The Spokane Buddhist Temple is an all-volunteer Temple. The Board of Directors are elected by the dues paying members.
Your 2024 Board of Directors: (L to R) Joe Bracco (President, Izumi Pierce, Ally Rice, Susan Hales, Celeste Sterrett, Sadina Henderson (Vice President), Ryan Campanella (Secretary), KNona Liddell (Treasurer), and Tina Rodeen not pictured.
Our Services are conducted by three Minister Assistants (MA) under the supervision of Reverend Cynthia Yasaki, of the White River Buddhist Temple. The Minister Assistants, a Board Member, and lay members constitute the Religious Education Committee (REC) who arrange all services, education and workshops, and invite visiting ministers.
Reverend Cynthia Yasaki of the White River Buddhist Temple, is our Supervising Minister. Reverend Yasaki received her Masters in Arts in Buddhist Studies from the Institute of Buddhist Studies and her second level of ordination, Kyoshi, in 2022.
We are grateful to Rinban Katsu Kusunoki of the Seattle Betsuin Buddhist Temple, for his many years as our Supervising Minister and for his kind guidance of our Temple.
The Spokane Buddhist Temple is a member of the Buddhist Churches of America (BCA), under the leadership of Reverend Marvin Harada, Bishop of the Buddhist Churches of America. The Bishop (Socho in Japanese) is the religious leader of the Buddhist Churches of America. He directs the BCA’s efforts and the efforts of all of us in a variety of programs to achieve our objectives. See the May 2020 newsletter for a message from Reverend Harada, Bishop.
The Buddhist Churches of America is the oldest and largest Buddhist Organization of temples and churches in the United States. They started in America 120 years ago, and have about 60 temples and churches located throughout the United States. The BCA Mission Statement is TO PROMOTE THE BUDDHA, DHARMA, AND SANGHA as well as TO PROPAGATE THE JODO SHINSHU TEACHINGS.
The main temple of our sect is Ryukoku-zan Hongwanji (Nishi Hongwanji), located in Kyoto, Japan. The BCA is part the temples in Hawaii, Canada, South America, Mexico, Australia, Taiwan, Nepal, and Europe. His Eminence, Koshin Ohtani, who is a direct descendent of Shinran Shonin, is the head priest of Hongwanji, spiritual leader, and presides with the Japanese title of “Monshu”.
