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WELCOME TO

Japan Evangelical Lutheran Oe Church

(Nihon Fukuin Ruteru Oe Kyokai)

We are a church practising the love of Christ,

and standing firmly in the tradition of the Lutheran church

and the principles of the Reformation.

Who is JELC( Japan Evangelical Lutheran Church)?

WORSHIP

at Oe Chapel

Every Sunday 10:30 a.m.-11:45 a.m.

at Uto Branch Chapel

Every Saturday 10:30 a.m.-11:45 a.m.

Everyone is welcome. (All worship services are in Japanese language.)

Order of worship in English is available.

COMMUNITY

English Conversation Club 

7:00 p.m.- 8:00 p.m., Every Wednesday at Oe Chapel

We welcome English speakers! Join us!

Bible Study (in Japanese language)

at Oe Chapel - 10:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m., 4th Thursday

at Uto Chapel -  2:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m., 1st Thursday

Everyone is welcome.

OUR PASTOR

Rev. Satoshi Morita

Rev. Satoshi MORITA

- Born in Tokyo in 1986

- Graduated from Japan Lutheran Theological Seminary

- Worked as a pastor at Lutheran Shinreizan Church and as a chaplain at Denmark Pastures Social Welfare Community in Shizuoka from 2018

- Working as a pastor of Lutheran Oe Church from 2021

"Unusually for a young pastor in Japan, I have no Christians in my family, and I was not educated in mission schools. Nevertheless, I was baptized and became a pastor. God really does work in mysterious ways. So I, too, hope to form a church where those who have not yet come to church can take the first step."

HISTORY OF OUR CHURCH

Our mission started as the church of Kyushu Gakuin, a Lutheran school established by Rev. Charles L. Brown D.D., in 1921. We later became independent and changed our name to 'Lutheran Oe Church', took from the town's name. In Oe district, there are many schools and cultural facilities. Soho Tokutomi, a christian journalist, lived in Oe and educated his students at his home as a private school called Oe Gijuku. We serve people with the love of Christ and preach the gospel in this historical and academic town.

Our History

1909     Established Kumamoto Lutheran Seminary in Oe, Kumamoto.

1911     Established Kyushu Gakuin Lutheran School in Oe, Kumamoto.

1921     Formed Kyushu Gakuin Church in Kyushu Gakuin Lutheran School

1925     Dedicated C. L. Brown D.D. Memorial Chapel

1930     The name of church is changed to "Oe Church."

1966     Dedicated the present church building

1991     70th anniversary worship

2012     Visiting group from Lutheran Church of the Resurrection comes to Japan.

               Becomes a sister church

2015     Installed Bosch GmbH pipe organ in the chapel

2016     Kumamoto Earthquake, Disaster relief activity

2017     500th anniversary of Martin Luther's Reformation

2021     100th anniversary (The anniversary worship is postponed due to COVID-19.)

2022     100th anniversary worship

CONTACT US / VISIT US

OE Chapel

4-20-23 Oe, Chuo-ku,

Kumamoto-shi, Kumamoto. 862-0971

UTO Branch Chapel

1-67 Honmachi,

Uto-shi, Kumamoto. 869-0431

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