December 2017 The Newsletter of Mililani Hongwanji Mission Volume 40 Issue No. 12

Temple activities should be posted as soon as possible on the “MASTER CALENDAR” located on the bulletin board for inclusion in the Dharma Connection calendar and for general temple planning.

1 Fri 7:30 PM Mindful Meditation

2 Sat 9:00 AM Mililani Holiday Parade

3 Sun 9:30 AM Hawaii Buddhist Council Bodhi Day Service at Soto

Mission (No Service at Mililani) 5 Tue 8:00 AM Flower Arrangement Class

6 Wed 6:00 PM BWA Membership/Dinner Meeting

8 Fri 7:00 PM Music Jam Session

9 Sat 5:00 PM MTA Holiday Festival

10 Sun 9:00 AM Joint Memorial & Bodhi Day Service; Annual General

Membership Meeting; Winter Party 12 Tue 9:00 AM Parkinson's Support Group Meeting

13 Wed 6:30 PM Kyodan Board of Directors Dinner/Meeting

14 Thu 7:30 PM Bon Dance Meeting

16 Sat 5:00 PM Feed the Soul Service Project

17 Sun 9:00 AM Family Service (Guest Speaker: Rev. Will Masuda)

17 Sun 10:30 AM Dharma School activity at the Ice Palace

19 Tue 8:00 AM Flower Arrangement Class

22 Fri 7:00 PM Music Jam Session

24 Sun 9:00 AM Annual Clean-Up w/Short Service

31 Sun 9:00 AM Family Service (No Dharma School)

1 Mon 10:00 AM New Year's Day Service

5 Fri 7:30 PM Mindful Meditation

7 Sun 9:00 AM Family Service & Dharma School

Installation of Kyodan Board & BWA Officers for 2018

9 Tue 9:00 AM Parkinson's Support Group Meeting

9 Tue 10:00 AM BWA Visit to Wahiawa Hospital Nursing & Rehab Ctr

10 Wed 7:30 PM Kyodan Board of Directors Meeting

12 Fri 7:00 PM Music Jam Session

14 Sun 9:00 AM Joint Memorial & Family Service

10:15 AM BWA Meeting

21 Sun 9:00 AM Ho'onko Service & Dharma School

TBD 1st Annual Appreciation Luncheon

25 Thu 9:00 AM Lotus Connection

28 Sun 8:00 AM Jr. YBA/Dharma School Sangha Appreciation Breakfast

28 Sun 9:00 AM Family Service & Dharma School

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Reflection of 2017: Slow Down, Connect, Remember

As we come to the end of 2017, I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to all of you for your unwavering support. This year was a very important landmark year for Mililani Hongwanji. We came together to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of your spiritual home, we also celebrated the life of Mr. Robert Asato. I had a chance to attend a pain and palliative care conference and the opening lecture reminded us to “Slow down, connect, and remember.” For us, we can take lessons from that and apply it to our lives. As we come to the end of the year, let us try to reflect on this and apply it in the new year and our lives. Slow Down Buddhism is about slowing down and being mindful in all that we do. Give life the proper attention and love that it deserves. The world in which we live in is not a single action, it is the combined effort that contributes to our very existence. When we acknowledge that, the natural byproduct is appreciation and gratitude. It is when we slow down, we can finally see what life is truly about and all that it offers. As Deepak Chopra says, “I am present to receive the gifts of life.” Connect We are all connected to each other whether we realize it or not. When we define this relationship we define the very nature of life and our place in this world. The “Golden Rule” is a maxim that stretches out to all religions. This rule says, “One should treat others as one would like others to treat oneself.” Let us make a connection everyday of our lives. Remember Every day we should celebrate life for all the cards we are dealt, whether positive or negative. It’s what defines our life. When we recognize our life, Namo Amida Butsu becomes a natural part of our lives. This recitation becomes a great feeling filled with conviction and heart. It is a strong feeling of appreciation for the life that we have, all sentient beings, and everything that sur-rounds us. The Buddha connects us through the Nembutsu (Namo Amida Butsu), and always embraces us in different ways. It is custom made for us. Our job is to have faith, live life, slow down, connect and remember. Once again, on behalf of my wife, and the rest of my family, I would like to wish you a “Happy Holidays!” and thank you for all the support you have given us this year.

