The March Monthly Service of Tenrikyo Church Headquarters was performed on the 26th in the Main Sanctuary, with Successor-Designate Daisuke Nakayama serving as chief officiant on behalf of the Shinbashira.
In the Service prayer, Rev. Nakayama first expressed gratitude to God the Parent for guiding us toward the Joyous Life by laying the path of single-hearted salvation with warm parental love. Continuing, he said, “While settling in our heart our mission as Yoboku—which is to aim for the realization of the Joyous Life throughout the world—all of us followers pledge to make further efforts to purify our minds by sweeping away the dusts of the mind each day so as to spread the teachings as widely as possible.”
The prayer was followed by the joyous performance of the Kagura Service and the Dance with Hand Movements. After the Service performance, Honbu-in Yoshihiko Yasuno took the podium to deliver the sermon.
After speaking on various topics including how our predecessors of the path followed the teachings, Rev. Yasuno emphasized that it is of primary importance to follow the path straightforwardly. He then noted that people who visit a Tenrikyo church due to illnesses or problems may look to the way followers are leading their lives for insights into how to receive blessings. “I believe that, if we followers exert our utmost sincerity to live a life of faith while wholeheartedly believing in God the Parent and the truth of the everliving Oyasama, it will certainly help people to open their hearts and thereby light up their minds,” said Rev. Yasuno.