Photo: 1958 Northwest Convention (Left Half)   Photo: 1958 Northwest Convention (Right Half) NOTE:  Feel free to leave the names of folks you recognize in our comments section! This summer has been a whirlwind. We started with the promise of in-person services inside our temple. That changed with the July 8 th fire, but we adapted and moved outdoors to hold services under the awning in the parking lot. Along with all the work to inspect and assess the damage of the fire, we had to plan for a convention. No one from IOBT gave any thought to canceling the convention. It was our “baton” to pass on in the convention relay circuit. We continued having convention planning meetings to discuss this Northwest event. We continued our temple board meetings to hear updates on the basement rebuilding and the smoke damage to the upstairs portion of the temple. No one skipped a beat. That is especially true for Mike Iseri. He is a multitasker extraordinaire. He was at the temple to meet adjusters, d

Registration Q&A 1) How do I register for the Convention Email mikeiseri@fmtc.com   or  info@iobt.org  with name.  Payment can be made at  iobt.org  with the donate button on the right, noting that it's for convention.  2) What do remote registrants need to provide us in order to receive the link to the convention website?   Is there a deadline for online participants?  Best to  register at least 2-3 days prior.  Last minute may work  but I don't want to depend on it. 3) Is there a deadline for meal orders?   7 days ahead is best.  Any less and there may be problems ordering more of some ingredients.  If you prefer vegetarian, please note that when you email Mike 4) Do I need to register for Rev. Jerry Hirano's Intro to Buddhism talk and the Sunday closing service?  The plan will be to have these available from a link on our website--no need to register 5) Anything else? Not really.    ALL registrants will get an email (if they have email) with virtual instructions.  6)

               Thanks for your consideration in attending the 75th Northwest Buddhist Convention September 16-18,  whether you are in person or virtual. This hybrid event brings the ability to attend not only in person, but  virtually, with the ability for two way communication when appropriate and ability to move from one session  to another at will. We'll be at Four Rivers Cultural Center in Ontario, Oregon. We are pleased to have Bishop Marvin Harada as our keynote speaker. And, Stuart Hirai, native of IOBT  and expert on 442nd/100th will be on hand for one of the sessions. The covid protocols we plan to be following encourage wearing a mask indoors except while actively eating  or drinking. For those who choose not to mask, social distancing will be required. We want to give our guests every opportunity to come, and to cancel if the need arises. Convention  registration will be refundable if cancelled by September 15. Hotel refunds will depend on the policy of  the hotel you ch

This year’s celebration of the 75 th anniversary of IOBT coincides with our hosting the NW District Buddhist convention and it also marks 20 years since my first visit to IOBT.  These milestones, along with the recent fire that destroyed most of our temple basement, have me thinking more deeply about our convention theme: “Reflecting on the Past, Looking to the Future.”   Photo: Fire trucks outside Idaho-Oregon Buddhist Temple on 7/10/2022. This incident reminds us of the Buddhist teachings or impermanence and also our gratitude for the compassion of the first responders and generosity of our community.  Here are a few things that have been on my mind: Reflecting on the Past:   Summer is Obon season!   Every July, we take time to honor the people who have come before us. We have our annual Obon service at the temple and we travel to cemeteries throughout the region to visit the graves of our ancestors, relatives, and friends.   As we hold these services, we tell stories of the peop

This year’s 75 th Northwest Buddhist Convention theme of " Reflecting on the Past, Looking to Our Future " focuses our attention on the relationship between our history and our future.     Since we are also celebrating the 75 th Anniversary of IOBT,   we  are also thinking about our own temple’s past and future. We might ask ourselves what the purpose of the temple is today as compared to when it was founded 75 years ago.  [NOTE:  Idaho-Oregon Buddhist temple will be hosting this hybrid convention in Ontario Oregon and online Sept 16-18 (registration and sponsorship information will be posted soon!)] In the past 75 years Idaho-Oregon Buddhist Temple has served many purposes beyond a spiritual one. After World War II and the incarceration of Japanese and Japanese-Americans, the temple served as a place to socialize as the   Issei /1 st  generation and  Nisei /2 nd  generation found their way back into American society. It was a place to gather with other Japanese, eat famil

As we prepare for our temple's 75th anniversary celebration this fall, I've been taking time to remember the old days and my experiences growing up at IOBT. One of those experiences was "Sunday School!"  Even though we were Buddhist, we called it “Sunday School” not “Dharma School”. There were so many children that we had several partitioned classrooms in the basement where we had our “Sunday School” classes. Teachers kept attendance charts with stars for those who were present. At the end of the Sunday School year, we received “Perfect Attendance” pins. I was so proud to have earned a 3-year pin. It wasn’t easy getting from Nampa to Ontario before Interstate 84 was built, but my dad made sure we were there every Sunday! As Easter Sunday approaches this year, I wanted to reflect on this photo from 1962 that I found in an old album.  It makes me think about our temple and how we worked to become a part of the larger Treasure Valley community.   Kathy and Donna with