Rev. David Fujimoto

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Aloha Everyone!

Yes! Do you hear what other people are saying about Mililani Hongwanji? Well, I hear it all the time! Yes! People notice the wonderful dharma spirit of our members. Some members are joyfully vol-unteering for Project Dana, helping people in need, while other members devote their time an energy to all events at the temple like weekly Sunday Services, Dharma School, BWA Meetings, and the Thursday Gang! For example, the Oahu Lay Association Patch of Madness was hosted at our temple on Oct. 21, and our Mililani Sangha came out in droves to help make it a fun and successful event and members from Waipahu, Waialua, Aiea, Waianae, and Pearl City remarked how lucky we are at Mililani Hongwanji. It was an enjoyable day for families to carve pumpkins together, eat lunch and play Bingo together. What a Namu Amida Butsu day! Then we made our bi-monthly visit to the Wahiawa Hospital Nursing and Rehab Center on Nov. 7th, and the crowded room of more than 30 clients reverently sat in their wheel chairs as Rev. David Fujimoto opened with a Buddhist service and BWA ladies chanting Juseige and about 3 Japanese ladies enjoyed participating, too! We always end our visit with a sing-along, and there were some lively singers! You can tell that they loved music! As we were leaving, the hospital staff thanked us and told us how lucky we are at Mililani Hongwanji. Finally, we were overwhelmed with the tremendous attendance at the Oahu Honpa Hongwanji Mission Buddhist Women’s Association Annual Conference on Nov. 18, hosted by our Mililani BWA ladies and their spouses, and this time we were praised by ministers wives, State BWA leaders Irene Nakamoto and Lois Toyama, and ladies from Waianae, Waipahu, Wahiawa, Aiea, and Pearl City attended, en-joyed Rev. Jeffrey Soga’s inspirational message, learned some new songs and found the Dharma in music for our daily lives. Many thanks to President Diane Yoza for organizing a fabulous event, Carrie Kawamoto’s sharing of touching stories, and spe-cial thanks to Lyn Watanabe who led the ukulele session singing some new songs. Again, I was approached by many ladies who thanked us and told me how lucky we are at Mililani Hongwanji. What a great feeling! More activities where your support and participation are needed: Please join us for 2 parades: Dec. 1st - 4:00 PM, Olaloa Christmas Parade, Dec. 2nd- 9:00 AM Mililani Holiday Parade. We also need volunteers at the Mililani Holiday Festival, Saturday, Dec. 9th, 5:00-9:00 PM to assist with children’s games and making Christmas ornaments. MH Jammers will also be singing and playing ukuleles there. Of course, you must join us cele-brate the holidays at our Pot Luck Winter Party, on Dec. 10th, immediately after service, 10:00 AM-12:00 noon. We also need your help at our MH booth on Dec. 16th at Kaala School for the “Feed the Souls” event, 5-9 PM. We will be giving food vouchers and offering free children’s games for the homeless and other families in need. Wow! It’s never boring at Mililani Hongwanji. Hope to see you also on December 3rd at Soto Mission of Hawaii in Nuuanu for the Annual Hawaii Buddhist Council Bodhi Day Service at 9:00 AM. Please call me if you would like to carpool and need a ride - ph: 291-6151. Some-thing to look forward to in January 21, 2018, please attend our 1st Annual Appreciation Luncheon, for more fun and fellow-ship as we share our appreciation for our Mililani Hongwanji members, families, and friends! Without them, we could not function. With them, we continue to prosper. Everyone is invited. Make sure you sign up! In closing, as the year comes to a close, I must thank you for my two blissful and joyful years serving as your Mililani Hongwanji Kyodan Board President. I learned so much and have felt much closer to Jodo Shinshu and the impact of Shinran Shonin and the Sangha. I have been blessed with the support of kind and compassionate board members who always step up to offer assistance, and usually say yes whenever asked to kokua. Everyone has something to contribute and care for our facilities, our programs, and our people. We all have one thing in common, we all love Mililani Hongwanji and we all want to make sure we plan for our temple’s future. It’s easy to maintain the status quo, and your board tries to keep our traditions and looks for ways to increase mem-bership, invite new members, try new things as we follow the Hongwanji mission: “Embrace Change-New Vision-Improve Communication” . Let’s continue to work to-gether to support one another, take care of each other, and try to make things better in 2018! Namo Amida Butsu. Happy Holidays!

