March Monthly Service

Friday, March 10, 2006

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There is a Tenrikyo church in Argentina established a few years ago by a Korean minister. This month’s sermon will focus on trials and tribulation and how this minister overcame obstacles in his ministry.

March Monthly Service at Tenrikyo Pearl Church
Sunday, March 12, 2006, 169th Year of Tenrikyo
10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
1634 10th Avenue
Honolulu, Hawaii U.S.A.

Thought of the Week

Friday, February 24, 2006

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Last week’s thought:

So long as you remain unknowing that the body is a thing borrowed,
You can understand nothing at all.

Ofudesaki III: 137

This implies that once we fully understand that the body is not really ours, that we borrow our body from God, we can begin to understand the meaning of life. How we came to be, from where, for what purpose and what we must do… When we think about the human body, we usually mistakenly believe that it is our own property. We believe that we nourish it by eating so it’s ok. But when you really think about, it is such an incredible thing. Basically we are being marvelously “kept alive” by some complex and omnipotent force. When we go to sleep, what keeps our heart beating, our lungs breathing, etc.? Well, we can try to explain it: it’s a reflex, the cells work together to produce the reflex, etc. I’m just guessing, but whatever the scientific explanation, it will always come down to how or why. Science is always studying the human body. But the more they learn, the more questions they have, the more they need to study! It’s an amazing and complex machine! And we can expand this to the things around us, natural phenomena, the earth, the universe. How does this huge ball, called the earth spin on its axis 24/7, 365 days a year, at thousands of miles per hour without a sound? Once we realize this, then, feelings of wonder, amazement and gratitude well up inside of us. But still there is a searching: who or what is this complex and omnipotent force and for what purpose were we created and being “kept alive” by some invisible force? Now we have a basis to understanding. But until we realize this fact, we take our body for granted and we are continually “lost” in our existence, not knowing and not understanding what our real purpose in life is, where we came from, where we are going and what we must do. We have no real basis to begin to understand anything at all! When we pray to God, the first thing we must do is to give thanks! I guess that’s why they say, “Praise the Lord! Hallelujah!”

Comments welcomed.

This week’s THOUGHT OF THE WEEK

To Tsukihi (Moon-Sun or God), all of you in the world are My children.
Love for you fills Me: this is My single heart.

Ofudesaki XVII: 16

Comments welcomed.

Thought of the Week

Thursday, February 16, 2006

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Recently a person to whom I administered the Sazuke, suggested that I send out a thought for the day. This is my first attempt, but I don't think I can do it every day. So I'll try thought for the week. I thought of this verse from the Ofudesaki might be a good opening:

So long as you remain unknowing that the body is a thing borrowed,
you can understand nothing at all.

Ofudesaki III: 137

My thoughts on this verse next week.

120th Anniversary of Oyasama!

Monday, January 30, 2006

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Dear members and friends,

I would like to thank you all for your support which has made it possible for me to return to Jiba in this significant season of Oyasama’s 120th Anniversary. I departed on January 20th, attended the Tengen Spring Grand Service on January 23rd, the 120th Anniversary Service at Church Headquarters on the 26th and returned to Hawaii that night arriving yesterday morning.

Most of us who live in Hawaii and never travel will never now how cold it can be. For me, now I know what it means when they say “bitter cold.” It was very cold, but we held up and sang our hearts out to the song of the Mikagura-uta during the 120th Anniversary Service. And the people… they estimated over a hundred thousand. It was standing room only. After the sermon by the Shinbashira, our Pearl group of 5 and the Tenhoku (sister church in Hokkaido, also under Tengen) group of 7 went to a restaurant for our own reception where we were able to warm up and enjoy a hot chanko nabe lunch!

Our Pearl group of 5: Me (Pastor Owen), Yoshinobu, Elmer, Moses and who else but Deguchi-san our one-man partyman!

On January 24th, Rev. Yoshinobu and I visited the new Oyasato Yakata South Right Wing 2 where they had several exhibits and two videos. The exhibits were, Tenrikyo in sports, Tenrikyo around the world, Explanation of the basic teachings, and display of the Kagura masks that were used previously. The first video was an animated story of Oyasama and the other was a very wide screen presentation of the truth of creation (animated) and the workings of God the Parent in the natural and human world. I recommend all of your returning to Jiba this year to see this exhibit and video presentation and give yourself about 2 hrs to see the whole thing. It is open to the public on 4/17-19, 7/26-8/5, every month 25-27th, and every weekend.

That night I attended a reception for overseas followers attended by over 600 people.

On the 25th, I attended a Tenri Forum PR report meeting at the Overseas Department which Moses also attended. The meeting focused on the Hawaii Forum that was held on January 14th, Fred Hasegawa’s and Moses’ PR trip to the West Coast USA and Hawaii, and the action plan that should be implemented after the Tenri Forum. The Tenri Forum 2006 is scheduled to be held on 7/15-17 this year.

120th Anniversary Pilgrimage to Jiba is to make God the Parent and Oyasama happy by showing them how we have grown spiritually. Oyasama’s Anniversary is held only once every 10 years and each one should mark a significant step towards spiritual maturity (by making efforts to realizing and aligning ourselves ever closer to God’s intention at the time of creation). January 26th, 2006 will mark the 120th year since Oyasama hid her physical presence. She was expected to live to be 115 years old as she taught that the natural term of human life is 115 years. But due to Her desire to hasten our spiritual growth she shortened Her term of life by 25 years. This just my theory but, the early followers at that time were totally dependent on Her to make decisions and Her presence probably inhibited their spiritual growth. Her last and primary request was for us to perform the service, in spite of government persecution and possible arrest of Oyasama and participating followers at that time. In the service itself, it is taught that the service is the fundamental way to salvation. So we must realize the importance of performing the service as a way to cleanse our mind so as to receive God’s providence.

Next, all followers should reflect on their spiritual growth (see where we may have strayed off) and make sincere efforts to “walk” on the straight and true path of faith that will bring joy, peace, and salvation to this world. A big part of that spiritual maturity lies in the importance we have placed on the returning to Jiba on January 26. If is not possible on January 26th, then sometime during this year of Oyasama’s 120th Anniversary as the Shinbashira has so designated.

God is everywhere so one may question the necessity to “return” to Jiba. Jiba is the place of creation and the “home” of God the Parent. God wants all humanity to return to the home of the Parent. It is no less significant than going to your parents or grandparents home for thanksgiving and as big a difference as you being there and not being there. Your parents or grandparents truly want you to be there.

Pastor Owen

Please click here to see the photos.

120th Anniversary of Oyasama

Friday, January 13, 2006

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Happy New Year! And thank you very much for all your support. This year we look forward to commemorating Oyasama’s 120th Anniversary by returning to the birthplace of all human beings to give thanks and receive the Truth of Jiba. The “Truth of Jiba” could be different things to different people, but basically it means a self-realization that will bring meaning to your life. We have posted a list of people who have committed to return to Jiba this year. We’d like to have at least 25 people return. We have 11 so far. Please let me know if you plan to go. Thank you.

	Name	Date
1	Pastor Owen	1/20-27, 4/21-26, 7/12-30, 10/21-26
2	Yoshinobu Nakao	1/20-2/8
3	Taeko Nakao	4/11-20
4	Moses Nakao	There all year
5	Annabella Nakao	7/13-?
6	David Taylor	7/13-?
7	Lewis Nakao	7/13-8/9
8	Lucas Nakao	3/24-8/7
9	Elmer Nakao	1/26
10	Grace Higa	7/17-30
11	Marika Higa	7/17-30

Sermon: The Way to Cleanse Your Mind - Prayer