April 2015 - Reedley Buddhist Church

P.O. BOX 24 ~ 2035 15TH ST., REEDLEY, CALIFORNIA 93654
PHONE & FAX (559) 638-2146
http://reedleybc.org
April 2015
April Calendar
Message from Rev. Nakagawa
Calendar of Events
4
5
6
Buddhist Broadcast on KBIF
(900 AM)
Lumbini’s Garden Thereafter
Rev. Kakei Nakagawa
7:25 am
No Family Dharma Service
CBE Lecture “Dharma of Avatar”
Gary Mukai at Reedley
7:00 pm
7
Board Meeting
7:00 pm
9
MAP Training Class
6:30 pm
11 Buddhist Broadcast on KBIF
(900 AM)
Hanamido Construction in
Conference Room
7:25 am
6:00 pm
12 Hanamatsuri Service / Dharma
School Parents’ Appreciation & LUNCHEON
Guest Speaker - Rev.
Kubose
9:30 am
18 Buddhist Broadcast on KBIF
(900 AM)
BWA Bingo Day
7:25 am
1:00 pm
19 Combined Family Dharma Service
& Monthly Memorial Service 9:30 am
25 - 26 FDSTL Conference - Los Angeles
25 Buddhist Broadcast on KBIF
(900 AM)
26 Church Beach Outing
7:00 am
10:30 am
30 CCDC of BCA Meeting at Fowler 7:00 pm
APRIL TOBAN:
BWA - Area 2 - Nishinaka & Kawamoto
Church - Sakata & Takanishi
It was on the end of year 2013, British archaeologists
may have uncovered evidence of the oldest Buddhist
shrine yet discovered, dating to around 550 B.C. Since, a
series of archaeological surveys have been proceeding in
the so-called ‘Lumbini’s Garden’, and the result of this
survey is now recognized as among the world’s top 10
discoveries of 2014 by UNESCO.
The excavations showed that older wooden structures
lay beneath the walls of the later brick Buddhist shrine.
The layout of the more recent shrine duplicates the layout
of the earlier wooden structures, pointing to a continuity of
Buddhist worship at the site. Continuing to dig beneath a
central shrine, the Scholars uncovered postholes pointing
to a wooden railing surrounding a tree shrine and dating to
around 550 B.C. They also found an older brick structure.
The center of the shrine was unroofed, the team found,
and contained mineralized tree roots, surrounded by clay
floors worn smooth by visitors. It was likely an ancient
‘tree shrine’ that existed before Buddhism.
The tree roots appear to have been fertilized, and
although ‘tree shrines’ are found in older Indian traditions,
the Lumbini’s shrine lacked the signs of sacrifices or
offerings found at such sites. It was very clean, in fact,
pointing to the Buddhist tradition of non-violence and
non-bloodshed offerings. And also, there is a fact that the
early Buddhists never built their temples on the ground of
other religious sites because Buddha prohibited any
actions insulting other traditions.
This discovery may push back the Buddha’s birth date
a century. Before this time event, there was a strong
argument in Buddha’s birth date. Northern Buddhists
(Tibet, China etc.) insisted that Buddha lived 463 B.C. to
383 B.C. and Southern Buddhists (Theravaden, etc.)
insisted that Buddha lived 565 B.C. to 485 B.C. Now we
must reconsider an origin of Buddhism.
Buddha is the founder of Buddhism and we celebrate
his birthday in April, whenever his birthdate really was.
Hanamatsuri or Flower Festival is a service of rejoicing in
which we commemorate the birth of Sakyamuni Buddha
with decorating a flower pavilion and the rite of Bathing
the Baby Buddha (Kanbutsu). Please join your fellow
temple members at your temples’ annual Hanamatsuri
service.
