The May Monthly Service was conducted on the 26th in the Main Sanctuary of Tenrikyo Church Headquarters with the Shinbashira presiding as chief officiant. The weather in the Home of the Parent was cloudy in the morning, and the temperature during the Service remained relatively cool, reaching a high of 19\u00baC (66.2\u00baF).<\/p>\n
Amid accompanying gagaku music, the Shinbashira and the other Service performers filed into the Main Sanctuary after having paid respects at the Foundress’ Sanctuary and the Memorial Hall. At the Main Sanctuary, the Shinbashira read his Service prayer aloud. He first expressed his appreciation for God’s marvelous, free and unlimited workings and then said, “Enhancing our awareness of our role in constructing the Joyous Life World, we are committed to sincerely exerting our utmost efforts for world salvation by relying solely on Your parental heart.” He also asked God the Parent for further blessings, saying: “Please show free and unlimited blessings in response to our sincerity in desiring the Joyous Life for the entire world. I also pray that, by Your blessings, the troubles of the world may be swept away even a day sooner and that all of us throughout the world may savor the path of sincerity that accords with Your mind.” The Kagura Service and the Dance with Hand Movements were then performed joyously while the followers joined in singing the songs for the Service.<\/p>\n
After the Service, Honbu-in Tadakazu Yamada took the lectern to deliver his sermon. Touching upon the identification of the Jiba, the place for the Kanrodai, he said, “It is at this precious place, the Jiba, where God the Parent, the original Parent, resides, and where the everliving Oyasama–the Shrine of Tsukihi and the Parent who demonstrated the Divine Model–has been watching over us now as ever before.” Then he said, “To spread the truth that we are all brothers and sisters and teach the parental heart of our original Parent through sprinkling the fragrance of the teachings and engaging in salvation work: this is the path of sincerity that brings the greatest joy to Oyasama and our prime duty as Yoboku.” He went on to say, “The gradual expansion of the Joyous Life World can be realized when all of us take back the truth we savored at Jiba, along with our joy and experiences, to our own countries and communities and make an effort to reenact them there.” Referring to the Shinbashira’s sermon at the 120th Anniversary of Oyasama, he called on the listeners to redouble their efforts, saying: “Let us reach out to the great many people who have yet to learn of the original Parent and invite them to join us in returning to Jiba, the Residence of the everliving Oyasama. . . . It has been 131 years since the identification of the Jiba took place. Let us heighten the joy and gratitude we feel today, and spread the precious truth of the Jiba all over the world.” He concluded his sermon by encouraging the followers to do their utmost to ensure that the number of people attending this year’s Children’s Pilgrimage to Jiba will be 100,000 more than the number of participants in last year’s pilgrimage.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The May Monthly Service was conducted on the 26th in the Main Sanctuary of Tenrikyo Church Headquarters with the Shinbashira presiding as chief officiant. The weather in the Home of the Parent was cloudy in the morning, and the temperature during the Service remained relatively cool, reaching a high of\u2026<\/p>\n