The following is a selection from the July Goji newsletter by Rimban Tatsuo Muneto.
Rimban Tatsuo Muneto, Honpa Hongwanji Hawaii Betsuin
In past years, Hawaii Betsuin has conducted Bon Mairi Services on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday of the second week of July. This format will change this year. All of the Bon Mairi Services will be combined services, and they will be held on three separate weekends of July. The combined services for the regular Bon Mairi will be on the following days and times:
- Saturday, July 11, 10:00 am and 6:00 pm
- Saturday, July 18, 10:00 am and 6:00 pm
- Saturday, July 25, 10:00 am and 6:00 pm
- Sunday, July 26 at 5:00 pm
This change was made because fewer families were coming to the temple for the individual Bon Mairi services, and more and more members were attending the combined services. Please call our business office (536-7044) to make a reservation for one of the combined services. We will also be accepting “walk-in” reservations on those dates too.
For each of the combined services, there will be a check-in table at the entrance of the main temple where the services will be held. During the combined services, the names of your family will be called for offering of incense. One new element will be the inclusion of a simple PowerPoint presentation of the songs to be sung by the congregation.
After the services, families will receive offerings of “senbei” and a booklet entitled What is Jodo Shinshu. If you know any relatives and friends who usually attend the Bon Mairi Service, will you inform them of this change?
If you and your families want to observe Bon individual family service in July, you can do so with reservations made at the business office.
For 2015 Hatsubon services, or first anniversary Bon services, invitations were sent to the families. The Hatsubon services will be held on Sundays, July 12 and 19 at 5:00 pm in the main Hondo.
Your cooperation will be deeply appreciated. Should you have any questions, please contact the business office at 536-7044.