The 17th Europe Yoboku Meeting was held at Tenrikyo Europe Center in Antony, France, on July 14. Ninety people from six European countries and the Congo participated in this meeting.
On that day, the service was performed in the morning, which was followed by a lecture delivered by Honbu-in Yoshitaro Ueda. He first presented Tenrikyo’s view of the family focusing on the relationships between husband and wife as well as parents and children. Then he referred to the problems of family which have become social problems in Japan and Europe. He explained how we, as Tenrikyo followers, should apprehend and explain the problems such as discord or violence between husband and wife and child abuse in terms of the teachings.
Following the lecture, the participants broke into four groups (two Japanese, one English, and one French) and discussed the problems presented in the lecture and exchanged opinions with one another.
The following day, the 5th Europe Seminar commenced at the center. This year, seven people including two auditors participated in this seminar, held between July 15 and 21. The aim of this seminar, which started in 1997, was to provide followers in Europe with an opportunity to learn about the teachings systematically in their own languages as well as to experience church life through staying at the center.
Lectures on The Doctrine of Tenrikyo; The Life of Oyasama, Foundress of Tenrikyo; and Mikagura-uta were given in English and French in separate rooms while practice sessions of the dance and musical instruments for the service and hinokishin were held together. This seminar marks the third stage of the center’s program that is intended for deepening the understanding of the teachings. The first and second stages are the Joyous Life Lecture and One Day Seminar respectively.