April Monthly Newsletter

April 2024 Newsletter💐

Calendar
April 7 Sunday 10:00 Sunday Service
11:00 Board Meeting
April 8 Monday Birthday of the Buddha
April 14 Sunday 9:30 to 11:30 Social Sunday
April 20 Saturday 9:30 Decorate Hanamido
Bring flowers please
1:00 Dungeons and Dragons
April 21 Sunday 10:00 Shotsuki/Hanamatsuri
11:00 Otoki/Hanamatsuri Feast
12:00 Obon Meeting

April 28 Sunday 9:30 to 11:30 Social SundaySocial Sunday

Donations
I apologize for the error in the last newsletter for February
donations. I made a mistake and pulled the information from
2023 instead of 2024. I am sorry for any inconveniences it may
have caused.
February
Barry/Sylvia Bridge, Special
James Colon, Special
James Colon, Membership
Joyce Dendo, In Memory of Iku Dendo
Joyce Dendo, Sunday Service
Diane Grose, In Memory of Iku Dendo
Joan Henretta, Special
Lee/Frances Humphrey, membership
Lee/Frances Humphrey, Special
Dan Iriyama, Membership
Dan Iriyama, Shotsuki
Bettyann Kurokawa, In Memory of Bette Kurokawa

Keith Lyon, Dues 2024
Keith Lyon, Special
Hugh Maenaga, Special
Dena Massoudi, Special
Watari Minai, Membership
Wataru Minami, Minai Family Memorial
Alice Maxon, Sunday Service
Alice Maxon, Shotsuki
Rev Naomi Nakano, In Memory of Thomas Sadaichi Nakao, Sr.
Jim Risinger, Special
Sumi Schumacher, Special
Esther Trejo, In Memory of Yoshiko Shiroma
Alice Utsunomiya, Shotsuki
Waki Family, In Memory of Hideaki Waki
March
Anonymous, Sunday Service
James Colon, Sunday Service
Joyce Dendo/Ricardo Naranjo, Sunday Service
Joyce Dendo/Ricardo Naranjo, Membership
Betty Furukawa, In Memory of Tets Furukawa
Betty Furukawa, Membership
Gabe/Patsy Hoyos, Shotsuki (Jan)
Gabe/Patsy Hoyos, In Memory of Daniel Miyake
Gabe/Patsy Hoyos, In Memory of Miyako Miyake
Gabe/Patsy Hoyos, Shotsuki (Feb)
Gabe/Patsy Hoyos, In Memory of Yoshiko Miyake
Joan Kitajima Henretta, Sunday Service
Lee/Frances Humphrey, Sunday Service
Dawn Kamiya, New Years
Dawn Kamiya, In Memory of Paul Kurokawa
Dawn Kamiya, In Memory of Bette Kurokawa
Dawn Kamiya, In Memory of Isano Kurokawa
Bettyann Kurokawa, In Memory of Isano Kurokawa
Keith Lyon, Sunday Service
Hugh Maenaga, Sunday Service
Alice Maxon, Sunday Service
Masako Nakano, Dues 2024
Masako Nakano, Special
Masako Nakano, Shotsuki (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
Jim Risinger, Sunday Service
Sumi Schumacher, Sunday Service

Anonymous (Postage)
Yoko Furuya, In Memory of Ichitaro Taniguchi
Yoko Furuya, In Memory of Michiko Nishino
Kirk Morri, In Memory of Daiko Maenaga
Anonymous, Special
Joyce Dendo, In Memory of Tsune Dendo
Joan Henretta, Special
Lee/Frances Humphrey, Special
Dan Iriyama, Shotsuki
Jeff/Jenny Maenaga, In Memory of Daiko Maenaga
Hugh Maenaga, In Memory of Daiko Maenaga
Hugh Maenaga, Membership
Dena Massoudi, Special
Alice Maxon, Special
Wataru Minami, Minami Family Memorial
Julie/Sam Minami and Susan/Dennis Jang Minami Family Memorial
Jim Risinger, Special
Ray/JoAnne Nishino Spencer, In Memory of Grandfather, Ichitaro Taniguchi
Ray/JoAnne Nishino Spencer, In Memory of Mother, Michiko Taniguchi Nishino
Ryan Spencer, In Memory of Grandmother, Michiko Taniguchi Nishino
Maenaga Family, In Memory of Daiko Maenaga
Patsy Hoyos, In Memory of Harry Miyake
Patsy Hoyos, In Memory of Helen Miyake
Patsy Hoyos, In Memory of Lance Miyake
Patsy Hoyos, Shotsuki (March)
Harry Masatani, Membership

Thank You All for All Your Kind Donations Financial,
Materials, and Labor. It takes us all to carry on the work of our forefathers and keep our church viable.

