Sep - Buddhist Churches of America

WHEEL
OF DHARMA
Official Publication of the Buddhist Churches of America
1710 Octavia Street, San Francisco, CA 94109
VOLUME 39 SEPTEMBER 2013 ISSUE 9
Replenishing Our
Dharma Reservoir
W
e ministers of the Buddhist Churches of America just finished our summer retreat called
Fukyo Kenkyukai, or FuKen for short. The summer Fuken is a traditional retreat which
originated in India at the time of Shakyamuni Buddha. During the rainy season, all the monks
gathered in one place and studied together. To assist the monks, lay supporters brought them
food. In Japan, there is an annual summer retreat in July called Ango.
This year, the BCA’s Fuken was held in Chicago for the first time in our history. It was
hosted by the Eastern District and the Midwest Buddhist Temple. For a detailed description of
the Fuken, please read the article written by Rev. Ronald Miyamura that appears elsewhere in
this issue of the Wheel of Dharma.
On the way to the hotel, I asked Rev. Miyamura about the source of the abundant water in
the Great Lakes. He told me that, besides rainwater, it is underground water that has accumulated for many eons. Someday it will run out. That made me think of our financial situation.
According to a recent report from the Institute of Buddhist Studies, there are now about 90
students who are enrolled and/or taking a class in Buddhism. Some are aspiring to become BCA
ministers. I really would like to see us support them financially.
I would like to ask each and every one of you to help replenish our organizational reservoir
so that future ministerial aspirants will be able to keep drawing more dharma water. And I would
like to thank all the temples for sending their ministers to this year’s Fuken in Chicago and giving
them a chance to further their studies.
In Gassho,
Rev. Kodo Umezu
2013 Fuken Report
By Rev. Ron Miyamura
Midwest Buddhist Temple
T
President’s
Message
he 2013 BCA Fuken (Research and Education Seminar) was hosted on Aug. 1315 by the Eastern District Ministerial
Association and was held in Chicago
at the Midwest Buddhist Temple.
On a mild (for Chicago in August) summer morning of Aug. 13,
thirty-five Hongwanji Kaikyoshi
Ministers, with observers from Hawaii and Canada, gathered for the
Opening Service of the 2013 BCA
Minister’s Fuken. Rev. Kodo Umezu,
Bishop, led the chanting, and we
were honored to hear the words of
wisdom of 43 years of experience
from Rev. Hiroshi Abiko who will be
soon retiring. Next was a helpful
chanting workshop led by Rev. Katsuryu Kusunoki of the Buddhist
Church of Lodi. The bi-annual
Ministers Association meeting was
completed in the assigned time, and
concluded with the re-election of
Rev. Jerry Hirano, of the Salt Lake
Buddhist Temple, as association
chairperson.
In the late afternoon, the ministers and families were treated to a
boat cruise on the Chicago River. It
is called the Architectural Tour
which pointed out the history and
development of buildings and how
they affect our lives. The Konshinkai
Dinner was at a restaurant on the famous Navy Pier.
On Wednesday, Rev. Carol
O’Dowd, the newest Kaikyoshi gave
the Dharma Talk at the morning
Service. She talked about her passion
for the Dharma and how she has
been guided on her journey to become a Kaikyoshi.
This year’s Hongwanji Sponsored Lecturer was none other than
former BCA YBA leader, IBS graduate, faculty member, and BCA minister Rev. Dr. Kenneth Tanaka, who
is currently a professor of Buddhism
at Musashino University in Tokyo,
Japan. The title of Dr. Tanaka’s
challenging lecture was, “Jodo Shinshu Buddhism in American Society
Today: Bridging the Gaps with the
Surrounding Environment of the
Past and Present.” His 20-page lecture outline included responses he
received to a pre-seminar three question survey he sent to BCA ministers
asking, 1. What dimension/s of the
Shinshu teachings are you emphasiz-
D
By Ron Murakami
BCA President
White River
Buddhist Temple
ing the most in your efforts to share
the teachings in America? 2. Do you
use English translations (or explanations) that are “out of the ordinary”
or “non-traditional” for such distinctively Shinshu terms as: Amida,
shinjin, nembutsu, pure land, tariki,
and bombu? 3. What do you see as
the “strengths” of Shinshu that you
feel ought to be emphasized within
the “supermarket” of religions in
America that include other Buddhist
traditions …?
That evening, the lay members
of the Midwest Buddhist Temple
were randomly assigned to host a
minister or two out for dinner at
their favorite local restaurant. This
event was called “take-a-minister-todinner” and was an opportunity for
the ministers to meet some local
people on a personal level and the
locals were able to share the local
cuisine and meet a minister in an informal setting. An event like this had
never been attempted before; it
seemed to be a great success in so
many different ways. Then, there
was the Eitaikyo Service with all the
ministers chanting the Sanbujo and
the Shoshinge which sounded wonderful in the relatively small space
Rev. Ron Miyamura introducing Rev. Dr. Ken Tanaka, Hongwanji sponsored
lecturer.
that is the MBT Hondo.
The speaker for Thursday morning service was Pieper Toyama, the
founding Head of School for the Pacific Buddhist Academy (high
school) in Honolulu, HI, traveled to
Chicago at his own expense, to present an update on the progress, and
appeal for our support, of this unique
and visionary program. The Fuken
concluded with three workshop options: 1. Follow-up questions and
discussion with Dr. Tanaka; 2. English pronunciation for Japanese
speakers led by Mrs. Kimie Tanaka
(Dr. Tanaka’s wife); and 3. Considerations for an Effective Ministry,
led by Rev. Marvin Harada of the
CBE (Center for Buddhist Education).
Much more than the events, the
total environment and atmosphere of
the three days allowed for discussion
and inter-action among the ministers. The weather was mild and the
hotel was a quick 10-minute walk
from the Temple. For example, the
conversations in the Hospitality
Room at the hotel went way beyond
the scheduled closing time, and even
more interesting, we had left time for
our out of town guests to explore the
Navy Pier, the most popular tourist
Continued on Page 6
When Help is Not
uring a visit to a medical care facility I
had time to relax in a dining area,
thinking I would help any of the rehab
patients using walkers or wheelchairs as they
passed by. I saw one woman in a wheelchair
cross in front of me three times but I hesitated
offering her help when I saw how determined
she was to move about on her own. Her determination told me she would probably have refused
any offer of help and might have even resented
me thinking she needed assistance. She moved
haltingly but in a way that clearly showed her
will and pride at being independent. She wanted
to be treated with respect rather than dealing
with my misguided desire to be helpful or feelings of sympathy from anyone who saw her. I
was vain to think this person would need and
want my help. In future situations I hope I can
remember to think through whether help is really needed. At times it would be better to ask,
“May I help you?” I’m very grateful for this experience and the person who unknowingly
helped me.
In last month’s President’s Message I sum-
marized tasks I hope we can accomplish by
March of next year. Most of the items depend on
joint efforts and in many cases I’ll need to depend on others to do most of the work. In particular, Alan Kita, BCA Chief Administrative
Officer, and Kevin Arakaki, BCA Controller,
will carry much of the responsibility for the tasks
I mentioned. I feel it’s worthwhile to describe
some of the work done by our BCA staff members to help our general membership understand
the many responsibilities involved in meeting
Continued on Page 6
PAGE 2 WHEEL OF DHARMA
BUDDHIST CHURCH OF FOWLER
Buddhist Church of Fowler
210 S. 9th Street
P.O. Box 335
Fowler, California. 93625
(559) 834-2077
Note: This series introducing BCA temples correlates
to the 2013 BCA Calendar.
