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Zen Center News

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A Great Response for Work Practice

Thank you to all the members who have volunteered their time and skills to help keep our growing Sangha running smoothly. Sometimes the amount of work required to keep everything going seems overwhelming, but with many hands helping, the load is lightened. On the facing page is a partial list of the jobs recently filled by members for the current term (and often beyond; DH = Dharma House, BH = Buddha House, or zendo, SH = Sangha House):

Believe it or not, these are not all the jobs there are. For instance, there are still three very important caretaking positions currently unfilled (and frequently neglected), which need attention on a weekly basis: zendo kitchen caretaker, zendo tea room caretaker, and zendo lecture room caretaker. To help out, please speak with anyone on the Apprenticeship Committee (see below).

Cleaning/Caretaking
Laundry Mikio Ohgushi
Trash Oliver Young
Domyo Sater
Recycling Jim Schulz-Browning
Yard Consultant Shoten Carver
Yard Asst. BH Sally Schoolmaster
Yard Asst. DH Yafe' Binns
Carl Shoemaker
Yard Asst. SH Domyo Sater
Lawn DH David Robinson
Bathrooms BH Homitsu White
Bathrooms DH Rose Grenelle
Vacuum Zendo Kosen Hynson
DH Floors Faddah Wolf
Misc
Cookies Fred Green DH Dusting Raika Garrard
Library Shin'ei Brown
Email Group Enji Hoogstra
Zendo Attendants
Web Site Jeanette Ryan Tues. Gatekeeper Faddah Wolf
Outreach Dainin Morse Tues. Ev. Opener Kisei Martin
Domyo Sater
Tues. Ev. Closer Enji Hoogstra
Finances
Treasurer Gary Oshiro Wed. Gatekeeper Faddha Wolf
Asst. Treasurer Chikan Pfeifer Wed. Ev. Opener Chikan Pfeiffer
Asst. Treasurer Joe Niski Sunday Opener Hugh Draney
Treasurer Trainee Jerome Madden Sunday Closer Hugh Draney
Sunday Doorwatch Kat Strieby
Sales, fundraising
Bookshop Mgr. Fred Green
Sewing Master Kisei Martin
Sewing Apprentice Faddah Wolf
Taping
Tape Classes/Talks Hugh Draney
Tape Duplication Fred Green
Newsletter
Content Editor Sosetsu Stauffer
Copy Editor Jiko Tisdale
Layout Apprentice Laura Cartwright
Calendar Domyo Sater
Events/News Lara Cartwright
Ceremonial
Mailing Yafe' Binns Precentor Kei'un Clardy
Jisha Gyoshi Kaplan
BH Sacristan David Robinson
DH Sacristan Rose Grenelle
Dharma School
Parent Contact Bess Yuishin Clark
Helper/Floater Ko'in Newsom
High School Teacher Sosetsu Stauffer
Middle School Teachers Jeff Hotei Coleman
Sara Coleman
Grade School Boys Eric Leatha
Homitsu White
Grade School Girls Jeanette Ryan
Enji Hoogstra
Workshops
Coordinator Hoyu Clardy Preschool Group Bess Yuishin Clark
Leaders Hoyu Clardy
Zenkyo Howard
Dosho Van Sant
Jiko Tisdale
Dainin Morse
Assistants Kisei Martin
Yuishin Clark
Shintai Dungay
Sokyo Swallow
Fred Green
Faddah Wolf

 

Your Board and Committee Members

 

