![\"\"](\"https:\/\/online.tenrikyo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/20150417_Oyasama_Birth_Celebration_Service1.jpg\" "\\"20150417_Oyasama_Birth_Celebration_Service\\"")
<\/a>Among them was Isidro Aguilar, who brought 22 people from the Philippines to the Besseki lecture. He said: \u201cI invited people I associate with through work to participate in a pilgrimage I was organizing for the Oyasama Birth Celebration Service because I wanted them to feel close to the everliving Oyasama. After listening to the Besseki lecture, some became interested in applying to Shuyoka to learn more about the teachings. I will continue to convey the teachings of the path to as many people as possible.\u201d<\/p>\nNoriko Kainuma, who lives in Hokkaido, brought a woman in her 60s to her first Besseki lecture. This woman had undergone three operations\u2014for colorectal cancer, bile duct cancer, and lung cancer\u2014in a mere three years. Praying for the salvation of this woman, Noriko had started to perform the Twelve Songs every day at the beginning of this year. Surprisingly, 10 days before the Oyasama Birth Celebration Service, Noriko heard that the woman\u2019s tumor marker had returned to normal. \u201cWhen I came to the Foundress\u2019 Sanctuary and prayed, I couldn\u2019t stop crying with my heart filled with deep emotion. She tells me that she wants to return to Jiba again. I would like to continue to provide sincere care and guidance for her in the hope that we can work together for the salvation of others,\u201d Noriko said.<\/p>\n
Shortly after 9:30 a.m., the Shinbashira and other Service performers left the Staff Quarters. After they finished paying their respects at the Foundress\u2019 Sanctuary, the band played \u201cOyasama\u2019s Birthday Celebration Song\u201d in the Inner Courtyard.<\/p>\n
After reaching the Main Sanctuary, the Shinbashira ascended the dais to deliver the Service prayer, in which he said: \u201cOn this day, we Service performers as well as church head ministers and other Yoboku will take deeply to heart the path of the Divine Model that Oyasama demonstrated for us by living each day joyfully and spiritedly even in the midst of difficulties and hardships. We will exert our utmost sincerity by proactively living life based on the teachings and devote ourselves spiritedly to responding to Your blessings in unity of mind.\u201d<\/p>\n
After the conclusion of the Dance with Hand Movements, Honbu-in Taketo Hashimoto took the podium to deliver a sermon. He first explained Oyasama\u2019s roles as the Shrine of God and the Parent of the Divine Model. He also spoke on the truth that Oyasama\u2019s workings remain unchanged even after Her withdrawal from physical life, referring to it as an invaluable spiritual support for people following the path of single-hearted salvation.<\/p>\n He further pointed out that cultivating the mind of saving others is of vital importance in order to realize the Joyous Life World. \u201cAn accumulation of altruistic acts of saving others can help correct the orientation of the minds of people around us, thereby leading to the construction of the Joyous Life World where God and human beings live in harmonious union,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<\/a>Following the prayer, the Kagura Service and the Dance with Hand Movements were joyously performed. Blessed with early-summer-like sunny weather, worshipers joined together in singing the songs for the Service with their minds in unison. After the Kagura Service, the Shinbashira, his wife, and Successor-Designate Daisuke Nakayama proceeded to the Foundress\u2019 Sanctuary to serve a meal to Oya\u00adsama.<\/p>\n