The November 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 warmly watching over us and instructing us step by step as appropriate for the occasion and season, firmly guiding us along the path of spiritual growth. Continuing, he said: “All of us Service performers as well as church head ministers and other Yoboku are determined to exert our full measure of sincerity in missionary and salvation work while uplifting and encouraging one another as Oyasama’s instruments. With only a short time remaining in the second year of the ‘three years, one thousand days’ activities, we will do our utmost for the last one month by strengthening and deepening our resolve so that we can further grow spiritually and achieve the goals we set at the beginning of this year.”
The prayer was followed by the joyous performance of the Kagura Service and the Dance with Hand Movements. After the Service performance, Honbu-in Hiromitsu Hashimoto took the podium to deliver the sermon.
Rev. Hashimoto spoke on the theme of devoting our sincerity by referring to texts including the Ofudesaki. He stressed that Oyasama’s Divine Model thoroughly teaches us how to devote our sincerity. Noting how Oyasama taught us the importance of walking the path of making repayment for the blessings as well as guided anyone who sought help toward the path of salvation without discrimination, Rev. Hashimoto said that nothing is more important than settling Oyasama’s mind firmly in our hearts.
Toward the end of his sermon, Rev. Hashimoto encouraged the listeners to continue performing sincere actions in their daily lives toward the 140th Anniversary of Oyasama, exerting layer upon layer of sincerity, so that we may bring joy to God the Parent and Oyasama and be guided toward ever more blessings of salvation.
