Outgoing President's Message
by Vance Nishimoto, 2008 Temple President
HAPPY NEW YEAR!! We welcome in the Year of the Ox and also welcome our new WLA Buddhist Temple President, Rick Stambul. Rick has been a devoted temple member for many years and brings a mountain of energy to the temple. He has served as our legal advisor and has worked wonders with many of the temple’s issues over the past years. Please give Rick your support as he takes over as President on January 11. Our annual New Year’s Party and Shinnen Enkai are on January 11. Service starts at 11:00 a.m., followed immediately by the New Year’ Party. Come join us as we will have plenty of entertainment provided by members of our temple, Dharma School, and anyone else who wants to celebrate and sing in the New Year. If you would like to attend, please contact me at 818.831.4922, or the WLA Buddhist Temple office at 310.477.7274 or via email at westlabt@verizon.net. Ho-onko Service will be on January 18 at 9:30 a.m. with Rev. Tetsunen Hirota as our guest speaker in Japanese. Our annual temple board meeting will be held on Wednesday, January 14 at 7:30 p.m. All temple organizations must turn in their annual financial reports for 2008 at this meeting. This will be my last message as President of the WLA Buddhist Temple. These past two years have been a wonderful experience for me. I feel both happiness and sadness as my presidency comes to an end. I am happy for all the things that we were able to accomplish during these two years. I am also sad that I wasn’t able to do more. I want to thank Rev. Usuki (the male one) for his guidance, his support, and tireless energy. I want to thank Rev. Patti for supporting her husband and supporting our Temple when it was possible. And I want to thank Rev. Nekoda for his continual support. I want to thank the Temple board members for their devotion to this Temple and the work they have performed. I want to personally thank Sei and Yasuko Shohara for their advice and their dedication. And lastly, I want to thank Dr. Jack Fujimoto for his leadership and commitment towards the West LA community and Temple. Thank you, all, for making these two past years so memorable.
You can contact me at (818) 831-4922 or email me at wlabtpres.vance@verizon.net.
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President's December 2008 Message
by Vance Nishimoto, 2008 Temple President
Wow! It seems like these two years as President went by in a flash! As I write this article, it is only a few days before the 2008 Presidential Election that I’m sure will cause change in America as well as in all of you. I hope that all of you went to the polls to cast your vote. With your vote, we create change and as the year comes to an end, another change occurs here in West LA as my presidency will come to an end in January. This change happens because people make the effort to do what they can to evoke change for the betterment of the temple. As the reins of the temple are handed over to the new president, I hope that more people make the effort to do what they can to make the temple better for all its members. The temple needs your help so please continue to make the effort. Bodhi Day and Oseibo Taikai Service will be held on December 7 at 9:30 am. Please come to this service to help us show our appreciation to the many temple members who have worked so hard during the past year. If you would like to show your appreciation to anyone special, this service offers you the opportunity to show it. Our annual mochitsuki will be held on December 13 starting at 8:00 am. Mochitsuki is the tradition of making mochi (pounded rice cakes), and it is a great time to bring the family to participate in a fun Japanese tradition to bring in the New Year. Please come by to experience mochitsuki and to support the temple. Also, if you know of any high school students who need to fulfill their community service commitment, then this is a great activity to fulfill this need. Temple Clean-up will be held on Sunday, December 14 at 8:00 am. Please come and help. The temple will be closed from December 24 through 26. Say “goodbye” to the year at Joya-e Service to be held on December 31 starting at 8:00 pm. Say “hello” to the New Year at the New Year Day Service starting at 10:00 am. Please have a safe and happy new year!
You can contact me at (818) 831-4922 or email me at wlabtpres.vance@verizon.net.
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President's November 2008 Message
by Vance Nishimoto, 2008 Temple President
During the month of November, I reflect upon some reasons why I should be grateful. I am grateful to have a wife who has been supportive of me during this past year and eleven months as President of the WLABT. I am grateful to have a daughter who makes me proud of her when she studies at school and receives good grades. Happy Birthday, Kaylie! I also take some time to reflect about my parents, who both passed away during this month, as I attend the November Shotsuki Hoyo (first Saturday, November 1, at 10:00 am). I hope that everyone takes a little time this month to reflect about those people to whom we should be grateful. On November 2, please join us for Sunday Service with Rev. Patti Usuki at the San Fernando Valley Hongwanji Buddhist Temple at 10:00 am. On Sunday, November 9, we will have our Thanksgiving family service at 9:30 am followed by Eitaikyo service at 11:00 am. On November 16, please join us for Sunday Service with Rev. John Iwohara at the Venice Hongwanji Buddhist Temple at 9:30 am. I hope that all of you have a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend!
