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Welcome to December! Happy Holidays! December is a good month in that we are caused to turn inward towards the home, family, and friends. We start the month off with the Bodhi Day Family Service. In Japanese, it is called JODO-E, which means "attaining-enlightenment-gathering". Bodhi Day is the day that the Prince Siddhartha became the Buddha at the age of 35. We are to know that we possess the same potential and can attain the same Enlightenment, through the awakening and cultivation of our Buddha Nature. The month and the year conclude with the Year End Service. This service is known as the JOYA-E, or "last-night-gathering". We are able to reflect upon the past year and to recognize all the causes and conditions that allowed us to make it through the year. Many temples will ring the Kansho bell 108 times to symbolically ring away the 108 passions that tie man to this suffering world of delusion. We are reminded again to move away from our selfish and ego-centered ways. Come join us on this occasion for service and to hit the Kansho! It is a good and mindful way to start the New Year Celebrations!
Rev. Dennis
Is everyone getting adjusted to the weather - here goes another layer of clothing to keep us warmer? Time seems to go faster and faster - hang in there everyone, we have lots to do before the year ends.
Would like to thank everyone who generously donated to the Fujinkai Memorial Services. It certainly brings lots of memories of our past Fujinkai members how they started this organization. I can imagine how they had to cook on those wood stoves, laboring so hard, but they managed. Also, thanks to those who participated during the services and to Shiz Inouye and Setsuko Morishige in charge of the luncheon - it was much appreciated.
Annual church cleanup date was finally done after a postponement a week later. Thanks to all those who came to help clean and straighten things up - hope it stays that way for a while. Our handyman, Yasu Teramura, needs to have a pat on the back for all the things he does very silently. I heard he winterized the sprinkler system, both at the church and the parsonage, replacing the broken floor tiles, and creating a new side entrance. Also, Yasu and Tak Kuwahara raked and cleared the Bodhi tree leaves.
Activity Days are still going on Wednesdays - feel free to come and join us. Starting from December 7th, we will be doing some demostrations starting from 10:00 a.m. Need to ask around to see who will be demonstrating, as we haven't set the monthly tobans as of this writing. Forgot to mention that Mae Nakano, Joan Suyematsu and Ruth Harada made lunch for those who came to play cards - we certainly appreciated it whole heartedly.
Would you like to help with community services? It was decided to help out with the Food Bank. We have a box for you at church to drop off your canned goods of all kinds, soaps, cereals, pastas or anything, as long as it is sealed. Bring your items first part of December. Thanks!
Lots of activities going on for the month of December. Fujinkai will be having their year-end meeting on December 4th after adult services. To finalize 2005, the Fujinkai will have their annual year-end party on December 11th after the adult services. No cooking ladies, the lunch will be catered by Matsy's. Also, the Temple Year-End Party will be held on December 18th after adult services. Tobans will be the Weiser and Caldwell group.
On behalf of Patty and myself, we want to extend a Thank You to all of the Committee Chairpersons and Everyone (members and friends) for helping and supporting our annual Bazaar that was held last month. Without everyone's help, the Bazaar would not have happened! Kakimochi Day finished early this year. Almost all food items sold out, which was wonderful! We hope each of you have recuperated from the many, many days of intensive labor of preparing for this annual one-day event.
Gassho,
Sandy Belknap and Patty Aarestad
2005 Bazaar Chairmen
Nov 5: Temple clean-up. The children did a good job cleaning all the chairs
Nov 6: Lois Saito, chairman
Nov 13: Mary Ann Shimojima, chairman
Nov 20: Family/combined service Buddhist Women's Association Memorial
Nov 27: Sandy Belknap, chairman
Dec 4: Family/combined service - Bodhi Day
Dec 18: Holiday service and year end party with a visit from Santa
Dec 25: No church
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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