2012 January Bulletin - West Los Angeles Buddhist Temple

West Los Angeles Buddhist Temple January 2012
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
Looking back on the year 2011,
the West Los Angeles Buddhist
Temple has many reasons to
celebrate. We hosted a very
successful Southern District
Conference with the enthusiastic
support of so many members.
The theme “Going Beyond …” was addressed in
different ways by our two speakers. Those who
attended the English session presented by Jeff
Wilson, PhD heard a probing analysis of
“Radical Shinran,” which is available for handy
review in Rick Stambul’s summary in the
October 2011 Bulletin. My wife, who attended
the Japanese session, reported that Rev. Yushi
Mukojima explained through his experience the
transformative power of Buddhism. It was an
emotionally charged presentation.
Last year we also staged either the largest or the
second-largest Obon Festival in our recent history,
depending on how the assessment is made.
To all those involved (and that is very nearly all
of us!), many thanks for all your efforts.
I would also like to thank our ministers, Rev.
Fumiaki Usuki, as resident minister, and Rev.
Ensei Nekoda, as assisting minister, for their
dharma messages and spiritual guidance over
the last year. We are very fortunate to have
such knowledge and talent available to us. Let
us remember that some temples in BCA are not
so fortunate.
And now a New Year opens before us, the year
of the dragon. I wish all temple members a
healthy and prosperous New Year!
あけましておめでとうございます!
Akemashite omedeto gozaimasu!
Namo Amida Butsu,
Rob Kafka
westlabtprez@gmail.com
(310) 452-0455
DR. MASAKAZU JACK FUJIMOTO - RECIPIENT OF FALL 2011 DECORATION
On November 15, several members of West Los
Angeles Buddhist Temple (WLABT) attended the
Decoration Conferment Ceremony at the official
residence of the Consul General of Japan. Dr.
Masakazu Jack Fujimoto, one of two candidates
selected by the Government of Japan for
the Fall 2011 special meritorious service award,
received the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays
with Neck Ribbon. The outline of the merit
described Dr. Jack as having “contributed to the
advancement of Japanese language studies and
the promotion of Japan studies and Japanese
culture.”
While dedicating himself to the growth and welfare
of WLABT, Dr. Jack served as temple president
and was very active in several organizations.
His list of professional accomplishments
includes dean of Los Angeles Pierce College, as
well as president of Sacramento City College,
West Los Angeles College, and Los Angeles
Mission College in San Fernando Valley. He also
served as advisor to Kobe Women’s University in
Kobe, Japan for 30 years. While involved with
the Japanese Institute of Sawtelle in West Los
Angeles, he was instrumental in orchestrating
the merger of the Institute and its language
school. We were extremely impressed with his
remarkable accomplishments noted in the
ceremony, and we congratulate Dr. Jack and
his family for the well-deserved acknowledgment
and award.
Gassho,
Rev. Fumiaki Usuki
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