In 1901, a group of Japanese immigrants came together and established a Howa-kai in Fowler as a branch of
the Fresno Temple. Eventually the Fresno Temple would have 22 Howa-kai through out the Central Valley.
With the growth of the Japanese community in Fowler, the Nihonjin-kai (Japanese Association) in 1915 built
a Community Center.to be used for Dharma School, Language School, Social Activities and as a Temple.
In 1930 this building was destroyed by fire. In 1930 a new Church was built and was also used for Dharma
School, Language School and Social Activities. This building is still in use today for Social Activities.
• 1942 - 1945 the Church was closed due to the relocation of Japanese from the west coast. • 1945 the Church reopened and served as a hostel for returnees from Relocation Centers.
As the Sangha continued to grow, Issei and Nisei members made a commitment to construct a new Church,
construction began in 1962 and was completed in 1963. On December 11, 1963 the Church was formally
organized as a Temple. January 1, 1968 the Church became independent from the Fresno Betsuin and began
a direct association with the Buddhist Churches of America.
Since our Independence, the Buddhist Church of Fowler has had three resident ministers in the past 40 years,
Rev. Gimyo Takemura (1968-1976), Rev. Kyogyo Miura (1976-1996), Rev. Sensho Inouye (1996-2009).
From 2010, the Church has been supervised by the Fresno Betsuin, due in part to an ever changing economic
climate and minister availability.
From very humble beginnings, the Buddhist Church of Fowler will forever be a lasting legacy and testament
to our Issei and Nisei Pioneers, for their guidance, sacrifices, dedication and vision of furthering the Nembutsu Teachings to our generation and future generations to come. For this, we will be forever grateful.
Rediscovering Obon
in Santa Barbara
By Rev. Henry Tōryō Adams, Supervising Minister
Buddhist Church of Santa Barbara
A
fter a twenty-four year hiatus, the Buddhist Church of Santa
Barbara revived its tradition of hosting a community Obon Celebration on July 20. The longstanding tradition had lost momentum the 1980’s due to a shortage of volunteers as the core group of
organizers was aging and younger Sangha members were away pursuing
their studies or busy caring for their families.
In recent years, our friends and neighbors in the community have
been asking us whatever happened to the Obon celebration and if we
would be doing it again anytime. Last year, as we celebrated the 90th
Anniversary of the founding of the Buddhist Church of Santa Barbara in
1922, we decided that reviving the tradition of Obon Dancing could be
a meaningful way to carry on our legacy as a Jodo Shinshu Buddhist
Sangha serving the Santa Barbara community.
We knew that our current membership was not up to the task of
organizing a large-scale community event, so we initially envisioned a
simple event in the church parking lot, with the motto “boom box on the
back of a pickup truck.” However, as word spread through the local
Japanese American and Japanese expatriate communities that Obon
dancing was returning to Santa Barbara, several enthusiastic individuals
approached us volunteering to help make the event a festive occasion for
the whole community to enjoy.
As time went on, more and more volunteers stepped up and offered
to refurbish the interior and exterior of the building, organize food sales,
run game booths, lead dance practices, and perform at the event. In the
end, we wound up with a full day of Obon observances and festivities,
beginning with a cemetery service in the historic Japanese section of the
Santa Barbara Cemetery, followed by our Hatsubon and July Shotsuki
Hoyo Memorial the Hondo of the Buddhist Church of Santa Barbara. In
the afternoon, guests enjoyed food, games, origami demonstrations, craft
booths, ikebana flower arranging, music, dance, and kendo Japanese
fencing. I spent most of the afternoon in the Hondo welcoming visitors
to offer incense, chatting with newcomers, and catching up with Dharma
friends who had travelled from near and far to show their support.
When I eventually stepped outside to lead gassho at the start of the
Obon Odori dancing, I was taken aback by the churning mass of humanity that had gathered in our tiny parking lot. Our sister Sanghas in Oxnard and Venice had chartered buses, and several caravans from other
Buddhist temples, Japanese Christian, and Japanese community groups
braved the Saturday afternoon traffic coming up from Los Angeles to
Continued on Page 4
Retreat to go Forward
By Rev. Hiroshi Abiko
It was July 1970, that I received order from Kyoto Hongwanji to become B.C.A. Kaikyoshi. After a long trip through
Buddhist India, my first temple to
serve was San Jose Betsuin. At the
time, the War in Viet Nam, Civil
Rights, cultural change, and
America on Buddhism began to
play a small role. Found ideal life
partner, received a girl and a boy,
and after Palo Alto, San Francisco,
then Los Angeles, my 43 years of
Kaikyoshi has come to a fruition.
Retirement? Not really, for the
simple reason that there is no re-
tirement to be a student of Buddha-Dharma.
Looking back, I had a father
who was a master of pulling back
just to advance. Even after two
periods of TB illnesses, he recovered and lived longer than most of
us. His last words were that things
are getting brighter and brighter.
So it remains to be seen if I inherit
the same teachings which made
him so lively. My mother is also
enjoying a long life.
It goes without saying that
there are greater things which allows one to be. The tripod of
Buddha-Dharma-Sangha maintains a steady and balanced out-
look. Whether coming and/or going, if the legs are in balance, the
focus and going forward are in focus with others. To know when to
retire and to pull back is likened to
solving a riddle. I think that Buddha-Dharma is constantly guiding
me to think the time is now.
I had the privileges of having
Buddha-Dharma-Sangha close to
me all my life. What I need to do
now is to retreat a little so that I
hope to go forward in enjoying the
essence of the Buddha-Dharma.
It has been a great pleasure to
be a Kaikyoshi in the B.C.A.
With palms gather in Gassho
Continued on Page 6
BCA NATIONAL
BOARD 2013
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Ron Murakami, President
Dr. Kent Matsuda, President-elect
Susan Bottari, Vice President
Ken Tanimoto, Vice President
Pauline Sakuma, Secretary
Treasurer, TBA
Rev. Kodo Umezu, Bishop
Rev. Jerry Hirano, Chair,
Ministers Association
BAY - DISTRICT 1
Susan Bottari, Karen Suyama,
Jon Takagaki
CENTRAL CALIFORNIA - DISTRICT 2
Todd Fukuda, Ellen Tanimoto,
Gary Mukai
COAST - DISTRICT 3
Gary Omori, Ken Tanimoto,
Janice Doi
EASTERN - DISTRICT 4
Dr. Erick Ishii, Dr. Linda Engstrom,
Nancy T. Okada
MOUNTAIN STATES - DISTRICT 5
Kirk Yamashita, Dot Richeda,
Joni Sakaguchi/Gail Ida
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA - DISTRICT 6
Tad Shibata, Cathy Fujimori,
Mary Ann Miyao
NORTHWEST - DISTRICT 7
Pauline K. Sakuma, Mark Achterman,
Paul Mori
SOUTHERN - DISTRICT 8
Barbara Fukuji, Mick Kubota,
James Okazaki
DIRECTORS-AT-LARGE
Dr. Kent Matsuda (2014)
Tom Nishikawa (2014)
Ellen Tanimoto (2014)
Calvin Doi (2015)
Richard Endo (2015)
Steven Terusaki (2015)
Charlene Grinolds (2016)
Jeffery Matsuoka (2016)
Richard Stambul (2016)
We gratefully acknowledge
contributions to the
Wheel of Dharma
by the following donor(s):
BCSF BWA ......................................... $200
Correction
The CBE page in the August issue of the
Wheel of Dharma was inadvertently printed
with the incorrect file. There is no excuse provided that would be acceptable for this grave
error. The print editor, Jeffrey Kimoto, sincerely
apologizes for any inconvenience that might
have resulted from this error.
