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Osaka Biblk Seminary

CABLE: BIBIESEM, OSAKA

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QiJia.fi SIS Utt {0720)4f''934

January 26, 1981

f'lission Services Association Box 177

Kempton, Ind. ^60^9

Dear Friends in Christ,

Ray and I will be returning to the States in March because of Ray's health and we would like to thank you for sending us the Horizon Maga

zine for so long. We have carefully kept the issues and have enjoyed the coverage that you have given us, our family and other mission mem
bers, I am sure that you want to save all the unnecessrry postage there fore wanted to let you know that we will not be here. We hope to con tact you about a subscription after we arrive in the States, Please remember us in prayer as we leave a work that is near to us and the people whom we have come to love. May God continue to bless you in the important work that you are doing there,
-I r'f.:

I^His service,
Ray^ Mattie

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R4Y AND MATTIE MINGS

Ray and Mattie Mings went to Japan in 1951 to work with the Osaka Christian Mission, a work started by Brother M.B.Madden. Ray began teaching in Osaka Bible Seminary by using an interpreter and also started language study. He and Mattie, working with a Seminary student, started a Sunday School and church in Moriguchi,
a suburb of Osaka, This grew until it seemed wise for them to have their own build

ing, At the same time they assumed leadership and oversight of a work started in
Nakamiya in the edge of Hirakata City, These churches were later turned over to the leadership of Japanese pastors,

Ray, Mattie and family, using gifts from supporter in America, built a house in the edge of Hirakata city. Immediately after moving there in December 1953, they

started the Nakaburi Church of Christ, with the help of a Japanese preacher, Ray has continued to preach in these churches through the years (now soon to be thirty) to
teach Bible classes and to teach in Osaka Bible Seminary, Both he and Mattie studied

language whenever there was an opportunity between teaching sessions, Mattie worked
with women's groups, helped with Sunday School and vacation Bible schools, sometimes preparing te^^ching materials from old lessons sent from the States, The children have all grown up, matried, and are serving the Lord in various ways.

Both Donnie and Lonnie are missionaries and served in Japan until Donnie went to
Hawaii because of his son's health. He preaches at the Hauula Church of Christ and

both he and Charlotte help in the pre-school program at Kaneohe Church, Lonnie con
tinues to teach in Osaka Bible Seminary and preaches in the churches. Dale is a

missionary recruit and he with Pat and two children hope to be on the field by early

January 1981, Carol is married to Mike Cornelison, lives in Tyler Texas where they
are active in the church program. The Nakaburi Church located on the same lot as the Mings* home, continues to

grow and is independent of mission support. The people have worked to build their own church building and have been paying their own pastor. The need for expansion is evident and they have plans for enlarging the present building in the near future.
In the last two years a mother and children's program was added to the church sche dule, which has resulted in a Bible teaching program for young mothers as well as to instill in-ithe hearts of the young children the knowledge of the True God, The area around the church is building up rapidly, making for a ferile area in which to

work,^he _greatest_need is for more students to train for the ministry, Ray and Mattie^
with other members of Osaka ChrisWan Mssion are praying for at least twelve new

students for-the new term^in the Bible Seminary, If the Lord sees fi^ to send more>
there lall. be great rejoicing. They ask that you continue to pray for the work, for Lonnie and family; also for T^1ja^a.ry| famlTy, who
they leave next year.

be_-talcing--QVfly_t.hfl_ woyk

Ray Mings

Japan
Ray and Mattie, with three children, Donnie and
Lonnie, eleven, and Carol, six years old, left Amer ica in December 1950. They arrived in Japan Jan

guage. At this time with the help of others, they began a church in the Moriguchi area, a suburb of
Osaka.

uary 4, 1951 and came to Osaka the next day. Ray immediately began working in Osaka Bible Seminary while both Ray and Miittie studied lan

mB--.

They lived in a temporary building which they

erected on the property of the Osaka Christian Mis

sion for about 2 ^2 years, after which they moved to a house being constructed in Hirakata. A church
was started in this house in January 1954. On May 15, 1954, Timothy Dale was born.
Donnie, Lonnie and Carol studied at a small

school kept by the mission and managed by Lucille Sherman. After the boys graduated from the eighth grade, they began their high school studies by cor respondence. After three years of study this way, they were able to take the last year of study in Ken tucky and graduate with a class. Ray and Mattie took their first furlough in 1956-1957, returning in July of 1957 for the second term. Donnie and Lonnie studied for two years in Osaka Bible Semi nary and Caipl studied at home. When Dale was old enough to begin kindergarten, he was taught by his motlier and all through the next seven grades with the exception of the 4th grade which he took at the Taylor County grade school in Kentucky. Carol took all of her high school through corres pondence and when the family returned for the sec ond furlough in 1963, she enrolled in Cincinnati Bible Seminary. \Vlien Donnie and Lonnie were studying at Cin cinnati Bible Seminary, they met their future wives and were both married the same year. Lonnie and
Coral wei'e married October 21, 1960; Donnie and Charlotte December 10, 1960. Carol met her hus

Mr. &Mrs. Ray Mings

Ray and Mattie have lived at the Hirakata house

during the last three terms. The church, originally

started in their house, put its own building on the
back of the lot in 1970, and il is known as the

Nakaburi Church of Christ. Although no attempt has been made to keep a definite account of those won to Christ during these years, the senior Mings and the boys have won many people to Christ. It is their hope and sincere desire that their work_ will
not end with their death or the end of their term of

service. They would like to think that their efforts will still bring forth fruit long after they are gone. W. Ray Mings was born Nov. 1, 1913 in Adair County, Ky. He was graduated from high school at Campbellsville, Ky. He received training al Transylvania College in Lexington, Ky. and Butler University School of Religion in Indianapolis, Ind. Ray has been preaching since 1943 and he served in Indiana before he went to Japan. His mission work is teaching in Osaka Bible Seminary and preaching in Japan.

band at the same place and she and Dan Elliott

were married August 21, 1966. Dale studied for three or four years at Christian Academy in Tokyo
after which he returned to the Slates and entered

Bible College at Cincinnati.

Through the years, Ray has continued to leach at the Bible Seminary in Osaka, to preach at the
churches and to teach different Bible classes. He serves as a counselor and has various duties in connection with the Mission and the school. Mattie has worked with women and children as well as in the different churches and Vacation Bible School.

have four children: twins, Donnie Allen Mings and

Mrs. Mattie Roberta Mings was born Aug. 1, 1913 in Taylor County, Ky. She was also gradu ated from high school at Campbellsville, Ky. They

Lonnie Carl .Mings born March 8, 1939 in Camp bellsville, Ky.; Carol Elaine Mings (now Mrs. Dan Elliott) born May 15, 1944 in Indianapolis, Ind.,
and Timothy Dale Mings born May 15, 1954 in

Japan.

She has taken care of all correspondence for twentythree years as well as the house work, teaching the children and other things. When Donnie and I-onnie
returned to the field as missionaries, they worked in the Bible Seminary and the churches.

Their forwarding agent is Mrs. Robert P. Web

ster, P.O. Box 312, Campbellsville, KY 42718.

Their field address is: Ray and Mrs. Mattie Mings, 35-2 Suikoen, Hirakata-shi, Osaka 573, Japan.