All members and friends are invited to a Buddha’s Birthday celebration from 3:00-4:00 pm on Sunday, April 1, at Countryside UU Church in Palatine. Children of all ages and their parents are especially encouraged to attend. The occasion will feature helping to make the beautiful “flower house” for the Baby Buddha, a short service in which children can play the bells, a very short meditation activity, a make and take project and of course, Buddha’s birthday cake. (Regular sitting will still be held at 7:00 pm that evening.)

According to our tradition, the historical Buddha, Shakyamuni, was born in Nepal on April 8, 566 B.C., the son of King Suddhodana and Queen Maya. It is said that at the birth of the Buddha, there were celestial birds singing beautiful songs, beautiful flowers, and a sweet gentle rain bathing the baby Buddha. During our ceremony, each participant has the opportunity to ladle sweet tea over the statue of the Buddha in honor of this occasion. The flower house, like the flowers offered on the altar, remind us of the beauty, vibrancy, and ultimately, impermanence of life.