President’s Message - January 2022

Happy New Year and Happy Year of the Sangha!

I hope everyone enjoyed the holidays with family and loved ones and feels healthy and rested. I’m writing this article a little early, but I plan on welcoming in the New Year with the traditional New Year’s Eve service at OCBC, and I’m especially looking forward to ringing the gong. With all the challenges of this past year, it will be nice to end the year in the comfort and familiarity of the Hondo. This is typically the time of year when I find myself tired from holiday shopping and dreading the task of “doing returns.” However, this year I am eagerly looking forward to doing returns - returning to seeing my OCBC friends, returning to a sangha-filled Hondo, returning to dharma school classes, returning to Hanamatsuri and Obon festivals, and even returning to our annual church clean up.

I’d like to take a moment to thank our past president and friend, Mr. Glen Morita, for his leadership these past two years. Glen kept the Sangha connected, safe, and ready for our return despite all the pandemic challenges.

I am now ready to begin my two-year term as OCBC’s president with Glen’s support and guidance, although I think my training started from childhood. I’m fortunate to remember the humble beginnings of OCBC and the sacrifices made by our pioneers to ensure the dharma would reach a sangha they hoped would one day fill the Hondo. For me, OCBC has always felt like a member of my family. When I was young, and my father was church president, I felt like OCBC was just another sibling with whom I had to share my father’s attention. As a child and parent, OCBC has always had a seat at our dinner table and was usually the center of the conversation. When I had my own family, it influenced how we spent our weekends, as we needed to make sure we were back by Sunday morning to attend service. It allowed us to visit other temples whenever our children had out-of-town sports tournaments. I also met my lifelong friends through Sunday School (Dharma School), Golden Chain Club, Sangha Teens, Jr. YBA, SEYO softball and basketball, and Japanese School. It was where Kevin and I were married, and it was where I said my goodbyes to my parents. You can see that OCBC has been such a meaningful part of my heart and life, and now I hope I can be a significant part of its future. I think many of you can find similarities with my experiences, but if you found a different path to OCBC, I hope you will always feel as though you, too, have returned home whenever you’re at church.

As we begin our return, let us thank those who kept us safe and made sure OCBC was ready to welcome us back.

2022 is the Year of the Tiger. The Tiger represents strength and bravery, but for me, 2022 is the "Year of the Sangha" because our Sangha embodies strength, patience, generosity, and compassion. How truly fortunate we are to return to the dynamic and welcoming OCBC Sangha!

Save me a seat in the Hondo!

In Gassho,
Jo Ann Tanioka, OCBC President
president@orangecountybuddhist.org

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“The Next Buddha will be a Sangha.” – Thich Nhat Hanh