Monk will speak at Buddhist Temple

Bhante Seelawimala, a Theravadan monk and professor at the Institute of Buddhist Studies in Berkeley, Calif., will speak at the Spokane Buddhist Temple, 927 S. Perry St.

Born in Sri Lanka in 1947, Bhante received ordination as a novice monk in the Theravada Buddhist tradition when he was 10 and was ordained as a monk at the age of 20.

He served as an instructor at the Bhikku Training Center Colombo in 1971 and was invited to the United States by the Buddhist Churches of America in 1976 to join the faculty at the Institute of Buddhist Studies at Berkeley.

Bhante is the president of the Buddhist Vihara Society in British Columbia, the California Buddhist Vihara Society and the American Buddhist Seminary, and vice president of the Buddhist Council of Northern California, and has been instrumental in establishing Theravada Temples in Toronto, Vancouver, B.C., and San Jose and Sacramento, Calif.

“Loving Kindness in the Buddhist Tradition” will be the topic of Saturday’s lecture at 7 p.m.

A $5 donation is requested

Bhante will also lead the “Introduction to Buddhism” free lecture at the temple on Sunday at 9:30 a.m., followed by the regular service at 10:30 a.m.

For more information, call 327-7954, e-mail bhantes@yahoo.com, or visit www.spokanebuddhisttemple.org.

Worship in the park

Central United Methodist Church, 518 W. Third Ave., will offer its annual worship service at Liberty Park, Fourth and Pittsburg, on Sunday at 10:30 a.m.

After the service there will be a potluck lunch and fellowship.

Woshippers are asked to bring a main dish, salad or vegetable for the potluck.

Transportation will also be provided to those who need it. Those who gather at the church at 10:15 a.m. will be taken by church vans to the park and back.

For more information, call the church office at 838-1431.

Food drive

The “Help Stomp Out Hunger!” food drive will benefit the Second Harvest Food Bank on Sunday.

The event is sponsored by church teams in the Spokane Lutheran Softball League.

Players will donate one item or pound of food for every time a player gets on base at the Spokane Youth Sports Complex, 46th and Regal, from 1 to 6 p.m.

The tournament is free and open to the public. Those attending are asked to bring a nonperishable food item.

Call 251-1566 for more information

Vacation Bible school

Bethel Church of the Nazarene, 1111 S. Thor St., is holding its vacation Bible school from June 21 to 25.

Lava-Lava Island will be a fun and free week of activities for children from the age of 3 through sixth grade and takes place from 6:15 to 9 p.m. each night.

A closing program will be June 27 at 9:45 p.m. at the church.

For more information call the church office at 534-7751.