The Autumn Grand Service, which commemorates the Teaching’s day of origin, for the 188th year of the Teaching was performed in the Main Sanctuary on October 26 with Successor-Designate Daisuke Nakayama serving as chief officiant. On the day of the Service, shortly before 8:00 a.m.—the hour at which Oyasama was settled as the Shrine of Tsukihi in 1838—Rev. Daisuke Nakayama left the Staff Quarters with other Service performers for the Foundress’ Sanctuary and the Memorial Hall to pay their respects before proceeding to the upper dais in the Main Sanctuary.
In the Service prayer, Rev. Nakayama first expressed gratitude to God the Parent for becoming openly revealed in this world through Oyasama as the Shrine, for revealing the truth of all things, and for teaching the path of world salvation. He also expressed his appreciation for how the path has gradually developed over a long span of time since then with God the Parent’s unchanging parental love, as well as how the blessings have brought about today’s flourishing of the path. He then said: “We Service performers as well as church head ministers and other Yoboku will take this opportunity today to return our thoughts to the Teaching’s day of origin and rededicate ourselves to the tasks of single-hearted salvation in accordance with the intention of God the Parent. With three months remaining before the 140th Anniversary of Oyasama, we are determined to walk ever more spiritedly, taking the Divine Model as the dependable guide for our minds. For those who are suffering from illness or other difficulties, we will perform the service and administer the Sazuke to pray for their settling and make repeated sincere efforts to provide them with care and guidance so that they may begin to walk on the path of true salvation. With this resolve, we intend to advance our spiritual growth so as to respond to the parental heart of God the Parent.”
The prayer was followed by the joyous performance of the Kagura Service and the Dance with Hand Movements. After the Service performance, the Shinbashira addressed the congregation.
After speaking about the significance of observing the Autumn Grand Service, the Shinbashira noted how Yoboku—people who have received the Sazuke—should take on the role of spreading God the Parent’s intention throughout the world by serving as Oyasama’s instruments so as to create a world intended by God the Parent. “When we completely melt into the mind of Oyasama—just as the instruments melted into the mind of God the Parent at the time of human creation—and thereby serve in our respective roles and positions in unity of mind, we can take steady steps forward toward the Joyous Life for all people throughout the world,” he said.
Noting that there are only three months left before the anniversary, the Shinbashira said: “I trust that all of you are now working tirelessly in order to achieve the goals you set for the ‘three years, one thousand days’ period. The more efforts you make, the more blessings will be shown to you. Moreover, the efforts you are making now will be the seeds for your future journey and will therefore never be wasted.”
The Shinbashira concluded his sermon by saying, “I would like to ask you all to continue to earnestly engage in your activities during the remaining months of the pre-anniversary period in the hope that you will be able to observe the anniversary with joy and satisfaction, knowing that you have exerted your utmost.”