Wheel of Dharma
(USPS 017-700)
Official Publication of the Buddhist Churches of America
1710 Octavia Street
San Francisco, CA 94109
Tel.: (415) 776-5600; Fax: (415) 771-6293
www.buddhistchurchesofamerica.org or www.bcahq.org
Email: [email protected]
Rev. Hiroshi & Misaye Abiko in
front of the Hompa Hongwanji
Buddhist Temple in Los Angeles.
25th Nishi Hongwanji Ministers Retirement Ceremony
June 25, 2013. The day begins like any other hot, humid summer day at
Nishi Hongwanji. The striking of the gong at 6 a.m. announces the daily morning service in the Amida-do. We rush to the service and join the many other lay
devotees and ministers in the chanting of Sanbutsuge in praise and gratitude to
Amida Buddha. Upon finishing, we move to the Goei-do (Shinran Shonin’s
hall) for the chanting of Shoshinge – Shinran Shonin’s praise of his spiritual
lineage from Amida Buddha to Honen Shonin. This daily ritual is a practice
that starts the day for many lay devotees and ministers. To be a part of it was
truly inspirational.
This particular day, however, was a special day for over 230 Jodo Shinshu
Nishi Hongwanji retired ministers. They were in attendance with their spouses
and family for the 25th Ministers Retirement Ceremony. Reverands Koshin
Ogui, George Shibata, Orai Fujikawa, William Masuda and their respective
SEPTEMBER 2013
Wheel of Dharma (USPS 017-700) is published monthly by Buddhist
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Seated, Gomonshu Koshin and Lady Noriko Ohtani. Standing,
from left to right: Rev. George and Yasuko Shibata, Minako and
Rev. Orai Fujikawa, Rev. Koshin and Mayumi Ogui, Kiyo and
Rev. William Masuda.
Authors who submit articles for publication in the Wheel of Dharma online
(“WOD”) thereby grant WOD a royalty-free non-exclusive paid up license,
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English Editor: Rev. Ron Kobata
Japanese Editor: Rev. Ryuta Furumoto
Print Production: Jeffrey Kimoto
SEPTEMBER 2013 WHEEL OF DHARMA
PAGE 3
News and Highlights・September 2013
Expanding Our Ministry thru MAP
In Person: JSCC August Workshop 2013
Recently I had the opportunity to speak to the Boise Howakai (Dharma-talk-group) of
the Idaho-Oregon Buddhist Temple (IOBT), my home temple that I grew up attending. Due partly to the fact that two of the IOBT’s minister’s assistants, Kathy Chatterton and Anne Spencer, live in Boise and nearby Caldwell, Idaho, the temple was
able to create an outreach program by starting a howakai in Boise about two years
ago. The Boise Howakai has been meeting every Tuesday evening under the guidance of resident minister, Rev. Dennis Fujimoto and his wife Sharmon (who is also a
minister’s assistant at IOBT). It started out as a six-month pilot program, and after six
months the group decided it wanted to keep meeting. Amazingly, two years have now
passed. The other night when I went, there were over twenty people in attendance.
They have a service with the chanting of the Juseige, a Dharma talk, and either a lecture or Dharma discussion. This is followed by refreshments and fellowship, often
late into the evening. Individuals of various ages and backgrounds are present. A few
families with children also attend.
I think that the IOBT is showing all of us in the BCA how we can reach out to
the greater community by starting a howakai or branch in another city or town. I see
no reason why any temple in the BCA cannot start a similar outreach program. Because of our trained and educated minister’s assistants, we can now expand our ministry by creating satellites and Dharma groups here and there, thus sharing the
Dharma and bringing
more people to our own
local temples and Sanghas. Some of the individuals that attend the
Boise Howakai have
become IOBT members. Although the
IOBT is located in a
small town in Eastern
Oregon it has a bright
future, as shown by the
howakai that has been
created in Boise, Idaho.
This year the Jodo Shinshu
Correspondence
Course
(JSCC) Summer Workshop
was held on August 3 and 4
at the Jodo Shinshu Center
in Berkeley. Students came
from Canada, Brazil, the
U.K., and Japan, as well as
the East Coast and local
areas. The fifteen students
enjoyed a variety of activities including informative
Rev. Jay Shingo Okamoto (left) joins recent JSCC graduates Ms. lectures, casual group disYasuko Tomoshi, Ms. Telma Alencastro, and Ms. Maribeth “Smitty”
cussions on course topics,
Smith as they received their certificates of completion.
services in the beautiful
Kodo Hall, and an outing to the Buddhist Church of Oakland’s Obon Festival on Saturday evening.
Special guest speaker and distinguished author, Prof. John Nelson, University of
San Francisco, gave an insightful and inspirational lecture entitled “Experimental
Buddhism: Innovation and Activism among Shinshu Priests in Contemporary Japan.”
He highlighted new and creative ideas being applied to current social problems in
Japan. Rev. Jay Shingo Okamoto of the Hawaii Mission delivered an informative
lecture on Jodo Shinshu terminology and the importance of understanding the sutras.
Rev. James Martin of the Calgary Buddhist Church also participated in the program.
Workshop meals were graciously organized by Judy Kono of the Center for Buddhist
Education and prepared by Alan Hirahara with help from volunteers.
The JSCC Summer Workshop, also known as the August Workshop, is a wonderful time for students to gather together to share their experiences and meet with
the instructors for a more meaningful understanding of their Jodo Shinshu studies.
The JSCC offers new spring and fall enrollments every year and welcomes newcomers to sign up for the online course. Contact the JSCC Office at 510-809-1441 or
email [email protected]. For more information, please visit www.jscc.cbe-bca.org.
by Rev. Marvin Harada, CBE Co-Director
by Lisa Mayeda, JSCC Program Assistant
Boise Howakai members attended the Idaho-Oregon Buddhist Temple’s Buddhist Women’s Association
Memorial Service last November. (From left to right) Shelley Axtell, Sandy Adachi (longtime IOBT member), Woodina Livingston, Jim Cornwell, Linda Cornwell, Tick Axtell, and Sue Boydstun, with Rev.
Patricia Usuki (San Fernando Valley Hongwanji Buddhist Temple) and Rev. Dennis Fujimoto.
CBE 2013 Tentative Calendar of Events
(at the Jodo Shinshu Center unless noted otherwise. Programs subject to change.)
September 5-7: Minister’s Assistant Program (MAP) for beginner/intermediate
October 5: Japanese Seminar • October 11-13: College YBA Conference “The Pursuit of Happiness”
October 18-20: Dharma School Teachers’ Continuing Education Seminar “Making the Dharma Connection on the Yellow Brick Road to Inclusion” with Rev. Dr. David Matsumoto and Mrs. Kiyo Masuda
November 2: Baby Boomers’ Seminar: “Wake Up & Be Alive!” with Rev. Masao Kodani
November 5-8: International Hongwanji Overseas Propagation Exchange (IHOPE) Gathering
December 12-14: Minister’s Assistant Program (MAP) seminar for beginner/advanced
The BCA Center for Buddhist Education presents
The 7th ANNUAL
BABY BOOMERS’ SEMINAR
Keynote Speaker:
WAKE Rev. Masao Kodani
Senshin Buddhist Temple
UP
Workshops include:
*Jodo Shinshu funeral rituals & meaning
&
* Just Bon Dancing! *Gagaku Music & more
Connect/Reconnect
Challenge/Inspire
BE
Explore!
