Rev. Kurt Kyosei Rye was born in Anchorage, Alaska, but his early years were spent in the Washington, D.C. metro area. He moved to Washington state in high school and graduated with a B.A. in psychology from Evergreen State College in 1985. He began his career by working with the chronically mentally ill population in Seattle. He then moved to Japan and for four years, taught English in Tokyo, where he was exposed to Buddhism. He attended the English Buddhist Academy in Tokyo and had the opportunity to take several courses on Japanese Buddhism at Taisho University.
Upon his return to Seattle, he became an active member of the Seattle Betsuin under the guidance of Rev. Don Castro. During this period, he managed a housing program for homeless clients with mental illness to help them become stable and move on to more permanent housing.
In the fall of 2003, he received his Tokudo ordination and started attending the Institute for Buddhist Studies (IBS) in January of 2004. He graduated in the fall of 2007, received his Kyoshi certification in December 2007, and his Kaikyoshi certification in April 2009. He joined the Fresno Betsuin as an associate minister in April 2008.
In January 2013, he transferred to the Ekoji Temple. In September 2015, he became the resident minister at the Placer Buddhist Church which he served until December 2018. Rev. Rye joined the New York Buddhist Church in September of 2023, He is also the Supervising Minister for the Ekoji Buddhist Temple in Fairfax Virginia, and the Seabrook Buddhist Temple in New Jersey.
(Rev Isabelle, Rev Rye, Rev Gary, Rev Cheryl)
Rev. Gary Shobo Jaskula - Tokudo Minister and Minister Assistant
Rev. Cheryl Joko Ikemiya - Tokudo Minister and Minister Assistant
Rev Isabelle Shinjo Bernard - Tokudo Minister and Minister Assistant
LAY LEADERS AND LAY ASSISTANTS
Nobuko Kodama - Certified Lay Leader
