April 2025 Geppo

Announcements

Christophe Sautot will stream our Hanamatsuri service on April 12!
Live stream:
YouTube |
Facebook

Calendar

April Service: Saturday, April 12 at 10:00 AM
Shotsuki Hoyo Memorial Service (祥月法要)
Hanamatsuri (花祭、灌仏会) – Celebration of Buddha’s Birth

Greetings

Dear BCSB Dharma friends,

In April we celebrate Hanamatsuri, which means “flower festival” in Japanese. It commemorates the birth of the historical Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama, who became Sakyamuni Buddha. Legend says flowers bloomed and sweet tea rained from the sky at his birth—an auspicious occasion!

Rev. JP DeGuzman

May Service

May 10, 2025 at 10:00 AM
Shotsuki Hoyo Memorial Service (祥月法要) and Gotan-e Shinran Shonin Birthday Service (宗祖親鸞聖人降誕会)

Thank You!

Thank you to BCA and our Sangha members. A year ago, Sets Furuike asked whether we should close the temple—many stepped up, and this Hanamatsuri feels like a rebirth!

Christophe Sautot is updating our webpage: Website
JP DeGuzman created the April flyer
Jodi Miles posted the flyer in our kiosk
New outreach effort to invite members of other Buddhist temples

Contact

Phone: (805) 962-3633
Email: Mail@buddhistchurchsantabarbara.org
Website: https://www.buddhistchurchofsantabarbara.org/

Memorial Service Will Be Held For:

MR. AKIHIKO TAKANO, MR. TORATARO KUDO, MR. YOHEI KAWAMURA, MR. MASATO YAMADA,
… [Full list of names can be included or collapsed here for space]

Memorial Service Donors

M/M Dennis Furuike (M. Okino, Y&M Morihisa)
Lonny Ishihara (M. Okino, S. Yamada)

Ohigan Donors

M/M Dennis Furuike
JJ Uyehara, Doug Wilson
Junko Torigoe
Tamako Nishimura
Mary Saito

Special & Ho-Onko Donors

Joyce Shelley
Dave Tabata
Dennis Ito
Patricia Stensby

Treasurer’s Report

Sets Furuike
March Donations: $2,225

Dharma Message: “Rebirth Everyday”

Hanamatsuri reminds us of birth and rebirth. In Indian philosophy, one could be reborn in various realms based on karma. But as Bishop Harada wrote, these are not literal places—they are psychological states.

We can be “reborn” with each breath, thought, and action. I’ve only been part of BCSB a few months, but I’m inspired by the community’s dedication. You can be part of this rebirth by:

Attending monthly services and discussion groups (“Lunch and Learn”)
Inviting friends to join temple events
Helping with the Obon Festival (July 19, 2025)

The Buddha’s teaching includes limitless wisdom and compassion. How grateful I am to be in a community that keeps that spirit alive.
Namo Amida Butsu!

Church News: BCSB Cabinet Members

We now have 7 Cabinet Members:
Ted Muneno, Sets Furuike, Jodi Miles, JJ Uyehara, Dennis Furuike, Bobbi Okamoto-Subject, and Doug Wilson

What is your first memory of BCSB?

Sets: Attended as a child with family at the Canon Perdido address
Dennis: First visit was his wedding at the Montecito St. location
Jodi: Came with young kids; remembers Florence Tsunoda’s kindness
Ted: Attended Sunday school as a child
JJ & Doug: Started attending after moving JJ’s parents to SB in 2012; JJ’s dad loved the bilingual service by Rev. Henry Adams
Bobbi: Organized a memorial for her father at BCSB after hearing about it from Gloria Ino