Enjoy!
ALIVE! General Registration: $75 due Oct. 20th
Unlike life, death
must be experienced
while living, not by
dying. Death is the
absence of life.
Death, therefore, can
only be understood
by living, and
living deeply…
From DHARMA CHATTER
by Rev. Masao Kodani
p. 60-61
Early Registration: $60 due Sept. 29th
BCA Member Rate: $50 due Sept. 29th
Register online:
www.BuddhistChurchesofAmerica.org
Saturday, November 2, 2013
8:30 am – 9:00 pm
Fri. Nov. 1st at 7 pm: Informal Gathering with
Rev. Kodani (Optional)
Jodo Shinshu Center - 2140 Durant Avenue,
Berkeley, CA 94704
For more information call: (510) 809-1460
Email: [email protected] Fax: (510) 809-1462
Photo by Jim Shimomaye
Leggo My Ego at the College YBA Retreat
From June 21-23, about 36 people attended the College Young Buddhist Association
Retreat held at the San Luis Obispo Buddhist Church. Hosted by Bay Area College
YBA and Southern District Senior YBA, the theme was “Leggo My Ego.” Three
college-led workshops focused on letting go of self-consciousness: a lip-sync workshop to promote not holding back because you feel embarrassed; an obon dance
workshop to demonstrate that it doesn’t matter if you look foolish, as long you have
fun; and embarrassing photos to show that what you find embarrassing, other people
may not. Rev. Henry Adams (Oxnard Buddhist Temple) spoke about the six senses of
Buddhism and how they are interconnected, and how thoughts and consciousness, not
physical sensations, make us who we are. Visit: bcayouth.org/category/events.
The BCA Center for Buddhist Education presents
MAKING THE DHARMA CONNECTION
On the Yellow Brick Road to Inclusion
A Continuing Education Seminar for Dharma School Teachers
- For all levels of teaching experience -
October 18 - 19, 2013 at the Jodo Shinshu Center
Just added: optional Sunday Session on October 20:
Open Dialogue & Dharma School Lesson Practicum
with
Kiyo Masuda
Rev. Dr. David Matsumoto (Institute of Buddhist Studies)
& Mrs. Kiyo Masuda (Educational Resources Specialist)
Guest speakers
Presentations, workshops, and resources will focus on various topics,
including how to: address diversity through the Dharma; create an inclusive
classroom; deal with classroom challenges (e.g., bullying, cliques, etc.);
and create relevant lesson plans
Early registration: $75 Due Sept. 18 General registration: $100 Due Oct. 1
For more information and online registration, visit www.bcasites.net
or call 510.809.1460 or email [email protected]
Center for Buddhist Education 2140 Durant Avenue Berkeley, CA 94704 www.BuddhistChurchesofAmerica.org E-mail: [email protected] Phone: 510.809.1460
PAGE 4 WHEEL OF DHARMA
BCA Attends Boy Scout National Jamboree
Part 1 of 2
T
he Buddhist Churches of
America Committee on
Scouting provided a
booth at the 2013 Boy Scout National Jamboree. The National
Jamboree is a marquee scouting
event held every four years. This
year was different than past years
because this was the inaugural
Jamboree at the new Summit
Bechtel Scout Reserve in West
Virginia, the new permanent
home for the Boy Scout National
Jamboree. The BCA is an active
sponsor and administrator of two
Scouting religious medallions, the
Sangha Award for Boy Scouts and
Venture’s and the Metta Award
for Cub Scouts.
The BCA booth was staffed by
Rev. John Iwohara (Venice Hongwanji Temple) and Ernie Kyed
(Salt Lake Buddhist Temple),
both Eagle Scouts. The booth was
located in what is called the Faith
and Beliefs area of the Jamboree.
It was an area set aside for participants and visitors to the Jamboree
to learn about all the different religions that Scouts throughout the
United States participate in. The
Boy Scout program has always
had as part of its foundational
principles a strong connection to
religious faiths and practices as
indicated by the twelfth point of
the Scout Law, a “Scout is Reverent”. Several BCA Temples sponsor Scout troops and Cub Scout
Packs. The largest sponsor of
Scout troops in the country, however, is the Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter Day Saints (the Mormon
Church) with over 19,000 troops
sponsored! There are around
1,600 Buddhist children involved
in scouting (Cubs, Scouts and
Venturers) in the United States.
Rev. John Iwohara (Venice Hongwanji Buddhist Temple) and Ernie Kyed
(Salt Lake Buddhist Temple) staff the booth at the 2013 National Boy
Scout Jamboree.
The BCA booth provided an opportunity for Scouts and Scouters
to learn about a religion that they
may not know much about.
The booth was open daily
starting July 15 through July 23.
A steady stream of Scouts visited
the booth curious about Buddhism. Rev. Iwohara answered
their inquiries by telling them of
the story of Siddhartha Gautama
and teaching them lessons in Buddhism like the Four Noble Truths,
the Eightfold Path and the symbolism of the colors of the Buddhist flag. Ernie talked to the
Scouts about Buddhists think
about the world, and suggested
how the Buddha’s lessons could
be used in daily lives. The hours
were long but the inquisitive nature of the Scouts, their curiosity
and interesting conversations that
ensued made the days pass extremely fast. Several Jamboree
participants from various BCA
Temples visited the booth, stopping by to say hi and share their
faith with members of their
troops. On Sunday at the Jambo-
ree, Rev. Iwohara conducted a
Buddhist service for any Scout
that wanted to attend. This service
was attended by over 400 Scouts.
Boy Scouting has been under
fire in the media lately for its
stance banning homosexuals from
participation in Scouting. This
year, the BCA Ministers association voted in favor of a resolution
expressing their hope that the Boy
Scouts of America would end
their policies of discrimination
against gay Scouts and leaders. In
their May National Annual Meeting, the Boy Scouts of America
voted to allow gay Scouts to participate in Scouting, but continued the ban on gay leaders. Regardless of how people view this
issue, the publicity has not been
good for Scouting. Scouting has
seen a declining membership in
recent years and is trying to become more relevant and interesting to children and parents in this
new world of video games, organized sports programs, working
couples, economic downturns and
public scrutiny. This new Jambo-
ree format, with emphasis on adventure and allowing scouts instant access to social media to
share with their friends the awesome challenges they were able to
overcome, is hoped to inject more
enthusiasm into the scouting
movement. Despite all the bad
publicity, nearly 1,000,000 young
men are in Boy Scouts. If Cub
Scouts, Webelos, Sea Scouts, Explorers and young men and women who are Venturer Scouts are
included, the number of youth
participating in the Scouting program tops 2.6 million. One of the
missions of the BCA Committee
on Scouting is to help promote
scouting within the Buddhist
community. Despite the negative
publicity, scouting still provides
unique opportunities for young
people to challenge themselves,
learn new things, practice life
skills, learn how to lead, and most
importantly to mature and grow
into a productive, contributing
and service, oriented members of
our communities. The Scouting
program provides experiences and
teaches responsibility, something
not offered by any other program.
Look to next month’s Wheel
of Dharma to learn about how the
Sunday Buddhist service went and
the rest of the story of the BCA
and the National Boy Scout Jamboree.
To find out more about
Scouting and the National Boy
Scout Jamboree, visit:
http://www.scouting.org/
About/FactSheets/operating_
orgs/Buddhist.aspx
http://www.scouting.org/
http://www.scouting.org/
scoutsource/TheSummit.aspx
This is serialized and will continue in the next issue of the Wheel
of Dharma.
