Moment of Silence for Newtown Victims

NewtownCTsealDear Friends,

Please join us in prayers for the 26 children who lost their lives in this terrible tragedy.

We will be conducting a special prayer service on Friday morning at 9:30am at Pearl Church. I’m sure it would be an inconvenient time for most of you to attend, so you may observe the prayer as requested by Governor Abercrombie as stated below or at your own appropriate time and place.

Prayer:
We feel sadness and sorrow for those children who passed on so suddenly at such a young age and we extend our compassion, love and understanding for their families who are going through much grief and pain. We ask God to grant us and the families, comfort, peace of mind, the strength and courage to forgive… to move on with resolve to make our respective places a better place for our children and the world. We give thanks for our family and friends and let us hold them ever more dearly in our hearts as we realize that they may be gone at any moment. And we pray and support those who have lost loved ones around the world as well.

Rev. Owen Nakao

Click on the link for a news release by Neil Abercrombie, Hawaii Governor. Continue reading Moment of Silence for Newtown Victims

Prayers and Forgiveness for the recent shooting Incident

Our hearts and prayers go out to the victims and families of the recent Connecticut shooting incident.  We are saddened and grieve that such a thing can happen and sometimes we wonder, “how can God allow this to happen?”  Humans, having been given free will, God can only look on with deep concern.  But having the “free will” to do bad, we also have the free will to do good and that is what God is looking for… that we can rise up above the evil, despair, confusion, anger and rage.  And realize that we are really all one family and that we need to help each other.  Let us resolve… to work and pray for forgiveness and peace in this world where we all help each other as one family.

Namu Tenri O no Mikoto
Rev. Owen Nakao

Prayer of Thanks and Peace

On this day of thanksgiving and time of conflict in the middle east, let us count our blessings, work and pray for world peace,

We give thanks to You, God the Parent, for the gift of life, for our borrowed bodies and for keeping us alive through Your grace and providence. Thank you for our health that we may work, enjoy and share in the bounty of our labor. Thank you for our parents who gave birth to us and who brought us up. Thank you for our family and friends who bring us joy and share in our sorrows. Thank you for our brothers and sisters in uniform, the police, fire, paramedics and military, who put their lives on the line, those who are still with us and those who are not, who have made the ultimate sacrifice, to protect us and enable us to enjoy the freedoms we have today.

Thank you for this country, the United States of America, that enjoys freedom, justice and prosperity. May it serve as a leader of nations to bring peace to the world.

We pray that our efforts in our charity and mission will bring joy to You and peace in this world.

Namu Tenri O no Mikoto!

Monthly Service Prayer December 2011

Before God the Parent, Tenri-O-no-Mikoto, I, Owen Osamu Nakao, Pastor of Tenrikyo Pearl Church, pray with reverence:

God the Parent, we are grateful for Your constant protection and gradual instruction that guides us on the path to spiritual growth. In this last month of this 174th year of Tenrikyo we are all striving for the sake of single-hearted salvation while leaning on the ever-living Oyasama and we give thanks for the many and continuous blessings we have received throughout the year.

Today, for this December monthly service at Pearl Church, the service performers will now unite their hearts to perform the seated service and Teodori joyfully and in high spirits. Please accept our prayers as we brothers and sisters of this Path have looked forward to this day and have gathered before You to sing the Mikagura-uta.

Through your blessing the rain barrel project was completed in November thereby reducing the need for pure water from the city’s water supply. Twelve persons attended the thanksgiving dinner held on November 24 and also, two junior leaders and two adult leaders from Pearl Church participated in the Boy’s and Girl’s Association Leaders Fun camp held at the mission HQ on November 25 through 26. In addition, an average of two persons helped with the weekly yard work on neglected sidewalks and various private yards as well as the Tenri Cultural Center throughout the year. The Sazuke was administered a total of 31 times for the month of November and a blessing service was conducted for a place of business on October 8th. We thank you deeply for these blessings.

In the remaining days of this year we vow to work together engaging in hinokishin and salvation work with a unity of mind and continue to encourage as many people as possible to return to Jiba.

We pray that Your guidance will strengthen us into worthy Yoboku, striving with a single heart for the salvation of others. We hope that our efforts will bring joy to You and peace in this world where all people help one another as brothers and sisters. With our minds in unity toward the Truth of the Jiba, we would like to spiritedly perform the last monthly service of the 174th Year of Tenrikyo.

In union with the congregation, I pray for these blessings.