Tommy and Yumi Morse

About Us

We are Tommy and Yumi (Ikeda) Morse and we are excited to share that God has called us to serve as missionaries in Japan! Starting in July 2025, we will join the team at J Lodge cafe ministry in Hiratsuka City, Kanagawa Prefecture. We feel a clear sense that God is directing us to invest our lives long-term in sharing the gospel and making disciples in Japan. In obedience to His leading, we are stepping out in faith to begin this new chapter of ministry.

Tommy first felt God giving him a heart for Japan in 2011 after the Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami. Since then, he has been studying Japanese, serving in Japanese international student and diaspora ministry in the US, and participating in multiple short-term mission trips to the Tohoku region. In 2018, he spent a year serving at a Japanese church in Yokohama. He also worked as the Nihongo Pastoral Intern at his home church from 2019 to 2021. Through all these experiences, God has grown Tommy's love for the Japanese people and desire to share Christ's hope with them.

Yumi was born in Kagoshima, Japan and raised in a Shinto family. During college in Nagasaki, she came to faith in Christ through the witness of a Methodist church. She went on to graduate from a Methodist seminary in Yokohama and minister in Kyoto and Osaka for 4 years. Feeling called to address the issue of spiritual abuse, Yumi moved to the US and earned a Master of Arts in Pastoral Care and Counseling from Talbot School of Theology in 2019. Since then, she has worked in a mental health clinic in LA and founded the Soul Care Department at Second Level Ministry, which supports evangelism and spiritual growth for the Japanese people. Yumi desires to return to Japan to provide care and counseling to Japanese believers, Christian leaders, and missionaries.

J LODGE Ministry

J LODGE cafe, led by David and Yuka Mills, provides a welcoming space to build relationships and share the gospel with university students and the local community. They offer coffee, English practice, and Bible studies to open doors for spiritual conversations.

Tommy is passionate about people, hospitality, coffee, life-on-life ministry and making disciples. He will support both the ministry and business aspects of J LODGE, help with coffee roasting, and expand outreach to university students and locals in Hiratsuka.

Yumi will continue serving as the director of Second Level Soul Care Ministry. She will focus on providing pastoral care, counseling, and spiritual formation to minister to people's hearts and support the J LODGE team and community.

Your Partnership

We are beginning to fundraise this summer to build a team of prayer and financial partners to support our ministry in Japan. Our target is to depart for the field in July 2025. Would you prayerfully consider joining us in this mission? Your prayers and financial support will be a vital foundation for our ministry as we prepare to go to Japan long-term.

To learn more about our ministry and stay updated on our journey, please sign up for our newsletter at https://forms.gle/wtnVfmvGnnSN6LGg7 

Thank you for considering partnering with us as we seek to shine Christ's light in Japan! We are grateful for your support and encouragement.

Give online here or if you prefer to give by check, make the check out to “JEMS” and write our name on the memo line. Mail the check to P.O. Box 86047, Los Angeles, CA 90086-0047. If you have any questions please call the JEMS office at 213-613-0022 or email us (tymorse@jems.org).