You can contact me at (818) 831-4922 or email me at wlabtpres.vance@verizon.net.
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President's October 2008 Message
by Vance Nishimoto, 2008 Temple President
If you believe Linus from the Peanuts comic strip, you might see the Great Pumpkin this month! It’s that time of year when ghosts and goblins make their way to the YBA- sponsored Family Fun Night to be held in the Social Hall on October 25 starting at 5:00 pm. Bring your family and friends dressed up in your favorite costume and you might win a prize! Family Fun Night is not limited to kids either. Even adults can join in on the fun by dressing in costume. When more and more people dress for the occasion, the fun only increases. There’s nothing more enjoyable than seeing the look on the young kids’ faces when their parents join in on the fun. The feeling you get when you see the kids’ faces and everyone having fun is just one of the many feelings that result from living within Jodo Shinshu Buddhism. Have a happy and safe Halloween! On October 11 from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm, WLABT will host the Tri-Temple Seminar, with the theme What the Buddha Taught … and What We Practice Today. Please come and help host, and also participate in the seminar to learn a little more about what the Buddha intended for us to understand versus what we are doing today. If you would like to volunteer to help (we can use it) please contact Rick Stambul via the temple office.
I want to hear from our temple members regarding anything to improve the West LA Buddhist Temple. Call me at (818) 831-4922 or email me at wlabtpres.vance@verizon.net.
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President's September 2008 Message
by Vance Nishimoto, 2008 Temple President
I hope that everyone had a pleasant summer. I know I did. I spent almost two weeks in Hawaii on the island of Oahu and had a wonderful time. My daughter Kaylie performed three shows while I was there. She performed one show at Windward Mall, one at Ala Moana Mall, and one at a homeless shelter in Waianae. It was a bit enlightening to see the hard work the State of Hawaii is doing in trying to help the homeless. We also managed to visit the Obon at the Waipahu Hongwanji Mission. They had two food booths. One that sold many food dishes like chicken teriyaki, beef teriyaki, udon, etc. The other one sold dango (very good). They danced odori to recorded music and also to live music, played by their Okinawan group and Kagoshima group if I remember correctly. One thing about live music is that they can play a song indefinitely. I hope that everyone has recuperated from our own Obon Festival. The Festival was a success! I want to thank all those temple members who helped make it a success. I want to thank the Bay Cities Gardeners Association for the work on the temple garden. I want to thank (in no particular order) the West LA Youth Club, the Friends of Bob’s Sporting Goods, the Westside YMCA, Nishi Hui Aikane, Friends of Yuki Sakurai and Dr. Jack Fujimoto, and the many other volunteers that my poor brain cannot remember. If you too would like to be recognized, please let me know and I will certainly let everyone know of your support. On Saturday, September 13, we will be hosting the Fall Ohigan Seminar starting at 9:30 am. On Sunday, September 14, we will have our Fall Ohigan service starting at 10:00 am. Note that the first Monday is Labor Day so our monthly temple board meeting will be held on Tuesday, September 2, starting at 7:30pm.
In gassho, Vance Nishimoto, WLABT President.
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President's July/August 2008 Message
by Vance Nishimoto, 2008 Temple President
Isn’t it amazing how time flies! It’s that time of year we honor those who have passed before us. It’s Obon time! Obon Family Service will be held on Sunday, July 6, starting at 9:30 am. Obon cemetery services will be held at Woodlawn at 9:30 am and at Inglewood at 11:00 am on Saturday, July 19. Obon Odori practice continues on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7:30 pm through July 17. Thank you, Grace Mizushima and the Dharma School Teachers, for helping teach the new and review the old dances. We will be using the “naruko” (that fan shaped klakity noisemaker) again this year, so if you’re at a Japanese store (like Marukai), you may want to purchase a pair. We will have naruko for sale while supplies last. On Friday, July 18, we will be pulling our tents out of the garage in preparation for booth construction on Sunday, July 20. Booth construction begins at 8:00 am and we will be serving lunch for those who come. The festival itself is on Saturday, July 26, from 5:00–10:00 pm, and on Sunday, July 27, from 3:00–9:00 pm. Booth take-down will follow on Monday, July 28, starting at 7:00 pm. Please visit this website for all of our Obon information and the schedules of Obon festivals at other Southern District Temples. Hope you have a safe and sane Fourth of July holiday! In August, there is no newsletter as we are too busy with Obon in July. So I will also mention events happening in August. LABCC is having its Summer Camp from August 2 through 9. The Southern District Junior Young Buddhist League (SD Jr. YBA organizations) will be having its Annual Conference on August 30-31.
