Saturday Afternoon at the Japanese Cinema is a monthly event showcasing Japanese movies. The movie and snacks are free courtesy of the MBT Sangha (temple members). Movies are shown each month except when the temple’s Social Hall is scheduled for other activity – so please check our website or call the temple to confirm the date – 312.943.7801.

The featured movie this month is: Yojimbo with english subtitles

Where: MBT Social Hall
When: December 7, 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm
Suggested Donation: The movie and snacks are free!
Register: Please RSVP so we’ll know how many chairs to set up (email: office@mbtchicago.org or phone: 312.943.7801)

Click to learn more about “Yojimbo”

The Women’s Association and Golden Agers hope you’ll come to our next New Life for Old Bags gathering. Join us as we recycle old plastic bags and turn them into something useful – sleeping mats for the homeless. NLOB is open to all ages – women, men, girls and boys. Come out to cut, make plarn (plastic yarn), crochet mats and chat. Meet others and visit with friends while volunteering for a worthwhile cause.

NLOB collaborates with other nonprofits to make sleeping mats for the homeless. Click here to visit our New Life for Old Bags page for more information about this program.

Date: Every second Sunday of the month (note: NLOB does not meet during April, August, or October).
Time: After Service – noon to 2:30
Where: MBT Social Hall (or large conference room if Social Hall is occupied)
Bring: If you can, bring plastic bags and No. 18 crochet needles (if you have them)
Register: No need to register

Refreshments will be served and welcomed!

Our annual Mochitsuki will be held on December 14 starting at 8:30 am and ending around 12:30 pm. During Mochitsuki our temple’s social hall transforms in to a noisy and joyful gathering centered around the tradition of pounding rice and making small cakes filled with sweetened azuki beans. The Japanese tradition of Mochitsuki was started many generations ago as a post-harvest celebration and it continues today as a social event that connects us to our past.

To make mochi Mochitsuki teams of hearty volunteers take turns pounding rice with wooden mallets in an ever accelerating pace until the rice becomes smooth. Other volunteers form the finished mochi into small disks that are either left plain or filled with sweetened azuki beans. Either way, fresh mochi is a delicious treat. To learn more about this tradition visit our Mochitsuki page.

Everyone is welcome to join in this tradition and don’t worry, many volunteers will be available to show you how to make mochi. We hope to see you at Mochitsuki!

Where: MBT Social Hall
When: December 14, 8:30 am to 12:30 pm
Register: There is no cost (unless you wish to purchase some mochi to take home) and no registration. If you have questions contact the temple office at office@mbtchicago.org or call 312.943.7801.

Join us as we ring in the New Year (literally!) We will hold our annual New Year’s Eve service at the temple where we’ll have a brief service followed by the traditional “ringing of the temple kansho bell” 108 times. After the service we’ll enjoy a traditional meal of soba (buckwheat) noodles which symbolizes longevity.

Where: Midwest Buddhist Temple
When: December 31, 7:30 pm
Registration: Please let us know if you plan to attend so we can prepare enough noodles!

Everyone is welcome to attend and for more information please email (office@mbtchicago.org) or call (312.943.7801) our office.

Join us for our annual New Year’s Day Service (Shu-sho-e) as we bring in the New Year with a renewed appreciation for the spiritual guidance of the Three Treasures (the Buddha, the Dharma, the Sangha). After service we will enjoy ozoni – a delicious traditional soup featuring fresh mochi (pounded rice).

Where: Midwest Buddhist Temple
When: January 1, 10:30 am
Registration: Please let us know if you plan to attend so we can prepare enough ozoni!

Everyone is welcome to attend and for more information please email (office@mbtchicago.org) or call (312.943.7801) our office.