You may view previous editions of the bulletin from the listing to the right.
As you know, the NW Convention is being held at Spokane, February 10-12, 2006. They have been working very hard to give us a fun and meaningful convention. We hope that as many from IOBT that can will make the trip.
There has been a change from what was originally posted on the bulletin board in the basement. The hotel reservation deadline has been changed to January 6, 2006! You must call the hotel and make the reservation (identify yourself as a Buddhist convention delegate) on or before Friday, January 6. Reservations made after that date will likely be much more expenive, so please make reservations by the deadline. The Davenport Hotel phone number for reservations is 1-800-899-1482. Convention room rate is $111.00 per night plus tax. For reservations made after January 6, room rates will start at $159-$169 per night. (Dharma School will pay for the students registration to the convention). Mary Ann Shimojima is your contact for convention. All registration forms can be given to her. Thanks, Mary Ann, and, thank you to all the members for your consideration.
Happy New Year! I would like to thank each of you for all your kindness and support during my initial year in the area. I feel very much at home here now. I look forward to sharing the coming year with all of you.
January brings the BCA Youth Retreat to our temple! Ten participants and 5 coordinators will be spending 4 days and 3 nights on our temple grounds over the Martin Luther King Jr. Weekend, Jan. 13-16. This is not a ski retreat! The participants learn how to lead a Buddhist Service...how to prepare the Onaijin...how to lead the chanting...how to chant properly...how to prepare and give a Dharma talk...and participate in discussions and presentations to better understand Jodo Shinshu terminology and history. Although the participants and staff have fun, the real satisfaction is in being allowed to realize the true meaning of Buddhist ritual and the true value of the Buddhist Teachings. This brings a depth of understanding and appreciation to things we have been superficially participating in our whole lives. Chanting can lead to mindfulness can lead to the Nembutsu teachings...Shinran Shonin's life of gratitude cultivates a depth of vision and lasting values that will guide a lifetime. The solid core of the Buddhist Teachings becomes our solid core as individuals. This core will guide us in any and all future endeavors. Age becomes irrelevant. Those of us who come to recognize the value and seek the meaning of the Nembutsu Teachings are to be commended and encouraged.
The Retreat participants and staff will join the rest of us for the Hoonko Family Service, Sunday, Jan. 15 at 11:00. Hoonko is the Memorial Service for Shinran Shonin, the founder of our Shin Buddhist Tradition. The senior minister of the Retreat, Rev. Bob Bombu Oshita, Rinban of the Sacramento Betsuin, will be our guest speaker for the Hoonko Service. Please mark your calendars to attend this special opportunity to listen to Rev. Oshita and to meet the participants and staff of this BCA Youth Retreat! Bring your parents...bring your kids...bring your grandkids...bring your friends...bring your neighbors...it's a Family Service!...it's a BIG DEAL!
Rev. Dennis
By the time this newsletter reaches everyone I like to wish everyone a Healthy and Happy New Year. I can't believe that 2005 went by so fast. I'd like to thank everyone for all your help at the Temple; without your help, we couldn't succeed.
Special Kakimochi Day on November 30th was a success. It was decided to try and make Kakimochi at the Cultural Center because of the kitchen facilities for the frying and ovens. Everything went very smoothly and I thought we ended up making some beautiful Kakimochi. We would like to thank some of our outside friends for giving us a helping hand. Arrangements were made through Matsy's for the use of the Cultural Center and we would like to thank Matsy's for making our lunch of Hamburger stir fry over rice, salad, and dessert and the dinner of Stew over rice or cornbreak, tsukemono (Mary Kameshige) and cookies made by Pam Suyematsu.
Wednesday Activity Day with food demonstration has resumed during the month of December. To start off, Ann Nagaki made "Hearty Lentil and Barley Soup", Martha Mizuta made "Sweet Sour Ribs" , and to our surprise, we had Rev. Fujimoto volunteer to make "Beef Curry" - it hit the spot on these cold days. We will take a break until first Wednesday of January and will continue throughout April. There's lots of good recipes and hints that's floating around so don't miss out.
IOBT will be hosting delegates for the Youth Retreat Reunion January 13-15th. At this time will be our Hoonko Service, held on January 15th. Following the service will be a combined luncheon for the Youth Retreat delegates. The Temple will provide main dishes and desserts. We're asking temple members to help with some salad or any kind of side dishes to show our hospitality.
A special "Thanks" for the church cleaning crew who went out of the way to spit and shine the floors in the basement dining area. Thanks to Russ Tanaka who instructed teh crew with his polisher. Those who helped were Yas and Midge Teramura, Sagie and Tomie Nishihara, Murray Nishihara, Connie Tanaka, Randy Kameshige and Les Ito.
Our special friend, Thuan Merritt of Alexandria, VA, generously sent all the ladies a 2006 daily book along with some special wrapped candy toffee. We would all like to thank her for the very thoughtful gift.
Thanks to Shiz Inouye and her crew for making the new year mochi for the altar and some for the ozoni for the New Year Day and Hoonko.
Martha Mizuta and Sue Uyeki delivered Poinsetta plants for Temple shut-in members from the Fujinkai. It was our way to say, "We're thinking about you".
2006 NW Convention will be hosted by Spokane Buddhist Temple on February 10-12th...registration and housing information is available...see the special bulletin board downstairs.
Next Fujinkai meeting will be held after adult services on January 8th...ladies don't forget your 2006 dues of $5.00. Ann Nagaki will be glad to receive your dues.
Dec 4: Combined Family Service for Bodhi Day. The children participated by walking around the Hondo, chanting the Junirai and then placing their Bodhi leaves on the Bodhi Tree.