I want to hear from our temple members regarding anything to improve the West LA Buddhist Temple. Call me at (818) 831-4922 or email me at wlabtpres.vance@verizon.net.
In gassho, Vance Nishimoto, WLABT President.
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President's June 2008 Message
by Vance Nishimoto, 2008 Temple President
On June 7, the San Fernando Valley Hongwanji Buddhist Temple is hosting the 2008 Southern District Conference at the Sportsmen’s Lodge in Studio City. I hope that you all can attend. As summer approaches, let us take the time to give tribute to our fathers. Father’s Day and Graduation Service is on June 15, at 10:00 a.m. At this service, we will also honor many graduating students. To celebrate, we will have a hamburger lunch following the service. On Sunday, June 1, we will be having temple cleanup at 8:00 a.m. Please attend and help keep our temple in the best shape it can be. On Saturday, June 21, the 80 Plus Lunch group will be having their annual yard sale from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The group is looking for volunteers to help prepare for the yard sale (sorting and price-tagging) on Friday, June 20, and to help during the sale the following day. Please contact Masako Ishioka, Chiyo Nitta, or the Temple office for more information. Obon is just around the corner and so we will begin our Obon Odori practice on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7:30 p.m. starting on June 24. Grace Mizushima and the Dharma School Teachers will help teach us the new and old dances. We will also be using the naruko (that fan-shaped klakity noisemaker) again this year so if you’re at a Japanese store (like Marukai), you may want to purchase a pair. We might have some available for sale if we find them. Obon starts early this year. Senshin will have their Obon festival on June 28. San Fernando will have theirs on July 5 and 6, and our West LA Taiko Group will be performing each day.
I want to hear from our temple members regarding anything to improve the West LA Buddhist Temple. Call me at (818) 831-4922 or email me at wlabtpres.vance@verizon.net.
In gassho, Vance Nishimoto, WLABT President.
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President's May 2008 Message
by Vance Nishimoto, 2008 Temple President
It’s May! And in May we honor two very important people. The first very important person is our Mother. Mother’s Day Service will be held on May 11, at 9:30 a.m. Everyone should spend this day doing something nice for her, or like in my case, do something to remember her. If it weren’t for her, we wouldn’t be here. We also observe the birthday of the founder of our Jodo Shinshu sect of Buddhism, Shinran Shonin. Shinran Shonin Day or Gotan-e Service will be held on May 18th, at 9:30 a.m. Rev. Usuki will be our speaker in both English and Japanese. Also in May, we remember all the people who lived before us. Please take this opportunity to reflect on those who have influenced our lives both directly and indirectly. Memorial Day is on Monday, May 26, with a service at Woodlawn Cemetery at 10:00 a.m. and another service at Inglewood Cemetery at 11:30 a.m. I want to hear from our temple members regarding anything to improve the West LA Buddhist Temple. Call me at (818) 831-4922 or email me at wlabtpres.vance@verizon.net.
In gassho, Vance Nishimoto, WLABT President.
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President's April 2008 Message
by Vance Nishimoto, 2008 Temple President
Hanamatsuri and Hatsumairi Service will be held on April 6 at 9:30 am. Hanamatsuri celebrates the birth of Shakyamuni Buddha. Hatsumairi is a ceremony for presenting a child, born during the past year, to the Buddha and Sangha. So if you know anyone who would like to participate, please have them attend this service. Please notify the Temple Office ahead of time. Eshinni and Kakushinni Memorial Service will be held on April 13 at 9:30 am. This service is held in honor of two very prominent women in Jodo Shinshu Buddhism, Shinran Shonin's wife, Eshinni, and daughter, Kakushinni. For April 20, we've invited the San Fernando Valley Buddhist Temple Sangha to attend our service at 10:00 am. Following service, we will be serving lunch for all those who attend. This is a busy month for the West LA Youth Club as they will be hosting their annual basketball tournament on April 18-20. Please be aware that our Social Hall will be busy over that weekend. I want to hear from our temple members regarding anything to improve the West LA Buddhist Temple. You can call me at (818) 831- 4922, or email me at wlabtpres.vance@verizon.net
In gassho, Vance Nishimoto, WLABT President.