The Birthday of the Buddha is celebrated on April 8th.
“Hanamatsuri, or “Flower Festival”, is held to commemorate the birth of
Siddartha Gautama in Lumbini Garden. He was the manifestation of
Amada, the Buddha of Infinite Higher Wisdom and Compassion. During
the service, a flower shrine known as Hanamido is set up in front of the
main altar as a symbol of Lumbini Garden. In this Shrine is placed a

statuette of the infant Buddha, pointing his right hand toward the heavens
and his left hand toward the earth. Everyone is invited to offer flowers and
pour sweet tea over the image. Kambutsu is the rite of “bathing the body of
the Buddha”. This simplified reenactment of the Buddha’s birth signifies
glory and joy that filled the world at this event.”

• From Jodo Shinshu a Guide

Note:
To comply with county waste management policies, please place FOOD
WASTE in one of the two containers in the kitchen and this will be deposited
in the Green Waste disposal bin. Any drink bottles with California recycle
refund please rinse and place in the blue recycle bin so they can be turned in
and proceeds used to find treasures to sell at Obon.

Reminder:
2024 Dues: New dues amount is: Individual $225.00; Family $400.00; Over 80
Years $180.00. These dues can be paid in incremental amounts

Reverend’s Message
“The delicate sounds praises the Buddha’s virtues with Gathas.
It is the call of the Dharma… the Immeasurable Joy”

~Daimuryojukyo (Larger Sutra)
The younger generations and “newbies” have either forgotten or have never
been taught the rituals and traditions of Jodo Shinshu. Yes, Jodo Shinshu has
many forms of respect for the Buddha and temple. We have taken for granted the
respect, gratitude and appreciation of the teachings but most importantly, we
have lost our sense of honor. This may sound harsh, however without the
teachings and practices we become just any gathering place.
I bring this to the front page because I see our traditions fading away. How many
of us remember to bow when entering and exiting the temple? The steps are very
simple. Before entering the Honda, we take a slight bow of respect, then we step

in with the left foot. This small gesture represents the realm of Amida Buddha of
Immeasurable Wisdom and Compassion. We enter to hear the Buddha Dharma,
leaving the outside world of our ignorance and entering the realm of Amida
Buddha.
When exiting, we bow and step back with the right foot. We have gained and
hopefully leave with a bit of enlightenment of the teachings, so we can begin
living our lives with reverence, gratitude and appreciation. Hopefully, also a little
wiser and to find our path of seeing our true self.
After finding our “regular space” of seating, it is customary to bow slightly in
Gassho and recite Nembutsu/Namu Amida Butsu. It is this time we focus on our
own voice of Nembutsu. As we hear our Gassho, it is our call to Buddha and our
expression of gratitude for the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. Gassho is done
before and after chanting. Generally, Gassho is also offered after a Dharma
message, but Nembutsu can be said anytime, anyplace and anywhere.
At the beginning of service, a Kansho or “calling bell” is rung. It is the Buddha
“calling us” to come and hear the Dharma. Listening to the vibration and tone of
the Kansho prepares us to listen and can be a meditative as well as reflective
time. It is a time to settle our minds to hear and listen. It is a time to stop idle chit
chat.
The tone of the ringing of the bell can also be a reflection on how the ringer is
feeling that day. If the ringer is feeling good or has a hangover or their mind is
elsewhere, it is heard in their ring.
We offer incense in front of the Buddha or scroll, whichever the temple has. This
is called Oshoko. It is usually done before the service, end of a service or even
during a service. During a service if a chairperson or someone is performing a
certain task. This Oshoko is an expression of our gratitude and respect to
another time to Oshoko to the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha.
When we Oshoko, we tend to take for granted our rituals. However, there are
certain rituals that never change. When we offer incense, we stand a few feet
away from the burner, we bow slightly, then approach the incense burner with the
left foot. We take a pinch of incense using the right hand only, to drop the incense
onto the charcoal. We put our palms together in gassho and recite Nembutsu.
We step back with the right foot and slightly bow again. The right hand is used
only to offer incense, because in historical times, the left hand was used for
wiping the derrière.

When we cross in front of a person, we generally say, “excuse me”. Well, it is the
same for the Buddha on the shrine (onaijin). When we cross in front of Buddha,
there is always a slight bow. There is no need to say anything, but a slight bow
can mean so much more. It is our sign of respect, courtesy and show of
gratitude.
There is respect and gratitude for the teachings, yet we have been forgetful of
the rituals and traditions. We can begin anew and begin to use these customs
and rituals. We just have to remember and use the wisdom and compassion of
the Buddha and the teachings.
Gassho
Rev. Seijo Naomi Nakano