August 2015 - Placer Buddhist Church

Placer Buddhist Church 3192 Boyington Road, Penryn, CA 95663
(916) 652-6139
th
2015
8月
THE PBC
BULLETIN
113
Year
BCA THEME:
まことの人生を歩もう
LIVE A REAL LIFE
MAKOTO NO JINSEI WO AYUMOU
A Dharma Message by Brian Hatano
(Son of Minister’s Assistant Grace Hatano)
2015 PBC
Officers
President
Rich Kawahata
1st Vice President
Ron Kawahata
2nd Vice President
Ed Nakamoto
Recording Secretary
René Yamashiro
Treasurers
Ted Uyeda
Jackie Itogawa
Auditors
Howard Itow
Glen Matsuoka
Minister’s
Assistants
Rich Kawahata
Ron Kawahata
Michi Mitani
Ed Nakamoto
Editorial
Committee
Jackie Itogawa
Rich Kawahata
Ron Kawahata
Janice Uyeda Kemper
Bob Meyer
Isabel Meyer
Michi Mitani
Fusae Miyamoto
Ed Nakamoto
Joyce Uyeda Parks
Susan Higashi Rumberg
Miwako Yamashiro
Time slides by as steadily and incessantly
as grains of sand
cascading in an hourglass. The passage of time is as relentless as the waves
crashing on the shore. Never stopping. Never slowing down.
The fundamental truth of Buddhism, "Life is Impermanent,” is ingrained in us as
we attend Sunday School, learn from Rev. Bob in Metta / Padma classes for
scouts, and hear in the weekly Dharma messages.
We celebrate, commiserate, and contemplate the world around us as we journey
through life and note the many changes. Like many of you, being mindful of the
teachings of the Buddha has provided me perspective and solace during these
times.
Recalling the year that has passed, I am awestruck by the many monumental
achievements that occurred.
Greatness was witnessed in many sports: The Giants won their third (!) World
Series in the past five years; the Warriors won an NBA championship for first time
since '74; and, American Pharoah won horse racing's Triple Crown, the first time
since '78. All major accomplishments that could not have been predicted to occur
in the same year.
On a personal note, in the spring my son Bryson graduated from Sac State seven
years after graduating high school. He worked long and hard to earn his
Communications Studies degree. My family proudly savored the moment when
he walked across the stage to receive his diploma.
On June 30th, I completed my one-year term serving as District Governor leading
181 Toastmasters clubs and 3,000+ members in Northern California/Northern
Nevada. It was a great experience that took me to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia for
the international convention and to Japan, where I spoke at the Shinegawa
Toastmasters Club. Truly a highlight for a lifetime.
Along with the celebratory moments came somber times. Such is life.
In December, after 40 years working for the same company, I retired, although
not entirely by my decision. It was bittersweet leaving the company after my
position was eliminated. Buddhism teaches us that life is always changing, that
nothing stays the same; that fundamental truth gave me the courage to seize the
opportunity to pursue a new career path. Today I am far better off than a year
ago when I was notified that my employment would end a few months later. I am
grateful that I was able to take advantage of the situation and end up in a better
place.
This past month, my family experienced both the loss of a loved one and saw in
another how time and age takes its toll. Those life events caused each of us to
contemplate our own mortality and the frailty of human existence. As we have
learned, Life is imperfect, there is always suffering.
All occurred in the last 12 months.
(continued)
(continued from front page)
What the next 12 months will reveal--even the next month or day--is unknown. I do know I’m better prepared
to deal with the changes that will inevitably come my way, and endure the suffering that is part of life, thanks
to lessons learned at the Betsuin since I started attending Sunday School as a child in the early ’60s.
Time will never stop or even slow down, but I often take pause. With gratitude, in good times and bad, I
recite “Namo Amida Butsu.” What we choose to do with the precious, limited time we are allotted on this
Earth is up to each of us. I choose to enjoy each day for itself and appreciate my existence.
In Gassho.
OBON FESTIVAL – SATURDAY, AUGUST 1st
Join us for dancing, entertainment, food, and
fun!
2015 Obon Schedule – Saturday, August 1st
8:00 a.m.
Auburn Cemetery Service
9:00 a.m.
Newcastle Cemetery Service
10:00 a.m.
Rocklin Cemetery Service
11:00 a.m.
