Each Sunday I press the record button on my voice recorder and place it on the podium from which Ven. Kenjo Igarashi makes his sermon.

“Not a serious speech this time,” said Rev. Igarashi after I set the recorder down.

I smiled and shook my head at this self-deprecation.

“Don’t care,” I said with a smile, leaving the recorder and walking to my seat.

This was the first service after the grueling week of preparation for the annual two-day Summer Food Bazaar and Rummage Sale, and Rev. Igarashi’s sermon used the church’s need for maintenance, and thus money, to discuss personal faith and practice.

[All quotes paraphrase Rev. Igarashi’s actual words.]

“Our church needs money for maintenance of the buildings, everything,” he said after pointing out that we had to re-roof the church, social hall and the minister’s residence last year. “What I want is to support this church not by money. I want everybody to support this church by everybody’s faith in Nichiren Buddhism. It is more important. Not just money.

“Everybody is thinking just give money. That’s it. I donate money to church. That’s it. That’s no good. Your strong faith supports the church and manages the church, too. That’s why I’m thinking all the time if we can manage the church without the bazaar, with only member’s support. That’s my idea, but actually it is very difficult.”

Rev. Igarashi then offered a comparison with Christian televangelists who say “God needs more money, so give me money.” Or “I have to be rich and have a luxurious life so you can become rich.”

“I want to try to give you a good life,” he said. “I pray for you to have a good life, good health. That’s more important [than being rich]. Because everybody has lots of karma, lots of good and bad karma and bad actions in your life. So your bad actions and bad karma make trouble with other people. Everything happens from your spirit, from your mind, because everybody has lots of bad karma. … That’s why we fight with other people. Not from outside. Everything happens from your karma, your bad actions. … We are born into this world because everybody has bad karma.

At this point, Rev. Igarashi described bad karma as a pointed sharp protuberance that pokes others, causing conflict and fighting between ourselves and others. I imagined a karmic Pinocchio nose, growing longer and sharper with each bad action.

“That is why we practice Buddhism and purify our spirit and then try to make smooth our spirit,” he said. “That’s why all the time I’m giving you purification (kaji kito) to purify your spirit. Then you will be happy in your life. If I’m happy, I’m rich.

“Everything starts from your mind. It is more important [than money or riches]. That’s why coming to church and purifying your spirit is more important.

“Please come to church and practice and try to purify your spirit and don’t make bad actions. This is more important than money.

“Namu-Myoho-Renge-Kyo and practicing the Lotus Sutra are more important.”