July 19th, 2006

Arnold Park Work Day

The scheduled garden-and-grounds work day this Saturday, July 22, is at Arnold Park rather than Chapin Mill. Working together is fun and invigorating, and a group effort will revitalize the beauty of the garden in no time! Help for part – or all – of the day is very welcome. Lunch is provided if you let us know ahead of time that you’ll be there: call Eryl at the Center 473-9180, or email receptionist@rzc.org; or drop by on Saturday.


Three Jewels Order

There will be an investiture ceremony this Sunday, July 23, for Paula Schank and Eryl Kubicka as they become full lay members of the Three Jewels Order. Everyone is welcome to attend the ceremony, which will be held in the zendo after the Sunday sitting.


Annual Picnic

Come to Chapin Mill, enjoy the company and cool off by the pond for the Center’s annual potluck picnic on Saturday, July 29. If you can give someone a ride, or if you need a ride, be at the Center between 10:00 and 10:30 am. Please bring a main dish or hearty salad to share (serving 6 to 10). The Center will provide paper plates and silverware, as well as hot and cold beverages throughout the day. Ice cream and watermelon will be served for dessert. We’ll eat lunch at about 1:00 pm.

Remember to bring bathing suits, balls, Frisbees, musical instruments and anything else to add to the festivities. Water shoes are suggested for those who wish to wade. There will be volleyball and Frisbee in the meadow, and in the afternoon there will be some fun games for adults and children. New members and their families are especially welcome. For directions, call the Center at 473-9180.

In case of inclement weather, call the Center after 7:30 am. By then we should know if we have to use the rain date, which is Sunday, July 30.


The labyrinth in the meadow behind the Mill House at Chapin Mill is now complete. The girls in the Coming-of-Age Program finished digging the hundreds of clay bricks into the sod during the work retreat and offer this effort as their most concrete gift to the Sangha at the close of their two-year program. Because the brick pathway is embedded in the earth, the labyrinth is invisible from the road or the perimeter of the meadow. Look for a small wooden sign that signifies the entrance, close to the edge of the meadow near the stream.


Coming-of-Age Graduation and Closing Ceremony

The Coming-of-Age girls graduate from their two year commitment this Fall. The closing ceremony will be on Sunday, September 24, in the zendo. Everyone is invited to share in the joy of their rite of passage as Dharma adults. There will be a chanting service, and Sadie, Hannah and Molly will each offer some words about their experience.


Calendar Notes

• The Saturday dokusan indicated on the calendar for this Saturday, July 22, is canceled, due to a scheduling conflict for Roshi.
• The August 7-day sesshin deadline is Thursday, July 27.
• There will be a Water Baby Ceremony on Sunday, July 30, from 1-3 pm at Arnold Park.
• The next introductory workshop is on Saturday, August 12.
• The next Sangha meeting will be held during brunch, on Sunday, August 13.
• Roshi is in Sweden from August 1 through August 8, partly to do a full Dharma Transmission Ceremony for Kanja-sensei.
• There will be a repentance ceremony during the evening sitting on Thursday, August 17.
• The closing ceremony for the Coming-of-Age Program will be on Sunday, September 24.

Dalai Lama’s Visit to Buffalo

The Dalai Lama will be in Buffalo in September. He will be giving a public talk on Tuesday, September 19, at 1:00 pm in the big arena at the University of Buffalo. Here is a website, if you are interested in learning more: www.specialevents.buffalo.edu/dalailama.shtml


Kannon Committee

The Kannon Committee provides voluntary help with meals, errands, or transportation for Sangha members who are ill or temporarily disabled. If you or someone you know can use some help, please let the Committee know. If you are available to offer help in the future by making a meal or helping with errands or other things, please let us know this as well.

“The essential thing is to cut down on entanglements and concentrate
wholly on comprehending the Way.”

—Furong Daokai (11th-century Chinese Zen master)

May 15, 2006

Saturday ‘Clean Sweep’ Work Day

In support of Mayor Duffy’s efforts to promote pride and harmony in our city through the Clean Sweep program, Roshi is asking staff and available Sangha volunteers to participate in the Arnold Park neighborhood effort this Saturday, May 20, starting at 8 am.

In the first two weeks of the program, 680 residents turned out in the northeast area of Rochester and 560 tons of trash were collected!

There will also be a workday at Chapin Mill for those not participating in Clean Sweep at Arnold Park. If you can offer help at either location, please call the Center in advance, so that we can plan tools and have an accurate lunch count.

Vesak Volunteers

In preparation for the unfolding of Vesak, the Sangha’s joyful celebration of the Buddha’s birth, there are three main times when help is needed. Please contact the Center if you can help out. Call Eryl at 473-9180 or email receptionist@rzc.org.

Thursday evening, May 25. After one round of sitting, beginning as usual at 7 pm, we will start the set-up for Temple Night. This mainly involves carrying altar bases upstairs into the Buddha Hall.

