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May 2012 President’s Message by Ron Murakami

We often find inspiration in things that appeal to our senses like art, music, and nature. However as the years have passed I find myself being inspired most profoundly by people and their actions, especially actions of an unselfish nature dealing with extraordinary circumstances. While there are many stories to relate, I’m focusing this article on a family that has provided me inspiration by demonstrating true compassion in their everyday lives that are now dominated by difficult challenges.

Grant, the son of my cousin, Lois, and her husband, Jeff, was involved in a life-changing roll-over car accident last September that caused serious injury to his brain. After being extracted from his car, Grant was flown to a trauma center where it was touch-and-go for several days. He was in intensive care for two weeks, much of the time in an unconscious state, while doctors worked at keeping him alive while balancing pain medications against the need to promote normal body functions, like breathing and having a regular heartbeat. After spending several weeks at a long-term acute care facility, Grant was transferred to a sub-acute rehabilitation facility where he now resides.

Grant is progressing, albeit very slowly. He continues to receive nutrition through a feeding tube and both Lois and Jeff work hard each day to find a reliable way of communicating with him since he’s not able to speak and has very limited movement of his neck and limbs. It’s difficult to project the outcome when brain injuries are involved, and even though Lois and Jeff know the healing process may take many years, they are hopeful for Grant’s recovery. To them, each positive change, however small, is a welcome sight.

While Grant continues to have the benefit of many capable health care professionals, he’s benefitted greatly from having an amazing family to care for him. From the time of Grant’s accident at least one family member has been in close proximity to him and for the four weeks immediate after the accident, Lois, Jeff, and their daughter, Laurel, were with Grant 24 hours a day. Through the help of friends they’ve been able to be housed near the care facilities located about 50 miles from their home.

Laurel has returned to her job in the Philippines and Lois and Jeff have altered their work schedules so at least one of them can be with Grant each day of the week, even though it means Lois and Jeff see each other for just a few hours each week. Their care giving includes providing massages to help loosen knot- ted muscles and stretching immobile limbs with range-of-motion exercises, and stimulating his senses through pictures, talking, reading, music, and touching. It’s difficult to imagine any parents spending so many hours with their child, especially when there’s the added burden of traveling and living away from home.

When I was able to visit them recently I saw a Myogo and small bell set close by Grant to help him relate to his past involvement in Jodo Shinshu activities. I was greatly moved watching Lois ring the bell, putting Grant’s palms together as best as she could, and reciting Namu Amida Butsu for him.

In addition to this tireless devotion, it’s just as inspiring to see the positive encouragement both parents provide to all staff members and other patients. This encouragement is well received and it benefits all involved.

Lois and Jeff always express their appreciation for the support they’ve received from their temple members and the surrounding community, as well as many friends and relatives. They’re also deeply grateful to Grant for teaching them about patience, the importance of living each day, having gratitude for all they have, and appreciation for family. Each of them is making a better world through their love for one another.

At the first of April, Char Grinolds and I had a very enjoyable visit with the Seattle Betsuin Buddhist Church sangha. We were generously accorded time to speak on behalf of the Buddhist Churches of America and took the opportunity to show our appreciation and present a slideshow on the Jodo Shinshu Center facility and programs. Similarly, my wife and I had a wonderful time joining the Idaho-Oregon Buddhist Temple in Ontario, Oregon for their Hanamatsuri Service on April 15. We heard a thoughtful Hanamatsuri message from their guest speaker, Rev. Katsuya Kusunoki, and we were able to continue our friend- ship with his wife, Ayano. Over the years Idaho-Oregon Buddhist Temple has been a home-away-from-home for me and I’m very grateful for their special friendship and support.

In these articles I’ve mentioned visits to several temples and churches on be- half of BCA. My wife and I are fortunate to be able to pay the travel, transportation, and housing expenses for both of us. While we’re normally responsible for my wife’s expenses, I don’t want to financially burden our national organization with my share of the costs. I appreciate the concern each person has about unnecessary expenses and for sharing their interest in the welfare of BCA.

April 2012 President’s Message by Ron Murakami

I express our sincere thanks to Socho Koshin Ogui who at the end of March completed his second and final term in the Office of the Bishop. As noted in the March Wheel of Dharma, the banquet dinner at the February National Council Meeting was dedicated to honor his retirement and praise his leadership. Two of the most daring and successful programs created and championed by Socho Ogui are the Minister’s Assistant Program and the Youth Minister’s Assistant Program, created as ways to help address our need for ministers. From the beginning of his first term Socho Ogui challenged us to try new things, not to be afraid of making mistakes, and to learn from our mistakes. In addition, he reminded us to smile and not to take things too seriously. At the same time Socho encouraged us to work on settling our differences by talking to each other as a way of promoting understanding and finding common ground, even among our differences. May we all remember and benefit from his advice. We wish Reverend and Mrs. Ogui the best of health and happiness as they begin their next adventure in life.