Who makes the big decisions around here, you may ask. Who is the grease that keeps the karmic wheels spinning, so to speak, around DRZC? Wonder no longer. Please note that board members are elected (any full member can run for the board), but committee members are volunteers! If you have some creative energy, it would be welcomed. Also, feel free to approach any of the people listed below if you have any ideas or concerns.
Board   Dharma Calendar
Kyogen Carlson   Kyogen Carlson
Gyokuko Carlson   Jody Shintai Dungay
Jeanette Ryan (President)   Scott Zenkatsu Parker
Joe Niski   Domyo Sater
Jay Dosho Van Sant   Jay Dosho VanSant
Gwen Kisei Martin    
Erin Luthy (Secretary)   Apprenticeship Committee
Jody Shintai Dungay   Karen Sokyo Swallow
Nicole Ko'in Newsom   Heidi Enji Hoogstra
Gary Oshiro, Treasurer (non-voting)   Domyo Sater
    Jay Dosho VanSant
Operations   Jennifer Pagliaro
Gyokuko Carlson    
Karen Sokyo Swallow   Membership Committee
David Kakumyo Lowe   Fred Green
Anthony Stevens   Yafe Binns
Jeff Shoten Carver    
Yafe Binns    



Shuso Installation

On Sun. February 24, Karen Sokyo Swallow took on the brave task of becoming Shuso for the next year. She is welcomed by the Sangha members, and we are sure to put her to the test. You're in the hot seat now, Sokyo! !



On-Line Purchaces

DRZC now has the capability to accept payment for many goods and services on-line through our web site. You can sign up and pay for retreats, subscribe to Still Point, and puruse and purchace Zen Center publicatons. Point your browser to: http://www.dharma-rain.org/StillPoint/pp/pub.html.


 

Summer Schedule

A reminder that the Center goes on Summer schedule starting June 9. Please see details in the Events section of this newsletter and the calendar.

 


Operations Corner

Anyone who has been in the Buddha House lately has noticed the new, beautiful carpet installed downstairs in the lecture room. Donated anonymously by a member, it replaced the old carpet which was finally (and mercifully) ripped out after the messy removal of the old boiler. Some members allege the pattern on the new carpet gives deeper insights while staring at it during moments of ZazenŠ.

More good news about the Zendo: the leak that was flooding the sewing room downstairs has been stopped (we hope for good) by a new drain installed outside. This drain catches not only rainwater from our building, but from the neighbor's house as well. The sewing master is grateful for this repair. Finally, in an attempt to be somewhat proactive with building upkeep, we are currently taking bids to replace the roof on the Dharma House.



Frog Nirvana?


It seems the pond in the side yard at the Dharma House has become a favorite for neighborhood frogs, indigenous Pacific Tree frogs, to be exact. If you have spent time there lately, you have probably heard the noisy critters as they try to lure mates to their watery love nest. A few must have had success as the pond is loaded with frog eggs. . .


 

Advice Available

Sometimes we have questions about practice we don't want to take to formal sanzen on Sundays. Two other options are available: speaking with a practice advisor and informal sanzen. Practice advisors are lay disciples who meet with people in an advisory capacity informally, getting together over coffee or by phone. Contact Jill Bukkai Washburn through the Center 503-239-4846 for more information. All advising is kept confidential.


 

Great Vow Zen Monastary: ZCO's Progress at Clatskanie

 
Far left: Painting crew stops to pose.

ZCO finally has possession of the property in Clatskanie that is quickly developing into the Great Vow Zen Monastery. (They are cleaning and moving stuff in, but Hogen, Chozen and the ZCO residents won't be living there until the occupancy permit is acquired, probably sometime from mid-April to early May.)

 

Immediate Left: Chozen, Official Photographer of Great Vow.

 

DRZC members joined ZCO members for a work day there March 23, which was both fun and successful, and by the end of the day, many of the volunteers fell in love with the property and its prospects!

 

 

Left: Hogen and Chozen chat with volunteers.

Right: Chozen and Gykuko inspect the premises; Hogen waves.

Left: Crew gets silly from paint fumes and stops to clown around.

 

ZCO will be needing a lot of help with this project in terms of labor and financial support; having their monastery available as a retreat center and place of practice benefits all of us. If you would like to volunteer, please call ZCO at 1-503-728-0654.

 

Below: The whole work crew stops to rest.

 


Residency Program

We're full! All the resident spaces at both Houses are completely occupied. Welcome new residents: Brett Milligan in the Dharma House, for a two-month stay, and David Robinson and Hyakurei Florence at the Sangha House.



