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Buddha Day Service with Guest Speaker Barbara Brennan

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We celebrated Buddha Day (Hanamatsuri), which marks the birth of Sakyamuni Buddha around 2,500 years ago. Our guest speaker was Barbara Brennan, who shared the truth, pratītya-samutpāda, that all things are interdependent, interconnected, and intricately joined together with one another. You can watch Barbara's Dharma Talk on our YouTube channel or by clicking on the play button below.

The hanamido was decorated mostly with flowers made out of recycled materials and with just a handful of real plumeria and greenery. Mahalo to the members who have been making the flowers over the past few weeks, donated the real flowers and greens, and assembled the hanamido on Saturday.

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Sunday Family Service with Guest Speaker Sheera Tamura

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We had a special guest speaker for today's Dharma Talk. Sheera Tamura is a senior at Pacific Buddhist Academy and, since 2017, president of the Jr. Young Buddhist Association (Jr. YBA) Hawaii Federation.

Sheera shared "It's a Small World After All," a photo album of her experiences through programs such as the Young Buddhist International Cultural Study Exchange (YBICSE), as a student at Pacific Buddhist Academy, and with the Jr. YBA. 

After the service, we had an encore of the bleeding tissue craft activity for those who weren't able to attend the First Sunday service earlier this month (and those who wanted to do it again).

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Sunday Family Service with Guest Speaker Jay Sakashita

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KHM President Prudence Kusano, Guest Speaker Jay Sakashita, & Rev. Kevin Kuniyuki

Guest speaker Jay Sakashita gave today's Dharma Talk about love from the Buddhist perspective. Dr. Sakashita is a Professor of Religion at Leeward Community College and a lecturer at UH Manoa. He also writes a popular column on religion in MidWeek called "Misfit Spirit."

Rev. Nakamoto Honored at Legislative Assembly (Giseikai)

Photo courtesy of Alan Kubota

Rev. David & Irene Nakamoto were honored for his retirement at the 106th Annual Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii Legislative Assembly (Giseikai) on February 10, 2018.

Rev. Nakamoto retired in September 2017 after seven years as Kailua Hongwanji's resident minister.

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Sunday Family Service with Rev. Nakamoto

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In 2010, Rev. David Nakamoto came to Kailua Hongwanji and spent the next 7 years as our minister before retiring in 2017. Rev. Nakamoto was our guest speaker for today's Family Service. Click below to watch his Dharma Message.

After today's service, the sangha celebrated with Rev. Nakamoto at a retirement luncheon at the New Mui Kwai restaurant in Kailua.

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Year End Family Service

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In his year-end Dharma message, Rev. Umitani asked us to express gratitude for the past year and reflect on the interdependency on all life and all the things that have made it possible for one to live through the year. The saying, ichinichi senkin (一日千金), "every day is worth a thousand pieces of gold," reminds us that each and every day holds great meaning for our lives and we must live it wisely and meaningfully. 

After the service, we rang the kansho (temple bell) to celebrate the end of the year. Jyo-ya no Kane (除夜の鐘) is the Japanese tradition of ringing the temple bell 108 times on New Year's Eve. Watch the video and see if we came close (we weren't counting!). After ringing the bell, we enjoyed soba noodles, also a year-end tradition.

The year-end service also marked the conclusion of Rev. Umitani's assignment as Kailua's interim minister. Mahalo Rev. Umitani and family for being a part of our temple in 2017!

Happy New Year!

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Sunday Family Service

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For today's Dharma message, Betty shared stories about Rev. David Nakamoto, who recently retired as Kailua Hongwanji's minister. Betty has known Rev. Nakamoto for many years. We're looking forward to Rev. Nakamoto being our Dharma Talk speaker on January 14, 2018.

At the conclusion of today's service, Joy and Brin treated us to a special oboe and flute rendition of "Let it Snow." Click on the play button below to enjoy their awesome performance!

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Bell Ringing for Queen Lili'uokalani

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Kailua Hongwanji joined churches across Hawaii in honoring Queen Lili'uoklani, who passed away on November 11, 1917. On the 100th anniversary of her passing, church bells statewide tolled 100 times in commemoration at 8:30 a.m.

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First Sunday Family Service with Guest Speaker Dexter Mar

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Dexter Mar was our guest speaker at today's First Sunday Family Service at Kailua Hongwanji. Dr. Mar is a Hawaii Betsuin Certified Ministers’ Lay Assistant who serves the Betsuin temple and Honpa Hongwanji of Hawaii buddhist temples with buddhist education programs through the Buddhist Study Center. Mahalo Dr. Mar for your informational and inspirational talk! Dr. Mar's Dharma Talk, "Experiences Along the White Path," can be replayed below.

Families participated in several First Sunday activities. Upon entering the temple, everyone wrote down something that they were thankful for on an assortment of leaves. The leaves were hung from our Thankful Tree and is currently on display in the temple. The second activity was making paper-bag turkeys, which were stuffed with popcorn.

Finally, the children and several of the most senior attendees planted amaryllis bulbs. The bulbs will be kept at the church and will hopefully bloom over the next several weeks, just in time to be taken home for the holiday season.

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Rededication & First Sunday Family Service

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Our first Family Service since our summer break was also our Rededication Service. Rev. David Nakamoto gave today's Rededication Dharma Talk and reflected on his conversations with the late Rev. Dr. Alfred Bloom, who recently passed away. 

Being that it was also our First Sunday Family Service, children and adults alike participated in two fun craft activities after the service: making peace bracelets in celebration of Peace Day later this month, as well as coloring paper dolls. The dolls are on display in the church.

The new uchishiki (altar cloth) donated by the Kailua Hongwanji Buddhist Women's Association (KHBWA) was on display on the alter. Rev. Umitani helped to order and pick up the uchishiki on one of his trips to Japan.

International Peace Day is on September 21, 2017

International Peace Day is on September 21, 2017