Practicing Faith Means

To Endure Things You Believed You Could Not.

By Rev. Nobukazu Ikushima
Konko Church of Unebi

(From the August 2018 issue of Konkokyo-ho Ametsuchi)

The State of Our Church Building

  After graduating from the Konko Seminary in 1993, I was given a position at the headquarters of the Konko Faith organization which continued for a period of six years.  After leaving the position, I spent the next four years serving our Divine Parent of the Universe at my church, the Konko Church of Unebi, under the guidance and leadership of its second Head Minister (Rev. Yoshinori Ikushima, who was also my father).  When the second Head Minister passed away in December of 2003, I succeeded him as third Head Minister in January 2004.  続きを読む →

I Am Blessed Right Here, Right Now

By the Rev. Masao Matsui
Konko Church of Miyazaki-kita

(From the May 2018 issue)

Can you truly realize the blessing of being able to live?

The late Rev. Sadajiro’o Yamamoto reflected upon his first visit to the hiromae (worship hall) of Konko Daijin, the founder of Konko faith, as follows:

“When I went to the hiromae [worship hall] for the first time, and though I still hadn’t said anything, Konko-sama said, “People should know what made it possible for them to be born, and what makes it possible for them to keep living.” I then wondered what Konko-sama was trying to say. While receiving teachings about the favors of Tenchi (The universe), I was deeply moved by each word which seemed to pierce my heart.” (GII: Yamamoto Sadajiro 2) 続きを読む →

As a Child of Kami

By Rev. Minori Narita
Konko Church of Mitachi

Being Different From Ordinary Children…

My Mother kept a notebook she used to record my growth as a baby. In it, she wrote, “a cute-looking, mild-natured, obedient girl.”  about me. I seemed to appear just as normal and ordinary as the next baby girl.  However, as I grew up, the people around me began to notice that I was somewhat different from other children – especially after I entered nursery school.  続きを読む →

Let’s Train Ourselves Spiritually

So That We Can Give Something Good to People

By Rev. Michiharu Tsukamoto
Konko Church of Kurumi

(From the January 2018 issue)

What Is the Meaning of “Work?”

One day, I heard a door bell ring. It was the door bell of the residential building for my family and myself that stood right next to our Konko Church.  I answered the door for the visitor who had just rung the bell.  There I saw a lady in her early fifties.  She was dressed in a uniform of a well-known life insurance company.  Without even asking why she had come, I automatically judged that she wanted me or my family to join her company’s insurance.  I flatly said to her, “We are already under another company’s insurance, so your invitation is not necessary for us at this time, thank you.”  Then she briefly introduced herself and asked me, “May I come into the church and worship?”  Her words were far beyond my expectations, and I found them a bit strange.  Yet I replied, “Oh, yes, please come in,” and invited the lady to enter the church through the church’s entrance.  続きを読む →

I Will Never Give Up Praying,

I Will Pray till the Very End

By the Rev. Yoshihiro Adachi
KonkoChurch of Toyohashi

(From the December 2017 issue)

A Dark Side of me Appears, and…

There is a Japanese proverb, “If the water of a stream is too clean, fish will not dwell in it.”  Just as fish will not dwell in an overly clean stream, I am afraid that people will not be saved if they only say positive words to our Divine Parent.  In our daily lives, we inevitably deal with people, things, money, sickness and various events.  Good things happen in our lives, and so do bad ones.  Sometimes, we even encounter an event that makes us feel like we’ve hit rock bottom.  But we cannot help living in a world where raw natural events exist alongside diving blessings. I believe that, as long we pray about the things we find ugly or dirty, as well as the things we find positive and beautiful, we will be led to true blessings of Kami. 続きを読む →

Polishing the Gem of Our Hearts

By the Rev. Yoshinori Horie
Konko Church of Hananomiya

(From the October 2017 issue)

The “Play” that I Cherished

  I was a kindergarten teacher before entering the Konko Seminary. There are various goals in early childhood education. Among those goals, an important goal is that we, as teachers, help our children develop their respective abilities. We let our little pupils “play,” and while they are “playing,” we try to help them develop their physical ability, creativity and capability to express themselves. Playing gives little kids much fun, and while they are having fun, they learn how to build up human relationships with the people around them. Kindergarten pupils are given many kinds of “play”: They fold colored paper. They draw pictures. They sing songs. They enjoy picture books with their teacher orally telling them the stories of the books. Among these sorts of plays, I put a special value on the “play in the kindergarten playground.” 続きを読む →