As we enter the month of November, gratitude and hope may become more evident as we reflect on our tremendous gifts in life and as we look forward to a future with hope and confidence.  Years ago, the Women’s Council and the Missionary Committee of First Parish Church shared these same goals as they studied different countries in the world and eventually made a commitment to sponsoring a missionary in Japan.  This month’s article and our sanctuary display for November and December is focused on Robert Grant and his second wife, Kyoko, who were educational missionaries supported monetarily by First Parish Church.  Mr. Grant sent several letters to our missionary committee and to Rev. John Wild, our pastor from 1967 to 1984.  As usual, I have also provided photos of church bulletins from both 50 and 100 years ago that include church and secular interesting information.  

Born in 1911, Robert H. Grant, grew up in Kittery, Maine, was a 1932 graduate of Bowdoin College, and taught high school in Gardiner, Maine, and in Laconia, NH. He also earned a master’s degree from Columbia University, studied at Union Theological Seminary, the University of California and the University of New Hampshire (UNH) where he taught in the Literature Department.  As a conscientious objector during World War II,  “Doing good was his theology in those days, and he came to Japan to do good.”  In 1947 (two years after the end of WWII) under the United Church Board for World Ministries, he began a long career as an educational missionary who taught American and English literature at the Doshisha University in Kyoto, Japan. and was also a host and mission interpreter to countless visitors in the old imperial capital of Kyoto.  The United Church Board for World Ministries was the overseas mission and service arm of the two-million member United Church of Christ.  During his life, he also authored three English language textbooks for Japanese students, one for college level students and two for high school students.

On December 14, 1952, 20 years after his graduation from Bowdoin College and five years after beginning his educational missionary work in Japan, Mr. Grant was a guest speaker at Bowdoin and First Parish Church.  This information about him and his first wife and family was part of that week’s church bulletin.

In reading Mr. Grant’s letters, he provided some insights into Japan after WWII.  A 1967 letter noted, “With Protestant Christianity now 100 years old in Japan, the United Church in Japan, the largest Protestant body, made up of seven of our historic denominations, is embarking on an intensified program of church renewals with the key words “self-reliance”, consolidation:, and “advance.”  The effect is already felt in local congregations, and we may be on the edge of something big in the Protestant community in Japan.  Our greatest block is still the separation of Christian expression from Japanese culture, which erroneously gives the Japanese an either-or choice of being Christian or Japanese.”  By 1969, Japanese Christians were about ½ of 1% of the population, so his first connections to Japanese people were through his English teaching at Doshisha University.

After losing his first wife in 1967,  he married Kyoko Akiyama, a former student and graduate of Doshisha University who earned her master’s degree at Lancaster Theological Seminary.  According to a letter written by Mr. Grant, she combined her interest in flower arrangements with her interest in Christianity. “Most Japanese churches, coming out of the late 19th century Protestant tradition are bare and plain, but a few have progressed as far as having altars and usually there are flowers on the altars.  But the sophisticated Japanese Christian – Japanese Christians — think it almost blasphemous this Japanese art of flower arrangements in churches and they stick a handful of flowers in a vase and plunk the vase on the altar.  

Mrs. Grant wanted to help evolve a Christian symbolism for this Japanese art of flower arrangement so that the churches can express Christian ideas in the flowers on the altar – and so that they will be willing to try. And, so, she still has her class of women from the theological school, who meet here once a week, trying to work out together (and with the help of one or two other flower arrangement “masters” – one in Tokyo, one in Fukuoka – a Christian symbolism and an encouragement to use flower arrangement with a Christian symbolism on the altars of their churches.”  He also added, “The progress of peace negotiations with Hanoi has taken a lot of the heat off us Americans here in the Orient.  It really was getting uncomfortably hot out here.”

This photo is of Kyoto Grant and some of the Japanese women, perhaps those in her theology class. No date or explanation accompanied the photo. 

In October 1971, Mr. Grant spent a week in Brunswick  as a guest of First Parish Church speaking to several church and community groups including the Rotary Club.  His visit was well received and people had many opportunities to spend time with him during that week.  Because of his faithful devotion to the Japanese students who he taught and the friendships that he developed with several church members, it was especially sad to learn that Mr. Grant died in his Japanese garden on September 16, 1974. A memorial service was held at the Mauritaimachi Church in Kyoto.

Next month you will have the chance to read a few of Mr. and Mrs. Grant’s informative letters about his personal and professional life in Japan and will also learn about the new life that Kyoko created for herself including a couple of visits here in Brunswick.

Church Bulletin from November 2, 1924:

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Church Bulletin from November 10, 1974:

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Blessings for many days of gratitude and hope.