History
The purpose of the Cornelius Group is to contribute to the accomplishment of the mission of the Japan Self-Defense Forces by deepening Bible study, faith in the Lord, and fellowship among the members of the Japan Self-Defense Forces (officers, sergeants, enlisted men, university students, and clerical staff) and Christians related to these members.
This group was established in May 1959. The main purpose of the association was to be non-denominational and to include both old and new churches, as well as non-denominational churches. It has been 50 years since it started holding Bible studies, retreats, prayer meetings, publishing a bulletin, and conducting other activities. The current membership is approximately 250.
In the former Navy, many people received the gospel through the “Army Navy servicemen's mission,” which was established in Yokosuka in 1899 by an American woman Pastor Finch, and later expanded to Maizuru and Kure too. In the former army, the first issue of “Cornelio Tsushin” was published by officers Nakakazu Toshioka and Takeo Matsumoto in 1923, and was published up to 112 issues in total. After wartime, it was republished as "After Cornelio.
The OCU (Officers' Christian Union) was born in England in 1851, when Captain Sorotta, who was serving in India, asked his fellow Christian officers back home to pray for him and his colleagues in India. YMCA in 1844, YWCA in 1855 and in the middle of these years, the OCU has a history of about 160 years.(The name OCN has changed several times).
Godfrey Buckston, the fourth son of Pastor Berkeley Buckston, a prominent figure in Japanese missionary history, born in Matsue, returned to his homeland and continued teaching for many years as an advisor to OCU in England. When he visited Japan, he gave a special lecture for this group.The U.S. OCU was founded in 1943 during World War II, and the first OCU World Congress was held in the United States in June 1959, our group was established one month before.
Since then, the World Convention and regional international conventions have been held, and Japan was in charge of the (East) Asia Convention four times, in 1986, 1995, 2002, and 2010. In 2014, the World Convention was held in South Africa.
Inspired by the traditions of Christian groups in the former Army and Navy and the movements in foreign militaries, and supported by their prayers, this association is the fruit of the desire of the volunteers of the Japan Self-Defense Forces, and although it is small, it has a far-reaching background.
The story of the centurion Cornelius in “Acts” chapter 10 is well known. Furthermore, in “Acts” chapters 21-23, we learn that it was the Roman occupation army with strict military discipline led by the centurion stationed in Jerusalem that saved the evangelist Paul and advanced God's plan in the chaos and murderous atmosphere of Jerusalem.
A Chronological Table of Servicemen's Mission History The Japanese Officers Christian Union(Cornelius Group)
(Ref.: "serviceman preaching regarding research" by Mr. Yasutada Minezaki
| Year & Month | Contents | The leading figures |
|---|---|---|
| 1893 | Estella Finch (age:24 ) visit to Japan (Ms. Finch history regarding)Estella Finch (age:24 ) visit to Japan (Ms. Finch history regarding)に関して） | |
| 1897 | Missionary Finch disappointed for Japanese evangelization | |
| 1898 | Miss. Finch revisited to Japan, decided to servicemen's mission | |
| 1899 September | Army Navy servicemen's mission (Mission's) established in Yokosuka | |
| 1900 November | Construction forMission House | |
| 1904 September | "The Mission House Monthly Report " the 1st printing out for publication | |
| 1909 March | Ms. Finch changed her name to Ms. Hoshida Mitsuyo as Japanese citizen | |
| 1910 August | No.72 Mission House Monthly Report issued then discontinued publication | |
