Dear Buddhist Church of Parlier Sangha, Family and Friends,

Welcome to April!  The weather has returned to the more pleasant spring-like temperatures and we are grateful.  (And you know what they say about April showers!)

Reverend Majima, Lynne, Joyce, Toshie, Yuki & Steve just wrapped up the 2026 CCBWL Conference that was hosted by Fowler but held at our temple. It was a good gathering of about 65 attendees. It's always nice to catch up with old friends that we may not have seen since the last conference. The conference theme was “Shikata Ga Nai.” The guest speaker was Kerry Nakagawa, who spoke about his roots in Fowler. He spoke about the compassion and endurance that the Issei and Nisei had in order to survive the early pre and post-war years and what it took to make the most of life in America.

Reverend Majima spoke about Ohigan this past Sunday. At this time of year, we think of the middle path and reflection in our lives. By the scientific nature of the equinoxes—equal days and equal nights—it fits into our understanding of harmony and balance. As humans, we need to be reminded about this teaching, but it should also be a part of our everyday life.

Our BWA hosted a tofu potluck luncheon after the Ohigan Service. If you came for lunch, you know how delicious everything was. Lots of TLC went into the dishes. Thanks Lynne and Joyce for organizing our otoki. Kaye beautifully decorated the tables and as always had a beautiful flower arrangement in the foyer, too.  If you missed our luncheon, be sure to join us next time!

Thank you to the generous families who gave towards the Dharma Kitty Fund. The four kittens rescued from the storm drain at the church have found their forever homes and have adjusted to their new life. If you listen carefully, you might even hear them purring “Namo Ameow Butsu.” We’d like to thank the following families for their dana and generosity in helping vaccinate, spay, and neuter the kittens: Varlene Kimura, Gail Hachiya, Andrea & Tats Arakawa, Carol & Henry Guerra, Tim & Judy Kozuki, Karen & Kristen Shimizu, Nancy Doi & Tom Wilson, Kaye & Gary Kozuki, Janette & Darryl Wong-Sing, Rhea & Donald Ikemiya, Toshie & Yuki Mori, Lesley Guerra Arzola, Cheryl & Curtis Koga, and Joyce & Steve Sasai. We are so grateful to have such thoughtful and caring friends.

The BCP Community Picnic is just around the corner, slated for Sunday, April 12. Our “hometown” picnic is likely the last of its kind in the valley, as other CC communities no longer gather in this way. We are glad to be able to organize and bring everyone out to enjoy a fun-filled day with food, races, games, and BINGO. We hope to see you there. Thanks in advance to Kari & Sho, Joyce, Lynne, and Carol & Henry for working so hard to bring this event together. Please get in touch with Kari today if you’re interested in joining us. The more the merrier!

Hoping to see you at our April activities. Take care and stay safe.

In gassho,
Buddhist Church of Parlier