Following the conclusion of the Light Offering Blessing Service and Birthday Thanksgiving Ceremony, Venerable Yung Han, Head Priest of Fo Guang Shan Chicago, shared two pieces of joyful news with the assembly. First, the BLIA Chicago Chapter was honored with the international “Education Promotion Award.” Second, the first Council of Superintendents in Chicago was officially established, marking a new stage of development for the local organization.
During the Dharma talk, a video from the “2025 BLIA General Conference” was shown, allowing the assembly to witness the efforts and achievements of BLIA members worldwide in cultural advocacy, education promotion, and charitable service. The participants expressed great joy and were encouraged by the collective achievements of the global FGS community.
Coinciding with the eve of the Mid-Autumn Festival, the temple screened an AI-generated short film titled “A Bright Moon Shines Over the Land, All Reflections Are Fulfilled,” symbolizing harmony and the fulfillment of one’s aspirations. Bin-Xin Wang, a White Elephant Executive of the Chicago YAD, led a fun “Picture Riddle” activity that brought laughter and applause to the festive atmosphere, complemented by songs that made the event even more warm and lively.
At the same time, volunteers used their creativity to handcraft 25 boxes of exquisite mooncakes for a fundraising sale to support the temple’s expansion project. The temple also shared red bean mooncakes with the public. This allowed participants to enjoy the sweet flavors of the season while taking practical action to support the temple’s construction, bringing warmth and strength to the community project.