While the Dharma School attendance was increasing, however, adult attendance at the 11 a.m. service was decreasing at an alarming rate. In order to encourage the adults to attend the 11 a.m. service, a child care program was offered but still the adults were not attending the service in the hondo. Therefore, in order to make it possible for the adults to attend the temple at the same time as their children, in 1964, our unique and very popular Dharma Exchange program was begun.

Reflecting the national trend, by the early 80s, the Dharma School enrollment dropped to below 100 students. However, members of the baby boomer age began to return to the temple with their children and in September 1987, the children’s service was begun in Memorial Hall chapel with parents and children actively participating in conducting the services. In the 90s, attendance has been increasing among the adults and the children with an ethnically diversified congregation.

YOUNG BUDDHIST ASSOCIATION

The original Young Buddhist Association was called Bukkyo Seinenkai and were the young men who founded our temple. As the children of the Issei grew older, in May 1922, the Lotus Young Buddhist Association (YBA) was formed.

In 1937, the Seinenkai (YBA) headed by a centralized cabinet directed the activities and organization of several subgroups. During this year, the “Bussei” was published, an oratorical contest in both English and Japanese was held, the Mother’s Day Tea was instituted, various sports teams were sponsored and the Lotus entertainment became an annual event.

In April 1941, the Second National YBA convention was held in Seattle utilizing the unfinished temple at 1427 Main Street, with 700 delegates in attendance. Following World War II, the Lotus Seinenkai was reactivated in 1945 with only four members but quickly grew into many subgroups.

Through the years, the Lotus YBA groups merged and evolved as new subgroups formed and other dissolved. As the membership grew, the groups were subdivided by age and interest. In the last several years, YBA membership has reflected societal changes in life style and family planning and is now a smaller but active group.

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