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President's March 2008 Message
by Vance Nishimoto, 2008 Temple President
Spring is in the air! With spring comes our annual Spring Ohigan Seminar to be held on Saturday, March 15 from 9:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The English guest speaker will be Rev. Reynold Fujikawa and the Japanese guest speaker will be Rev. Kenn Koizumi. I hope you can attend. The next day, Sunday, March 16, is Ohigan Service to be held at 9:30 a.m. and the guest speaker will also be Rev. Fujikawa for the English sermon. Rev. Shinji Okada will deliver the Japanese sermon. On Sunday, March 23 at 8:00 a.m., we will have our temple clean-up. I am asking that all temple members, organizations, and affiliated organizations join us and help with the clean-up. To maintain the temple looking beautiful and facilities operating efficiently, it takes a lot of hard work and is difficult for the few who always come and perform this duty. Please help out by putting a little of your time into this most important effort. On March 29 and 30, the Bay Cities Gardener’s Assn. will be hosting their annual Cymbidium show at the temple. You will see a wonderful display of orchids and flowers, so come on by!
I want to hear from our temple members regarding anything to improve the West LA Buddhist Temple. You can call me at (818) 831- 4922 or contact me at my email address at: wlabtpres.vance@verizon.net.
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President's February 2008 Message
by Vance Nishimoto, 2008 Temple President
We are now firmly into the Year of the Rat and I hope everyone enjoyed the New Year's Party. I want to thank all the temple members who put so much time and effort into its success, especially those who provided entertainment for us. On February 9, I will attend the BCA Southern District Council meeting in Venice. This will be an important meeting as we will prepare for the upcoming BCA National Council Meeting in Portland, Oregon from February 28 to March 2. We have planned the third West LA Buddhist Temple Open House for February 10 from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. This event is for new as well as existing temple members to learn about our temple and the services it provides. Please take this opportunity to attend and learn more about our temple and to ask any questions you may have. You may want to take this opportunity to suggest programs that may be created at the temple. So, please come. Nirvana Day Service will be held on February 17 at 9:30 a.m. The guest speakers will be Rev. Naomi Nakano, resident minister of Gardena Buddhist Church, in English, and Rev. Tetsunen Hirota, resident minister (retired) of Pasadena Buddhist Church, in Japanese. We hope you will attend. We have been listening to a lot of suggestions and are looking for more, so if you have an idea, please contact us. You can call me at (818) 831-4922 or email me.
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President's January 2008 Message
by Vance Nishimoto, 2008 Temple President
Happy New Year! We bid farewell to the Year of the Boar and what a year it has been. I hope that the past year was healthy and prosperous for you all and I hope you have seen the results of the hard work performed by many people at the temple. You might have noticed the temple has a new, brighter look to it. I want to thank Tosh Ishioka for his hard work to get the temple painted. In the December issue of Sunset magazine, there was an article about the Sawtelle community also known as “Little Osaka.” The article mentions the many shops along Sawtelle as well as the West LA Buddhist Temple Mochitsuki. Thank you, Jim Shimomaye and to all of you who come and help make Mochitsuki a success every year. We welcome in the Year of the Rat and we start off the year with our annual New Year’s Party and Shinnen Enkai on January 13. Service starts at 11:00 am followed immediately by the New Year’s Party. Come join us, as we will have a shamisen performance as well as entertainment provided by our Dharma School and anyone else who wants to celebrate and sing in the New Year. If you would like to attend, please purchase a ticket from your organization president or the WLA Buddhist Temple office at 310.477.7274, or by email. Ho-onko Service will be on January 20 at 9:30 am with Rev. Akira Hata as our guest speaker. In conjunction with this service, we will have a memorial service in honor of the 750th year of Shinran Shonin’s death. Now, a little bit of temple business. Our annual temple board meeting will be on January 16 at 7:30 pm. All temple organizations must turn in their annual financial reports for 2007 at this meeting. We have been listening to a lot of suggestions and are looking for more. If you have an idea, please contact us.