In gassho, Rene Shaku Shinkai Mansho (entrusting heart and the ocean, so does Buddha’s compassion reaches everyone, every shore)

President’s Corner

Rene Mansho

We’re fortunate to have four contributing writers for the BWA News this month. Thank you to Carrie, Debbie, Nora, and Diane.

Thank you to everyone who was able to help at our annual C.A.R.E. Day activity at our Day Care Center right here on our temple grounds. It was a truly “jiri rita” experience. “Living a meaningful life in harmony with the aspiration of benefiting one’s self while benefiting all others.” Singing, dancing, talking with each other. Having fun with watercolor paints, putting our homegrown flowers into little vases. Then, our members had lunch at Waikele Country Club, connecting with each other…all made for a wonderful, inspiring morning!! Contributed by Carrie

Eleven Mililani Hongwanji BWA members, Warren and Reverend Fu-jimoto cleaned the Ehime Maru Memorial on November 4, 2017. They were joined by Reverend Y. Yano and his wife of Konko Mission of Wahiawa who were there to maintain the three Ehime mikan trees.

Sixteen years ago on February 9, 2001, the Ehime Maru, a fishery training vessel from Ehime Prefecture, collided with the USS Greenville sub-marine. The memory of four students, two teachers, and three crewmem-bers who perished are honored at the memorial that the BWA cleans twice a year. Kakaako Park was closed for repairs and maintenance and our clean-ing crew obtained special permits to enter.

We later enjoyed fellowship and Vietnamese food at Pho Saigon lo-cated in the former KGMB 9 studios on Kapiolani Blvd.

Thank you to Janice Yasunaga, Debbie Hiyakumoto, and Claire Doi for arranging this community service project. Please join them for the next scheduled cleaning and Buddhist Service on April 21, 2018. Contributed by Debbie and Nora

On November 7, seven BWA ladies and Rev. Fujimoto visited the many clients at the Wahiawa Skilled Nursing Facility. We started with a short service and then Rev. Fujimoto asked each client why he/she was happy today. One client said, "I am happy today because I am here listening to the music.” Another person said, "I am happy because I can sing along to songs I know!" Since today was our last day for our visitation for 2017, everyone got a red tinsel lei. Then Rene led everyone in singing patriotic songs since it was near Veteran's Day and holiday songs. We were happy to see the clients singing along and smiling!

Contributed by Diane

The Mililani BWA hosted the annual Oahu United BWA Seminar and Convention on Saturday, November 18, 2017. The Mililani ladies were joined by members from Aiea, Pearl City, Waianae, and Waipahu. A service led by Rev. Fujimoto was held to remember those who passed away in the past year. During the “Finding Dharma in Music” session, Lyn and Carrie led everyone in songs accompanied by members playing guitars, ukuleles, and percussion instruments. Carrie explained the benefits of music on the mind and body, and she and others shared personal experiences of the positive effects of music when singing, playing, or listening to music. It was uplifting to hear the sound of music and voices permeate through-out the temple. The conference ended with the installation of officers for 2018. Officers from Mililani are Joyce Ogawa, treasurer and Doreen, auditor.

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Happy Holidays! 2017 has surely flown by, half of our Dharma School year is al-ready “in the books”.

In the spirit of Eitaikyo, the activities for November began with a talk from Sangha member Mrs. June Asato on Sunday, November 12th. Mrs. Asato is one of the founding members of Mililani Hongwanji. She shared stories about when she was growing up and how things are different now compared to when she was the same age as our Dharma students. Do you think we can get more students to attend Dharma School if we gave out Hershey bars at every class? Mrs. Asato also shared with us how our temple began, how the funds for building the temple were raised, and how the location was chosen. We all learned a lot and appreci-ate Mrs. Asato for talking the time to share her knowledge with the Dharma School.