Buried in the numerous events of February was a much quieter but just as profound a change. Henry Shibata, BCA Administrative Office Executive Director, stepped down from his position on February 29 after serving tirelessly for 22 years at National Headquarters, initially as Administrative Officer. Henry had largely served in the background of BCA but was a familiar voice for those who telephoned the headquarters office. Visitors were likely greeted by his smiling face, bright eyes and soft voice. Henry dedicated many hours of his life to BCA, steadfastly working to further the BCA mission. He handled a wide variety of responsibilities needed to support various meetings and conferences including selecting, transporting and selling bookstore materials and fulfilling last-minute requests and tasks. To put Henry’s employment into perspective, he has helped serve eleven BCA presidents during his career. National Headquarters was certainly a second home, so his absence will be long missed. On behalf of all of us, thank you, Henry, for your sincere dedication to BCA. We wish you well. You have my deepest respect and appreciation for your selfless service.

Our congratulations to Bishop Kodo Umezu on being confirmed as the next Bishop of the BCA during a Shinju Shiki ceremony conducted by His Eminence Monshu Koshin Ohtani at the Hongwanji in Kyoto on March 22. Bishop Umezu took office on April 1 after serving as the Director of the Center for Buddhist Education (CBE) since its inception in 2006. There’s a great sense of expectancy in having Bishop Umezu in the Office of the Bishop due to his nurturing of existing and new CBE programs. He has been the recognized heart of CBE and we look forward to him applying his energy and sense of care to the Bishop’s Office.

This article is being completed about three weeks after the National Board officers were installed. Key activities since then have been getting an Ad Hoc committee started on a search for a manager for the National Headquarters office, working with chairpersons on committee lay member assignments, coordinating with BCA employees on near- term plans, supporting transitioned tasks, continuing support of fundraising activities, and planning for the June National Board Meeting. In addition, committees have been actively working on existing responsibilities and new projects.

In April and May you’ll see appeals asking for contributions to the Debt Relief program aimed at paying off the bank mortgage for Jodo Shinshu construction. Temple and church leaders left the February National Council Meeting with a shared understanding of the importance for this effort and a strong commitment to see it through. I encourage you to donate to the Debt Relief program, especially if you haven’t participated in Campaign 21st Century. It’s important for each of us to look toward our own interest and commitment in helping make a better world through Jodo Shinshu in America.

March 2012 President’s Message by Ron Murakami

The history of this President’s column is relatively short-lived. As told to me by Rev. Ron Kobata, our Wheel of Dharma editor, Dr. Gordon Bermant started this column in 2006 soon after he began his term as Buddhist Churches of America (BCA) president, to provide a vehicle for sharing his thoughts with our BCA Sangha on a wide variety of subjects. Since inception the president has exercised a great deal of freedom with the contents and we’ve proceeded with no written guidelines, but have relied on common sense.

Fortunately we’ve retained that spirit of individuality, which is appropriate because this article has come to reflect the personality of the person in office and thus offers a unique perspective with which we can communicate our thoughts.

Using the term BCA Sangha is a liberty I’ve taken to express the feeling I hope all of you will adopt as a way of seeing BCA members and supporters as part of the greater collection of Jodo Shinshu followers. We stand to benefit by recognizing our common endeavors rather than feeling we’re primarily a part of an individual temple or church within the collection of Jodo Shinshu organizations spread throughout the continental United States.

My personal feeling is that as BCA president I have a great responsibility to see that my submissions for the President’s Message includes mention of national activities that may be of significance to all, information that may help our temples/ churches, and words and thoughts that hopefully are inspirational at least in some small way. I hope to instill a sense of comfort and even pride in being part of our Jodo Shinshu tradition. As I’ll be telling our National Board members, we place a stamp on what we do that will reflect our stewardship of maintaining the critical elements of BCA and improving those parts that will make for a better future. I hope this awareness is felt by all who aspire to help share Jodo Shinshu within the United States and even beyond our national borders.

Jodo Shinshu is a world Buddhist tradition, open to all, that leads us to responsibility for our actions and compassion for all living things. Together we are making a world of peace and mutual respect through the understanding of our true nature and the oneness of all lives, leading to a life of gratitude. This is the kind of world we want to help create and leave for our families, friends, and future followers.

On another note, my wife and I had a wonderful time visiting three Southern District temples in mid February, largely to thank their members for their support of BCA and their individual temples, and to provide updated information on the Debt Relief effort for reducing the Jodo Shinshu Center construction bank loan. Thank you to the members of Oxnard Buddhist Temple, Buddhist Church of Santa Barbara, and Vista Buddhist Temple for their warm welcomes and hospitality. We hope to visit more of our 62 BCA temples and churches and encourage others to take advantage of opportunities to do so. Each local sangha seems to have its own unique personality which makes each visit a treat. We enjoyed sharing time with fellow sangha members and discovering ways in which our lives are linked.