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President's December 2007 Message
by Vance Nishimoto, 2007 Temple President
2007 is almost over and “Oh!” what a year it has been! I hope that all of you, as well as your family and friends, survived the devastation that occurred in the southland. If someone you know has been affected by the fires and needs help, please let us know and we will assist as best we can.
Bodhi Day Service and Oseibo Taikai will be held on December 2 at 9:30 a.m. Please join us in demonstrating our appreciation to the many temple members who have worked so hard during the past year. This is the service to show our thanks.
Our annual Mochitsuki will be held on December 8 starting at 8:00 a.m. Mochitsuki is the tradition of making mochi (pounded rice cakes). In Japan, this custom occurs following a successful rice harvest at the end of the year. We make mochi to honor this bit of Japanese culture. We then sell what we make to temple members to be eaten with sugar and shoyu (soy sauce), or in ozoni soup, or in many other ways during our New Year’s Day celebrations that extend a few days into the next year.
The money we make supports temple activities during the new year. Please come by to experience Mochitsuki and to support our temple. Also, if you know of any high school students who need to fulfill their community service commitment, this is a great activity.
Temple Clean-up will be held on Sunday, December 9. Please join us.
The temple will be closed from December 22 through 27.
Say “Goodbye” to this year at Joya-e Service on December 31 starting at 8:00 p.m. Say “Hello” to the New Year at the New Year’s Service starting at 10:00 a.m. on January 1.
Please have a safe and happy new year!
We have received a lot of suggestions and are looking for more. If you have an idea, please contact us.
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President's November 2007 Message
by Vance Nishimoto, 2007 Temple President
This month is an appropriate time to reflect upon the causes and conditions that have brought us all together. It’s Thanksgiving! The year is almost over and as I think about the hard work that people have given, I feel very grateful that I belong to such a wonderful temple. On November 11, we will have our Thanksgiving family service at 9:30 a.m. and our Eitaikyo service at 11:00 a.m. The guest speaker for both services will be Rev. Lee Rosenthal from Vista Buddhist Temple, speaking in English in the Thanksgiving service and in Japanese in the Eitaikyo service. Our Rev. Fumiaki Usuki will be the English speaker for the Eitaikyo service. I also want to congratulate Socho Koshin Ogui on his re-election as Socho for the Buddhist Churches of America. We look forward to supporting his efforts in guiding the BCA over the next four years. We have received a lot of suggestions and are looking for more. If you have an idea, please call me at (818) 831-4922 or send me an e mail at wlabtpres.vance@verizon.net
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President's October 2007 Message
by Vance Nishimoto, 2007 Temple President
Boo! It’s October and if you see any ghosts or goblins, they’re probably on their way to the YBA sponsored Family Fun Night to be held in the Social Hall on Saturday, October 27th starting at 5:00pm. Bring your family and friends dressed up in your favorite costume and you might win a prize! Family Fun Night is not limited to kids either. Even adults can join in on the fun by dressing in costume, and when more and more people dress for the occasion, the fun only increases. There’s nothing more enjoyable than seeing the look on the young kids’ faces when their parents join in on the fun. The feeling you get when you see the kids’ faces and everyone having fun is just one of the many feelings that result from living within Jodo Shinshu Buddhism. These feelings (Shinjin maybe?) exist within a community of many people. To perpetuate this feeling, we must perpetuate our community of people. In light of this, we will be initiating a membership drive to encourage people to join our community of people. Within the next few months you will see some changes to our website including monthly updates which will help improve communications to our members and to potential new members. We are also considering changes to the way people can become members and to ways people can participate at the temple. We have been listening to many suggestions and are looking for more, so if you have an idea, please contact us. You can call me at (818) 831-4922 or email me at wlabtpres.vance@verizon.net.
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President's September 2007 Message
by Vance Nishimoto, 2007 Temple President
Whew! At the time I wrote this message, it was only a couple of days after the Obon cleanup. I know that those of you who helped with this year’s festival are at least as tired as I am, if not more. I want to thank all the Temple members, organizations, and volunteers who helped make our Obon a success. If you have any suggestions or ideas that will help make next year’s Obon better, please let Tosh Ishioka (Obon Chairperson), Rev. Usuki, or myself know about it.
