We are fortunate to have as our guest, Bishop Koshin Ogui, socho of the Buddhist Churches of America, for the weekend.
He will present a Nembutsu Seminar on April 10 at 1pm, "Meditation Practices in Jodo Shinshu." The BWA is providing refreshments for this seminar.
Socho will also preside over a small gathering for dinner at the new Miyako Hybrid Hotel in Torrance at 6pm. Early RSVP is necessary, so please send an email if you like to attend. The cost per person is $65.
Starting at 9am on April 11, temple members can come to the Hondo and pour sweet tea over the small statue of the baby Siddhartha in the hanamido. Hanamatsuri Service, commemorating the birth of the future Buddha, will start at 9:30am. Socho Ogui will give the sermon in English and Japanese. Afterwards, Socho Ogui will assist Revs. Shindo and Nakano with the infant presentation service startine at 11:30am. Hatsumairi (First Service) is the name of this service, and we are expecting 11 participants and their parents. Lunch will be served for the participants by the Dana Group.
Then at 2pm, a special kieshiki, or Affrimation Service, conducted by Socho Ogui for participants to receive their Buddhist name, or homyo. Application for this service had passed and 71 will participate in this service.
The bishop will later meet with the temple elders and return to the Bay area on Monday.
We are looking forward to this weekend. The public is invited to attend the Nembutsu Seminar on Saturday at 1pm and the Hanamatsuri Service on Sunday starts at 9:30am.
In gassho
Monday, March 29, 2010
Monday, September 21, 2009
Monday, August 3, 2009
Obon, Obon, It's Festival Time
Thank you to those who attended our Obon Dance and Carnival, August 1st & 2nd, 2009. The turnout from the community and the neighboring temples and organizations ware terrific! We had a total of 2,000 dancers for both nights, plus all their friends watching and eating and having a good time.
To host such a "party" it takes a huge army of volunteers. A big thank you goes to all of them for their time and effort.
Until next year ...!
To host such a "party" it takes a huge army of volunteers. A big thank you goes to all of them for their time and effort.
Until next year ...!
Monday, July 20, 2009
Jodo Shinshu Creed
I affirm my faith in Amida's Infinite Wisdom and Compassion. Reciting his Sacred Name, I shall live with strength and joy.
I shall look up to Amida's Guiding Light. As I reflect upon my imperfect self, I live with gratitude for His Perfect Compassion which surrounds me at all times.
I shall follow Amida's Teachings. I shall understand the Right Path and resolve to spread the true Teachings.
I rejoice in Amida's Wisdom and Compassion. I shall respect and help my fellow men and work for the good of my community.
(The Ryoge-mon - Jodo Shinshu Creed - is the affirmation of faith and should be recited after sermons and devotionals.)
Namo Amida Butsu
I shall look up to Amida's Guiding Light. As I reflect upon my imperfect self, I live with gratitude for His Perfect Compassion which surrounds me at all times.
I shall follow Amida's Teachings. I shall understand the Right Path and resolve to spread the true Teachings.
I rejoice in Amida's Wisdom and Compassion. I shall respect and help my fellow men and work for the good of my community.
(The Ryoge-mon - Jodo Shinshu Creed - is the affirmation of faith and should be recited after sermons and devotionals.)
Namo Amida Butsu
Japanese American Living Legacy
The Gardena Buddhist Church Board of Directors approved the rental of our Social Hall to the Japanese American Living Legacy organization in May 2009 to hold a fundraiser dance for its program. This was after a brief presentation by the presenters to the Board, after an introduction by Rev. Nakano.
http://www.jalivinglegacy.org/main.cfm?stg=home
They have had similar fundraisers at other Japanese American community and religious organizations. The group started with Sansei wanting to tell the stories for their fathers who had served the United States in World War II. Eventually, they included veterans of later wars, this time including voices of the Sansei generations themselves, and oral histories of non-veterans, too.
I am not involved in the group, but I think oral histories are important for our temple, too. In 2026, we will be celebrating our 100th, and I hope by then we will have a library of stories featuring our temple's history of the ministers of years past, how our temple fared during World War II, how the community opened up as our Sangha returned to their homes in the South Bay, and how are current traditions got started.
Each year, the group of people to pool our resources get smaller and smaller, so like the work of the JA Living Legacy, the oral histories of our temple's history is important to record and review. We have our own legacies. In our structure, we have komon (counselors) and sodanyaku (advisors) for our temple. Most of them are former board chairs. They are entrusted with our legacy - their combined knowledge is a valuable commodity and resource. They uphold the decisions of the board and are sought for their advice as well.
