Re/Collecting Project Archive

The 1957 financial report for San Luis Obispo Buddhist Church, which includes beginning and ending balance, income, and expenditures.

This letter from Ken Kitasako, Secretary of the San Luis Obispo Buddhist Church, to Mrs. Chizuko Iwanaga of Berkeley, California, states: "We have been informed that the obutsudan for our Buddhist Church here in San Luis Obispo is expected to arrive from Japan on the Kohko Maru on or about May 18th. As we understand it, this obutsudan comes disassembled packed in a box with all the accessories that go with it. This beautiful obutsudan is being sent from the Buddhist Home Church to our Church in San Luis Obispo. Whatever you can do to help expedite clearance at the Customs Office when it arrives will be greatly appreciated. Thank you very much. Very truly yours, SAN LUIS OBISPO BUDDHIST CHURCH By Ken Kitasako, Secretary. P.S.-My wife, Mutsuko, sends you her warmest regards."

This letter from Ken Kitasako of the San Luis Obispo Buddhist Church to Mrs. Iwanaga thanks her for the delivery of the obutsudan. He writes: "Dear Mrs. Iwanaga: This letter comes to you very belatedly. At the present time, I am under very heavy pressure of work in view of our celery, which has started in our district. Hours are long and thus, before I realized it several weeks had gone by. My sincere apologies for not answering your letter sooner. / Thanks to your efforts and Mr Yonezu's we received the obutsudan and the accessories delivered to our church. It was unpacked and with the help of our members it was assembled. The obutsudan is beautiful! / I am writing to Mr. Yonezu to thank him personally for his efforts in expediting the movement of this shipment to us. The members of our church are very appreciative of your efforts and as a token of appreciation, have enclosed herewith a check for a small sum to be used as you see fit. / With kindest regards, remain / Very sincerely yours, / Ken Kitasako / S.L.O. Buddhist Church".

This letter from Chizu Iwanaga to Ken Kitasako thanks but politely declines a gift that the San Luis Obispo Buddhist Church sent as a token of appreciation for her help in facilitating the delivery of the church's obutsudan through U.S. Customs. As writes: "Dear Mr. Ken Kitasako: / I was very happy to know that your Obutsudan arrived safely, and someday, I wish to pay my respects. / I wish to thank you for your very thoughtful gift. However, I wish to return it. I was very happy to have had the privilege and honor of playing a small part towards your new Obutsudan, and that thought alone, I will forever cherish. / Please extend my sincerest thanks and fondest regards to your church members and to Rev. and Mrs. Iwao. / With Gassho, [signed]".

Thank you letter from the San Luis Obispo Buddhist Church to Mrs. T. Eto (Take Eto) and her son Masaji Eto for their donations of the incense burner and stand for the church for "the obutsudan section of Church," in memory of Tameji Eto. The letter also thanks them for their donation to the Organ Fund, in order to obtain an organ for the church.

Financial report by Masaji Eto, Treasurer for the San Luis Obispo Buddhist Church, on the 1960 Obon Festival.

Financial report for 1961 Obon Festival, which includes tally of receipts and expenses, and net proceeds.

A thank you letter from Charles Paulsen for the gown presented "by the [San Luis Obispo Buddhist] Church, the Sunday School, and the ladies Fuijinkai Society." Paulsen writes: "May I ever prove worthy to represent our Lord Buddha, His Dharma and His Sanga through this great honor bestowed upon me. Through this ordination; may I be able in some little way to bring a greater understanding between the peoples of the world. May I find a way to bring a true understanding of the HOLY Nem-Butsu to all beings;--and through this understanding, may Truth, Honor and Justice, become a Living reality throughout a sick and broken world. Thank-you for the responsibility and Trust given to, and placed in me. May the Beauty, Wonderment and Grandure of the BUDDHA, the DHARMA, and the SANGA fill every heart to over-flowing. Sincerely and Gratefully,--Your Friend in Dharma. Charles Paulsen."

This letter to Mrs. Iwanaga from Ken Kitasako of the San Luis Obispo Buddhist Church thanks her and conveys understanding for why gift was declined. He writes, "Dear Mrs. Iwanaga: / Your kind thoughts as expressed in your letter of July 1st are deeply appreciated by our members. It was our sincere wish that you accept this small expression of our appreciation. however, we do understand how you feel regarding this matter, and therefore, we gratefully acknowledge your kindness. / We hope to have the pleasure of your visit one of these days in the not too distant future. Rev. and Mrs. Iwao, together with our members again wish to express their deep appreciation for all your efforts. / With kind regards, I remain / Very truly yours, / [signature] / Ken Kitasako, Secretary / SAN LUIS OBISPO BUDDHIST CHURCH".

This letter to Mr. Charles Yonezu from Ken Kitasako thanks him for helping the Obutsudan through U.S. Customs. Kitasako writes: "Dear Mr. Yonezu: / In connection with the recent shipment pertaining to our new obutsudan, I wish to extend our deep appreciation for all your efforts in having it cleared through the customs office and having same expedited for shipment to us. I understand that there was considerable red tape involved as well as some expense, but that these were cut to a minimum, due largely to your efforts. / I have apologies to make. This letter of appreciation comes to you very belatedly, no fault of our members but entirely mine. We are in the midst of our heavy celery shipping and consequently, I am tied down to long hours from early mornings to late at nights. So, the days go by without my realizing how much time has elapsed. / Thank you again, and with sincere regards, I am / Very truly yours, / [signed] / Ken Kitasako, Secretary / SAN LUIS OBISPO BUDDHIST CHURCH".