That back room has changed quite a bit from the living quarters it once was (for the single worker who used to live there) to what it is now.
Guests could stay there. Sunday School classes spilled over from the sanctuary. Ladies' Bible Studies began to be held there too, with women seated around tables arranged in a square. Videos could be viewed on them, as closing the door shut out the noise and activity going on in the rest of the church.
Of course, children felt be free to talk, ask questions, do active learning in the back room with the door closed since the noise wouldn't carry.
Altho' the church has a small kitchen just behind the sanctuary, that was OK when there were only a few people coming. There was no room to work after a while, and cabinets and cupboards were moved into that back room. During the week's various ministry activities, stacks of chairs end up in the unused back room. That's Jamie helping after the Sun afternoon meeting in the now catch-all room.
Of course, after church services, even with the door open, rough-and-tumble play is possible with the playpen in that back room. We just pray God would keep sending "little tumblers" like Takashi. He was a little one who grew up in Gushikawa Baptist, and is now Pastor Nishino...
But that's story for another post.
