President’s article for September, 2016

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Have you heard about the Betsuin’s “Mind the Gap” drive? Here’s what that means. We have a gap between how much money you and other supporters have thus far generously donated for Generations Phase 1 (the annex seismic retrofit and remodeling) and the $5.4 million project pricetag. Because we have to pay the final construction bills this month, we will be using part of the line of credit from Union Bank temporarily to fill the ...

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Simply Me

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G Sakamoto

Jodo Shinshu, like all schools of Buddhism, is concerned with resolving the difficulties we cause and experience. As Buddhists we understand that difficulties result specifically from our likes and dislikes, our preferences, our prejudices. We also understand that if we work hard with diligence we can cultivate a mind free of prejudice and be free of difficulties.

As a Shinshu Buddhist the difficulties I cause and experience result from the same inability to see things as they are. It is ...

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Annex renovation Update August 2016

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So what do you think????
Wow, what a crazy obon!! Record number of dancers and sold out of all the food super early. I felt like I was hosting a big open house after renovating my home. I wanted everything to go well and people to like the building. I admit, I was trying to keep everything clean by cleaning up any spill, telling people to be careful but I finally gave up on Friday, as I knew the building ...

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President’s article for August, 2016

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Congratulations and thank you!
You and the other members of the Sangha have just participated in two of the most successful undertakings in the temple’s long history.
The biggest accomplishment is the $5.4 million retrofitted and remodeled annex building, which opened for use in late June, just in time for Obon preparation. As of just after Obon, we had received $4.65 million in contributions – the most money ever raised for a temple project. It is gratifying to see that ...

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My Sister Joy

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G Sakamoto

In March my sister, Joy, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. After consultations with oncologists and surgeons in Hawai’i she was referred to and accepted into a clinical trial in Portland, Oregon.

After three months in Portland they chose to return home. The outcome of the clinical trial was not favorable so before Joy got too sick to travel they decided to come home. They asked if I would come to Portland and help them board their flight. I offered to ...

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Reflections on the Earthquakes in Kyushu

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K. Ken Fujimoto

In reading the Hongwanji Shinpo, the tri-monthly newsletter from the Hongwanji, it has been an education reading about the tragic events of the Kumamoto earthquake and the many ironic situations that have come to light surrounding the devastation. The articles probably do not communicate the depth and breadth of the impact on human lives, but even if they only reveal a portion of the effects, it does reveal the relative powerlessness of human beings.
First some facts:
In ...

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Annex Renovation update June 2016

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YES YES YES, We are going to make it for Obon. That is by far the #1 question I get and yes, we will be in the bldg. for Obon. In fact, our current plan is to move back in by mid/late June. Due to some long leadtimes, some items will be installed after Obon, like the stage curtains, digital bulletin boards and lobby canopy.
I hope everyone has had a chance to watch the progress video’s posted ...

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President’s article for June, 2016

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The most ambitious temple building project in a half century is almost finished!
As I write this (in mid-May), the $5.4 million gym seismic retrofit and remodeling project is still on schedule to be done by June 10. What that’s means is we’ll be able to use the gym on that date, although some finishing work still might be ongoing.
Moving everything back into the building and getting it ready for Obon will be a major task in itself. Steve ...

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$1,000,000

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G Sakamoto

A million dollars. That’s a lot of money. A million dollars can buy a lot of things. Things that are necessary, things that are important, things that might help others.

We are almost done with the first phase of our long term project. But we still need to raise nearly a million dollars for this first phase. Only with your participation can this phase be successfully complete without incurring any debt.

A million dollars is so big for most of us ...

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Odds and Ends

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K. Ken Fujimoto

Item #1 – As people can see and have probably heard from other sources as well, the renovation project is progressing well. We should be able to meet the target date of June 10, for the completion. As part of this, we are planning an “in-house” opening ceremony on June 12. In the event that there is a delay due to inspections and such, we will plan to do this on the first Sunday after ...

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