Obon, Hatsubon, and Monthly Memorial Service
After the service, Otoki will be provided for attendees
5:00 – 7:00 p.m. Udon Sales
7:00 p.m.
Dancing will begin after the taiko performance
Before and during the Obon dancing, the Dharma School will be selling sno cones, soda, and
water.
Obon Food Preparation – Helpers Needed
We will need extra help (in addition to the Rocklin/Roseville Toban ladies) to prepare food for
Obon Day. Any additional volunteers will be greatly appreciated. We ask helpers to come to church at
7 a.m. on both Friday, July 31st, and Saturday, August 1st. Thank you in advance for your support!
2015 Toban Schedule
Lincoln/Penryn:
January, May, October
Loomis:
February, June/July, November
Rocklin/Roseville:
March, August, December
Auburn/Newcastle:
April, September
Member Spotlight
By Joyce Parks
Susan Goto was born into the family of Kichi
and Kichiko Hiromoto of Clarksburg, California,
where her father farmed 400 acres of asparagus.
She was the youngest of 5 children. Her siblings
include 2 brothers and 2 sisters.
At age 9, Susan’s family was interned in Gila,
Arizona. It was there that she completed her grade
school education. After the family was released
from camp, her family lived in Fresno for a year
where she attended Reedley High School. Later,
the family returned to Clarksburg, where she
completed her education - graduating from Rio
Vista High School in 1949, and from Sacramento
Junior College in 1951.
On a double date arranged by her friends Clara and
Aki Hada, Susan was introduced to George Goto
who was a student at Sacramento State at the time
and a player on the Hornets basketball team. A
year later, the two reconnected and were married in
1955. Since then, they have been residing in
Roseville, where they raised 2 children – Lesli Goto
Pineschi, who lives in Roseville, and Eric Goto, who
lives in Sacramento. Susan and George have 3
grandchildren whom they are extremely proud of:
Evie,age 22; Anthony, age 21; and George, age 17.
While her children were young, Susan chose to be
a full-time mom but, when they became old enough,
she followed her passion for teaching. After
completing her teaching credential, she accepted
her first job outside the home teaching 5th graders
at a grade school in Lincoln. A year later, she was
hired by the Roseville City School District (RCSD),
where she taught 4th, 5th, and 6th graders until her
retirement in 1994. According to Susan, her love of
teaching stemmed from a desire to make a
difference in the lives of her students. She was
dedicated to providing them with a solid academic
foundation and lifelong love of learning, tools she
felt she and other Japanese-American grade
schoolers were denied in the sub-standard schools
afforded to them in camp during the internment.
Over the course of her 22-year teaching career in
the RCSD, Susan served as President of the
Roseville Teachers Association, Council Member
of the California Teachers Association, recipient of
the Teacher of the Year Award in her district and
county, and long-standing member on a number of
city and county boards and commissions. At a
middle school in Roseville, she administered a
Japanese student exchange program.
This
required close teacher
coordination and
collaboration between the student, the school, and
host family on matters relating to travel, liability,
expectations, responsibilities, etiquette, etc.
Throughout her busy career, Susan still made time
to enrich her life through community volunteerism.
She is a long-time member of Alpha Delta Kappa,
an international honorary organization for women
educators, and the Women’s Improvement Club of
Roseville. Both community service organizations
strive to promote education for all; improve
conditions for the underserved; and bridge the
gaps that divide communities.
In the late1960s, Susan served as PBC secretary
under then-president Tom Miyamoto. For the past
5 years, she has served on the PBC board and has
been a dedicated worker for years at the annual
food bazaar and other PBC events. On occasion,
she has assisted Michi Mitani in Dharma services.
When asked about the future of the PBC and its
declining membership, Susan stated that
increased efforts in community education and
outreach would help attract new members. Many
of her friends, for example, have had an interest in
Buddhism but have not had the opportunity to hear
a service firsthand. When she invited 6 of her
friends to the “Bring a Friend to Church” service
held at the PBC a few months ago, she received
nothing but positive feedback from them. Through
the PBC’s popular cooking demonstrations, and
classes on ikebana, tai chi, taiko, calligraphy, and
other cultural offerings, she feels that outsiders
would naturally be drawn in.
Between her family, her wide network of friends,
and community involvement, Susan remains as
active as ever in retirement but lives each day with
mindfulness and gratitude. Knowing Susan, there
is no doubt that her outgoing personality and
boundless energy will keep her young at heart for
many more years to come.
