On January 1, the New Year\u2019s Day Service for the 188th year of the Teaching was solemnly performed in the Main Sanctuary with Successor-Designate Daisuke Nakayama presiding as chief officiant.<\/p>\n
On New Year\u2019s Eve, it was windy due to a winter atmospheric pressure pattern. In the early hours of New Year\u2019s Day, worshipers, bundled up in warm clothes, walked on the wet gravel in the Sanctuary precincts and gathered in the Main Sanctuary one after another.<\/p>\n
Shortly before 5:00 a.m., Rev. Nakayama and other Service performers left the Staff Quarters and paid their respects at the Foundress\u2019 Sanctuary and the Memorial Hall. Then, Rev. Nakayama proceeded to the upper dais in the Main Sanctuary.<\/p>\n
In the Service prayer, following his New Year\u2019s greetings, Rev. Nakayama said: \u201cLast year, the second year of the \u2018three years, one thousand days\u2019 period, we spiritedly devoted ourselves to the path in the hope of actively making progress toward world salvation. We are deeply thankful for Your profound parental love and all the guidance we received from You.\u201d<\/p>\n
Continuing, he said: \u201cHaving welcomed the third year of the pre-anniversary activities, all of us Yoboku are determined, with a fresh mind, to fulfill our role as Your instruments by dedicating ourselves to the work of single-hearted salvation as well as thoroughly maintaining single-heartedness with You. I ask You, God the Parent, to continue to guide us through this year so that we may spiritedly walk the path to build the Joyous Life, even if it takes endless generations.\u201d<\/p>\n
The prayer was followed by a joyous performance of the first Service of the year, comprising the Kagura Service and the Dance with Hand Movements.<\/p>\n
The temperature dropped even further as sunrise approached. The worshipers joined in singing the Mikagura-uta, the Songs for the Service, in high spirits.<\/p>\n
After the Service, Rev. Nakayama proceeded to the Foundress\u2019 Sanctuary and read his prayer before Oyasama. He first offered his New Year\u2019s greetings, saying, \u201cHappy New Year, Oyasama.\u201d Then, he continued: \u201cAs we started the third year of the \u2018three years, one thousand days\u2019 period, all of us intend to reflect anew on the progress we have made so far and deepen the awareness and joy of being used as Your instruments. To respond to Your profound parental love, we are committed to carrying out our tasks to the fullest in the final year by dedicating our sincerity to single-hearted salvation.\u201d<\/p>\n
Around the time when the prayer at the Foundress\u2019 Sanctuary finished, the sun rose over the mountains to the east bringing the New Year\u2019s sunlight to the Sanctuary precincts.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
On January 1, the New Year\u2019s Day Service for the 188th year of the Teaching was solemnly performed in the Main Sanctuary with Successor-Designate Daisuke Nakayama presiding as chief officiant. On New Year\u2019s Eve, it was windy due to a winter atmospheric pressure pattern. In the early hours of New\u2026<\/p>\n