Thank you, Hosui. 
Nothing dumb or heretical in your question in my eyes, quite contrary.
I believe seeing and living our practice as something we do in midst of our lives, our culture and local ways is something Jundo and this Sangha in general stands for.
We have already reduced the Japanese chanting, at least in comparison to the German Sanghas, I visited over here.
The weekly Friday/Saturday Zazenkai with Jundo are with English chants and only the monthly one with just the Heart Sutra in Japanese.
In the Sunday Zazenkai we chant English and Japanese Heart Sutras alternating.
Yes, with special occasions like the Rohatsu retreat and the Spring retreat, it is a Japanese Heart Sutra, and long ancestor lists, too.
I think we are trying to honor our roots in this way and keep some of the Japanese rituals and chants.
Also staying part of the larger (western) Soto community?
It is nice to chant in a common language when visiting different places, but I don't think that is a big factor.
Over here in my hometown it feels sometimes like trying to be more Japanese than the Japanese in Zen circles.
Treeleaf seems very basic and stripped down in comparison.
I am not sure where I stand in that balancing act. I kind of like the Japanese chants and the ceremonies we took from there.
And I am definitely an advocate for the reduced form as we practice it in Treeleaf, too.
Hmm...
Gassho,
Kotei sat/lah today.

Nothing dumb or heretical in your question in my eyes, quite contrary.
I believe seeing and living our practice as something we do in midst of our lives, our culture and local ways is something Jundo and this Sangha in general stands for.
We have already reduced the Japanese chanting, at least in comparison to the German Sanghas, I visited over here.
The weekly Friday/Saturday Zazenkai with Jundo are with English chants and only the monthly one with just the Heart Sutra in Japanese.
In the Sunday Zazenkai we chant English and Japanese Heart Sutras alternating.
Yes, with special occasions like the Rohatsu retreat and the Spring retreat, it is a Japanese Heart Sutra, and long ancestor lists, too.
I think we are trying to honor our roots in this way and keep some of the Japanese rituals and chants.
Also staying part of the larger (western) Soto community?
It is nice to chant in a common language when visiting different places, but I don't think that is a big factor.
Over here in my hometown it feels sometimes like trying to be more Japanese than the Japanese in Zen circles.
Treeleaf seems very basic and stripped down in comparison.
I am not sure where I stand in that balancing act. I kind of like the Japanese chants and the ceremonies we took from there.
And I am definitely an advocate for the reduced form as we practice it in Treeleaf, too.
Hmm...
Gassho,
Kotei sat/lah today.
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