Japanese Church of Christ records, 1951-2004

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Japanese Church of Christ (Salt Lake City, Utah)
Title
Japanese Church of Christ records
Dates
1951-2004 (inclusive)
Quantity
1 linear feet, (2 boxes)
Collection Number
ACCN 2182
Summary
The Japanese Church of Christ records (1951-2004, 2024) contains church newsletters that were sent out from the 1960s and 1999-2004. Also included are some service programs and a letter written to the congregation from Rev. George Hanabusa and other general materials.
Repository
University of Utah Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections, J. Willard Marriott Library
University of Utah
295 South 1500 East
Salt Lake City, UT
84112-0860

Telephone: 8015818863
special@library.utah.edu
Access Restrictions

Twenty-four hour advanced notice encouraged. Materials must be used on-site. Access to parts of this collection may be restricted under provisions of state or federal law.

Languages
English, Japanese

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The Japanese Church of Christ records contains church newsletters that were sent out from the 1960s and 1999-2004; service programs; correspondence including a letter written to the congregation from Rev. George Hanabusa; annual reports; annual festivals; and other administrative materials..

Historical NoteReturn to Top

The Japanese Church of Christ is a historic church at 268 W. 100 South in Salt Lake City, Utah. The church building was constructed in 1924 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. From 1953 to 1967, the church housed two separate branches for Issei and Nisei. As of 2012 the congregation is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

In Salt Lake City the Japanese Christian Church was established in October, 1918, through the cooperative efforts of the Japanese Presbyterian and Congregational Churches of the Pacific Coast. Reverend M. Kobayashi was sent by the board on October 3 to make preparations for the establishment of the church, and Reverend H. Toyatorae, the first minister of the church, arrived on October 5. Officers were elected and evangelizing work was encouraged to recruit Japanese Christians to join the newly established church. The preaching field included not only the State of Utah but also most parts of Idaho, Nevada, Wyoming, and a small part of Colorado. To assist the minister in the evangelical work the Ladies Society and the Christian Endeavor Society were organized. Both a Sunday School and a Bible Class were formed, though on a small scale. In 1924, at a cost of $30,000, the present church building was constructed. Of the $30,000, $20,000 came in contributions from local Japanese and American citizens, $5,000 came from the Presbyterian Board, and $5,000 from the American Missionary Association. In 1953 the church was separated into Nisei (first generation Japanese) and Issei (second generation Japanese) branches and they functioned as two separate groups until a merger in June 1967.

(Biographical sketch is from the Japanese Church of Christ wikipedia page [accessed 2024 September 24 from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_Church_of_Christ] Utah State Historical Society Historic Preservation Research Office Structure/Site Information Form [accessed 2024 September 24 from https://npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/GetAsset/NRHP/82004144_text])

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

The library does not claim to control copyright for all materials in the collection. An individual depicted in a reproduction has privacy rights as outlined in Title 45 CFR, part 46 (Protection of Human Subjects). For further information, please review the J. Willard Marriott Library's Use Agreement and Reproduction Request forms.

Preferred Citation

Collection Name, Collection Number, Box Number, Folder Number. Special Collections, J. Willard Marriott Library, The University of Utah.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Acquisition Information

Gift of Lorraine Crouse in 2005.

Donated by Grace Tasaka via Joy Hashimoto and Japanese Church of Christ in 2012.

Processing Note

Processed by Cheryl Nielson in 2005.

Addendum processed by Halle Fiderlick in 2015.

Addendum Betsey Welland in 2019 and 2024.

Related Materials

Forms part of the Mitsugi M. Kasai Memorial Japanese American Archives.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

I:  Published and administrative materialsReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
1 1-5
Newsletter
1999-2004
1 6
Bulletins and letters
2002-2004
2 1
Correspondence
This folder contains three letters dated 1963 August 27; 1965 November 26; and 1966 September.
1963-1966
2 2
Handwritten notes
This folder contains administrative and sermon notes.
1962-1967
2 3
Worship schedules
1962-1967
2 4
ICC Cabinet documents
1963-1967
2 5
Worship service programs
1962-1967
2 6
Annual Asian Festival pamphlets
Includes pamphlets from the 14th to 18th annual festivals.
1962-1967
2 7
Intermountain Christian Conference materials
1962-1966
2 8
Annual reports
1964-1966
2 9
The Herald newsletter
This folder contains newsletters dated 1963 April 01; 1963 August 06; 1963 August 19; 1964 February 24; 1964 March 09; 1964 March 16; and 1964 October 05.
1963-1964
2 10
Jems Journal missionary newsletters
1962-1964
2 11
General Materials
This folder contains a program for the Asian Festival (1951); Salt Lake Buddhist Temple 75th anniversary program (1987); newsletters from September 20 and October 31, 1968 [in Japanese]; photocopied images of people and buildings; and news clippings(1968, 1971, 1978, undated). Also included is a flyer celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Japanese Church of Christ and Japanese American soldiers of WWII (2024).
1951-1990s; 2024

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Asian American Christians--Utah--Salt Lake City--Archives
  • Asian American churches--Utah--Salt Lake City--Archives
  • Japanese American clergy--Utah--Salt Lake City--Correspondence
  • Japanese Americans
  • Japanese Americans--Utah--Salt Lake City--Archives

Personal Names

  • Hanabusa, George, Rev.--Author

Corporate Names

  • Japanese Church of Christ (Salt Lake City, Utah)--Records and correspondence

Form or Genre Terms

  • Business correspondence
  • Financial records
  • Newsletters
  • Pamphlets
  • Programs (Publications)
  • Souvenir programs