Centennial-Japanese United Church

Worldwind: Tell us something about yourself. Did you grow up in a Christian family?
Rev. Matsugu: No. Actually, my parents were both Buddhists. But all the children went to the United Church kindergarten in Vancouver, then Sunday School. So I practically grew up in the United Church.
WW: When did you decide to become a minister of the church? How did it come about?
Rev. Matsugu: When I was in Toronto after the war, Queen Street United Church's young people invited us to one of their meetings. I happened that the Director and Secretary from Five Oaks Christian Workers' Centre came to speak about a lay training course. I went and took a psychological aptitude test there. I suppose it showed I had the qualities of being a minister. At any rate, I was asked to think about it. Finally I had to make the decision.
WW: What about you, Mrs. Matsugu? Was yours a Christian family? Mrs. Matsugu: No, it was very much like Ken's. We children all went to the church kindergarten, too. When my sister was in CGIT, she really wanted to join the church. My mother was a very religious Buddhist, and she didn't start going to church till we were in the ghost town during the war.
WW: So actually, the children brought her to church. How did both your parents feel after they had been baptized? Was it easy for them to leave Buddhist customs?
Mrs. Matsugu: I don't think they hated their old faith; they continued to use their old customs even though they were Christian.
WW: You went to the United Church Training School, didn't you?
Mrs. Matsugu: Yes, I also had classes at Emmanuel College with the theological students. It took three years to graduate with a Bachelor of Religious Education. Then Ken and I were married in 1962. These are our two children, Bruce 14, and Dee-ann 12.

The Matsugus: Bruce 14, Ken, Noby, Dee-Ann 12 (1979)
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Media articles of Centennial United Church, Toronto Japanese United Church Nisei Congregation and Toronto Japanese United Church Issei Congregation
Media Articles- page 1

A Japanese-Canadian Minister

An interview with Rev. Ken Matsugu and his family (from the United Church's Worldwind children's resource 1979)

WW: Welcome! What do you like to do?
Dee-ann: I enjoy doing gymnastics and sports.
WW: Do you sometimes go to a church other than your father's?
Bruce: Not usually, unless my father is invited to speak. Then we go as a family.
WW: Do you go to events at the Japanese Cultural Centre?
Dee-ann: Sometimes. The CGIT from our church hosted one of the stalls at their Bazaar last year. We worked there all day.
Bruce: Our young people's group went to visit Bloorview Children's Hospital, where everyone has some physical handicap. We had a dance. It was something dancing with someone in a wheelchair! We learned a lot.
WW: Mr. Matsugu, how does the Japanese Church help your own people and The United Church of Canada as a whole?
Rev. Matsugu: We stick together. The second generation feels they have the responsibility of looking after their parents, so we are looked upon as a bridge, joining our parents and our children. We are not too clear about our church's future. The fact is, the third generation is becoming very westernized; about 60% of the marriages I perform are between Japanese and other races. We don't expect them to come to a Japanese church, though we have a few families which do.
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WW: I understand that Japanese congregations across the country show great support for one another. Why is that?
Rev. Matsugu: Our generation is very close because of the war-time camp experience. Through that experience we discovered the importance of supporting each other. During the war, it was the United Church that setup high school classes and Sunday Schools and CGIT groups; after the war, we would meet in church, and we were grateful for the fellowship.
WW: I understand that soon you will be moving to British Columbia to become the minister of Steveston United Church. Will you be doing mainly English-speaking work there?
Rev. Matsugu: Yes. In fact, at Steveston only a third of the congregation is now of Japanese origin. But there are enough Japanese-speaking Issei (first generation) to need a separate service, perhaps like a house church. I'd better brush up on my Japanese!
WW: Well, best of luck! We certainly wish you and your family all the best. When this issue comes out you will already be in Steveston. See you there!

(At the time of this interview, Mr. Matsugu was the minister of the Nisei Japanese United Church in Toronto.)