Dec. 11: Karen Hata was chairman and had the children make presents for their parents.
Dec. 18: Lois Saito was chairman and we had our year end party with Santa and his helper.
The students that attended the Sacramento retreat in July are going to have a reunion/retreat here in Ontario the weekend of January 13-15, 2006. Rev. Oshita was one of the Reverends for the retreat and he will be speaking at the Janaury 15th Ho-On Ko Service. This service will be a combined family service at 11:00 a.m.
Laurel Saito and Brady Kameshige were the two students from ur temple that attended. Lets support our two seniors by attending this special service.
Your newly elected board members for the 2006-2008 term are: Grant Kitamura, Larry Matsumura, Kazuko Kuramoto, Fred Kuwahara, Dyke Nagasaka, Lorinda Hasegawa, Karen Hata, George Gledhill, and Sherri Kitamura. Your newly elected board of trustees for the 2006-2008 term are: George Matsuura and Roy Hasebe.
Thank you to each of you for agreeing to serve in these positions on our Temple board! Temple board meetings are generally held on the second to the last Tuesday of each month at 7:30 p.m. in the Temple basement. Everyone is welcome to attend.
For our newly elected board members, installation will be held after service on January 29, 2005. Please make every effort to attend and be installed. Rev. Fujimoto will be administering your oath of office.
After installaion, we will hold our annual general meeting in the Temple basement. This will be followed by a Temple luncheon. Chicken is provided by the Temple. The Fujinkai is providing rice and tea. Salads and desserts are potluck. Please bring a salad if your last name starts with A-N. Please bring a dessert if your last name starts with O-Z.
Make reservations now for the ABA Party to be held Saturday, January 21 at 5:00 p.m. in the Temple basement. Matsy's will be catering. Come out for an evening of good food, good friends, and bingo! Adults - $15, Kids (12-17) - $10, Kids (5-11) - $5, Kids under 5 are free...
Your area representatives may be calling, or, you can call any of these area representatives or Mike or Mary Ann at 889-8691 to make your reservations for this annual event. Reservation deadline is January 18. Ontario, Randy Kameshige, 889-2491, 230-1190 cell. Weiser, George Uyeki, 549-2169. Nyssa/Vale, Tak Kuwahara, 473-2102. Caldwell/Nampa, Roy Oyama, 459-9182. Payette/Fruitland, George Matsuura, 642-2009. Mike Iseri/Mary Ann Shimojima, 889-8691.
Twenty years ago, I drove a cab for a living. When I arrived at 2:30 a.m., the building was dark except for a single light in a ground floor window. Under these circumstances, many drivers would just honk once or twice, wait a minute, then drive away. But, I had seen too many impoverished people who depended on taxis as their only means of transportation.
Unless a situation smelled of danger, I always went to the door. This passenger might be someone who needs my assistance, I reasoned to myself. So, I walked to the door and knocked. "Just a minute", answered a frail, elderly voice. After a long pause, the door opened. A small woman in her 80's stood before me. She was wearing a print dress and a pillbox hat with a veil pinned on it, like somebody out of a 1940's movie. By her side was a small nylon suitcase. The apartment looked as if no one had lived in it for years. All the furniture was covered with sheets. There were no clocked on the walls, no knickknacks or utensils on the counters. In the corner was a cardboard box filled with photos and glassware. "Would you carry my bag out to the car?" she said. I took the suitcase to the cab, then returned to assist the woman. She took my arm and we walked slowly toward the curb. She kept thanking me for my kindness. "It's nothing", I told her. "I just try to treat my passengers the way I would want my mother treated." "Oh, you're such a good boy", she said. When we got in the cab, she gave me an address, then asked, "Could you drive through downtown?" "It's not the shortest way", I answered quickly. "Oh, I don't mind", she said. "I'm in no hurry. I'm on my way to a hospice."
I tooked in the rear-view mirror. Her eyes were glistening. "I don't have any family left", she continued. "The doctor says I don't have very long." I quietly reached over and shut off the meter. "What route would you like me to take?" I asked. For the next two hours, we drove through the city. She showed me the building where she had once worked as an elevator operator. We drove through the neighborhood where she and her husband had lived when they were newlyweds. She had me pull up in front of a furniture warehouse that had once been a ballroom where she had gone dancing as a girl. Sometimes, she'd ask me to slow in front of a particular building or corner and would sit staring into the darkness, saying nothing. As the first hint of sun was creasing the horizon, she suddenly said, "I'm tired. Let's go now."
We drove in silence to the address she had given me. It was a low building, like a small convalescent home, with a driveway that passed under a portico. Two orderlies came out to the cab as soon as we pulled up. They were solicitous and intent, watching her every move. They must have been expecting her. I opened the trunk and took the small suitcase to the door. The woman was already seated in a wheelchair. "How much do I owe you?" she asked, reaching into her purse. "Nothing", I said. "You have to make a living," she answered. "There are other passengers," I responded. Almost without thinking, I bent and gave her a hug. She held on to me tightly.
"You gave an old woman a little moment of joy", she said. "Thank you." I squeezed her hand, then walked into the dim morning light. Behind me, a door shut. It was the sound of the closing of a life. I didn't pick up any more passengers that shift. I drove aimlessly lost in thought. For the rest of that day, I could hardly talk. What if that woman had gotten an angry driver, or one who was impatient to end his shift? What if I had refused to take the run, or had honked once, then driven away? On a quick review, I don't think that I have done anything more important in my life. We're conditioned to think that our lives revolve around great moments. But great moments often catch us unaware; beautifully wrapped in what others may consider a small one.
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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