Now, this is the September issue of the Bulletin, so guess what? It’s Back to School! Dharma School starts on September 9. If you would like to enroll your child in Dharma School, please contact Grace Mizushima (Dharma School Superintendent), Rev. Usuki, or myself.
On Saturday, September 15, we will be hosting the WLABT Fall Ohigan Seminar starting at 9:30 a.m. Rev. Kenjun Kawawata of the West Covina Buddhist Temple is the Japanese speaker. The English speaker will be announced later. On Sunday, September 16, we will have our annual Fall Ohigan service starting at 10:00 a.m. with Rev. Kawawata as the guest speaker in both languages.
On Saturday, September 29, Buddhist Temple of San Diego and Vista Buddhist Temple are jointly hosting the Annual Southern District Family and Buddhist Women’s Association Conference. To help cover the costs of the conference, and thereby keep your registration fees down, San Diego is conducting a raffle. So please make sure you buy or sell as many tickets as you can and turn in the stubs to the Temple by September 13. If you would like some raffle tickets, please contact me.
Note that the first Monday is Labor Day so our monthly Temple Board meeting will be held on Tuesday, September 4, starting at 7:30 p.m.
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President's July/August 2007 Message
by Vance Nishimoto, 2007 Temple President
It’s that time of year! It’s Obon time! Obon Family Service will be held on Sunday, July 1, starting at 9:30 a.m.
Obon Odori practice continues every Tuesday and Thursday at 7:30 p.m. until July 19. On Friday, July 20, we will be pulling our carnival tents out of the garage in preparation for booth construction on Sunday, July 22. Booth construction begins at 8:00 a.m. and we will be serving lunch for those who come. The festival itself is on Saturday, July 28, at 5 – 10 p.m. and on Sunday at 3 – 9 p.m. Booth take-down will follow on Monday, July 30, starting at 7:00 p.m.
The Thomas Matsuda Buddhist Sculpture Exhibition will be held on July 13 through July 17. Please check the updated schedule in this issue for specific times and special events that are taking place.
The BCA Youth Advocacy Committee is having a retreat in San Luis Obispo on July 27 - 29, and the BCA is hosting a youth retreat at the Jodo Shinshu Center from July 9 through July 15.
In August, there is no newsletter as we are recuperating from Obon. So I will also mention events happening in August. LABCC is having its Summer Camp for Buddhist children from August 4 through 11. BCA Minister’s Fuken is on August 13 through 15 in Fresno.
Rev. Usuki will take a break and go on vacation from August 18 through 24. Sensei, we all hope you and Rev. Patti have a wonderful time as you both deserve it.
Hope you have a safe and sane Fourth of July!
You can call me at (818) 831-4922 or email me.
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President's June 2007 Message
by Vance Nishimoto, 2007 Temple President
Last month, I forgot to mention a very important benefit that is available to members. If you know of any temple member who is graduating from high school or is interested in pursuing continued education in college, then you are eligible to receive the West Los Angeles Buddhist Temple Scholarship Award. I hope you receive this newsletter in time to get this message and if there is anyone who is interested in applying for the scholarship please contact me or the temple office as soon as possible. Applications must be received no later than Friday, June 1, so that the applications can be reviewed in time for the June Board meeting and then presented at the Father’s Day and Graduation Service on June 17, at 10:00 a.m. Rev. David Matsumoto will be the guest speaker at this service and a hamburger lunch will follow.
On Sunday, June 3, we will be having temple cleanup at 8:00 a.m. Please attend and help keep our temple in the best shape it can be.
On Saturday, June 23, the 80+ Lunch group will be having their annual yard sale from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The group is looking for volunteers to help prepare for the yard sale (sorting and price tagging) on Friday, June 22, and to help during yard sale the following day. Please contact Chiyo Nitta or the temple office for more information.
Obon is just around the corner and so we will begin our Obon Odori practice on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7:30 p.m. starting on June 26. Thank you Grace Mizushima and the Dharma School Teachers for helping us learn the new dances, as well as the old ones (for some of us who have trouble learning).
Obon starts early this year. Senshin will have their Obon festival on June 30. San Fernando, having recovered from last year’s record high temperatures, has moved their festival to June 30-July 1.
I want to hear from our temple members regarding anything to improve the West LA Buddhist Temple. You can call me at (818) 831-4922 or email me.