YLT Retreat held at OCBC
By Miko Shudo
Oxnard Buddhist Temple
T
he Young Leaders Today
Retreat at OCBC (from
March 29-31) was yet another invigorating and inspiring
weekend with fellow young Buddhists. Students in high school
and college, as well as young
Buddhists 23 years and up, had
the chance to attend workshops,
play games, meet new people, and
learn more about what it means to
be a true leader. Not only did we
get to learn new things about
mindfulness and leadership; we
also created wonderful memories
with people that are going to
shape the future of the BCA. Reverend Henry Adams from
Oxnard Buddhist Temple provided the high school and college
students with a workshop on
“Having an Obutsudan as the
Center of Your Home Life” as a
reminder to live our lives with
mindfulness.
The 23+ group gained awareness on the difficulties of limited
communication mediums, even
with the advancement of cellphones, iPads, and computers.
Both the student group and the
23+ group had the honor of having Reverend Umezu, the Bishop
of BCA, talk with us about the
importance of having young people like us step up into the roles as
BCA’s future leaders.
The highlight of the retreat
for me was Saturday night’s
“BLACK OUT” dinner and Talent Show. A notable performance
that I personally will remember
forever was Rev. Peter InokojiKim’s Gangdam Style dance. Senior YBL’s Michael Yebisu also
performed a mash-up of Lady
Gaga, Michael Jackson, and other
iconic artists’ dances. The energy
of the performers and the support
of the cheering audience created a
feeling of gratitude that I hope
was shared by all of us in the
room.
As I reflect on this wonderful
weekend at OCBC, I best remem-
ber what Rev. Peter reminded us
of throughout the retreat: that we
are all fellow travelers on our own
journey to enlightenment. Even a
great teacher such as Shinran
Shonin said that he himself was
not higher in class than any other
person he met. Instead, all beings
are equal in their search for peace
of mind. I think that with the
young leaders I met at this retreat,
the BCA will be in good hands for
many years to come.
Thank you to the Orange
County Buddhist Church for
hosting our conference, to all of
the OCBC past retreat parents for
cooking, to the YAC Committee
members Keith Sawada, Rev. Patti
Oshita, Linda Okino, Charlene
Grinolds, Richard Odagawa and
Jim Shimomaye for their hours of
planning this weekend.
Thank you to Bishop Umezu for flying down to spend the
entire weekend with us, to Rev.
Henry Adams for his classes and
to Rev. Peter and Keith for making sure everything ran smoothly
that weekend.
SEPTEMBER 2013
Santa Barbara
Continued from Page 2
join us. It seemed to me that approximately
half the attendees were our local Santa Barbara
neighbors. We had two sessions of dancing,
with a Japanese drumming performance by
Oxnard Buddhist Temple’s Togen Daiko
group in between.
It was thanks to the hard work and generosity of many volunteers and local supporters
that we were able to offer the Santa Barbara
community a festive event in the spirit of
Mahamaudgalyana’s charity. The members of
our Sangha received a clear message from our
neighbors that the teachings of the Buddha
and our Sangha are a cherished part of life in
Santa Barbara.
I had a wonderful time at the Santa Barbara Obon and was pleased to see so many
people enjoying our beautiful Hondo and
grounds. However, there were a handful of
quiet interactions on the sidelines of all the
excitement that I feel truly captured the spirit
of Obon. I spoke with a young mother from
Japan whose grandfather passed over to the
Other Shore this past year. She had come to
the Obon celebration with her family to give
her children the Japanese matsuri festival experience, but she discovered deep meaning in
the Buddhist services. She told me how comforting it was to hear the chanting of the sutras
and be reminded of the Buddha’s great compassion that has been nurturing her family for
generations.
Perhaps the most poignant moment for
me was when a young woman who lives down
the street from the church approached me between dances and asked if she could light a
Hatsubon candle in remembrance of a beloved
aunt who had passed away recently. She had
read in a local newspaper article about the
Hatsubon observance for those who have
passed away since last Obon, and had specifically come to the church in search of comfort
in her grief and an opportunity to express her
gratitude for all that her aunt had done for her
in life. She nervously told me that it was her
first time visiting a Buddhist temple, but
when I saw the reverence and sincerity with
which she joined her hands in gassho and
bowed after lighting the candle, I had realized
that she was showing me the deep awareness
that Mahamaudgalyana learned from Sakyamuni Buddha.
In gassho
May Peace and Tranquility
Prevail Throughout the World
In Gassho
BCA Bookstore News
By Gayle Noguchi
Available now: “The Joy Beyond Craving – A Buddhist Perspective on Addiction
and Recovery” by Joni Kay Rose, M.Div., CHT; paperback $14.
Buddhism offers much to those facing the challenge of recovery. Part I of this
unique book presents the systematic way that Buddhism teaches the causal relationship between craving and suffering. Part II shows how Buddhism illuminates
the way out of this suffering caused by craving.
In addition, Rose articulates AA’s 12 steps using non-patriarchal, guilt-free,
and non-shaming language. Though not explicitly stated, readers will find that the
12 Step process resonates with nembutsu teachings.
Joni Kay Rose has studied Buddhism for over 20 years and participated in 12Step Recovery programs. She received her Master of Divinity Degree from the Starr
King School for the Ministry of the Graduate Theological Union (GTU) in Berkeley,
California.
To order, go to www.bcabookstore.com or 510-809-1435/sales@bcabookstore.
com. The BCA Bookstore is open Tuesday-Saturday, 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Like us
on Facebook.
SEPTEMBER 2013 WHEEL OF DHARMA
PAGE 5
World Jodo Shinshu
Coordinating Council Meeting
By Ron Murakami
BCA President
O
n June 3 and 4, the 31st
World Jodo Shinshu Coordinating
Council
(WJSCC) Meeting was hosted by the
Jodo Shinshu Buddhist Temples of
Canada in Calgary, Alberta. This
year’s meeting was held in Calgary as
part of the preparation for the 2015
World Buddhist Women’s Association Convention being hosted by
Canada. The annual WJSCC meeting provides a venue for Hongwanjiha leaders from Japan to meet with
the Bishops and lay representatives
from the four overseas districts
(BCA, Canada, Hawaii, and South
America) to review activities and
share ideas for organization and Jodo
Shinshu education.
Rev. Sammi Kiribayashi from
the Hongwanji-ha International Department chaired the meeting while
Bishop Ryuji Kuwaba, Governor,
represented the Hongwanji-ha Board
of Governors. The BCA was represented by Bishop Kodo Umezu;
President Ron Murakami; Rev. Kiyonobu Kuwahara, Center for Buddhist Education Co-Director; and
Alan Kita, Chief Administrative Officer. Among the other participants
were Bishop Tatsuya Aoki and President Greg Chor from Canada, Bish-
op Eric Matsumoto and President
Alton Miyamoto from Hawaii, and
Bishop Jiko Matsumine from South
America.
The meeting was relaxed and
engaging, possibly due to the easy
and thoughtful nature of Bishop
Kuwaba who quietly and attentively
listened to the various reports and
discussions. While we continue to
face common issues of the aging
population of temple members and
subsequent declining membership,
there was a positive atmosphere created by hearing about the heartfelt
efforts being put forth to address our
ongoing issues. In addition, the reports focused on inspirational accomplishments and worthwhile
plans for sharing the Nembutsu
teaching.
Bishop Umezu spoke about
BCA’s own efforts toward hosting of
the 2019 World BWA Convention.
Among other topics, Bishop Umezu
also spoke about the productive use
of the Jodo Shinshu Center by the
Center for Buddhist Education, the
Institute of Buddhist Studies, Hongwanji, and Ryukoku University.
