free
Monday 26/11 – visit to THQ, then to airport, leave Tokyo for Christchurch
Tuesday 27/11 – home via Christchurch
This is the Band’s third trip to Japan (previously 1979 and 1985) – there is only one in the Band now who went on both previous tours, but two went in 79 and missed 85, and seven went in 85 only. Previous tours have been very successful in boosting the SA in Japan (where less than 1% of the population are Christian and less than 1% of those are Salvationists). We hear that Tokyo has already sold 1100 tickets for a 1200-seat venue.
The attached photo of the Band was taken last Christmas at Wellington Town Hall.
Wellington City Band
We remember with affection the last visit of the Wellington City Band to the UK (including Chatham) on the ‘Homecoming’ tour a few years ago and we know they will do a great job in Japan. We send them our best wishes and assure them of our prayers.
3 responses to “News from ‘Down Under’”
It’s six months now since our mission to Japan and I can report that it was a very special time for us all. There were many highlights – playing in packed concert halls (some to well over capacity), fantastic food, the wonderful openness of our Japanese Salvationist friends, who labour faithfully in such difficult circumstances) – but the uber-highlight for almost all of us was visiting and taking part in a service of peace and remembrance at the Peace Park in Hiroshima, at almost exactly the spot where the first atomic bomb used in action was dropped in 1945 – and visiting the memorial museum there. A truly memorable occasion, which left us all deeply moved. If any readers ever get to Japan, this is an experience not to be missed.
Since getting back, we’ve had news of people coming to the Lord and responding to the call to officership – great news. Please pray for the Army (and all Christians) in Japan – the largest secular society in the world, and one where the name of Jesus is completely unfamiliar to 99% of the population – over 130 million people. What a mission!
Am I right its Wellington’s 125 corps anniversary this month? If so congratulations from the UK. I am from Lewisham Corps and we celebrate ours this weekend with Cambridge Heath Brass. God Bless you and regards to an old Lewishamite Maurice Castel in Wellington
I enjoyed the visit of Wellington Band to Chatham very much and
I pray that the Holy Spirit will be with them on their trip to Japan. Safe journey and God bless.