See picture on page 5
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Church Acknowledges Dana
Mr. & Mrs. Steve Hendricks—Newsletter
Donation
$ 25.00
The Tavlan Family - Ohigan Service
25.00
Mr. Terashi Ibara & Mrs. Lillian Kuwata
Ohigan Service
200.00
Mr. & Mrs. Robert Harris - In Memory
of Mrs. Lily Takasaki
50.00
Mrs. Mary Hirata & Family - In Memory
of Mr. Bill Hirata
500.00
Ms. Susan Lew & Mr. Joel Hayashida In Memory of Mr. Bill Hirata
25.00
Mrs. Fumiko Ikemiya & Family - In
Memory of Mr. Joe Ikemiya
1000.00
The Tavlan Family/Moonlight Packing
Co. - In Memory of Mr. Joe Ikemiya 1000.00
Mr. & Mrs. Robert Huebert - In Memory
of Mr. Joe Ikemiya
100.00
Dr. & Mrs. Stephen Ikemiya - In
Memory of Mr. Joe Ikemiya
100.00
Mr. & Mrs. Hiko Shimamoto - In
Memory of Mr. Joe Ikemiya
100.00
Mr. Mark Nakata - In Memory of
Mr. Joe Ikemiya
50.00
The Family of Mrs. Miyoko Kunishige
In Memory of Miyoko Kunishige
1000.00
Mr. & Mrs. Larry Iwasaki - In Memory
of Mrs. Lily Takasaki
20.00
Mr. & Mrs. Larry Iwasaki - In Memory
of Mrs. Miyoko Kunishige
20.00
49th Day Service for Mr. Joe Ikemiya
Mrs. Fumiko Ikemiya & Family
Mrs. Toshiko Kawagoe
Mrs. Kikuyo Ikemiya
Mrs. Ruby Yukawa
Mr. Mark Nakata
Mrs. Jane Ota & Mr. Glenn Ota
Rev. & Mrs. George Shibata
Drs. Kent & Diane Kawagoe
Dr. & Mrs. Stephen Ikemiya
Mr. & Mrs. Gary Tahara
Mr. & Mrs. Ty Tavlan
Mr. & Mrs. Frank Nishikawa
Mr. & Mrs. Shiz Kimura
Mrs. Kazuko Tatami
250.00
50.00
50.00
50.00
50.00
50.00
50.00
40.00
30.00
25.00
25.00
25.00
20.00
20.00
January Memorial Service
Mr. Terashi Ibara & Mrs. Lillian Kuwata 100.00
February Memorial Service
Mrs. Ayako Alma Sunamoto
30.00
March Memorial Service
$10.00
Mrs. Nancy Abe
Mr. & Mrs. Harry Inn
Mr. Alan Kubota
Mr. & Mrs. Dale Okamura
Mrs. Mary Uyeda
$20.00
Mr. & Mrs. Hitoshi Aoki
Mrs. Setsuko Kimura
Mr. & Mrs. Robert Kobayashi
Mr. Michio Miyamoto
Mrs. Amy Naito
Mr. & Mrs. Larry Nishida
Mr. & Mrs. Ben Nobuhiro
Mrs. Nancy Sakata
Mrs. Hiroko Shimozono
Mrs. Keiko Sugai & Family
Mrs. Yukiye Takayama & Family
Mr. Akio Tatami
$25.00
Ms. Marissa Okamura & Ms. Stephanie Okamura
$30.00
Mrs. Sue Kawamoto
Mr. Johnnie Togioka
$50.00
Mr. Stanley Hirahara
The Otani Family
Ms. Shizuko Taguchi
$100.00
Mr. & Mrs. Stephen Donaldson
Mr. & Mrs. Dale Okamura
Mrs. Ruth Sasaki & Ms. Debbie Diaz
In Sympathy
We extend our deepest sympathy to the family members of Mrs. Miyoko Kunishige, wife
of Mr. Mas Kunishige, who passed away on
March 3, 2015 at the age of 81.
PAGE 3
11th Annual Crab
Feed & Silent Auction
A HUGE SUCCESS!