Meet Jordan Maggio
By Janice Kemper
Jordan Maggio
began playing taiko at the
age of 6 in her hometown of Chicago. It started as
a family activity at her church, the Midwest Buddhist
Temple. She participated in taiko with her older
brother and two cousins. She says music has
always been her passion -- she loves learning how
to play all of the different instruments and learning
about the music. Her other passion is writing. She
enjoys writing both fiction and non-fiction.
Jordan joined Placer Ume Taiko in 2005. Like many
of the other PUT members, her most memorable
performance was when she went to Japan and
performed at a benefit concert in Nara.
Jordan’s family currently lives in Roseville. Her
family is small. She has one sibling, an older brother
named Julian. Her mother Lydia is from Chicago,
and her father Roberto is from Italy.
Jordan has completed three years at San Francisco
State University -- majoring in International
Relations, with a minor in political science -- and will
now be going into her fourth year. When she left
home for SFSU in 2012, she had to curtail her
regular involvement with PUT. When she comes
home, though, she tries to play with them whenever
she can. Now living in San Francisco, she has
gotten involved in a bay area taiko group called
Jiten Daiko.
Jordan’s short-term goal is to earn her bachelor’s
degree, then get accepted into a great law
program. Her long-range goal is to one day
become a lawyer.
We look forward to seeing Jordan again when she
plays with PUT ... and we wish her the best as she
pursues her academic and professional goals.
Our Deepest Condolences
to the Families of
Martha Miyamura …… 6/05/1922
Mollie Itow .………….... 3/28/1917
Mary Hada …………….. 8/07/1928
Akira Hamasaki ……… 3/29/1925
Grace Hayashida ....... 8/07/1934
Yoshiko Goto ............. 12/10/1919
-
5/19/2015
6/05/2015
6/27/2015
6/29/2015
7/03/2015
7/12/2015
PBC Funeral & Memorial Procedure Handbook
Available
We want to remind families that the PBC has prepared a Funeral & Memorial Procedure Handbook, a
useful reference which provides guidelines on making final decisions and arrangements. Copies of the
handbook are available for members. If you would like to get a copy, please contact a Minister’s
Assistant.
Food Bazaar Update
By Susan Rumberg
The Food Bazaar Committee
held its second planning meeting on June 4th for the 51st Food
Bazaar, scheduled for September 26 (11 a.m. - 5 p.m.) and Sept. 27th (11 a.m. – 4 p.m.). It truly does take a
village to successfully mount this huge undertaking. Each year our members, their families, and friends have
generously given their time and energy to support this key PBC event. The Food Bazaar’s importance to PBC’s
and its affiliated organizations’ budgets cannot be overstated.
th
Among the new features planned (so far) for 2015:
 A tempura booth will be added
 New kids’ games
 A roof will be built between the chicken shed and the classroom for the comfort of volunteers
 An improved outside speaker system will be put in place
 Donations for Bingo prizes are being requested from members (see article below).
The Committee wants to hear all feedback, suggestions, and great ideas. Please contact Ron Kawahata
(916-302-7768, ojii.babi@gmail.com) or Ed Nakamoto (916-412-5364, ed@nakamoto.us).
If you are interested in volunteering and do not have a regular assignment, please contact Ron or Ed. Your
help before, during, and after will be most welcome.
***************************
Bingo Prize Request
Bingo is always popular during PBC‘s annual Food Bazaar, which will be held this year on September 26th
and 27th. Jackie Itogawa and Nancy Nakamoto, Bingo chairpersons, have already started to acquire
(both purchasing and accepting) prizes for all ages.
If you have any new, unused items in their original packaging that you’d like to donate to PBC for
prizes – in September and beyond—we would love to have them.
Prizes for children, teens, and adults can range from appliances to toys/games to gift items. Just think about
something that you’d like to win and you’ll be on target.
Please leave items in the PBC office marked “Bingo Prizes.” If you would like a receipt for tax purposes, tape
a note on the item(s) with your name, address, item name, and approximate value and a receipt will be sent to
you after the Food Bazaar. Please contact Jackie (ojii.babi@gmail.com, 916-600-4874) or Nancy
(nancy@nakamoto.us, 916-412-0851) if you have any questions.
Thank you for your generosity!
