On April 18, the Oyasama Birth Celebration Service was conducted to commemorate the everliving Oyasama’s 228th birthday in the Main Sanctuary and the Foundress’ Sanctuary of Tenrikyo Church Headquarters with Successor-Designate Daisuke Nakayama presiding as chief officiant.
At 9:35 A.M., Rev. Daisuke Nakayama and other Service performers left the Staff Quarters. After they offered worship to Oyasama at the Foundress’ Sanctuary, the “Oyasama Birth Celebration Song” began to be played in the Inner Courtyard, filling the Sanctuary precincts with a celebratory atmosphere.
Rev. Nakayama proceeded to the upper dais in the Main Sanctuary after paying respects at the Memorial Hall. In the meantime, the Shinbashira proceeded to the Main Sanctuary from the north end of the East Corridor to join in worshiping together inside the partition bars in the South Worship Hall.
In the Service prayer, Rev. Nakayama said: “All of us Service performers as well as church head ministers and other Yoboku will take this opportunity today to return our thoughts to the Divine Model of Oyasama, who walked through the path cheerfully and spiritedly despite various challenging situations. I pledge that all of us will devote our utmost sincerity to single-hearted salvation and carry out our mission as Yoboku.”
Around the time the Dance with Hand Movements started following the Kagura Service, the Shinbashira and his wife, Harue, along with Successor-Designate Nakayama and his wife, Nobue, proceeded to the Foundress’ Sanctuary to serve a meal to the everliving Oyasama.
Followers who returned to Jiba from across Japan and overseas yearning for the everliving Oyasama joined in singing the Songs for the Service in unity of mind.
Following the Service, Honbu-in Masatoshi Masuno took the podium to deliver the sermon.
Rev. Masuno spoke about Oyasama’s Divine Model of falling into the depths of poverty, explaining that it teaches us to free our minds from greed and let go of attachments. He pointed out that while we might feel we could never imitate Her, giving up only narrows our perspective and closes the path to salvation. According to Rev. Masuno, greed and attachment stem from self-centered love, creating the eight dusts that accumulate unnoticed and disturb our inner peace. Ultimately, he emphasized that we must make a daily effort to sweep away the dusts so that God the Parent might cleanse our minds, guiding us toward the Joyous Life.
After the sermon, Successor-Designate Nakayama proceeded to the Foundress’ Sanctuary to read a prayer to Oyasama. After extending words of celebration, he said: “All of us are determined to further deepen our joy and awareness of serving as Your instruments for the sake of single-hearted salvation. We resolve to go through any circumstances in high spirits, relying on God single-heartedly, and exert our utmost sincerity in helping save others, thereby making further progress in our spiritual growth as Yoboku to live up to Your expectations.”
The “Joyous Chorus” then took place in the Inner Courtyard where the voices of the followers yearning for Oyasama resounded through the air. The event was cosponsored by the Women’s Association, the Young Men’s Association, and the Boys and Girls Association.