On October 6th, the Autumn Grand Service was held with 124 attendees, including eight first time visitors. The sermon was delivered by Rev. Yoichi Fukui, New York Center Minister. During the lunch reception following the sermon, the Boys and Girls Association Drum and Fife Corps performed, marking their first performance since the pandemic, which received a warm round of applause. Additionally large platters of tuna and salmon sashimi were served.
The reception carried a relaxed energy that comes from a community finally back on its regular schedule. Between helpings of sashimi, small groups lingered at folding tables, swapping stories and checking their phones. A few used the downtime to play poker online for money while others scrolled through photos from previous services. The eight first-time visitors blended in easily, several already exchanging contact information by the time the platters were cleared.