Friday morning, May 26. Share breakfast with the staff at 7:30 (please let María Elena know the day before if you’ll be there) and then we’ll continue working on Temple Night preparations.

Saturday morning, May 27. No formal sitting. After a 7 am breakfast (note early time) we’ll prepare the garden, Link and Buddha Hall for the Vesak festivities. Please let María Elena know by noon on Friday if you plan on having breakfast at the Center.

Vesak Bakers Needed

If you can make or donate some cupcakes for the Baby Buddha’s stupa cake, please call María Elena at 473-9180.

Vesak Flower Donations

Beautiful flowers arrangements contribute to the devotional atmosphere and the loveliness of the altars on Temple Night. If you have suitable blooms in your garden, or would like to donate some money towards flower purchases, please contact Emily Halgrimson at the Center by Tuesday, May 23.

Vesak Timetable

· Youth Jukai

Youth Jukai will take place in the Buddha Hall at 6:15 on Friday evening, May 26. Following the ceremony, refreshments will be served in the dining room. Children are welcome to attend Temple Night until 7:45.

· Jukai

The Jukai ceremony (taking the Buddhist precepts) will begin at approximately 9:10 pm in the Buddha Hall, during Temple Night. To help preserve the devotional tone of the evening, please mingle in the garden rather than in or near the Buddha Hall.

· Childcare during Jukai

Childcare may be available during Temple Night for parents who request it ahead of time. Please call Eryl at the Center by Friday, May 19, and she’ll make the arrangements.

· Vesak Saturday

The morning starts at 9:30 am with a ceremony for those who are receiving a rakusu.

At 10:15 am we’ll be opening the Buddha Hall for the ceremonial pouring of sweet tea over the Baby Buddha. (According to tradition, when the Buddha was born, sweet rain fell.)

Come to the main house first to drop off your potluck dish. The kitchen is again asking that everyone bring a vegetarian main dish to serve at least 8-12 people. The Center will provide desserts, but if anyone is inspired to bring a dessert in addition to a main dish, it will be gratefully accepted. Please remember to label all your dishes, including utensils, and to pick them up before you leave.

Chanting will begin in the Buddha Hall at about 10:30 am, followed by the story of the Buddha’s birth, the awakening of the Sleeping Sage and the elephant parade. Lunch will be around noon. At 2:00 pm, Sensei will give dokusan for out-of-town members only.

· Annual Meeting

The Annual Meeting of members will take place from 5:30-7 pm on Saturday, May 29, in the Buddha Hall. If you were a member as of the April 26, 2006, record date, be sure to bring your ballot if you have not already mailed it in. All Sangha members are welcome to attend the meeting, whether or not they are eligible to vote.

· Buddha Bazaar

Kids, young and old, come to Arnold Park on Sunday, May 28, for an exhilarating, action-packed event—the Buddha Bazaar! Games and activities will run from 11 am-1 pm. Beverages will be provided, but bring your own picnic lunch. If you would like to help set up on Sunday morning, or run an activity, contact the Center at 473-9180.

Calendar Notes

· There will be a Board of Trustees meeting this weekend, May 27-28. An agenda is posted in the Link.

· The deadline for the June 7-day sesshin is Thursday, May 25.

· Roshi will be leading a 2-day sesshin in Madison, Wisconsin, June 2-4.

· Saturday dokusan is offered on June 10.

· The next Youth Sunday is June 11. There will be a Sangha meeting during brunch that same day.

Center Closings

· The Center will be closed on Memorial Day, May 29. Formal sittings will resume Tuesday morning, May 30.

· There will be no formal sittings from Friday evening, June 2, through Sunday, June 4. As usual, Sangha members are welcome to come and sit informally.

Memorial Day Peace Concert

Sangha member David Brickman and his chamber music group, the Finger Lakes Chamber Ensemble, will present a Memorial Day Concert for Peace on Monday, May 29, at 7 pm. The concert, which is co-sponsored by the Zen Center, will be held at the First Unitarian Church, 220 South Winton Road, and will feature Shostakovich’s Piano Trio No. 2 in E Minor and Giva Kancheli’s Quartet L’Istesso Tempo. The concert is free, donations gladly accepted.

Sesshin Lost and Found

Many times sesshin participants leave things behind at Chapin Mill and the items end up in the Lost and Found at Arnold Park. Unless you let us know, unclaimed stuff will eventually end up in donations. Bath towels, outer garments, ball caps and shoes are the most typically forgotten.

RAIHN Volunteers

The Rochester Area Interfaith Hospitality Network program, which serves homeless families, is now urgently needing new volunteers. People who can volunteer two or four times a year would be equally welcome. For more information email karg@mail.rochester.edu.

“The essential thing is to cut down on entanglements and concentrate wholly on comprehending the way.”

—Furong Daokai (11th-century Chinese Zen master)