PBC Scouting Program
Last month we informed members that the PBC Board has been exploring the idea of establishing a
scouting (boy/girl) program for the surrounding area as a way of attracting youth to our church. We asked
interested members to contact Rich Kawahata at 916.316.4069 or Ron Kawahata at 916.302.7768 for
information and input. If you have an interest, but have not yet contacted Rich or Ron, we encourage
you to do so now. Your input will be greatly appreciated by the Board as it evaluates this idea.
June 21st Reno Howakai
By Fusae Miyamoto
On June 21st, eleven members of PBC left for the Reno Buddhist Center at 10 a.m.for their monthly
service and Obon dance practice. Rev. Yuki Sugahara was our guest minister for the day. Rev. Yuki's
message was "No Atarimae." Atarimae has many meanings; however, in this case, Rev. Yuki said that it
meant to take nothing for granted. There is a Japanese saying "Ichi e Ichi go," which means “assume that
each meeting is your last." This tells us to be in the moment and, in accepting impermanence, to appreciate
life. Rev. Yuki also stressed how important it is for us to live with FUN in our lives. As long as we have FUN
-- which is Friendship, Understanding, and Nembutsu -- we will have a full life. After the Dharma message,
he played his favorite Japanese song on his guitar. It made for a very pleasant ending to our service.
After the service, we went to the basement for delicious refreshments, which the Reno Howakai members
provided for all who attended the service. After eating and socializing, we practiced the dances for Obon.
We returned to Penryn tired but content. The Reno Howakai members are so friendly and welcoming that
we always enjoy attending their service.
July 11th Reno Howakai
By Bob & Isabel Meyer
On Sunday, July 11th, fourteen of
us from PBC including our driver, Ed Nakamoto, traveled to
Reno to participate in our Reno Sangha Obon celebration.
The 1:00 p.m. service at the Reno Buddhist Center was conducted by Sensei Tadao Koyama from the Florin
Temple. Sensei Tadao began his Dharma message by recalling how he enjoyed the music and dancing at
Obon in Sacramento and in Lodi, where his grandparents lived. Obon was always something to look forward
to with great joy. Sensei related the mythical origins of Obon, a term coming from Ullambana-Sanskirt for
"hanging upside down," and therefore suffering. The legend from the Ullambana Sutra speaks of the
Bodhisattva Magalana, who had a vision of his deceased mother in a kind of temporary afterlife or realm
called "The Hungry Ghost." It was a realm of suffering where the spirits of the dead were emaciated and
hungry all of the time for having been selfish in their earthly life. The Buddha told Magalana to make offerings
of food and other goods on the 15th day of the 7th month.
Obon became a joyful celebration with music and dancing in a circle to invite the spirits of their departed
ancestors and friends to join them in the dance. Lanterns light the way for these spirits to join the dance.
Today this Obon Sutra is not taken literally, but rather figuratively and symbolically. Obon reminds us to have
gratitude and awareness of the impermanence of life.
Sensei Tadao Koyama ended his message by reading Rennyo's "On the White Ashes" -- a reflection on our
own impermanence and our reliance with gratitude on Amida's Vow.
After the service we went to the spacious basement of the Reno Buddhist Center and dined together on
delicious food. We then danced the traditional Minyo dances with the accompaniment of the Reno Daiko.
We returned safely to Penryn thanks to our driver Ed Nakamoto.
Special Thank You
Have you ever noticed there are no weeds around the granite monument at the entrance to the church
road? How about the nicely-mowed open fields? Well, we learned that, in their spare time, Richie
Kawahata weeds and mows using the manual lawn mower, and Ed Nakamoto and Ron Kawahata keep
the open fields nicely manicured using the riding mower. We give them a big “thank you” for finding time
in their busy lives to help beautify PBC grounds. The pride they show in our church is greatly appreciated.
Mark Your Calendar and Save the Date
August 2015
September 2015
1
Obon, Hatsubon, Monthly Service
4
Calendar Meeting
6
Bazaar Meeting
3
6
12
19
20
24
25
26 - 27
28
12
Buddhist Study Class
15
Rev. Tanaka’s Workshop,
Florin Buddhist Church
16
Reno Howakai
22
River Cats Game
Nugget Rib Cookoff
Monthly Memorial Service
Bazaar Workday
Bazaar Workday
Manju Making at Del Oro
Chicken Prep and Food Prep
Food Prep
Bazaar
Post-Bazaar Clean-Up
October 3 - Appreciation Dinner for Bazaar Volunteers