family service

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Buddha Day (Hanamatsuri) Service with Guest Speaker Rev. Kazunori Takahashi

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Our guest speaker for our Buddha Day Service was Rev. Kazunori Takahashi. Rev. Takahashi is the Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii’s Executive Assistant to Bishop Eric Matsumoto, and has has served at Honpa Hongwanji Hilo Betsuin, Kapaa Hongwanji Mission and Lihue Hongwanji Mission.

The hanamido was decorated using donated flowers the day prior temple volunteers. During the service, members and guests poured sweet tea on the statue of the baby Buddha, representing the gentle rain that fell on Lumbini Garden.

We were also fortunate to have Shakuhachi musician Katsumi in attendence, who accompanied Joy, our piano player.

The hanamido, or flower shrine, and the baby Buddha. Members poured sweet tea on the baby Buddha.

We celebrated April birthdays. Happy birthday Prudence, George, and Shirley!

Sunday Family Service & Remembrance Day

Rev. Bert Sumikawa gave today’s Dharma Talk at our Sunday Family Service. Today was also our Remembrance Day service for March, which is held on the fourth Sunday of the month. Remembrance Day is an opportunity to remember family, friends, and even pets who’ve gone before us.

As a reminder, no service will be held at Windward Buddhist Temple on Sunday, March 31 and April 7, 2019. On March 31, please join us at the Hawaii Betsuin’s Taste of Hongwanji & Spring Bazaar. We will be selling our famous takuan, mochi cupcakes, and bitter melon namasu.

Sunday Family Service

“Don’t Be Afraid to Release GAS!” was the title of Joy’s Dharma Talk. Joy shared ways to relieve GAS (Greed, Anger, Stupidity/Ignorance) and engaged the audience in several activities including writing down things that make us “GAS-y” and placing them under the appropriate Eighthfold path that were posted around the room.

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Spring Ohigan Service with Guest Speaker Rev. Tatsuo Muneto

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We welcomed Rev. Tatsuo Muneto as the guest speaker for our Spring Ohigan Service. Rev. Muneto has served temples throughout the state, including Hawaii Betsuin, Hilo Betsuin, Kona Hongwanji, Lihue Hongwanji, and Moiliili Hongwanji, as well as the Buddhist Study Center. Watch Rev. Muneto’s Dharma Talk by clicking on the play button below or on our YouTube channel.

Today was also our first Dharma School session, which will be held monthly on the second Sunday of the month. This was followed by a fun and creative craft activity.

Dharma School

Sunday Family Service

In his Dharma Talk today, Dr. Michael Jaffe, a lifelong car enthusiast, shared the many parallels he’s found between studying Buddhism and his latest automotive adventure, owning an all-electric vehicle.

Wyatt and Emma shared highlights from YESS (Young Enthusiastic Shinshu Seekers) Camp, which was held from February 16 to 18, 2019

Founders Day Service

We celebrated our 5th Annual Founders Day, a day to remember Windward Buddhist Temple’s past lay leaders since the founding of our temple in 1968.

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Dana Day Service with Guest Speaker Cyndi Osajima

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Our Dana (Sanskrit meaning "selfless giving") Day Service featured a guest speaker, Cyndi Osajima, Executive Director of Project Dana. Project Dana is a program that provides a multitude of services to the elderly and disabled through a corps of volunteers. Our M.C. for today, Jean Fukumoto, is Windward Buddhist Temple's Project Dana site coordinator.

Watch Cyndi’s Dharma Talk below.

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First Sunday Family Service

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For today’s Dharma Talk, Dennis discussed symbolism in both everyday situations, such as emojis, and in national icons, such as the Statue of Liberty. Did you notice that the Statue of Liberty is taking a step forward?

One of today’s First Sunday’s activities had to do with Indra’s net, and Dennis shared the symbolism around the interconnected jewels that we attached to the image of the world as we entered the temple. Our second activity was a Valentine’s Day craft, which both the kids and the adults enjoyed.

Celebrating February Birthdays

First Sunday Activities

Sunday Family Service & Remembrance Day

Wrapping up the month in which we remember Martin Luther King, Jr. and we observe Hoonko, Shinran Shonin’s memorial, Rev. Sumikawa shared the 7 masters of Jodo Shinshu. Today was also our Remembrance Day, in which we remembered family and friends who passed before us in the month of January.

Our visitors from Moilili Hongwanji Mission