August Monthly Service Performed

The August Monthly Service was conducted at Tenrikyo Church Headquarters on the 26th with the Shinbashira presiding. At 9:00 A.M., amid the elegant sounds of gagaku music, the Shinbashira and the other Service performers left the Staff Quarters to offer worship at the Foundress’ Sanctuary and the Memorial Hall before proceeding to the Main Sanctuary. In the Service prayer, the Shinbashira expressed gratitude for the blessings constantly provided by God the Parent. He then referred to the Children’s Pilgrimage to Jiba and the High School Division of the Students Training Course, as he reported to God the Parent that all the summer events had proceeded safely and successfully. He continued: “Now that the 120th Anniversary of Oyasama is just around the corner, we would like to propel our efforts to fulfill the resolutions we made for ourselves in accord with Your intention that hastens to save all humankind, so that we may receive the blessing of making progress in the cause of salvation work during the current season.” He concluded his prayer by asking for the blessings that would enable all people to “awaken to the true teachings even a day sooner, so that they would enjoy a world full of joy by sweeping away the dust of the mind, while leaning on the Parent.” The Kagura Service and the Dance with Hand Movements were then performed joyously, while the congregation filling the four worship halls, Corridor, Inner Courtyard, and surrounding precincts single-heartedly joined in singing the songs for the Service. Following the Service, Honbu-in Hiroyoshi Shimamura took the podium. He began his sermon by reviewing the significance of the day of origin of Oyasama’s anniversaries. He then said: “I wonder how many of us have actually been striving to fulfill the resolutions we made at the outset of the ‘three years, one thousand days’ season. Anyone can make resolutions so long as he or she is willing to do so. The difficulty comes, however, in upholding that resolution in everyday life.” He continued: “Although our resolutions may differ from one another, we all wish to show our spiritual growth to Oyasama, thereby bringing joy to Her. Let us finish up our pre-anniversary activities in high spirits without allowing our resolutions to be delayed through idleness or negligence.” After relating a story of miraculous salvation that allowed a 14-year-old girl to recover from fulminant hepatitis, Rev. Shimamura concluded his sermon by saying: “Because we are in the season leading up to Oyasama’s anniversary, we can receive the truth of the season that will enable us to accomplish things that we may have had difficulty carrying out in everyday life. We only have a little over four months left before the concluding year of this season comes to an end. Let all of us pledge to be thorough in accomplishing our resolutions in a unity of minds. Let us commit ourselves in the spirit of ‘by all means,’ so that we may put the finishing touches on our pre-anniversary activities.”