Before God the Parent, Tenri-O-no-Mikoto, I, Owen Osamu Nakao, Pastor of Tenrikyo Pearl Church, pray with reverence:
God the Parent, because of Your love for all Your children, You exhaust Your mind in every kind of way (Ofudesaki IV: 63). Out of Your parental love, You laid down the path of world salvation, teaching us the truth of human creation. We are truly grateful for Your protection, for saving us, drawing us to the Path, and allowing us to walk toward the Joyous Life.
The twenty-sixth of this month commemorates the 124th Anniversary since the day when Oyasama shortened Her physical life by twenty-five years because of Her deep parental love that wished for the spiritual growth of Her children.
As we look forward to this New Year, we remember and give thanks for your deep parental love through the blessings of miraculous healings, people returning to Jiba and the many people who have attended the various church activities. Twenty-nine persons returned to Jiba in 2009, an average of 24 persons attended the Pearl Church monthly service, twelve people (8 children, 4adults) attended or helped at the Boy’s and Girl’s Association Spring Camp, 10 persons attended the Young Men’s Association-Women’s Association-Young Women’s Club Joint
General Meeting, eight persons attended the Women’s Association Pep Rally on May 30, seven persons attended the Boy’s & Girl’s Association Oyasama Birthday Activity, another record 55 people attended the Hinokishin Day cleanup at Honolulu Zoo, 17 persons attended the annual Tenrikyo Picnic, six persons participated in the Children’s Pilgrimage including one Hinokishin Corps participant and one counselor, 20 persons helped at the Annual Tenrikyo Bazaar, four persons participated in the All Tenrikyo Nioigake Day, eight persons participated in the Boy’s and Girl’s Association Trick or Treat for Unicef activity and two junior leaders and five adult leaders participated in the Boy’s & Girl’s Association Leaders Fun Camp. 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 at the Tenri Cultural Center and tree trimming at the mission headquarters. The Sazuke was administered a total of 375 times in 2009. Moses and Chieko completed their four and half years of service to Church Headquarters with that last two years at Mission Headquarters of Hawaii. In October due to your blessing and everyone’s contributions, we were able to purchase a new taiko and surigane. We give thanks for this past year’s participation and in gratitude and resolve we look forward toward ever greater joy in this New Year.
The service performers, bearing in mind this precious day the portals were opened will express their appreciation and perform the January Grand Service at this church. We children of the Path have gathered to remember the hardships Oyasama faced and sing the Mikagura-uta. Please accept our sincere prayers.
In this 173rd Year of Tenrikyo we church members and yoboku will devote ourselves to mastering the Service as Oyasama taught us, administer the Sazuke, engage in nioigake and salvation work and return to Jiba with as many people as possible. May You, God the Parent, continue to guide us with Your warm parental heart to allow us to convey the path of the Joyous Life to the people around us.
Together with everyone present, I pray for these blessings.