The April 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 nurturing all of us throughout the world out of the desire to see us grow spiritually. Continuing, he said, “As all of us Service performers as well as church head ministers and other Yoboku seek to progress toward the Joyous Life World so desired by God the Parent, church head ministers are determined to take the initiative to become spirited and work in unity of mind with Yoboku connected to their churches to fulfill their mission as Oyasama’s instruments in high spirits.”
The prayer was followed by the joyous performance of the Kagura Service and the Dance with Hand Movements. After the Service performance, Honbu-in Hiroo Nagao took the podium to deliver the sermon.
Speaking about Oyasama’s falling into the depths of poverty, Rev. Nagao said that we can find in it a “boundless kindness” that has no concern for Herself or Her family. Noting how Her actions were consistent throughout the fifty years of Her Divine Model, he said, “This ‘boundless kindness’ is the essential basis for us to advance on the path of single-hearted salvation.”
Rev. Nagao moved on to talk about Shuyoka, the Spiritual Development Course, which is set to celebrate its 1,000th session this October. He said that Shuyoka places great emphasis on “enriching the classes” and “promoting the administration of the Sazuke” as well as on guiding students through discussions and homeroom sessions to help them learn how to put the teachings into practice. Noting how the environment plays a crucial role in nurturing the students until they feel thankful for the blessings of God, Rev. Nagao said that there are numerous occasions in Shuyoka where they can develop a sense of gratitude for what we might usually take for granted.
Rev. Nagao went on to say that providing care and guidance to nurture someone only succeeds when Church Headquarters and churches—whose truths are a single breath—work in unity of mind. He then encouraged the listeners to capture the season and continue to invite as many people as possible to attend Shuyoka.
Toward the end of his sermon, Rev. Nagao spoke about Tenrikyo Hinokishin Day, which was to be observed on the 29th. He concluded his sermon by saying, “Let us all spiritedly engage in hinokishin on that day with a sense of gratitude to express our appreciation for God the Parent’s complete providence in our bodies and the world around us.”