Bishop Umezu noted that a total of
93 students are attending classes at
the JSC including Graduate Theological Union students.
Similar to his words at the recent
BCA National Board Meeting, Ron
Aspiration for
All Dharma
Schools
Our Dharma Schools exist within a diverse
society, consisting of persons of many races, ethnic
and cultural backgrounds, religions, sexual orientations, (dis) abilities, and lifestyles;
Our Dharma Schools embrace the Buddhist
teachings of interdependence, compassion and
enlightenment to guide us toward lives of harmony
and inclusiveness;
Our Dharma Schools recognize that our
Japanese traditions and ethnic perspectives are both
treasures and potential barriers to the establishment
of an atmosphere of inclusiveness;
Our Dharma Schools wish to establish an
inclusive, harmonious Sangha to ensure that our
temples are strong and healthy for our children and
all Dharma seekers.
It is our aspiration that the Federation of
Dharma School Teachers League and the conference delegates encourage our chapters, ministers,
teachers, parents and students to:
Recognize the value and benefit of diversity in
our Dharma Schools;
Open the doors of our Dharma Schools to all
children and encourage our schools to nurture our
children so they can live in diverse communities as
happy, healthy Buddhist;
Learn and transmit the Buddhist teachings of
interdependence, compassion and enlightenment in
our Dharma Schools so as to establish inclusive and
harmonious Sanghas;
Constantly examine whether our Dharma
Schools are acting in ways that promote the
inclusion or the exclusion of people with diverse
backgrounds; and
Engage in actions that will help to overcome
exclusiveness and diversity tension in our Dharma
Schools, and promote interaction, respect, equality,
freedom and appreciation within them.
Bay District Dharma School Teachers
Murakami spoke about the responsibility for stewardship of the Jodo
Shinshu tradition on a worldwide
basis. We not only are responsible
for maintaining Jodo Shinshu, but
have the greater responsibility of improving propagation. Ron and Bishop Umezu agreed that that exchanging ideas with our counterparts
outside of the structured meeting
times was extremely valuable since
we could focus on particular issues of
interest without the limitations of
electronic communications.
Both Rev. Kuwahara and Bishop
Umezu spoke on the various programs developed by the Center for
Buddhist Education. The BCA focus
is on education and we now have
over 100 people certified as Minister’s Assistants.
Bishop Aoki noted that even
though temple membership has decreased, there is more and more interest from non-Japanese Canadians.
He also indicated how assistant
ministers are needed due to their
shortage of ministers. Each of the
overseas districts has different abilities so we should share ideas and resources. Canada has just implemented a student membership fee to
encourage younger people to be part
of the national organization and to
become full members. Bishop Aoki
also wants to incorporate ideas from
World Jodo Shinshu Coordinating Council Meeting Attendees, Seated from left:
Bishop Tatsuya Aoki, Bishop Eric Matsumoto, Bishop Kodo Umezu, Bishop Ryuji
Kuwaba, Bishop Jiko Matsumine, Rev. Sammi Kiribayashi; Standing from left:
Rev. Tomofumi Fujii, Mr. Greg Chor, Rev. Joshin Inoue, Rev. Toshiyuki Umitani,
Mr. Alton Miyamoto, Rev. Kiyonobu Kuwahara, Mr. Ron Murakami, Mr. Alan Kita,
Rev. Itaru Nozaki.
the BCA, such as minister’s assistants, website use, Skype lectures,
and human and technology resources.
Greg Chor appreciates the strong
relationship the British Columbia
temples have with BCA and the BCA
Pacific Northwest temples. Canada
is looking at different ways to make
Jodo Shinshu accessible to the general public as the Nembutsu teaching
extends beyond their temples.
For Hawaii, Bishop Matsumoto
said the Pacific Buddhist Academy
(PBA) is the number one project
with the start of the next $5.8 million phase. PBA provides outreach to
youth and emphasizes a peace curriculum. Bishop Matsumoto is helping promote the dharma by increasing visibility to the public, including
at civic functions. Without knowing
something about the teachings, people will not be coming to the temple.
2013 YOUNG BUDDHIST
INTERNATIONAL CULTURAL
STUDY EXCHANGE (YBICSE)
Photo courtesy of Yoshiko Morioka, Hongwanji Shimpo
Alton Miyamoto spoke about
Hawaii’s involvement in the Sadako
crane project for the Pearl Harbor
Museum. Yuji Sasaki, a nephew of
Sadako Sasaki, visited Hawaii last
September to give one of the five remaining original cranes that Sadako
made to the museum. The dedication for the project will take place on
September 21, United Nations Peace
Day.
Bishop Matsumine spoke about
South America’s effort to have family
programs. Their Fujinkai leads the
effort in promoting educational programs. Programs in Portuguese are
being requested by lay members.
Rev. Kiribayashi reported that
the Monshu succession ceremony
will be held June 5, 2014. Hongwanji has published an English seiten
(service book) and copies have been
sent to each overseas district. There
Continued on Page 6
The 2013 Hongwanji sponsored Young Buddhist International Cultural Study Exchange (YBICSE – Youth Exchange)
took place from July 16-25, 2013. 14 young adults from the
BCA were selected to participate in this year’s exchange.
Chaperones for this year’s group were Rev. Kiyonobu Kuwahara, Co-Director of the Center for Buddhist Education (CBE),
and Mrs. Yumi Hatta, CBE Program Assistant.
The BCA group met up in Kyoto with other members
from the Hawaii, Canada and South America Kyodans. They
attended classes at the Hongwanji, visited historical sites related to Shinran Shonin and the Hongwanji, and had an audience with His Eminence Monshu Koshin Ohtani. The program
also included a visit to the Memorial Peace Park and Museum
in Hiroshima and a homestay program with host families in
the Osaka area.
Participants were: Michael Handa (San Jose), Kristin
Hishinuma (San Jose), Mali McGuire (Berkeley), Matthew
Nitta (Sacramento), Michael Samiano (San Fernando Valley),
Garrett Sano (Fresno), Derek Shimozaki (Florin), Lauren
Takeshita (San Fernando Valley), Miyako Vasquez (San
Jose), Truc Vo (Ekoji), Emily Yamane (Lodi), Scott Yebisu
(Fresno), Michael Yebisu (Fresno), and Jason Yokoyama
(Seattle).
Mountain View Buddhist Temple ABA
presents...
oh what a night!
YAC
Featuring
LIVE MUSIC from SOMETHIN’ ELSE
presents
The Way of the Advisor
Saturday, October 5, 2013
10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Jodo Shinshu Center, Berkeley
CALLING ALL ADVISORS!! (past, present, and future)
Join us for a day of discourse and networking. Get to
know Jr. YBA/YBA Advisors from across the BCA.
Saturday, October 19, 2013
Doors open at 7:30 PM
Mountain View Buddhist Temple
575 North Shoreline Boulevard
Mountain View, CA 94043
Suggested donation of $35.00
Ages 21 and over
For more information and easy online registration
http://sites.google.com/site/abadance
Listen. Share. Connect
Advisor’s Summit Registration Form
Name
Application Deadline: October 1, 2013
Registration fee: $20
Street Address
City
Email Address
Temple Name
For more information, contact
State
Patti Oshita
Cell Phone
[email protected]
Number
Zip
(
)
PAGE 6 WHEEL OF DHARMA
Recognizing JSC
Debt Relief Donors
Starting with the January 2013 edition, we’ll begin recognizing donors for their Debt
Relief contributions to help pay off the bank mortgage for construction of the Jodo Shinshu
Center. When established by the National Council the remaining balance on the bank loan
was about $3,175,000. Even though the Debt Relief fundraising effort was designated for
only a 12 month effort, the bank mortgage has been reduced to about $1,550,000 thanks
largely to almost $1 million total donated for Debt Relief. Most importantly, paying down
the mortgage allowed us to avoid paying roughly $1,050,000 in potential interest on the loan
and reduced monthly payments on the bank loan from $19,900 to $10,200. This generous
response came during financially difficult times for many. Thank you and congratulations to
the thousands of donors who helped make this happen.