Just prior to submitting the draft for this article, my wife and I also took part in the 65th Annual Northwest Buddhist Convention during the weekend of February 17-19. Thank you to Spokane Buddhist Church for hosting an informative and inspirational convention and for providing a comfortable venue to visit with friends and new acquaintances.

In Gassho

 

February 2012 President’s Message by Everett Watada

Dear Sangha members,

As I recount some of the events over the course of my two-year term as President of the Buddhist Churches of America, I am actually reminded of a conversation I recently had with my sons. We have to remind ourselves that life is short and that it is important we follow our passions.

Our conversation led me to thoughts about my favorite past time, gardening. I realize that I have fewer and fewer seasons left to experience the joys of gardening. Every year I begin in spring with hope and anticipation as I prepare the soil for the sowing of seeds. As spring warms to summer, the combination of sun and water lead me to exhilaration and wonder as my once bare soil transforms to rows of mosaic green stalks and kaleidoscopes of reds and purples. The fall harvest brings delight as much by my neighbors’ visits to my garden as by the boundless selection from nature waiting for me on my table. The end of fall and start of winter bring determined tilling and yearning for spring.

Although gardening involves continuous time and dedication, its results–that is my garden’s remarkable transition during the year—also brings me tremendous joy. Similar to tending to my garden, I have strived to make the most of my time as President with the hope that I could be proud of what we have accomplished. The past two years have been a tremendous experience for me personally— your devotion to Jodo Shinshu has been an inspiration to me. For the Buddhist Churches of America, we have a come a long way. I am absolutely honored to have represented the Buddhist Churches of America and our members in the international community.

I would like to extend my sincerest gratitude to the Executive Committee, the members of the various committees, the Board of Trustees, the BCA Endowment Foundation, the Institute of Buddhist Studies and the staff at the Buddhist Churches of America Headquarters and Jodo Shinshu Center—your friendship, commitment and vision have kept us focused and moving forward. To our friends and family across the country and around the world, thank you for your generous commitment of time, energy and thought—you are the reasons why we have and will continue to have strong traditions and social and spiritual networks.

Thank you again – I have thoroughly enjoyed this opportunity to serve you.

In Gassho

January 2012 President’s Message by Everett Watada

We closed 2011 with a New Year’s Eve Joya-E service reflecting on the events of the past year, concluding with the traditional ringing the temple bell 108 times. Now we welcome 2012 aspiring to move forward by seeking the right balance between the BCA’s religious, administrative, cultural and social purposes and responsibilities.

March 11, 2011 will be remembered for the devastating earthquake in Japan followed by the tsunami affecting many of our friends and family. The loss of life and suffering is a tragedy beyond our comprehension. The damage to the Fukushima nuclear plant continues to be a serious concern for the long term effects. We as members of Buddhist Churches of America and friends responded very generously with monetary contributions, and some temples provided needed goods and services to aid in the recovery and rebuilding efforts.

On May 15, many BCA members and friends joined Shin Buddhists from other overseas districts and throughout Japan at Shinran Shonin’s 750th Anniversary Memorial Service held in the newly restored Goeido (Founder’s Hall) at our Hongwanji mother temple in Kyoto. In conjunction with this special observance the World Federation of Buddhist Women’s Associations convened their 14th world convention at the Kyoto Trade Fair Center on May 16-17, attended by many BCA BWA delegates.

The Jodo Shinshu Center celebrated its 5th anniversary on December 4. Since it opened its doors in the fall of 2006, the JSC has gained international recognition as a major center for religious education, ministerial training, and social engagement of the Shin Buddhist community in the west.

This wonderful accomplishment is the result of generous contributions from our membership and supporters. This historic venture will play a key role in spreading the Buddha Dharma and the development of Jodo Shinshu in America.

Although we are currently seeing a decrease in our membership rosters, and it is projected that within the next ten years over half of our current ministers will have retired or be eligible for retirement, we can be encouraged by the potential to improve our situation being demonstrated by the growth and vitality of activities developed out of the Jodo Shinshu Center through the Center of Buddhist Education and Institute of Buddhist Studies.

Buddhism will continue to grow as a major faith tradition in the United States. The Buddhist Churches of America will strengthen itself through the involvement and inspiration of a joint effort of ministers and members who are committed to sharing their appreciation of Jodo Shinshu teachings with a more diverse and changing community.

In tribute to the Issei and Nisei generations of Shin Buddhists who constructed the foundation for the Buddhist Churches of America network of temples it is now our responsibility to ensure that the spiritual legacy they followed in the footsteps of Shinran Shonin is transmitted to future generations of fellow travelers on the Nembutsu path from all walks of life.

By continually reminding ourselves of the meaning and spirit of the Three Treasures: I put my faith in Buddha – I put my faith in Dharma – I put my faith in Sangha – Namo Amida Butsu, we affirm Shinran Shonin’s aspiration: “May Peace and Tranquility Prevail, and the Buddha Dharma Spread!”

Best wishes and a Happy New Year!

Chal­lenges and Oppor­tu­ni­ties by Everett Watada