The Significance of the 130th Anniversary

Tenrikyo Pearl Church January Grand Service – Sermon 2015

Happy New Year!  I would like to thank all of you for taking the time to attend the January Grand Service here at Tenrikyo Pearl Church and thank you for your kind and sincere offerings.  I am sure God the Parent and Oyasama is really happy to see you all here today and to have performed the service with joy and in high spirits!

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE 130TH ANNIVERSARY

On lunar calendar date of January 26, 1887, Oyasama, Miki Nakayama, withdrew from physical life to hasten people’s spiritual growth and their implementation of the Service, which She had been urging. Since then, true to Her words “I shall save the world from now,” She has been taking the lead at the forefront of world salvation while continuing to guide us by virtue of Her eternal life.

Continue reading The Significance of the 130th Anniversary

Spring Grand Service 2014

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.

Tenrikyo Pearl Church January Grand Service Sermon 2013

Good morning. I would like to thank all of you for taking the time to attend the January Grand Service here at Tenrikyo Pearl Church and thank you for your kind and sincere offerings. I am sure God the Parent and Oyasama is really happy to see you all here today and to have performed the service with joy and in high spirits!

Significance of Oyasama’s 130th Anniversary

Near the end of Her physical life, Oyasama urged the followers to perform the service despite the strict enforcement by the police not to performed it. After much discussion, the first Shinbashira, Shinnosuke, said to the followers, “Only those should perform who are willing to risk their lives no matter what measures the police use to stop the Service.” The service was finally performed on January 26, 1887. Oyasama withdrew from physical life at the same time the Service had ended, at about two o’clock in the afternoon, as if asleep. She was in Her ninetieth year.

It was totally unexpected. Since she taught that the natural term of human life is 115 years, everyone thought that she would surely live to be 115 years old. After the passing of Her physical self, She spoke through Rev. Izo Iburi on the second floor of a storehouse:

“Sah, sah, I shall level the ground. Has everyone assembled, has everyone assembled? Listen and understand well. All that I have said until now was put into a container of truth. But now God has opened the portals and stepped out. Because of my love for you, My children, the Parent shortened Her life by twenty-five years to step out and save the world from now. Observe well what the path has been and what the path will become. …”

To commemorate this day we conduct the January Grand Service. We cannot see her physically but we believe that Oyasama is “ever-living” working day and night for world salvation. In the Osashizu, we read:

“Sah, sah, I am still living here. I have not gone anywhere. You must look at the path of daily life and ponder.” Osashizu, March 17, 1890

Oyasama, whose parental heart is dedicated solely to the salvation of all Her children, underwent every kind of difficulty and trial in high spirits to open a path of salvation for all humankind, and, in order to hasten their spiritual growth, cut short Her own physical life by twenty-five years. But the heart of Tsukihi remains alive now and forever at the Residence of Origin, providing for the growth of all humankind to spiritual maturity. Indeed, the miracles of salvation which occur daily stand as proof of the continuing life and work of Oyasama. Continue reading Tenrikyo Pearl Church January Grand Service Sermon 2013

Significance of Oyasama’s 130th Anniversary – January Grand Service Sermon

Good morning. I would like to thank all of you for taking the time to attend the January Grand Service here at Tenrikyo Pearl Church and thank you for your kind and sincere offerings. I am sure God the Parent and Oyasama is really happy to see you all here today and to have performed the service with joy and in high spirits!

Near the end of Her physical life, Oyasama urged the followers to perform the service despite the strict enforcement by the police not to performed it. After much discussion, the first Shinbashira, Shinnosuke, said to the followers, “Only those should perform who are willing to risk their lives no matter what measures the police use to stop the Service.” The service was finally performed on January 26, 1887. Oyasama withdrew from physical life at the same time the Service had ended, at about two o’clock in the afternoon, as if asleep. She was in Her ninetieth year. Continue reading Significance of Oyasama’s 130th Anniversary – January Grand Service Sermon

January Grand Service 2013 Reminder

This month will mark the start of the three years, one thousand days leading up the Oyasama’s 130th Anniversary to be observed on January 26, 2016.  So what is the significance of the 130th Anniversary?  Why do we have to make decisive efforts during this three years, one thousand days leading up to this Anniversary?  Answers to this and more as we perform the service for universal salvation on:

Sunday, January 13, 2013
10:00 a.m.
Tenrikyo Pearl Church
1634 10th Avenue

Sincerely,
Rev. Owen Nakao

January Grand Service 2012

Happy New Year Everyone!

Taeko and I would like to express our heartfelt gratitude for your dedicated hinokishin efforts and sincere offerings in support of Pearl Church during this past year. Mahalo nui loa!

We will be conducting the January Grand Service this Sunday, January 8, 2012 at 10am. The January Grand Service is to commemorate Oyasama’s withdrawal from physical life on January 26, 1887, when she “stepped out” (of her body) to “level the ground (for world salvation).”

2011 Report

  1. Our monthly service attendance average was 20.8 in 2011, down from 24.5 in 2010.
  2. The sazuke was administered 435 times. Up 7 times from 418 times in 2010.
  3. The highlights of 2011 were: Boy’s & Girl’s Association Spring Camp in March (4 adult volunteers, no children attendees), the Hawaii Convention (11 attendees), the Children’s Pilgrimage to Jiba (6 attendees); the annual Tenrikyo Bazaar (16 volunteers) and the completion of a rain barrel system utilizing rain water for plants and car washing. Numbers are based on attendees from Pearl Church only.The Hawaii Convention held on May 28-30 at the Hilton Hawaiian Village provided opportunities for members to share their faith with followers from around the world and learn different aspects of the teachings. Members from Pearl Church held key positions in conducting and contributing to the success of the Convention.
  4. We are now in the second year of the three-year, one thousand days before the mission headquarters 60th Anniversary on May 17, 2014 and the Pearl Church 80th Anniversay in the same year (date to be set). We would like to set goals for spiritual growth in order that we may commemorate the anniversary in a manner befitting our maturity and the number of years since establishment.
  5. In looking forward to 2012 we would like to again resolve to administer the sazuke this year is at least 500 times to remain focused on our mission as yoboku (useful timber: those who are using the sazuke) in buidling the joyous life world. Please send me an email everytime you administer the sazuke so that we may record the event.
  6. Also, in addition we would like to schedule service (hand dance & narimono) practices every 4th Sunday at 10am. Please make every effort to attend as we work toward our 80th Anniversary in 2014.

Sincerely,
Rev. Owen Nakao

あけましておめでとうございます。 ことしもどうぞうよろしくおねがいいたします!
パール教会1月大祭
1月8日
午前10時から午後1時まで
住所:1634 10th Avenue
Tel: 734-1449

パール会長より