Seminar / Lecture
Report on Rethinking Society through Dialogue Vol.2 “How Churches Can Explore Ways to Support Single-Parent Families”
On Tuesday, August 26, 2025, Wesley Zaidan hosted “Rethinking Society through Dialogue Vol. 2,” welcoming Ms. Mayumi Nishida, Co-Representative Director of Heartful Family.
The theme of this event was “How Churches Can Explore Ways to Support Single-Parent Families.”
Date: Tuesday, August 26, 2025, 15:00–17:30
Location: 101 Wesley Center, 1st floor/Online
Participants: 18 (including speakers, board members, and staff)
Speakers:
Ms. Mayumi Nishida (Co-Representative Director, Heartful Family)
Rev. Taizo Jinnouchi (Tobi Church, UCCJ)
Rev. Yasuhiro Tateno (Hiroshima Lutheran Church, JELC)
Background
This event was connected to Rethinking Society through Dialogue Vol. 1, held on June 7, 2025, which featured the screening of the documentary “THE ONES LEFT BEHIND: The Plight of Single Mothers in Japan” and a talk session with the director.
The film highlighted how Buddhist temples serve as community hubs supporting single-parent families. Through dialogue with Ms. Nishida, who appeared in the film and also joined the event in person, it became clear that expanding networks to support single-parent families requires collaboration with Christian churches as well.
In response, Wesley Zaidan organized this event as a concrete opportunity to explore how churches can be engaged in such networks.
Heartful Family’s Work
Ms. Nishida introduced the wide-ranging activities of Heartful Family, which marked its 10th anniversary this year. The organization’s vision is to create a society where “the ability to keep moving forward” circulates.
Support should not only alleviate hardship but also empower individuals to take on new challenges, which in turn can transform society. This aligns closely with Wesley Zaidan’s vision: “Be Empowered for Transformation.”
She emphasized that while single-parent families often face many difficulties, they should not be regarded as “pitiful,” but rather as key agents of social change. For this reason, it is crucial to establish systems of support that empower them.
Heartful Family’s initiatives aim to transform the perspectives of both those who provide support and those who receive it. In particular, she highlighted the importance of shifting from being “the supported” to becoming “the supporters.” Providing opportunities to take on challenges is essential for true empowerment and independence.
Ms. Nishida also introduced several current projects:
555-Day Challenge – A commitment to increasing income.
High Five Christmas – A project since 2017 that brings encouragement and joy to children during the holiday season.
Machi HUB Project – Building mutual support networks in local communities in collaboration with temples and churches.
Machi Hub Project
The Machi Hub Project, launched in 2017, makes use of temples and churches—places that will never “disappear from the map”—as bases to support single-parent families.
Examples include:
Hosting events such as picture book readings, parent-child learning programs, and Mother’s Day gatherings.
Community pantry activities, where donated goods are shared locally.
Accepting donations of goods when needed.
Installing used book collection boxes.
The goal is to expand to 500 Machi HUBs nationwide, creating places where local people can gather, support each other, and feel welcomed.
During the event, videos showed how Tobi Church participates in the HUB Project, offering a unique environment filled with music and instruments, which provides children with safe and joyful experiences.
Heartful Family also places strong emphasis on the economic independence of parents, offering practical ways to build earning capacity and move forward in life. The Machi HUB Project is one of these key initiatives.
Ms. Nishida shared that during the year-end and New Year season, when the streets are bright and festive, single-parent families often experience a particularly difficult time. This message resonated deeply with everyone present.
For churches, Christmas is an important celebration of the birth of Christ, but at the same time, it is essential for Christian communities to recognize that many families feel hardship during this season.
Case Studies from Churches
Following Ms. Nishida’s lecture, case studies were presented by churches engaged in the HUB Project.
Tobi Church (UCCJ) in Musashino City, Tokyo: Rev. Jinnouchi shared how the church took its first steps to get involved, and how the work has since grown to include cooperation with the local government.
Hiroshima Lutheran Church (JELC): Joining online, Rev. Tateno described how their church integrated the HUB Project with their existing Children’s Cafeteria program. While the church’s nursery school was well-known locally, the church itself was less recognized. Through the HUB initiative, the church found new ways to open itself to the community, while also reflecting on the gap between what the church thinks it offers and what the community actually needs.
Ms. Nishida emphasized that the greatest challenges for single parents are balancing time and childcare, and that connecting with people nearby is crucial. Temples and churches, she noted, are valuable spaces where single-parent families can feel relief and belonging.
For more details on how to participate in the Machi HUB Project, please see the following link: (Japanese Only)
The event brought together participants from various churches and provided an opportunity to reflect on how churches can engage in supporting single-parent families. Wesley Zaidan will continue this series in the future.
Documentary: “THE ONES LEFT BEHIND: The Plight of Single Mothers in Japan” (Available on Amazon Prime Video Japan)