timetable for TMCC: looking back (date of major items underlined)

Previous years: Pastor Jerry Ehrhardt had a vision and dream for planting another church in Tokyo, initiated by the English Department of MCC. The English Council shared this vision.

November 2007: Dale and Ann Little began their interim pastoral ministry at MCC English Department with the understanding that they would begin to develop a church planting strategy.

November 2007 - December 2009: The idea of starting a new church in Tokyo was often discussed by the English Council. It was viewed as a future ministry to begin after a full time pastor was called to MCC English Department.

November 2008: Dale presented to the English Department congregation the broad outlines of a church planting idea, called Kinshicho Chapel Center (KCC).

February 2010: Howard and Marilynn Plucar began their pastoral ministry at MCC English Department. They enthusiastically agreed to encourage the MCC English Council's church planting vision, giving Dale and Ann the freedom to run with it.

March 2010: Dale was formally encouraged by the English Council to refine a church planting proposal. The result was this TMCC project.

May 2, 2010: The MCC English Department Council presented this church planting proposal to the MCC English Department congregation ("Church Planting: Exploring Options" forum).

May 16, 2010: Dale presented the church planting proposal in Japanese to MCC Japanese Department deacon board.

June 6, 2010: MCC English Department congregation unanimoulsy voted to become the primary partner church of TMCC, directing its board to structure ways of encouraging TMCC.

June 6, 2010: The MCC English Department board (English Council) formed a Church Planting Committee to act as the link between MCC and TMCC, and to continue developing TMCC strategy.

August 1, 2010: The Church Planting Planning Committee held its first meeting at MCC.

Aug/2010 - Dec/2011: The Littles recruit partners while on home assignment in North America, including visiting potential partner churches that are not a part of their current support team of 24 churches.

September 28, 2010: The EFCCM set up a special financial project for donations to TMCC, called "TMCC Partnership."

November 25, 2010: First prayer walk in the target area, led by the English Department of MCC.

February 6, 2011: Dale and Ann visit MCC English Department in order to reaffirm the project and set in place further details for launching the project.

February 10, 2011: Second prayer walk in the target area, led by Dale and Ann, along with the English Department of MCC.

March 17, 2011: In light of the 3/11 earthquake and tsunamis, the decision was made to postpone the launch date of TMCC until the fall of 2012. During the interim, the Littles will lead the relief ministry of the EFCCM.

July 8, 2011: Dale and Ann did a vision walk in target area with potential US partner church pastor.

October 24, 2011: For financial reasons, the Littles postpone their return to Japan for tsunami recovery ministry to Jan/2012. Their tsunami ministry will now run Jan - Dec/2012. This means startup date for TMCC will be early 2013.

January 12, 2012: Prayer walk in TMCC target area (Kinshicho station), led by Dale and Ann.