The Crab Feed and Silent Auction Committee and the Reedley Buddhist Church would
like to thank everyone for their hard work and the
many countless hours of planning to put on such a
successful Crab Feed and Silent Auction! We appreciate all the goods and services from the many
businesses and individuals that were generously
donated and we hope you will patronize their
businesses throughout the year.
Most of the comments have been very positive and if we had more seating available, we
could have sold even more tickets!
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The Best Gift You Can Give
Someone is…?
At the end of February, I drove down to Los Angeles to visit my Uncle on my way to the BCA National
Council Meetings in San Diego. He has recently experienced a rough case of Pneumonia and was hospitalized for about a week, and then he had to spend a few
weeks in a Rehabilitation Center before returning
home. I entered his home and was warmly greeted, as
always, by my Aunt. My cousin happened to be there
too since they just returned from my Uncle’s doctor
appointment. He was sitting at the kitchen table eating
lunch. He had lost some weight and was obviously
weak from his extended stay in the hospital and rehab
center. But, as always, he had a huge smile to greet
me. He asked how I was and how Renka was, and of
course, how everything in Fresno was. I asked him
how he was feeling, and he replied that the time in the
hospital and rehab center were the “most terrible time”
he had experienced. It was obvious from his smile and
his words that he was very happy to return home. He
started to tell me stories about his times and friends at
the past BCA National Council Meetings, and his
memory was as clear as if it had just occurred.
It was at this point that I realized that the greatest
gift that we could give someone, especially family
members, is OURSELVES. This was only my 5th time
back to Los Angeles since I had moved to Fresno. I
had thought that the 3 to 4 hour drive took too long and
that I could utilize my time better doing something else.
I WAS WRONG! I realized that gifts, food or money
couldn’t replace the twinkle in my Uncles eyes, nor
was there anything more valuable than sitting with him.
He may have told me the same stories that I heard
over and over again from before, you know the ones
that I could probably finish for him. But, that time we
share with our loved ones is irreplaceable.
We take for granted so many things in our lives. We
should be grateful for our health and just being able to
wake up in the morning. Or, how about the cup of coffee or tea you may have in the morning? Are we thankful for the ability to drink? What about all the people
that had to work hard to provide us with that coffee,
tea, hot water, and cup…just to name a few? This
“taking things for granted” attitude extends way beyond
the morning ritual. How about the one’s that we love?
Do you say “thank you,” or that you appreciate them or
even a simple “love you?” Do you spend time with
them?
The sense of appreciation we have has gotten dull
over time as we take things for granted. Rev. Gyomay
Kubose wrote, “Buddhism is awareness.”
Continued in next column
This simple sentence is spot on! How aware are we
today in our busy lives? We need to take an inventory of what is truly important before we can appreciate all that we are fortunate to have and experience.
Sometimes it takes a swift kick in the rear, and
sometimes, it takes sitting across a kitchen table
from relative who is truly a Bodhisattva. It takes a
Bodhisattva to show us the path to a BuddhaDharma life.
I am very fortunate to have found a Bodhisattva
who has and continues to teach me how to live.
Finally, my advice to you? Go and visit that family member. If necessary, put aside any differences
you have, and remember that the greatest gift that
you can give is YOURSELF.
I go to the Buddha for guidance.
I go to the Dharma for guidance.
I go to the Sangha for guidance.
Rev. Alan Sakamoto
Reedley BWA members at the CCBWL Conference.
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Hanamatsuri
Sunday, April 12, 2015
The Reedley Buddhist Church will commemorate
the birth of Prince Siddhartha Gautama, who became
known as Sakyamuni Buddha upon attaining Enlightenment, with a family Hana Matsuri Service on Sunday, April 12th at 9:30 A.M.
The Dharma School students will be presenting a
short Parents’ Appreciation Program following the
service and a luncheon sponsored by the Buddhist
Women’s Association and Dharma School teachers
will follow the program. Please plan on attending and
enjoy a day of fellowship!
Enclosed is an envelope requesting donations for
the Hana Matsuri Service. Please bring it with you to
the service or mail it back to the church if you are not
able to attend.