Spokane
Jim and Shirley Bennett
Barbara Braden
Marcelline Burdett
Toshie Kawahara
Martena Peterson
Celeste Sterrett
Janet Tamura
Dr. Paul and Karen Vielle
Stockton
Mitsuko Adachi
Hiroshi Asai
Jean Carter
Irene Chau
Kikuko Freeman
Dr. and Mrs. Kenneth Fujii
Dr. and Mrs. Robert Fujii
Mark and Mika Fujii
Mike Fujii
Cathy Fujimori
Mary Fukushima
Rev. Charles and Noriko Hasegawa
David and Candice Hayashi
Fumiye Higashiyama
Kinue Hiranaga
Henry and Alice Hirata
Toshiye Hirata
Donald Inamasu
Masayuki and Kimiko Ishihara
Elsie Kagehiro
Dwight Kajioka
Harry and Mae Kajioka
Ted Kamibayashi
George Kataoka
Mary KazukoKelley
Margaret Kikkawa
George and Megumi Kitagawa
Don and Deanna Kobayashi
Hisao James and Sumiko Kochi
Toshiko Kubo
Aiko Kumamaru
Brian and Tami Louie
Lois Midori Morimoto
Frank Morita
Miki Murakami
Ed and Debbie Nakade
Yasukichi Natsuhara
Fumio Nishida
Sue Noreen
Retirement Ceremony
Continued from Page 2
spouses from the BCA were in
attendance for this memorable
day.
This year’s event honored
those ministers who retired in
2011 and 2012. In 2011, 260
ministers in Japan and five
overseas ministers retired. The
retired ministers from BCA
were Rev. Koshin Ogui, former
Bishop of the BCA, Rev. Hoshu
Matsubayashi, and Rev. George
Shibata. The other overseas
ministers were Rev Ryozo
Toshima of Hawaii and Rev.
Orai Fujikawa of Canada. In
2012, 294 ministers in Japan
and two overseas ministers retired.
The retired overseas
ministers acknowledged were
BCA ministers Rev. Tesshin
Aoyama and Rev, William Masuda.
The retirement ceremony
President’s Message
Continued from Front Page
our organization goals, so I’ll
start with Alan and Kevin in
their administrative and financial areas. In the following paragraph I’ll simply list some of the
work currently being done based
on a recent status report from
Alan. Please do not hesitate to
ask if you want further details or
clarification of these items.
The following items fall into
the categories of administration,
human resources, finance, operations, and projects: resolve
tax-ID issues for affiliated and
district organizations; structure
co-employment agreements between BCA and a few temples;
complete a major revision of the
BCA Employee Handbook; determine applicability of national
Affordable Care Act to BCA
employees; coordinate with new
immigration attorney on needs
Mr. and Mrs. Sam Nozuka
Masami Okazaki
June Okubo
Raymond and Kimiko Okubo
Alan and AnnOsugi
Kathy Pocoroba
Masaru and Yoneko Ryuto
Donald Saiki
Misako Saiki
Teddy and May Saiki
Yuriko Saiki
Mr. and Mrs. Toshiaki Saruwatari
Kikue Sasaki
Yukio and Sachiyo Sasaki
Nuiko Shimozaki
Mr. and Mrs. Frank Shinoda
Howard Taniguchi
William Taniguchi
Roy and Chieko Tashima
Jean Terashita
Pat and Jim Ticer
Satomi Togo
Sadame Tokunaga
Miyoko Tominaga
Alice Tsunekawa
George and Sumiye Tsushima
Katsumi and Dorothy Keiko Uyeda
Mr. and Mrs. Satoru Uyekubo
Joanne and Jimmie Uyemura
Hanae Watanabe
Tak Watanabe
Tomiko Yabumoto
Aiko Yagi
Carl Yamada
Shoji Sidney Yamada
Dr. M. Lincoln Yamaguchi
Mitsuye Yamamoto
Ron and Eileen Yamamura
Wendi Yamanaka
Kenneth and Yukiye Yamashita
Robert Yasui
Grace Yoshimi
Shizuko Yoshimura
Dennis, Grace, Denise, Cynthia
and Valerie Yotsuya
Ernest Yotsuya
Anonymous
Buddhist Church of Stockton Sangha Club
Tacoma
June Akita
Asako Arima
Donald Arima
Hiroshi Fujita
Tom and Lynrae Hubbell
Mr. and Mrs. Shinobu Inoue
Tadashi and Joan Kajimura
Rev. Kojo Kakihara
Leo Kawasaki
Peter Lee
Richard and Tracy Ling
Edward Mayeda
Hisato and Haruko Miki
Frank and Violet Mizukami
Dorothy Morita
Yasuko Morita
Minoru and Toyoko Nakagawara
Anita and Robert Nakayama
Dan Otsuka
Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Saito
Alvin and Donna Sasaki
Delbert and Cynthia Sasaki
Ellen Shigeno
Wendy Hamai and Henry Stoll
Ted and Martha Tamaki
Ken and Lynne Tanino
Linda Teal
Shoko Yamasaki
Pauline Yamashita
Hanako Yoshida
David and Kathy Yotsuuye
Mr. and Mrs. Aki Yotsuuye
Rev. Kosho and Mrs. Michiko Yukawa
TSDBT
Kiyoko Aigaki
Bob and KiyoFujimoto
Frances Furukawa
Miyuki MabelGoogins
Dennis Hardman
Sawaye Hirokawa
Martha Inouye
Kenso, Atsuko and Steve Kagiyama
Linda Kato
Mary Kawata
Ayako Kimura
Jack Kimura
Robbin and Pamela Kimura
Minoru Kishiyama
Tom Koshio
Kathryn Kuge
Charles and Mary Matsubara
Tatsuo Matsuda
Okiko Matsushima
Dick and Yoshie Matsushita
Eric and Naomi Miyazawa
Frank Miyazawa
Kim and ClintMorehouse
Miyoko Murata
Edward Nakagawa
Charles and Teri Ozaki
Joe and Jill Ozaki
Gregory and Janice Ramos
Thom Sakata
Joe Sasaki
Patricia Sato
Rose Shibao
Yuriko Shimoda
began at 10 a.m. in the Amidado with the chanting of Amidakyo in memory of the many past
ministers who served to propagate Shinran Shonin’s Pure
Land teachings. This was followed by warm words of appreciation by Monshu Kosho
Otani, thanking the retirees for
their many years of service in
sharing the Nembutsu.
A group photo was then
taken in the Amida-do, followed
by the Dharma Message by the
Rev. Chiko Naito, chairman of
the Kangaku-ryo, a council of
scholars that oversees the Shinshu doctrines and teachings. The
impressive thought, for me, in
Naito Sensei’s talk touched on
how meaning of our faith
evolves over a lifetime. Amida’s
immeasurable wisdom and
compassion are consistent, all
encompassing, and faultless, but
we are not. Our faith is constantly being shaped by our experiences and reflections, so that
as we evolve, so does our awareness, appreciation, and gratitude
of Amida’s immeasurable spiritual gifts. Simply stated, retirement is another life transition,
which holds a wealth of possibilities, understandings, and experiences to enrich our life and
faith journey in the Nembutsu.