Our other activity for the month was making “value boxes”. Dharma School teacher Gay Tanaka led our students in making two origami boxes. In box one, our students added the important things we learned from our parents and other elders. Box two was for things they would like to pass on to their future chil-dren or descendants. It was a great activity, again keeping with the month’s theme of acknowledging all the influences of the people in our lives and continuing to work for a better future.

On November 26th, we were happy to share our interviews with three of the Sangha members who were honored at the Keirokai Recognition service—Mr. Shimata, Mr. Yamakawa, and Mrs. Kawahara.

We will be celebrating the end of the year with a fun Dharma School activity at the…

Ice Palace at Stadium Mall Sunday, December 17th, 10:30am (after service)

Free for all Dharma School students!

We will meet at the Ice Palace entrance at 10:30am. Be sure to dress warm (hats, scarfs, and mittens/gloves too). The Dharma School will pay for admis-sion for all students who are skating. Parents/grandparents/others who are accompanying students but are not skating, are not required to pay admission. We’ll also be having a pizza lunch in the upstairs party room. We hope to see you there!

We don’t have any other Dharma School classes planned for December but encourage all our families to attend the Bodhi Day service on December 3rd at the Soto Mission, family service/membership meeting/winter party on December 10th, temple clean-up day on December 24th, and New Year’s Eve family service on December 31st.

We wish all our families a Happy Holiday Season and Safe and Happy New Year!

Dan Noia led Dharma class in mind-ful meditation with the help of

their favorite stuffed animals on October 30th.

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Nominees for 2018 Board of Directors of Mililani Hongwanji

The following have been nominated to the Mililani Hongwanji Board

of Directors for 2018. Additional nominations may be made at the General Membership Meeting on Sunday, December 10. Election of Officers and Directors will be on the agenda at this meeting.

President: Rene Mansho Vice Pres Richard Taira Secretary Roger Babcock Treasurer Clifford Togo Auditors Twila Castelucci and Dennis Oshita Directors Sharon Freitas June Asato Brandon Hee Claire Doi Diane Yoza Susan Oshiro Kevin Asato Robyn Izumi Warren Hahn Advisors Masami Nishimoto

Stanley Sasaki Gordon Watanabe

Ex-Officio: Resident Minister Rev. David Fujimoto Immediate Past President Dean Sakamoto

Membership Committee: June Asato, Dean Sakamoto, Clifford Togo, Nora Hahn

Winter Party Fellowship-Food-

Music-Bingo! Dec. 10, 2017 – 10:00 AM

Our Annual General Membership

Meeting will be conducted immediately after

the Sunday morning service, and our Winter

Party will follow for everyone to enjoy fel-

lowship, food, entertainment, and Bingo!

We will order pizzas and

salad ask you to sign up

for pot luck for fruits and

desserts. We will also

accept donations for Bin-

go prizes. Please sign up

at the temple or contact

Rene by email or text or

phone: renemans-

ANNUAL CLEAN-UP, Dec. 24, 2017

All members and users of facilities, please come and help clean our Temple. Just as we clean our own houses so that we can start the New Year out right in a clean house let us begin the new year, 2018, with a clean temple in which to hear the Buddha Dharma. WHEN: Sunday, Dec. 24, 2017 at 9:00 am WHERE: Mililani Hongwanji WHAT TO WEAR: Work clothes WHAT TO BRING: Rags, buckets, short ladder, scrubbing materials, etc. WHAT TO DO: List of tasks will be written on the chalkboard but use your creativity to do more.

REFRESHMENTS: Voluntary: coffee and iced water/bottled wa-ter to be provided. A short service will be con-ducted…..Vandana & Ti-Sarana, Chanting & Brief Message. Please come out to this an-

nual clean-up for fun, fellowship,

and…….WORK.

