Report on the Grand Ancestor Service. As the gentle piano rendition of Mariah Carey’s Hero filled the hall, the Grand Ancestor Service commenced. Masaaki-sama offered the Opening Prayer for the Grand Ancestor Service as the officiant—the first time this had taken place at a grand service held in Japan in the history of the Church. Moreover, the opening prayer recited on this occasion had been newly composed by Masaaki-sama himself. The moment the prayer came to an end, this year’s Grand Ancestor Service no longer felt like the Grand Ancestor Service of years past—one could sense that a door to a new era had been opened. Next came Masaaki-sama’s Sacred Word. He spoke about the themes woven into the newly composed opening prayer; an update on his book Christian Veganism: The Life I Live; the remarkable divine guidance that led him to begin writing his second book; ancestors and family; the truth about sharing; messages from God; and much more. God’s will was revealed one after another; everyone was astonished by the unexpected sacred guidance—laughing at times and holding their breath at others—and before they knew it, everyone had become completely absorbed in Masaaki-sama’s Sacred Word. Things that had long been taken for granted were illuminated in an entirely new light.Every word Masaaki-sama spoke with heartfelt conviction drew the entire audience into his Sacred Word, and all those present seemed to be enveloped in the breath of a new era. His Sacred Word, through which one can truly feel that the Grand Ancestor Service marked the dawn of a new era, will be released on YouTube (in Japanese) in the near future. At the conclusion of the service, there was a performance of “Hallelujah” (written and composed by Leonard Cohen, arranged by Il Divo) and “You Raise Me Up,” with lyrics translated into Japanese by Masaaki-sama. Voices filled with hope resounded throughout the venue, seeming to encourage us as we set out on our journey, strengthened by the great inspiration we received at the service. We cannot allow this great blessing to remain something only for ourselves. We wish to share the existence of Masaaki-sama with as many people as possible, so that they too may experience this blessing. With resolve in our hearts, let us take new steps forward in spreading the gospel.