The June Monthly Service of Tenrikyo Church Headquarters was performed on the 26th in the Main Sanctuary.
Serving as chief officiant on behalf of the Shinbashira, who is recuperating, Successor-Designate Daisuke Nakayama said in the Service prayer: “All of us Service performers as well as church head ministers and other Yoboku will endeavor to study the teachings and nurture the mind of saving others as part of the efforts to pass on to the next generation and others the path that Oyasama demonstrated for us. We are also determined to exert our utmost efforts to share the intention of the Parent with as many people as we can in the hope of helping them be saved.”
The prayer was followed by the joyous performance of the Kagura Service and the Dance with Hand Movements. After the Service performance, Honbu-in Masuhiko Yoshikawa took the podium to deliver the sermon.
Rev. Yoshikawa spoke at some length about the need to nurture human resources who will carry the path forward in the times ahead. He said that the important thing to always keep in mind is to talk to young people at every opportunity in the course of our daily lives and reach out to them at the right time to help them with their spiritual growth.
He then shared the story of how staff members of the High School Division of the Students Training Course once worked with a student who had a difficult childhood. Rev. Yoshikawa also pointed out that the relationship between those who nurture others and those who are nurtured is not a one-way relationship; rather, he said, if we wish to nurture others, our effort to grow spiritually ourselves is an indispensable prerequisite.
In concluding his sermon, he said: “We can all sprinkle the fragrance of the teachings and engage in salvation work by doing the best we can in our roles and positions. Let us thereby make steady forward progress, taking one step at a time.