After a reflective, dharmacentered morning, we joined
together for a celebratory luncheon at the Tokyu Hotel.
Prior to the luncheon, the
attending BCA ministers and
their spouses were invited to a
short audience with the Monshu
and Lady Otani. After expressing their appreciation for the
many years of service to our
ministry, they inquired about
the well-being of the overseas
ministry. The candid conversation touched on the role of the
Bomori (the wives of ministers),
present and future prospects of
the ministry in the North
American continent, the devel-
opment and relevance of JodoShinshu Buddhist education,
and other concerns for the
propagation of Jodo Shinshu
abroad. Even though our meeting was brief, we shared a lively
conversation with the Monshu
and Lady Otani.
The festive lunch reception
was also lively with reunions
among ministers who had not
seen each other in years, with
people extending good wishes to
all, and encouragement for the
continued sharing of Dharma in
our retirement. The gathering
concluded with a quiet appreciation for this memorable day. We
left the gathering ever humbled
in knowing that we live and
share a common legacy in the
Nembutsu at the center of our
life – a center whose circumference is everywhere and anywhere
whenever Namu-Amida-Butsu
is intoned or heard.
for ministers from outside the
United States; review ministers’
pension plan for currency; conduct day-to-day financial accounting and reporting, including
processing
accounts
receivable and payable; prepare
FY2014/2015 budget; search
for audit firm; reduce copier
lease costs; coordinate joint security protection with Buddhist
Church of San Francisco; and
prepare for 2014 National
Council Meeting.
In future articles I’ll mention similar information for
other BCA staff members. I expect this information doesn’t
usually reach our general BCA
sangha but members should be
aware of these areas. Additionally, we help fund these activities through our annual assessments and sometimes using
earnings from our endowed
funds. Our staff includes all of
the lay people as well as the
ministers employed by BCA,
including the Bishop. We can
be very proud of the excellent
and dedicated work being done
by all of our BCA staff members.
Their can-do attitude and sense
of working as a team is due in
large part to the efforts of Bishop
Umezu. Thank you to Bishop
Umezu and all our wonderful
staff and volunteers.
I’ve had a welcome break
from traveling and used some of
the time to work on several major tasks at home so I won’t get
further behind. While the tasks
seem mundane, such as working
on a rototiller carburetor, repairing fence panels, and refinishing our deck, they’re part of
my everyday life. I’m fortunate
to be healthy enough to work on
such things. Karen and I also
made time to visit friends and
relatives and to help our two
children and their spouses. We
had fun attending the local
Obon festivals at the Seattle
Buddhist Church and the Ta-
coma Buddhist Temple, and
helped at our own White River
Buddhist Temple Bon Odori.
It’s been an usually hot summer
in most of the United States but
I hope you’ve been enjoying the
season as much as Karen and I
have.
I’ve been fortunate to see
many BCA members during the
last year and I’m very grateful
for the kind words and support
people have provided. For those
who find some meaning in these
articles I thank my wife, Karen.
I normally ask her for a (last
minute) review of my draft articles and she often lets me know
when sections lack relevance or
substance. Unfortunately I
don’t always remember to thank
her. She’s been very supportive
throughout my involvement
with BCA and has made it much
easier to take on the responsibilities of the President’s office.
Namu-Amida-Butsu
In Gassho
Sharon Shin
Itsuo Tadehara
Kenneth and June Tagawa
Francie Takamatsu-Marfia
Isao Jon and Sayoko Takata
Michio and Hisae Taniwaki
Stacey Umemoto Ospina
Everett Watada
Harry and Phyllis Yamamura
Youko Yamasaki
Betty Yamashita
Jean Yien
Chiyo Yoshida
Kevin and Keiko Yoshida
In Memory of Marge Nakata
Twin Cities
Richard and Eiko Toyo Lang
Ben and Gail Wong
Venice
Roger and Mariko Chouinard
Martin Cohen
R. Joyce Enomoto
Kei and Tomoko Fukuda
Eugene and Phyllis Hayashibara
Kho and Minako Iseda
Sachiko Ito
Emily Kariya
Yoshiko Kariya
Sanaye Kita
Kenji and Shinobu Koda
Frank and Elaine Koyama
Milnes and Noriko Kurashige
Ayako Masada
James Mayeda
Mark Mayeda
Dan and Nancy Nakagiri
Jerry Nakanouchi
Fusae Nishina
Dale and GailNoriyuki
Ron and Janis Ozaki
John and Valda Palacios
Sandra and Billy Saeki
Ethel Yanaru Sato
Merle and Gail Sharp
David Shimasaki
SEPTEMBER 2013
Karen Tokubo
Cynthia and Donald Uehara
Harue Ueki
Thomas and Judy Yamaguchi
Roseann Yoshida
Yukiko Yumori
Visalia
Katy Mikasa
Visalia Buddhist Church
Vista
Stanley and Tomoko Arai
George and Gail Furuya
Gary Kozlow
Mick and Norma Kubota
Walter and Sandra Muryasz
Glenn Sasagawa and Lindy
Nagata-Sasagawa
Janice Ohno
Ricky Schlesinger
Yoshiaki Tanaka
The Roberson Family
Walnut Grove
Toshiko Hamada
Gale Hamatami
Gladys Katsuki
Ruby Mitsuye Kawahara
Nellie Kawamura
Dorothy Sachiko Koga
June Matsubara
Bob Matsumoto
Roy Mayhugh
Jun Mizutani
Craig Nakahara
Frances Kimiko Nakahara
Gene Sakai
Ken and Sharon Sano
Hiroko Sugimoto
Ralph Sugimoto
Alyce Takaki
Kaz Tokuyoshi
Nancy Tokuyoshi
WSJCC Report
Continued from Page 5
is world-wide interest in the English Correspondence Course offered through BCA. The IHOPE
(International Hongwanji Overseas Propagation
Exchange) seminar presented by the BCA Center
for Buddhist Education for ministers is proving to
be very worthwhile and popular. A satellite office
for Hongwanji is in the works for Europe.
As a first time observer, Alan Kita, Chief Administrative Officer, found the meeting to be insightful on the workings of the South America,
Hawaii and Canada kyodan.
The individual written reports for the WSJCC
Meeting include many more programs, activities,
pieces of data, and ideas than can be captured in
this article. Many issues were discussed and ideas
for organization and programs were shared. The
meeting was very positive and worthwhile.
As an added personal note, it was both an
honor and very humbling to experience how much
Hongwanji and the other overseas districts looked
to the Buddhist Churches of America for information, answers, and direction. We carry an important responsibility in the world propagation of the
Jodo Shinshu tradition.
Fuken Report
Continued from Front Page
destination in the state, following the Konshinkai
dinner, but everyone ended up socializing at the
restaurant until the bus arrived to take us back to
the hotel.
As a personal observation, I feel, as ministers,
after our formal school education is over that
ministers learn from other ministers and members.
Thus, opportunities to listen, discuss and share
experiences among other ministers is an essential
part of our continuing education It was a truly inspiring experience to host the annual Fuken in
Chicago for the first time in BCA’s century of
ministry on the continental United States.
BCA Job Posting
The Buddhist Churches of American National Headquarters is hiring part-time
accounting clerks to assist with account
payables and receivables. Basic bookkeeping knowledge is preferred. For job
description, please contact [email protected].