During the “three years, one thousand days” period leading up to the 140th Anniversary of Oyasama, the “Action Day for All Yoboku” is designed for followers residing in the same region to encourage and inspire one another to boost the momentum of activities at the levels of churches and individuals. The fifth and final session was held on both November 1 and 2 at a total of 702 venues, including overseas locations.
This concluded the series of five sessions of the Action Day for All Yoboku, which had been carried out under the management of dioceses and districts since October in 2023.
After performing the service, the followers at each venue read Instruction Four aloud together. Afterward, they watched a video message from Church Headquarters. In the message, Director-in-Chief of Religious Affairs Yoichiro Miyamori said that, since Instruction Four was announced three years ago, each church and each Yoboku has endeavored with a shared resolve to set personal goals for spiritual growth and to devote themselves to the “three years, one thousand days” period.
He then pointed out that we are now in the final stage of the activities leading up to the 140th Anniversary of Oyasama. He said: “Needless to say, the ‘path of Oyasama’s Divine Model’ is the very ‘path of single-hearted salvation.’ The teachings that Oyasama conveyed through words, writing, and Her own example were all given out of the parental desire to save Her children, all human beings. Therefore, nurturing the mind to help save others is what it means to follow the path of Oyasama’s Divine Model.”
He then pointed out: “It is at Jiba that we are to be saved. We bring others to Jiba so that they may be saved as well.” He explained: “Jiba is the very place where God the Parent resides and where the Service for universal salvation is performed. Jiba is the source of salvation. At Jiba, right by the everliving Oyasama’s side, we are to be saved.” He went on to say that by returning to Jiba, we can receive the Amulet and the Grant of Safe Childbirth, and that by attending the Besseki lectures we may receive the truth of the Sazuke and become Yoboku.
He also quoted a verse from the Mikagura-uta and emphasized that every seed sown at Jiba will surely sprout and that none of the seeds will ever be wasted. He said that now is the very time to go and sow seeds of sincerity at Jiba and to spread the fragrance of the teachings to those around us.
In closing, Rev. Miyamori called out to the listeners, saying: “In the remaining time until the anniversary of Oyasama, let us strive to the very end to fulfill our personal resolutions. And, building on the spiritual growth we will have each achieved, let us continue, after the anniversary as well, to devote ourselves to ensuring that the faith will spread as it should and be handed down straightforwardly from one generation to the next.”
After this, each venue conducted its own program, and followers who had met one another at local events such as the Tenrikyo Hinokishin Day and the Nioigake Day took part in the activities with smiles. The followers in each region encouraged and inspired one another and pledged to devote themselves wholeheartedly to completing what they had set out to do in the remaining period leading up to the anniversary of Oyasama.