Hanamido Flowers
Thank you for your support of the
Jr. YBA Fried Rice Breakfast!
The Hanamido for the Hana Matsuri Service will
be decorated on Saturday, April 11th at 6:00 p.m.
Members who have fresh flowers in their gardens are
asked to bring them to the church between 9:00 and
10:00 a.m.
Anyone who is available to help decorate the Hanamido is invited to come!
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CCBWL Conference
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April Monthly
Memorial Service
The April Monthly Memorial Service will be held on
Sunday, April 19th at 9:30 AM. Families and fr iends
are asked to attend and offer incense. The deceased and
seshu (observant) for April are as follows:
DECEASED:
SESHU (OBSERVANT)
George Kikuo Harada
Yietaro Antoku
Tomichi Kawakami
Kitaro Asakawa &
Mari Miyasaki
Yoneko Hatanaka
Richard Yoshito Hirata
Roger Hiyama
George Masanori Hosaka
Akira Shimizu
Shigeo Naito, Mitsuharu
Naito & Mume Kawasaki
Nancy Abe
Kay Antoku
Betty Aoki
Shizuko Nakata
Chonosuke Ikemiya &
Hiroaki Takaoka
Fumiko Yamamoto
Charles Kiyoshi Iwasaki
Kiyoshi Kawamoto
Yasuzo Sakai
Sakano Ito
Tadato Kubota
Michiko Miyamoto
Tomo Nakagawa
Jo Nishida
Tokino Kubo
Kazuo Jim Omori
Tom Minoru Sakata
Douglas Sasaki
Kimiko Shiine
MinoruYokota & Chiye
Yokota
Tomokichi Sunamoto
Chisako Betty Matoba
Haruko Tsuboi
Misa Hatakeda
Tatsuko Hatanaka
Mary Hirata
Bradley Hiyama
Todd Hosaka
Eloise Ibara
Cont.
DECEASED:
SESHU:(OBSERVANT)
Suye Tsuji
George Tsuji
Ai Fujiwara & Koichi Wada Ayako Yamada
Mitsuko Hashimoto, Kinu
Yamagata, & Hiroshi
Kawasaki
Ellen Yamada
THANK YOU FROM THE BWA
On behalf of the Reedley Buddhist Women’s Association, we would like to thank those
who were in attendance and the many members
who assisted in making it a successful conference.
Michiko Ikeda & Sets
Kimura
Carolyn Ikemiya
Toshiko Kawagoe
Chizuko Iwasaki
Larry Iwasaki
Sue Kawamoto
Satoko Kim
Helen Kimura
Ben Kubota
Michio Miyamoto
Sammy Nakagawa
Julia Ueda & Larry
Nishida
Kathleen Omachi
Nancy Omori
Nancy Sakata & Gary
Sakata
Paul Sasaki & Susumu
Sasaki
Hideo Shiine
Keiko Sugai & Janet
Quiroz
Alma Sunamoto &
Kathy Hamada
Yukiye Takayama &
George Takasaki
Margo Toyota
continued next column
Contact Number for Church Business
Reedley Church Phone: (559) 638-2146
Church President: Mrs. Kathy Nishinaka
Phone: (559) 905 - 3107
Funeral Committee Chair; Mr. Gary Sakata at:
Cell Phone: (559) 250-9687
Fresno Betsuin Office - Lee Osaki: (559) 442-4054
(requesting minister or schedule family service in
Reedley after contacting Reedley president for church
availability)
Reedley Buddhist Church
2035 15th Street - P.O. Box 24
Reedley, CA 93654
Phone/FAX: (559) 638-2146
Website: http://www.reedleybc.org
Email Pres. Kathy Nishinaka: reedleybcpres@gmail.com
Email Newsletter/Webmaster: jk108@sbcglobal.net
ARTICLES/NEWS
All submissions must be made no later than the
21st of each month to be included in the bulletin
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to the deadline. If your article or advertisement is
print ready, you may email it to:
jk108@sbcglobal.net
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