Before God the Parent, Tenri-O-no-Mikoto, I, Owen Osamu Nakao, Pastor of Tenrikyo Pearl Church, wish to humbly express the following prayer:
On January 26, 1887, while the first followers of the path fulfilled Your request for the Service to be performed by all means, our beloved Oyasama opened the portals and hid Her physical form, to work forever, in spirit, for the salvation of all humankind.
In commemoration of this event, today is set aside for the performance of the January Grand Service. We, yoboku and members of this church, have assembled before You, to perform the service in high spirits and in unison with the harmonious sounds of the musical instruments. We pray, that as You look upon us, our joy may be truly shared with You.
As we look forward to this New Year, we remember and give thanks for your deep parental love through the blessings of miraculous healings, and the many people who have attended the various church activities during this past year. With the pastor of this church serving as chairman of the Boys and Girls Association Hawaii chapter, activities were successfully held without serious accidents.
Last year,
- an average of twenty-four persons attended the Pearl Church monthly service.
- Thirteen persons from Pearl Church participated in the Boys and Girls Association park cleanup and BBQ picnic in January;
- eight persons helped at the all Tenri Cultural Center Cleanup Hinokishin in February;
- two children and eight adults attended and helped at the annual Boys & Girls Association Spring Camp and General Meeting;
- seven persons attended the Boys and Girls Association Oyasama Birthday Activity,
- twenty-seven persons from Pearl Church participated in the All Tenrikyo Hinokishin Day at Honolulu Zoo in April,
- sixteen persons attended the annual Tenrikyo Picnic,
- 9 persons returned to Jiba this past year, including 5 participants in the Children’s Pilgrimage to Jiba,
- twenty-two persons helped at the Annual Tenrikyo Bazaar in which the pastor served as chairman, and
- fifteen persons attended the Young Men’s Association-Women’s Association-Young Women’s Club Joint General Meeting.
- An average of three persons helped with the weekly yard work on neglected sidewalks and yards of the elderly and physically challenged throughout the year, as well as at the Tenri Cultural Center.
- Also, a special tree trimming hinokishin was done at MHQ by six Pearl Church members on November 11th.
- The Sazuke was administered at least 274 times in 2013.
- The pastor of this church continued to serve as president of the Jarrett Middle School Foundation for the second year.
- The biggest accomplishment last year was the acquisition of the back property which was purchased on November 22nd with the members’ sincere efforts and unity of mind. We give thanks for all these wonderful blessings.
This month we will start the second of the three years, one thousand days leading up to Oyasama’s 130th Anniversary since Oyasama hid her physical self. The Shinbashira has issued Instruction Three in the hope that we yoboku and followers will make decisive efforts to grow spiritually and conduct our activities with a unity of mind.
Also in this 177th Year of Tenrikyo, we will be celebrating the Hawaii Mission Headquarters 60th Anniversary on May 17th and in September, Pearl Church‘s 80th Anniversary. In order that we may observe these anniversaries with unity of mind and spiritual growth, we resolve to engage in nioigake and salvation work to plant seeds of sincerity during this seasonable time towards Oyasama’s 130th Anniversary.
Please accept our sincerity as we strive to become single-hearted in our efforts of salvation work. We shall spread the fragrance of the Path even further, so that the minds of all in the world may become awakened to the Truth that You teach. We pray that our actions throughout this New Year will bring us yet closer, to the goal of the Joyous Life.
In union with the congregation, I humbly pray, may it be so.