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Greetings! I thought I should try to get at least a short message out in this month's newsletter. I think things have been going OK during my first month at IOBT. I do appreciate your support and encouragement. Everyone I have met has been very kind, and I look forward to meeting those of you that I have not yet met.
My living room is still full of the same boxes that were put there on moving day, but BOTSU, BOTSU, I'll get to them. On my way back from the WYBL Conference in Sacramento, I plan to stop at my old home to bring more of my stuff from California. Never an have enough stuff; that's what I always say. That is probably not a Buddhist saying, though.
My phone number is the same parsonage phone number that you have always used, so it should be easy to get in touch with me. My office hours will be posted, and you will be notified by the Board when they can.
I have been able to visit some of our members who are unable to get to the temple. If there are others that you may be aware of that would like home visitations, please let me know.
I will plan to have an article in the newsletter regularly, but this update will have to do for now. GOMENNASAI!
It must be Spring - I noticed the spring bulb flowers all of a sudden, and now the beauty of the first flowers is blooming. It is the sign that Hanamatsuri time is approaching.
Hanamatsuri will be celebrated on Sunday, April 10th with Rev. Dennis Fujimoto as our speaker. Ontario Country ladies will be doing toban duties, with others helping. They will be serving lunch after services with a Hanamatsuri program following. Donations of spinach or watercress, rice, shoyu, sugar, and gobo will be accepted. Bring your donations early enough to be used; it will be greatly appreciated.
The Temple sponsored a coffee hour at Matsy's for Isoko Yoshihara, who will be living in the Seattle area, to be closer to her family. Many of her community and Temple friends were in attendance. It was so nice that she came back to our area briefly to clean out her home and we all had an opportunity to bid her farewell and wish her the best. We would like to thank the Yoshihara's for all their contributions towards the Temple. It will be well remembered. We would also like to thank many of the Temple ladies who made the pastry goodies with Matsy's making the coffee, tea and the huge fruit plate, and later serving party sandwiches.
After the winter inversion that we had, our Activity Day had good attendance the past month. Everyone enjoyed lots of good demonstrations. A few crafty items have also been shared. Seiko Go and Shiz Inouye made Japanese Noodle Soup (homemade noodle), Nori Oyama made Fruit Delight and Bacon Wrap Chestnuts, Nan Nagasaka made Pumpkin Soup using kabucha pumpkin, Shiz Hata made Chincese Style Crab, Setsuko Morishige made Stir Fry and Sukiyaki and Kikue Terada made Mochi Cake adn Green Onion Miso-Ai. Thanks ladies for sharing your recipes, which were enjoyed by all who came for lunch on Activity Day.
On March 11th, Martha Mizuta, Sue Uyeki and Rev. Fujimoto visited members at the Care Centers and individual homes. Your visitation means so much to their families and is appreciated very much.
A Welcome and Thank You Potluck Dinner was held for our new minister, Rev. Dennis Fujimoto and our supervising minister, Rev. Gregory Gibbs of the Oregon Buddhist Temple, on March 17th. Rev. Gibbs' family was able to attend the affair. The main dishes were catered by Matsy's and Far East and salads and desserts were brought in by the families. No one in attendance went home hungry!!! It was a blowout affair; never seen so many different varieties, especially at the dessert table! A gift (musical wall clock) was given to both Reverends, and gifts were presented to the Gibbs' two children.
The next Fujinkai Meeting will be held on Sunday, April 3rd, after services. Your attendance will be appreciated. On the agenda will be Hanamatsuri.
March 6th: Chairman: Laurel Saito, Dharma Talk: Rev. Dennis Fujimoto
March 13th: Chairman: Karen Hata, Dharma Talk: Rev. Dennis Fujimoto
March 20th (Ohigan): Chairman: Sandy Belknap, Dharma Talk: Rev. Dennis Fujimoto
March 27th: Chairman and Dharma Talk: Mary Ann Shimojima
The children have been busy practicing for the Hanamatsuri program. Hanamatsuri will be April 10th, with a combined service at 11:00 a.m. Children, please bring fresh flowers for the Hanamido.
Thank you to May Nakano, Sanami Nakano, Mary Nakamura, Mary Ann Shimojima, Gary and Sandy Belknap, Ken and Jeanne Ozawa and Joe and Yasuko Kino for the March Temple Clean-Up. Also, thanks to Isao Kameshige and Kameshige Farms for landing the labor and equipment to spray and kill the weeds in the yard, as well as leveling the ruts in the landscape. Thanks to Shiz Inouye for contributing the gallon of RoundUp weed killer to help in the Temple Yard Clean-Up and to Hideo Harada for assisting in the project!
Sincere Condolences to the Shig Hironaka, Kay Yasuda and George Kitamura families
Idaho Oregon Buddhist Temple
286 SE 4th Directions
PO Box 397 (mailing address)
Ontario, Oregon 97914
541-889-8562 (office)
541-889-8662 (fax)
10:00 am - IOBT Choir Practice
10:30 am - Adult Study
10:30 am - Dharma School Service
11:00 am - Adult Service
11:00 am - Dharma School Class
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