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President's May 2007 Message
by Vance Nishimoto, 2007 Temple President
In the month of May, we honor two very important people. The first is the one person who is directly responsible for our own individual existence, our mother. Although my mother is no longer with us, it was her belief in Jodo Shinshu and in the WLA Buddhist Temple that inspires me to do my best as President and as a son. Mother’s Day Service will be held on May 13, at 9:30 am.
We also honor the founder of the Jodo Shinshu sect of Buddhism, Shinran Shonin. It is his teachings that allow Buddhism to be taught and to be more applicable to a much broader population of people. He taught that just being on the path to enlightenment is as important as actually achieving it. My goal is to learn through his teachings to release my defilements and become a better person. As more people understand this, the world becomes a better place. Shinran Shonin Day or Gotan-e Service will be held on May 20th, at 9:30 am.
Also in May, we remember all the people who lived before us. Please take this opportunity to reflect on those who have influenced our lives both directly and indirectly. Memorial Day is on Monday, May 28 with service at Woodlawn Cemetery at 10:00 am and another service at Inglewood Cemetery at 11:30 am.
As we reflect on these very important people in our lives, I also want to reflect on those who are still with us who have worked most of their lives towards the benefit of the WLA Buddhist Temple. In particular, I want to thank Mr. Sho Matsumi for his lifelong dedication towards keeping our temple finances in such fine order. There may be some who are not familiar with the work that he has accomplished over the years. He has managed the relationship with the tenants of our Sawtelle property and its finances with the highest level of Buddhist character and integrity and we should all commend his efforts. Sho decided to retire from the position within Sawtelle property management and his efforts will be sorely missed.
I want to hear from our temple members regarding anything to improve the WLA Buddhist Temple. We are now engaged in studying our membership demographics and our finances to see what future activities are in store for the WLA Buddhist Temple. We want to be proactive in supporting our membership and our community while living within our Buddhist teachings.
One example is our need to improve or expand our support of music programs. We are looking for some volunteers to support a music program (other than Taiko) as Rev. Usuki has received some new music from Hawaii Kyodan that might be wonderful to hear during service. We have no music group/committee to explore its use. If you are interested in supporting a music program at the temple, please contact me or Rev. Usuki.
I want to hear from our temple members regarding anything to improve the West LA Buddhist Temple. You can call me at (818) 831-4922 or email me.
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President's April 2007 Message
by Vance Nishimoto, 2007 Temple President
April will be a very busy month at the West Los Angeles Buddhist Temple. Hanamatsuri and Hatsumairi Service will be held on April 8th at 9:30am. This service is held to celebrate the birth of Shakyamuni Buddha and anyone who was born during the past year. So if you know anyone who would like to participate, please have them attend this service. Toban for this service will be our new Sangha Teen group.
Eshinni and Kakushinni Memorial Service will be held on April 15th at 10:00am. This service is held in honor of two of the most prominent women in Jodo Shinshu Buddhism. And so, we’ve invited one of today’s prominent women to be the guest speaker at this service, Rev. Patti Usuki. We’ve also invited her congregation at San Fernando Valley Buddhist Temple to attend our service. Following service, we will be serving a hamburger lunch for those who attend.
This is a busy month for the West LA Youth Club as they will be hosting their annual basketball tournament on April 20th – 21st. Please be aware that our Social Hall will be busy over this weekend.
I want to hear from our temple members regarding anything to improve the West LA Buddhist Temple. You can call me at (818) 831-4922 or email me.
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President's March 2007 Message
by Vance Nishimoto, 2007 Temple President
On March 9–11, Rev. Usuki, Rick Stambul, and I will be attending the annual BCA National Council Meeting held this year in Oakland, California. We will be listening intently to the business of BCA with particular attention to the 21st Century Campaign and the operation of the Jodo Shinshu Center because the West LA Buddhist Temple has a large stake in the success of these programs.
On Saturday, March 17, West LA and West Covina Jr. YBAs will be hosting a Seminar to be held in West Covina. If there is anybody who is interested in joining and participating with the Jr. YBA, please contact Jim Shimomaye. The Jr. YBA is a great organization that helps high school age teens (14 – 19 years old) learn more about Buddhism, and themselves, as well as having a lot of fun.
On Sunday, March 18 at 8:00am, we will have our temple clean-up. I am asking that all temple members, organizations, and affiliated organizations join us and help with the clean up. To maintain the temple looking beautiful and facilities operating efficiently, it takes a lot of hard work and is difficult for the few who always come and perform this duty. Please help out by putting a little of your time into this most important effort.