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Mililani Hongwanji A Shin Buddhist Temple

Minister: Rev. David Fujimoto Kyodan President: Rene Mansho Mail to: P.O. Box 893308 Mililani, HI 96789 Location: 95-257 Kaloapau Street Mililani, HI 96789 Phone: 808.625.0925 Email: dharma.connection@gmail.com

Weekly Services on Sundays, 9:00 am

Visit us at mililanihongwanji.org

Summary of Mililani Hongwanji Meeting, November 8, 2017

Feed the Soul Project - Alea Bridge (Dec 16, 5-9pm, in Wa-

hiawa): MH received a Golden Chain Grant from Honpa for $700 to fund this event. $500 is for donations and $200 is for

prizes.

Mililani Holiday Festival - on Dec 9, 5-9pm, will make crafts and have games for kids in the Education Building. Approved

$500 for the Mililani Holiday Festival.

71st Wahiawa Lions Veterans Day Parade - Sat, Nov 11, 10am,

MH will participate.

Bon Dance Towels - Ordered 2,000 which should last about 4

years.

Mililani Holiday Parade - Dec 3, 9am, MH will participate.

Security cameras and Alarm System - Rev will get proposals

for cameras/security system for next meeting.

Earl Nishimoto - replaced Mike Guerrera on the BOD

Olaloa Holiday Parade - Friday, Dec 1, 4:00pm, MH will partici-

pate.

Giseikai - Feb 9-10, 2018, Tentative attendees are Rev. Fujimo-

to, Rene, Gay, Brandon

2018 Joint Conference - Sept 1-3 at Ala Moana Hotel (Rene

Mansho): Early Registration $260 for Delegates and Observers

for registration and meals (Sat-Sun-Mon).

Adult Day Care Expansion - MH will donate $200/month to a non-profit club to pick up the mats on M-W-F at 8:30pm. This is temporary for a few months until new roll-up mats are pur-

chased and in place.

Board Reorg Proposal - Clifford, Dean and Stan will continue

discussion on reorganization.

Wax Education Bldg Floors - (Brandon Hee): Thursday Gang

will schedule/coordinate

WCCHC Adult Day Care at Mililani Hongwanji Aloha! We would like to let everyone know that we are accepting applications for Adult Day Care enrollment. Do you know anyone caring

for a loved one that needs respite or help caring for their loved one throughout the day? We are welcoming new clients. For any interested new applicants, we are offering tui-tion assistance. Please contact our ADC Director Trece White for more information at (808) 561-2147. We are OPEN at Milila-ni Hale 5 Days a week Monday thru Fridays from 8am-5pm; with early drop off available as early as 7am.

Joint Memorial Service for the families of the following will be held on Sunday,

December 10, 2017, 9:00 am Arnold Akamine Chiyoko Akasaki George Ando Hatsune Araki Walter Fukuda Grant Hirohata-Goto Fuyu Hironaka Takezo Hironaka Mitsu Kaneko Toshio Kanno Satoshi Kawahara Toshiye Kiyota Ai Koito Yoshie Kyhos Kay Macawile Satoshi Matsumoto Yoshino Matsumoto Tetsuichi Mitsuda

Please call the minister at 625-0925 and/or email dhar-ma.connection@gmail.com if there are corrections or additions to the published list. Families may call the min-ister to schedule special family memorial services for their loved ones. For 2017, special memorial years are observed for loved ones who passed away in:

2016 1st Year 2001 17th Year 1985 33rd year

2015 3rd Year 1995 23rd Year 1968 50th year

2011 7th Year 1993 25th year 1918 100th year

2005 13th Year

Monthly Joint Memorial Service Change Starting on December 10, 2017, Mililani Hongwanji will be changing it’s monthly joint memorial date from the first Sun-day to the SECOND Sunday of each month. This is to accom-modate various events that come up during the year. Sorry for any inconveniences this may cause you.

