The August Monthly Service of Church Headquarters was performed on the 26th in the Main Sanctuary with the Shinbashira presiding. The Service commenced with the Shinbashira’s reading of the Service prayer. He began by thanking God the Parent for the daily providence and went on to say, “Following the Parent’s intention of hastening world salvation, all of us Service performers as well as church head ministers and Yoboku shall help one another in a unity of mind, deepen our understanding of the Truth of Origin, promote a thorough awakening to the root of our being, convey the truth of the true Parent to all people in the world, and do our utmost to dedicate ourselves to the construction of the world in order to settle the world.” He concluded the prayer by saying: “We pray that You continue to guide us in our endeavor so that people’s mind may be swept and purified, thus allowing them to deepen the bond of universal brotherhood and have a keen awareness of the great root of life which sustains our bodies. May all, thereby, advance along the path to the Joyous Life step by step in a firm manner.”
The Kagura Service and the Dance with Hand Movements were then performed joyously while the followers sang the songs for the Service spiritedly with their singing voices resounding throughout the late summer sky.
The sermon was delivered by Honbu-in Tomiji Iwatani. He referred to the truth of “God of Origin, God in Truth” and “the Parent of salvation” by saying: “We should like to deepen our sense of gratitude for the perfect care, the Parental heart, and the blessings which God the Parent and Oyasama are providing for us. We should also like to take a more proper attitude and greater strides in our faith so that we may respond to the Parental heart.”
He then explained the Service and the Sazuke, saying: “What was taught to put all the teachings together with the utmost care is the Service, which is the path of single-hearted salvation. The truth of the Sazuke is what we receive with the prayer that we—as those who have perceived the Parental heart of God the Parent—may spread the path of purifying the mind to all people in the world, rather than keeping it only to ourselves.” “That prayer,” he went on saying, “is expressed in our dedication and effort to fulfill the mission of sprinkling the fragrance of the teachings and saving others.”
He concluded his sermon by saying: “We should be spirited and foster the advancement of our spiritual growth by strengthening and spreading the spirit of unity so that we may be enriched with the substance of true sincerity. I pray that we may walk together with firm strides along the path of faith.”