Minister’s Assistants

Rev. Hōkai “Smitty” Smith, Kyoshi Ordination
Rev. Noriko Kawai, Interfaith Hospice Care, Tokudo Ordination
Rev. Sharon Sasaki, Tokudo Ordination

Arturo Rubio, Certified Minister’s Assistant
Kaytee Sumida, Minister’s Assistant
Bill Teague, Certified Minister’s Assistant
Yukari Williams, Certified Minister’s Assistant

We are tremendously grateful for the wise and gentle guidance of our Supervising Minister, Reverend Jundo Gregory Gibbs, of the Pasadena Buddhist Temple. Reverend Gibbs oversees a bench of three ordained minister assistants, threee minister’s assistants, certified by BCA to share the Dharma, and one Minister’s Assistant. All of the staff resident in San Diego are part-time, volunteers, who together with the Supervising Minister, support the spiritual life of the Temple.

Rev. Akahoshi’s Legacy

We are happy our former resident minister, Rev. Kenji Akahoshi, was able to retire in late 2021 to spend more time with grandkids and family back in San Jose. He loyally served our Temple from 2013 to 2021. We miss him and wish him well.

In his time at the Temple he developed a full staff of Ministers and Minister’s Assistants. For us his Dharma legacy is an emphasis on everyday ways to understand and live the Dharma. He frequently encouraged us to express gratitude for what we already have in our daily lives.

Kenji Sensei continues to teach and lecture, even in his retirement.