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ICU Founder's Day Commemorative Service

Update: June 17, 2022

A service to commemorate ICU's founding was held at the University Chapel on June 16 (Wed.).

The service is held every year in remembrance of the day when the university was officially established at a meeting of the organizing council of Japanese and North American Christian leaders who gathered at YMCA Tozan-so in Gotemba, Shizuoka Prefecture, on June 15, 1949. On the same day, the Board of Councilors and the Board of Trustees were inaugurated, and the founding principles as well as a fundamental education plan were laid down.
For the ceremony, we avoided a dense hall and disinfecting hands upon entry in order to prevent coronavirus infection.

At the service presided over by Rev. Shoko Kitanaka, "In Old Galilee When Sweet Breezes Blew" was played and Matthew 28:16-20 was read. President Shoichiro Iwakiri delivered a message titled "Towards a Better Tomorrow".

Message by Shoichiro Iwakiri, President

There are two words that describe the beginning of ICU: "献学 (kengaku)," which means dedicating the university to God, and "創立 (soritsu)," which means the university was founded. ICU was founded in 1949. 73 years ago, from June 13 to 16, 1949, a conference was held at Gotemba YMCA Camp to establish ICU. On June 15, the founding principles were laid down. Today's 73rd-anniversary Founders' Day service is based on this conference.

Needless to repeat, ICU was founded to foster people through education who will create peace in the world.

"International" and "University." Between the letters "I" and "U," there is "C" for "Christian." "Peace" can be translated into Japanese in several ways: "平和 (heiwa)," "和平 (wahei)," "平安 (heian)," and so on. Catholic Mass ends with the phrase, "Go in peace," and for ICU, which is based on Christianity, the word "peace" does not merely refer to peace-building in international politics.

There are disputes between nations, religions, groups, kins, and families, and sometimes two things inside us conflict, such as rationality and emotion. I believe that Lord's peace is about removing such conflict and being at peace under God.

Has there ever been a time when there was no conflict since humans appeared in this world? Maybe there are in some places, at some moments. However, it is hard to believe that there was a time when there was peace everywhere in everyone's hearts.
　
As written in Matthew 10:34, Jesus Christ did not come "to bring peace to the earth," but to bring "a sword." This is a phrase that we, or at least I, might stumble upon if we are not careful. In the meantime, later in the same gospel of Matthew, it says, "Put your sword back into its place; for all who take the sword will perish by the sword (26:52)" and warns the one who was wielding a sword. These are the words of Jesus when he is arrested, partly because of Judas' betrayal. The Bible also says, "Then all the disciples deserted him and fled. (26:56)" After this, when Peter was sitting in the courtyard, he says to other people that he did not know the man Jesus of Nazareth, and none of the disciples carried the cross together on the road to Calvary. Simon, who was there by chance was the one who was compelled to carry the cross.

I dare not imagine what thoughts Jesus had in his mind then, but I do imagine what I would do if I encountered such a situation. Would I be able to accept all human weakness and trust in the strength that knows the weakness that lies beyond it, whether being escaped or denied?

In this Founders' Day Service, I think of the time when ICU stepped towards a better future with hope, keeping in mind the regret for what we destroyed during the tragedy of war, pain for what has been lost, and compassion for what will grow into the future.

Every day is a mixture of feelings; hope and despair, joy and sadness, pain and love, and within these days, I hope the campus will move towards a better tomorrow.

All-seeing God, merciful Lord, please guide us and support us. May the truth be shown in our daily lives and let us becomes the ones who respond to your trust.

(Translated by Hannah Fukumoto)