Guest Speaker: Rev. Alan Urasaki
M.C.: Jennifer Kane
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Rev. Alan Urasaki is originally from Hilo. He was an active member of the Junior YBA (Young Buddhist Assn.) at Hilo Betsuin. While attending the University of Hawaii at Manoa (majoring in Communication), Rev. Alan served on the first YESS (Young Enthusiastic Shinshu Seekers) Camp committee and was active in the Buddhist Study Center Youth Fellowship group and Senior YBA, as well as a Jr. YBA advisor at Moiliili Hongwanji.
In 1989, he attained a Master’s Degree in education from UH and decided to pursue the ministry at the Institute of Buddhist Studies (IBS), in Berkley, California. Upon graduation from IBS, he went to Japan and received his
Tokudo ordination in 1991 and was assigned as a Kaikyoshi-ho, or minister’s aide, at the Hawaii Betsuin. After a year of “on-the-job” training, he returned to Kyoto to receive his Kyoshi, or teaching credential. As a “full-fledged” minister, he served as an Associate Minister at the Hawaii Betsuin and then as the Resident Minister of Aiea Hongwanji.
In February 2002, Rev. Urasaki left temple ministry and became a chaplain with the Federal Bureau of Prisons at the Federal Detention Center, next to the Honolulu airport. He was the first Buddhist chaplain in the Federal Prison system. After 20 years of government service, he retired as the Supervisory Chaplain, resigned from the Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii, and is currently an Assistant Minister at Shinshu Kyokai Mission of Hawaii. (Shinshu Kyokai is an independent Jodo Shinshu temple in Honolulu, not affiliated with the Hawaii Honpa Hongwanji.)
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If you’d like to remember a loved one who passed away in the month of March (of any year), you will be given the opportunity to do so during this service.
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As of March 27, 2022, in accordance with the revised State of Hawaii guidelines, the use of masks is optional inside the temple. Please be kind to those who choose to continue to wear a mask.
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The service will be recorded and viewable on YouTube and Facebook the next day (Monday).Item description