You may view previous editions of the bulletin from the listing to the right.
This year, the Idaho-Oregon Buddhist Temple was asked to participate in the annual Ontario Veteran's Day Parade. Although individuals have participated in the past, this was the first time that our Nikkei Veterans participated as a group. The invitation was received from parade coordinator, Mr. Ron Verini, during our temple bazaar. This left very little time to coordinate our efforts to prepare for the parade. Our hats should go off to Connie Tanaka, Sharmon Sadamori, Michelle Sadamori and Mike Iseri for getting our float into the parade. Many thanks also go to Murakami Produce for providing the flat-bed truck, and to Tracy Nakamura for bringing bales of straw to sit on. I was away and unable to see the actual parade, but the pictures I have seen looked great.
My part in the parade effort ws to find and contact all our temple-connected veterans in the community. After the fact, we have come to find that a number of veterans were omitted. Please know that failure to contact these omitted veterans was a reflection of my own lack of thoroughness in locating them. This short-coming should not diminish the effort of those that got the float on the road. They did a beautiful job that we can all be proud of. We are still trying to complete our list of temple-connected veterans. We would like to create a plaque listing their names to recognize their service. To date, our list consists of:
Please bring additional names (deceased also) to the attention of the temple office so that all could receive their due recognition.
Gassho,
Rev. Dennis
I have pushed the panic button as of this writing because I'm taking a break from home to go to visit my 4 siblings that I have in the Denver, Colorado area.
Temple Cleanup was held on November 3rd; attendance was on the light side, but those who made a special effort, we appreciate your time and effort. The altar got a spit shine, so it looked nice with a little more glitter, and the kitchen got a thorough cleaning. The windows were cleaned and our storage got straightened up and I saw a Dharma School student give our chairs a sanitized cleaning. Thanks everyone!
Thanks to Grant Saito for his special Eagle Award project of cleaning the front of the Temple. He painted the wooden fence, removed a couple of evergreen trees that had overgrown their space (they were planted around 50 years ago) and he trimmed the lower limbs of other trees, which will be appreciated by the ladies who try to avoid the lower limbs when they walk the sidewalk and get their hairdo's caught. This was a huge project for Grant, but with the Temple's help and the help of his parents, Jeff and Lois, and some of his friends, the project got done. Thanks Grant!
Wednesday Activity Day is going on with yummy lunches being served. Would like to thank Mae Nakano, Joan Suyematsu, and Ann Nagaki for planning the meals. I think we ought to write a book on how to use leftovers! Those who have been coming out have a little guest to enjoy watch and eat with us. Lorinda Hasegawa has been bringing her grandson, Jacque, which has been very entertaining us to Seniors!
BWA Memorial will be held on November 18th with Kathy Chatterton as our guest speaker. Kathy recently received her long overdue Koromo robe from the Socho Ogui while she attended a Minister Assistance Program held at the Jodo Shinshu Center. Congratulations Kathy! I mentioned to her that I liked her new outfit and she replied that now she doesn't have to worry about what she'll wear on Sunday's. Fujinkai will have a catered lunch made by Matsy's and the dessert by Pam Suyematsu.
Temple will be helping others with the Food Bank offering. Bring your canned goods ASAP - place your offering in the box provided downstairs.
Have a nice Thanksgiving Holiday!
I was excited to attend the Map Quest seminar on September 27th-30th, 2007. The seminar provides training for Minister's Assistants, and BCA temples are invited to send participants. One wave of Minister's Assistants has already completed this series of seminars so we are riding the second wave.
Opening service on Thursday was a special moment for me since I was to receive my certification as Minister's Assistant from Socho Ogui. Rev. Kodo Umezu, the director for the Center for Buddhist Education, and Rev. Bob Oshita, minister of the Sacramento Betsuin, were also at the service, as well as six of my fellow MAP-sters. I felt very humbled to receive my certification and to don the robe and wagesa of a Minister's Assistant.
That evening we had a session with Socho Ogui followed by a presentation by Rev. Oshita on how to give Dharma talks. It was a fun-filled evening as we got acquainted with each other and listened to Rev. Oshita share his insight on effective Dharma talks.
The MAP group is a diverse one, and we hope to be able to continue to work together on our path. There are four participants from New York Buddhist Church, California representatives are from Walnut Grove, San Jose, South Alameda, and Senshin temples. There is a representative from Arizona who has already received tokudo ordination. And, of course, Idaho-Oregon had two representatives, myself and Anne Spencer. Two of the eleven participants are planning on entering the ministry. Seven of the eleven people have been certified as Minister's Assistants.
The Jodo Shinshu Center is well-equipped to handle groups for Buddhist education online. There are hotel rooms and a dorm suite where participants can stay for a nominal fee. There is also a large kitchen where we prepared our own breakfasts and worked together to make dinners.
On Friday and Saturday we had two services a day. We were assigned tasks and learned etiquette for the kansho (ringing of the bell), chosho (leading the chanting), entering the onaijin, and giving Dharma talks. (Anne did a fantastic job with her talk on the big bus of Buddhism). I did kansho for two services and led Sanbutsuge adn also Shoshinge.
During the day on Friday we had several sessions with ministers. Rev. Umezu presented a history of BCA. Rev. Marvin Harada presented sessions on Buddhism 101 and local outreach. Rev. Harry Bridge conducted a session on chanting. The entire group worked together to prepare Friday dinner, and Anne arrived just as the salmon came out of the oven, so her timing was impeccable.
On Saturday we had field trip day to visit the Japanese cemetery in Colma where there is a memorial to deceased BCA bishops and BCA ministers who died in the United States. We did some clean up and conducted a service in front of the memorial. Then it was off to Japantown in San Francisco for lunch. After lunch we visited the stupa on the roof of the Buddhist Church of San Francisco, where we had another service. It is quite awe-inspiring to chant before the relics of Sakyamuni Buddha and two of his disciples. Afterward, Rev. Abiko met with us in front of the onaijin of the Buddhist Church of San Francisco for a short question and answer session. Then it was back to the Jodo Shinshu Center for a delicious dinner of chicken mizutake.
Sunday morning we had one last service before everyone headed off to their homes. The next seminar will be in April, and we hope to be able to have our group together once again and perhaps a few others as well.
I would like to thank the temple for their support of our efforts as Minister's Assistants. Please continue your support of the Jodo Shinshu Center as well. The Center for Buddhist Education is doing a wonderful job of providing a diverse array of educational programs.
Designated Memorial Service Years for 2007. To schedule a family memorial service, please contact Reverend Fujimoto. 1 Year = 2006, 3 year = 2005, 7 year = 2001, 13 year = 1995, 17 year = 1991, 25 year = 1983, 33 year = 1975 and 50 year = 1958.
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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