Daijukai Sesshin

 

It takes many busy hands to make a sesshin happen.

Work periods give retreatants a chance to develop active meditation and to contribute to the well-being of all.

Left: Goodies are prepared for formal tea.
Above: Tenzo and helpers prepare for mindful work in the kitchen.
Below: Making a delicious meal for hungry meditators.

Below: Retreatants help clean up gardens and flower beds for spring-time blossoms.

Below Right: Flowers are prepared for the altar.



Jukai - Giving of the Precepts

 

 
The Daijukai sesshin was held in March, and among much ceremony and ritual, the following people took the Precepts and became Buddhists. Congratulations to: Cinde Carrigan, Curtis Clink, Jeremy Devros, Annie Rose Macer, Brett Milligan, Rebekah Elowyn, Carl J. Shoemaker, Martin Skinner, and Marina Wynton.

Left: Altar prepared for the giving of the Precepts.
Below Left: Kyogen enters the zendo.
Below: Gyokuko Carlson, Kyogen Carlson, and Hyakurei Florence all presided at the many Daijukai ceremonies

Above: Meditation before the giving of the Precepts

Above Right: New Preceptees with abbots Kyogen and Gyokuko, plus Hyakurei Florence, acting as third abbot for the ceremonies. (click on photo to larger image)

Right: Preceptees receive congratulatory gifts. Clockwise from lower left: Annie Rose Macer, Marina Wynton, Martin Skinner, Brett Milligan, Rebekah Elowyn & Cinde Carrigan

Below: A new Buddhist takes the Precepts.

Right and Above: The priests shed their usual black and brown outfits, and break out the brightly colored robes for the various ceremonies of Daijukai.

Click on the the photo to the right to get a larger, more detailed view.



Zazen at Coffee Creek

Ten zabutons and a collection of great dharma books are now available for use by the meditation group at Coffee Creek. Thank you very much for your generous donations -- Getsushin Brox and the women at Coffee Creek.


Member News:

Member Lara Cartwright was married to Rob Bender on April 20 in a traditional Buddhist ceremony with many added modern features and the blessing of a Catholic priest to boot. Congratulations to Lara and Rob.


Electronic Pledges

Please consider having your monthly pledges to DRZC automatically withdrawn from your personal checking account. DRZC has entered into an agreement with an accounting service to process the monthly withdrawals from the checking accounts of participating members and deposit them in our account for a monthly maintenance fee charged to DRZC. In additional to saving everyone paper, this process will save time for our treasurer and will conveniently reduce each participating members' monthly "To Do" list by one item.


Sign-up forms are available at the Center; just ask one of the priests or Board members, or call or drop us a line. When you complete the form, just return it to the Center with a voided personal check and sit back and relax; we'll take it from there.


Thanks To:

We are grateful to Katie Bretsch for a food processor; Bess Yuishin Clark for two cookbooks; Ani Paldrön for tea; Mikio Ohgushi for two books for the prison program; Marta Farris for lots of bread; Gina Jikan for sweetbread; Heidi Enji Hoogstra for an office chair (which is undoubtedly a great benefit to our abbot, who spends much of his day at his computer); Hyakurei Florence for books, squash and soba; Hogen and Chozen Bays for a box of pots, and Lara Cartwright for olive oil.

Much thanks also to those who have helped prepare us as a sangha to deal with the struggles and the deaths of members: Scott Teijin Grim, who handcrafted a stunning wooden portable altar for private memorials; the many people who helped with the Jôjû project - making white clothing, rakhusus, wagessas and malas; and Joseph Mugaku Engum for the new Transfer of Merit Board for the zendo. Special merit to Jill Bukkai Washburn, who initiated and shepherded this project to maturity.

 


 

Begging Bowl

The Zen Center is begging for a few items: a large (7-quart or bigger) commercial mixer to keep bread in the mouths of hungry residents; a few garden benches; used kitchen cabinets and drawers for the Sangha House; and an economical, low milage used car.


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STILL POINT archive edit of 27 October 2002
Dharma Rain Zen Center Newsletter
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