| 1924 December | Cornelius Group (Mr.Nakakazu Toshioka) the inauguration | Ms. Mitsuyo Hoshida passed away (in June) |
| Yokosuka Servicemen Home opening | ||
| 1930 | "The Cornelius Group Report issued over 40 times since established | |
| The 8th Cornelius Group meeting | ||
| 1931 January | "The Cornelius Comm" was started the publication | |
| 1939 June | Rename to the Cornelius Comm. for Ko-ru-ne-ri-o | |
| 1957 December | "After Cornelius" issued by Chief editor,Mr.Toshioka | |
| 1959 Mary 23 | Japan OCU inauguration (Cornelius Group) Self-Defense Force Officer's Christian MeetingInauguration ceremony at Mitake church(U.S. Forces FarEast OCU Higashikurume) | Chairman: Yoshie Seiichi Sub-chairman: Takami Takeda (COL. JGSDF), Yoshiharu Shimizu (Commander, JMSDF), Shin Kuroda (COL, JASDF) Adviser: Mr.Sasaki, Mr.Miyoshi, Mr.Chiba, Mr.Toshioka |
| 1960 | U.S. Forces FarEast OCU at Atami | Chairman: Mr.Takeda, Mr.Shimizu |
| 1961 | "No.38 After Cornelius natural discontinuance Retreat at Hayama (30 people) | Chairman: Commander, JMSDF Y.Shimizu Sub-chairman: Mr. Yutaka Arimoto |
| 1961 April | "Cornelius Newsletter" the 1st publication | |
| 1961 August | Newsletter No.2 | |
| 1962 October | Newsletter No.3, Retreat at Hayama (25 people) | |
| 1963 | Retreat at Hayama(Pax:42), Sapporo(Pax:17) | Chairman: Takeda, Vice chairman: Yoshinari Fujita (JGSDF), Junichiro Adachi(JMSDF), Shin Kuroda (JASDF) |
| 1964 March | No.4 Newsletter, Retreat at Oiso (Pax:18) | Chairman: Takeda, Vice chairman: Yoshinari Fujita(JGSDF), Minoru Yasunaga(JMSDF), Shin Kuroda (JASDF) |
| 1964 July | No.5 Newsletter | |
| 1965 June | No.6 Newsletter then suspended, Retreat at Hayama(Pax15) | |
| 1967 July | The OCU World convention (Korea) | Mr. & Mrs. Takeda attended |
| 1968 June | The OCU World convention (England) | Mr.Sasaki and Mr.Takeda attended |
| 1970 September | "Cornelius Group/News Letter No.1" the publication
(Dr. Imai Kenji editor in chief) Retreat at Hayama(Pax21) | |
| 1971 May | The OCU World convention (West Germany) Retreat at Hashirimizusou(Pax19) | Mr. Toshioka passed away |
| 1972 | Retreat at Mellon(Pax11) | |
| 1976 July | The OCU World convention (U.S.A.) Retreat at Sannno Hotel(Pax:31) | Japanese representative attended(Pax7) |
| 1979 | Retreat at Sannno Hotel(Pax:18) | |
| 1980 | The OCU World convention (England) | President: Mr.Takeda, Dr.Kenji Imai |
| 1981 | The AMCF Asia convention (Singapore) | President: Dr.Kenji Imai |
| 1983 | The AMCF Asia convention (Taiwan) | |
| 1984 | The AMCF World convention (Seoul) | |
| 1986 | The AMCF East Asia convention (Japan) | No change |
| 1992 | The AMCF World convention (Taiwan) | President: Major General Minoru Yatabe; Vice President: Professor Dr. Nobutaka Ishikawa |
| 1994 | The AMCF World convention (U.S.A.) | President: MGen. Minoru Yatabe Vice President Lieutenant Colonel Gantaro |
| 1995 | The AMCF Asia convention (Japan) | No change |
| 1996 June | Homepage opened | No change |
| 1997 | The AMCF Aisa Pacific convention (Seoul) | Actually World Convention |
| 1998 | President: Mr.Gantaro Vice President: Professor Dr. Nobutaka Ishikawa | |
| 1999 | Cornelius Group ( the 40th Anniversary, Aisa Pacific convention (Taiwan) | No change |
| 2000 | President: Professor Dr. Nobutaka Ishikawa Vice President: Warrant Officer Samuel Nakano | |
| 2001 | No change | |
| 2002 | The AMCF Asia convention (Japan) | No change |
| 2004 September | The AMCF World convention (Seoul) | No change |
| 2005 | Interaction East Asia in Tokyo | President: Colonel (ret) Muneo Imaichi Vice President: WO Samuel Nakano |
| 2007 | AMCF East Asia (Taiwan) | President: Colonel (ret) Muneo Imaichi Vice President: LTG Tadaomi Ito & WO Samuel Nakano |
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