Spring is here! With spring comes an Ohigan Seminar to be held on Saturday, March 24 from 9:30am to 1:00pm. The guest speakers will be Rev. Yushi Mukojima and Rev. John Doami. I hope you can attend. The next day on Sunday, March 25 is Ohigan Service to be held at 9:30am and the guest speaker will also be Rev. Mukojima.
I want to hear from our temple members regarding anything to improve the West LA Buddhist Temple. You can call me at (818) 831-4922 or email me at wlabtpres.vance@verizon.net
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President's February 2007 Message
by Vance Nishimoto, 2007 Temple President
I hope that everyone has survived the start of the Year of the Boar. The installation of the 2007 West LA Buddhist Temple Cabinet was held on January 14th, followed by our annual New Year’s Party. I hope everyone enjoyed the party and I want to thank all the temple members who put so much time and effort into its success. I want to thank Yuki Sakurai again for her efforts as President these last two years and for making the transition for me as easy as possible.
On February 9th, I will attend the Southern District BCA meeting in Orange County. This will be an important meeting as we will prepare for the upcoming annual BCA National Council Meeting in Oakland, CA on March 9th – 11th.
We have planned the second West LA Buddhist Temple Open House for February 11th,. This event is for new as well as existing temple members to learn about our temple and the services it provides. Please take this opportunity to attend and learn more about our temple and to ask any questions you may have.
On February 18th, our Nirvana Day Family Service will be held at 9:30 AM and the guest speakers will be Rev. Jerry Hirano of the Salt Lake Buddhist Temple for the English service and Rev. Tetsunen Hirota for the Japanese service.
As I mentioned in last month’s message, I want to hear from our temple members regarding anything to improve the West LA Buddhist Temple. You can call me at (818) 831-4922 or email me at wlabtpres.vance@verizon.net
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President's January 2007 Message
by Vance Nishimoto, 2007 Temple President
It’s a new year here at the West Los Angeles Buddhist Temple and with the new year comes a few changes. The first change is that you have a new Temple President. My name is Vance Nishimoto and for those of you who don’t know me, I am the youngest son of Akira and Kyo Nishimoto who settled in the WLA community and spent all of their lives supporting the WLABT. I am grateful for the work that my parents and many other temple members have put into the temple. I hope that I am able to perform my duties as president as well as those who have served before me. I want to thank Yuki Sakurai for doing an exceptional job as president these past two years. She served her term through much adversity and I have the greatest respect for her.
The Year of the Boar and the Year of the Rat bring with them many challenges. It’s unsettling that a pig and a rat are the animals to be associated with my term of office. I can only say that I will not be as “lazy as a pig” or as “dirty as a rat.”
I hope to accomplish three tasks while I am president of the temple. These three tasks are, (a) to honor and maintain what we have, (b) to increase membership, and (c) to become a better resource of Jodo Shinshu Buddhism.
We have a great temple that is the result of the hard work of many people. I want to honor those people by trying not to screw things up. So in trying to maintain what we have, I want to utilize the experience of those temple members who built what we have today. But as we start our day-to-day business, it may seem that we are going in the wrong direction. This may be true, but it also may be because we are not aware of all viewpoints. Don’t expect that we will all see things as you see things. Therefore, it is very important that everyone participate and voice their opinions to ensure that we continue to have a great temple. Don’t be afraid to tell me that I’m stupid or wrong, so long as you have a valid reason to do so. I know that the temple will not improve if we ignore our members.
In order to increase membership, we will need to reach out to new faces and welcome back familiar ones. We cannot do this by closing our doors to the community. I understand that we are not a community center but we must actively participate within our community so that people can see who we are and what we can provide. Our obon last year was the first of these activities and proved to be very successful. I hope that everyone can provide us with some additional ideas for activities and services that will attract people to become a part of our temple.
Reverend Usuki has brought a new vitality to the WLABT. He brings energy and a wealth of Jodo Shinshu knowledge that will help us all become better people, not just better Buddhists. But he needs help. The WLABT website and the technology improvements are the first steps towards making it easier to provide Buddhist and temple information to the members. I hope to expand these activities so that more information can be provided.
We all have a lot of work ahead and many challenges, but if we all work together, the WLABT will continue to be a great place.
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