Shinyo: The BCA program is still new and somewhat complicated, so, I only know that as a minister’s assistant, given some time, training and tenure, I can move onto tokudo which is like a partial-ordination. YOu can do some limited services, nothing more. Moving to full ordination or kyoshi takes a lot more time and training, which is as it should be.

Johnl: Yeah, I got it all wrong. My wife was going to make ozoni, but worried about the mochi, so she didn’t. I didn’t know you were a ‘tiger’. Have a great year! I am a snake (the ladies tell me that too, just kidding).

Sorry to disagree, but you are wrong about amazake–it’s delicious! Although it can develop a bit of an alcoholic taste in some circumstances, if the yeast is still active.

By the way, toshi koshi soba does not include mochi. ‘toshi koshi’ means something like ‘pass the year(s)’ and is one of those non-jocular puns. The long noodles symbolize long life. On New Year’s Day and the following days, most people eat ‘o zoni,’ a kind of stew or chowder, which usually does include mochi. Or they may eat mochi in other ways, like oshiruko, a kind of sweet bean soup. Part of the idea is that eating mochi saves he trouble of cooking rice during the holiday period. But usually after just a day or two, people are lining up at restaurants to eat their beloved rice! I don’t think ozoni is ever served in restaurants, by the way.

Anyway, have a great year of the tiger! (I will be ‘toshi otoko’ in 2010!)

Regards,
JL

I will be finishing my lay minister training with Bright Dawn in May and was just curious what all is involved in becoming a minister’s assistant. How does one get started? Just ask the minister? Our minister is retiring and we should have a new one soon.