On October 10, Tenrikyo Mission Headquarters in Brazil—located in Bauru in southern Brazil and led by Bishop Yuji Murata—hosted the "Yoboku Pep Rally for the 60th Anniversary of Tenrikyo Mission Headquarters in Brazil." The pep rally was intended to encourage followers and Yoboku all across Brazil to unite their minds in taking further steps toward spiritual growth. Attended by Rev. Masahiko Iburi, then Director-in-Chief of Administrative Affairs, the event drew about 1,300 followers from all across the country. In his speech delivered at the rally, Rev. Iburi urged followers in Brazil to strive to spread the teachings and engage in salvation work in unity of mind in anticipation of the mission headquarters' 60th anniversary, which is to be commemorated in June 2011. Conducted on the same day prior to the rally was a ceremony to inaugurate the multipurpose hall—an anniversary project—that had been under construction on the south side of the sanctuary since January.

In January last year, Bishop Murata announced that the mission headquarters would be holding its 60th anniversary on June 12, 2011, with the presence of the Shinbashira and his wife. To help the Tenrikyo community in Brazil strive toward this milestone, the mission headquarters adopted three slogans: "Let's establish missionary facilities in every state in Brazil," "Let's double the service performers in all local churches," and "Let's pass down the faith in all families." In March last year, the mission headquarters started sending officials to all local churches and directly supervised mission stations to ensure that these slogans were understood by all followers.

On the day of the pep rally, followers began flocking to the mission headquarters from early morning. At the ceremony to inaugurate the multipurpose hall, Rev. Iburi and Bishop Murata cut the ribbon to mark its official opening and took a tour inside the building with other followers. Equipped with meeting rooms for the Young Men's Association, Boys and Girls Association, and Students Association as well as an assembly hall and classrooms, the multipurpose hall will serve as a venue to nurture younger followers through such events as the "Seminar for Students" organized by the mission headquarters.

After the celebration, the congregation performed a practice service. In the rally that followed, Bishop Murata gave an opening address, in which he said: "The anniversary is coming up in one year and eight months. Toward that milestone, let us take further steps in unity of mind in making progress in spiritual growth." Next, Mr. Shingo Imai, future successor to the head minister of Diadema Church, and Rev. Tadataka Otonari, head minister of Manaus Church, gave faith experience speeches in Japanese and Portuguese respectively, speaking on the joy of faith they experience in the course of their daily lives as well as expressing their resolutions to strive toward the anniversary.

Following the faith experience speeches, Rev. Iburi took the podium to deliver his speech. Stressing that people's way of thinking has changed with post-war economic development, he shared his opinions on what it takes to attain spiritual richness and what kind of person God the Parent wants us to be. "We ought to be a person who can share and understand someone else's pains," Rev. Iburi emphasized. "By nurturing and implementing the mind of saving others, you will be saved as well." Toward the end of his speech, Rev. Iburi encouraged the followers by saying: "I hope that all of you in Brazil will unite your minds in making further efforts to spread the teachings and engage in salvation work as you strive toward the mission headquarters' 60th anniversary."

After the evening service, a festival called "Tenri Matsuri" was held at the Recanto Tenri—the mission headquarters' recreation ground. The festival was organized by Tenrikyo Brazil Young Men's Association, which is chaired by Mr. Marcelo Yutaka Tanio. The festival drew more than 2,000 people, as the mission headquarters had also invited non-followers in the city. With 31 food stands, some featuring Japanese cuisines such as sushi and yakisoba and others offering Brazilian specialties like pastel (deep-fried pot stickers) and churrasco (grilled beef), the venue was bustling with throngs of people.

November 5, 2009 11:32JST