Paul Morikawa Chiyoko Mutobe Ryujun Mutobe Brian Nakamura Seiji Nakatsu Charles Oishi Usuke Okada Donald Saito Thomas Sakurai Yukino Sakurai Chizuko Takayama Sueo Tanabe Yuke-Hung Tengan Haruko Toma Chikaji Tsurusaki Lillian Ukita Fumie Watanabe Kazuo Watanabe Masae Yamamoto

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October 16, 2017 to November 19, 2017

In Gratitude. Namo Amida Butsu

Building Fund FOODLAND Super Market, LTD. Give Aloha '17 matching donations from Foodland & Western Union

Eitaikyo Janet Abe Claire Doi Sharon A. Freitas Richard & Joyce Fujimoto Myra Fujino Warren & Nora Hahn Melvin & Eileen Hayase Brandon Hee Harry & Itsuko Honda Karl & Carol Ann Kakehi Sharon Kaneko Mamoru & Ethel Kawahara Dennis & Carrie Kawamoto Earl & Amy Nishimoto Masami & Joyce Nishimoto Lawrence & Joyce Nishioka Lester & Joyce Ogawa Arnold & Sandra Okubo IMO Kiyoe Tanioka Patrick & Susan Oshiro & Family Dean & Doreen Sakamoto Jean Sanehira Richard & Gail Taira Itsue Tamamoto Tyler & Kristi Tamashiro Margaret Tanabe Nancy Tanaka Hiroyoshi & Satoko Terao Gordon & Lyn Watanabe Diane Yoza

General Donation Mililani Hongwanji Bon Dancersize Class Mililani Hongwanji Line Dancing Class Mililani Hongwanji Qi Gong Class Parkinson's Support Group Arynn Ishikawa Via Give Aloha John Michels Yasuko Nakamoto Karen Oda Gloria Okada IMO Usuke & Umemo Okada Stanley & Carol Sasaki Via Give Aloha Gay M. Tanaka Via Give Aloha

Joint Memorial Service Diane Yoza IMO Santa Yoza Thomas & Gertrude Akamine IMO Yashiro Hayase & Takejiro Ueki Michie Ando IMO Utako Ando Myra Fujino IMO Tadao Matsuzaki Melvin & Eileen Hayase IMO Yashiro Hayase & Takejiro Ueki Larry & Patsy Hiyakumoto IMO Katsumi Yoshino Larry & Patsy Hiyakumoto IMO Kanji Yoshino Harry & Itsuko Honda IMO Hitoshi Yoshida Rene Mansho IMO Rodney Mansho

Memorial Service Itsue Tamamoto IMO Haruyuki Tamamoto (3rd Yr)

Carl & Aileen Matsuda IMO Kazukiyo & Sayoko Kuwata Carl & Aileen Matsuda IMO Cynthia Kitsu Beatrice Okino IMO Earl Onitsuka Steven & Sadako Shintaku IMO Satoru & Sharon Kai Raymond & Ethel Shiroma IMO Isao Kawamoto Margaret Tanabe IMO Grayce Nomura Ronald & Yvonne Toma IMO Shinji Toma Wayne & Nora Toma IMO Shinji Toma Gordon & Lyn Watanabe IMO Chimo Sakutori

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N E W S L E T T E R

91-1133 Renton Road Ewa, Hawaii Mail: P.O. Box 60549, Ewa, HI 96706

December 2017

EWA HONGWANJI MISSION

Ca lendar Dec 16 (Sat) 8:30 am Year-end Clean-up

General Membership Meeting to follow lunch No English Service in December Jan 01 (Mon) 8:00 am New Year Service

Donation Mrs. Jan Yasui So ~ Mrs. Mildred Yasui’s 1st year memorial

Social Concerns Fund Mrs. Jean Abe Ms. Lillian Tamura Charles & Pamela (Murakami) Alexander Mr. Craig Tsutsumi Mrs. Fujie Fukeda Ernest & Ruth Wakimura Mrs. Miyoko Kaneshiro Ms. Rae Wakimura Ms. Myra Nohara Mr. Bertram Yasui Mr. Rodney Takemoto

MAHALO for your Donat ions

Contact us: Ernest Wakimura: home: 681-3229 Rev. David Fujimoto: 625-0925 office

Rev. Fujimoto will be available to anyone needing assistance on most Wednesdays 11:00am-12:00pm at Ewa Hongwanji. Please call Rev. Fujimoto to confirm his schedule or to make an appointment.

On Saturday, November 11 at 8:30 a.m. temple bells across the state rang 100 times in honor of the 100th anniversary of the passing of Queen Liliuokalani. Ewa Hongwanji participated with a beautiful rainbow overlooking the Ewa plains.