All important decisions have been discussed with the komon and sodanyaku. To participate in an oral history will help preserve this common knowledge, so that future generations of leaders can also learn from them.
Maybe we should partner with groups like the JA Living Legacy to learn how to obtain and manage an oral history database.
Just some thoughts to ponder.
In Gassho
http://www.jalivinglegacy.org/main.cfm?stg=home
They have had similar fundraisers at other Japanese American community and religious organizations. The group started with Sansei wanting to tell the stories for their fathers who had served the United States in World War II. Eventually, they included veterans of later wars, this time including voices of the Sansei generations themselves, and oral histories of non-veterans, too.
I am not involved in the group, but I think oral histories are important for our temple, too. In 2026, we will be celebrating our 100th, and I hope by then we will have a library of stories featuring our temple's history of the ministers of years past, how our temple fared during World War II, how the community opened up as our Sangha returned to their homes in the South Bay, and how are current traditions got started.
Each year, the group of people to pool our resources get smaller and smaller, so like the work of the JA Living Legacy, the oral histories of our temple's history is important to record and review. We have our own legacies. In our structure, we have komon (counselors) and sodanyaku (advisors) for our temple. Most of them are former board chairs. They are entrusted with our legacy - their combined knowledge is a valuable commodity and resource. They uphold the decisions of the board and are sought for their advice as well.
All important decisions have been discussed with the komon and sodanyaku. To participate in an oral history will help preserve this common knowledge, so that future generations of leaders can also learn from them.
Maybe we should partner with groups like the JA Living Legacy to learn how to obtain and manage an oral history database.
Just some thoughts to ponder.
In Gassho
Friday, July 17, 2009
Welcome Rev. and Mrs. Shindo
This is long overdue, but here is this blog's WELCOME to our new minister and his wife, Rev. Hosho Shindo and Mrs. Mieko Shindo. It has been six weeks and it has been very exciting.
In some ways, we are treating it like a new era, and the temple has started on a few changes. For years, members of the Sangha has spoken about these changes, and very little had been made. But now, with a fresh face, we are able to tackled the challenges of making these changes and the Sangha should be able to see them.
We are updating our Bylaws and Rules and Regulations. The temple has so many different procedures that are mandated by various legislative acts that we will have to incorporate them into our R&R.
We are still taking suggestions, so we are asking our Sangha to leave them in our suggestion box in the back of the 'Gejin' (the congragation, or sangha, part of the Hondo, or main hall). Or they can be sent to info@gardenabuddhistchurch.org.
I'll be keeping up with the posts so check back here for more information.
Sincreely in Gassho...
In some ways, we are treating it like a new era, and the temple has started on a few changes. For years, members of the Sangha has spoken about these changes, and very little had been made. But now, with a fresh face, we are able to tackled the challenges of making these changes and the Sangha should be able to see them.
We are updating our Bylaws and Rules and Regulations. The temple has so many different procedures that are mandated by various legislative acts that we will have to incorporate them into our R&R.
We are still taking suggestions, so we are asking our Sangha to leave them in our suggestion box in the back of the 'Gejin' (the congragation, or sangha, part of the Hondo, or main hall). Or they can be sent to info@gardenabuddhistchurch.org.
I'll be keeping up with the posts so check back here for more information.
Sincreely in Gassho...
Friday, May 22, 2009
Kite-flying
In the opening sequence of Walt Disney's "Mary Poppins," both Bert and Mary Poppins make note of a "change in the weather," or "the wind," indicating some change is about to be brewing, or a storm. In fact, change does occur in the awakening of Mr. Banks to his kids and the film culminates in a kite-flying sequence that also marks the farewell to Mary Poppins, as her job is now done.
The winds of change is a common metaphor, but kite-flying too has its symbols in ancient history both in Europe and in Asia as a symbol of change, and in particularly in Buddhism.
We will have our own kite-flying event come June 1st as we welcome a new head minister. We've been rolling along, doing the best as we can with Rev. Nakano, bravely making an effort on her part. We have rethinked our past on what worked and did not work and hopefully put in place some changes. A new canvas to imprint a new vision.
Until then, "go fly a kite!"
Up through the atmosphere
Up where the air is clear
In Gassho....
The winds of change is a common metaphor, but kite-flying too has its symbols in ancient history both in Europe and in Asia as a symbol of change, and in particularly in Buddhism.
We will have our own kite-flying event come June 1st as we welcome a new head minister. We've been rolling along, doing the best as we can with Rev. Nakano, bravely making an effort on her part. We have rethinked our past on what worked and did not work and hopefully put in place some changes. A new canvas to imprint a new vision.
Until then, "go fly a kite!"
Up through the atmosphere
Up where the air is clear
In Gassho....
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