・Religious Leaders Visit the Founder's Altar
Some religious leaders visited the church one after another, who were not able to attend the one-year Commemorative Service would be held on 27th August, for the late Rev. Toshio Miyake, the founder of Konko Church of Izuo.
 Rev. Nichiko Niwano, President of Rissho Kosei-kai, prays in the front of the late Rev. Toshio Miyake's Alter. |
On 4th July, Rev. Nichiko Niwano, President of the Rissho Kosei-kai, on 22nd August, Rev. Takeshi Nishida, Chief of Itto-en, Ven. Gijun Sugitani, Secretary-General of the WCRP/Japan, on 25th August, Dr. Takafumi Isomura, the mayor of the city of Osaka, and Rev. Takao Tsue, President of International Religious Fellowship of Osaka, came in order to offer a prayer. Floral pieces were received from Rev. Keiji Sahara, President of Myodo-kai, Ven. Shogo Kobayashi, President of Uenomiya Gakuen School, and Mr. Kansei Nakano, the vice president of Minsyuto, Japan Democratic Party.
・Pray for the World Peace and War Dead
The pray for the world peace was served at the sacred hall from 11:00a.m. on 15th August leaded by Rev. Mitsuo Miyake, the Chief Minister Designated. Then the service was held at the ancestor's altar for those who died in the last year and were killed in the World WarU.
 Rev. Tatsuo Miyake with the Most Rev. Masahiko Iiburi, the C.E.O. of Tenri-kyo. |
All the congregations swore to devote themselves in realization of the world peace by religious dialogue and cooperation that had been promoted by the late Rev. Toshio Miyake for long time.
・World Peace Prayer on Mt. Hiei
On 4th August, the Peace Prayer for the 13th Anniversary of Religious Summit Meeting on Mt. Hiei was held at Enryakuji, the head temple of Tendai Buddhism. The Senior Chief Minister, the most Rev. Tatsuo Miyake and the Chief Minister Designated, Rev. Mitsuo Miyake took part in. Izuo Church has contributed the Peace Prayer since the Founder Toshio Miyake was invited by Patriarch Etai Yamada, the Chief Abbott of Tendai Buddhism to the first Peace Summit meeting in 1988.
・Women's Association donated to the Izu Islands
Women's Association of the church gathered the fund at it's annual general assembly on 15th July, for the evacuee at the Izu Islands suffered by earthquake and eruption on 1st August.
・Rev.Yoshinobu Miyake Attended the Millennium Summit in the U.N.
From 28 through 31 August, the Millennium World Peace Summit of Religious and Spiritual Leaders was held at the United Nations Headquarters and the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York. About 1,000 religious leaders attended in order to discuss how the human family should be toward the new millennium. The official delegates from Japan were the Most Rev. Tatsuo Miyake who is Senior Chief Minister of Konko Church of Izuo concurrently holds the Honorary President of WCRP International Board, the Most Rev. Kuniaki Kuni, Highest Priest of Grand Shrine at Ise, the Most Ven. Eishin Watanabe, Patriarch of Tendai Buddhism, and other 24 religious leaders. Rev. Yoshinobu Miyake took part as a proxy of Rev. Tatsuo Miyake.
 Rev. Yoshinobu Miyake at the General Assembly Hall of the UN |
On 4:00 pm (EDT), 28 August, the General Assembly Hall of the UN, was filled with more than 1,000 religious leaders from every corner of the world in colorful robes. The thunder of drums called the Summit to order.
Appropriate to the religious conference, the opening ceremony started. Following the Opening Invocations and welcome speech by Bawa Jain, Secretary-General of MWPS, pray for peace was offered in their own way on the stage one after another by representatives from Armenian Orthodox, Bahai, Burahma Kumaris, Chinese Taoism, Greek Orthodox, Islam, Jainism, Japanese Buddhism, Judaism, Native American, Protestant, Romann Catholic, Shinto, Sikhism, Tibetan Buddhism, Traditional African, Traditional Korean, Zoroastrianism, , and so on.
 H. E. Kofi A. Anan making an address |
 Rev. Yoshinobu Miyake with Dr. Ucho from WCC |
The first session titled " A Call to Dialogue" was opened. Dr. Karan Singh, member of Upper House of India, who has a deep relationship with Izuo Church, served as Chairman. Proposers were His Eminence Francis Cardinal Arinze, President of Vatican Pontifical Council on Interreligious Dialogue, His Excellency Abdullah al-Obaid, Secretary-Gneral of World Muslim League, Chief Rabbi Israel Meir Lau, Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of Israel, the Most Rev. Kuniaki Kuni, Highest Priest of the Grand Shrine at Ise, Rev. Dr. Konrad Raiser, General-Secretary of World Council of Churches, Dr. L. M. Singhvi, Jain Scholar, the Most Ven. Master Sheng Yen, the Dharma Drum Monastery, and His Divine Holiness Pramukh Swami Ji Maharaj, Spiritual Leader and Head of the Bochanwasi Shree Akshar Purushottam.
Then Dr. Ted Turner, the host of this Summit came to the stage. He insisted well-soundingly with big gestures fitting a media king, " Business people should take part in the peace activities in cooperation with religious people" receiving loud applause. The Lunch Banquet was held by His Excellency Kofi A. Anan. Rev. Yoshinobu Miyake was invited this banquet.
On the third and fourth day, the conferences were held at the Waldorf Astria Hotel including the session V "Towards Forgiveness and Reconciliation" and the session W " Ending the Violence of Poverty and Environmental Degradation." Various themes were discussed actively in the working session in these tow days.
 Rev. Yoshinobu Miyake at the session W |
In the evening of 31 August, the closing ceremony was held. "Sacred Water" brought by the participants from all over the world, ( Rev. Yoshinobu Miyake brought the Divine Water from Izuo Church) poured into the huge basin enhancing the sense of unity. The four-day Millennium Peace Summit of Religious and Spiritual Leaders was concluded by adoption of the Declaration.
・Chief Minister Visited Tendai-shu and Benten-shu
On 30 August, the Most Rev. Tatsuo Miyake, Senior Chief Minister of Konko Church of Izuo, visited the Most Ven. Eko Kiyohara, Superintendent of Enryaku-ji Temple of Tendai-shu (sect) on Mt. Hiei, and the Most Ven. Jisho Omori, Patriarch of Benten-shu (sect) at Ibaraki city. Rev. Miyake expressed his appreciation for their attendance to the one year memorial service of the late Rev. Toshio Miyake held on 27 August.