December 14, 2007

The Center’s offices will be closed for the annual holiday break from noon on Wednesday, December 19, through Wednesday, December 26. A staff member will be checking messages during the week, and – as always – the zendo is yours to sit in when you want.

The Center will also be closed on New Year’s Day, January 1.

Calendar Notes

• There will be a formal morning sitting with dokusan on Wednesday, December 19.
• The next Youth Sunday is on December 16.
• Dokusan is canceled on Saturday, December 29, replaced by Temple Cleaning at Arnold Park.
• There will be a Sangha Meeting on Sunday, December 30, during brunch.
• Dokusan is canceled on Saturday, January 26 due to Temple Cleaning at Chapin Mill.
• Sangha Entertainment Night is on Saturday, February 2.

Annual Cleaning of the Temples

Ramping up to the New Year’s Eve ceremonies, we’ll be setting to and paying attention to all the less-visible nooks and crannies in Arnold Park as we do our annual Cleaning of the Temple on Saturday morning, December 29, from 10:15 am to 12:30 pm. To get things underway, we’ll start with a brief chanting service in the zendo at 10:15 am. After the cleaning we’ll have pizza for lunch. Sangha help, including that of children, is most welcome. Please come and pitch in to help keep our practice place in sparkling condition!

Two years ago we held our first Cleaning of the Temple at Chapin Mill, and we’ll be doing it again this year, but we can’t squeeze it in before the New Year, or even before the January 7-day sesshin. The date will be Saturday, January 26, starting at 8:45 am and ending with lunch at 12:30 pm. If you haven’t been out to Chapin Mill in a while, this is a great opportunity to marvel at the progress on the new zendo and bedrooms.

For either event, if you intend to stay for lunch, please notify the Center at 473-9180 or by email to receptionist@rzc.org.

Home Purification

Home purification, with its chanting and circumambulation, is like a clean wind, clearing the house of old, obstructive energies in order to welcome in the New Year. If you would like one of these ceremonies conducted in your home, please sign up in the Link or call John Pulleyn at the Center to arrange a time. This year the ceremonies will be offered from Thursday, December 27, through Sunday, December 30.

New Year’s Eve Ceremonies

On Monday, December 31, the Center will host its annual New Year’s Eve program. The schedule will be the same as last year with the formal part of the ceremony ending at midnight. For the customary circumambulation through 7 Arnold Park, we’ll again be ringing bells rather than using other noise makers. Bells will be provided by the Center and can be picked up in the Link before the ceremony. The candle-lighting ceremony and prayer will be in the zendo.

The main elements of the evening will be: zazen, a repentance ceremony, altar purification, circumambulation with bells, candle-lighting ceremony with prayer and gamelan gongs, and the tolling of the bell 108 times. The evening will end – and the New Year begin – with tea and light refreshments.

As the ceremonies end very early on New Year’s morning, individuals and families are welcome to sleep at the Center. If you do plan to sleep over, please let the Center’s receptionist know by Thursday, December 27, so that we can arrange beds for everyone.

Sangha Entertainment Night

On Saturday, February 2, Sangha Entertainment Night 2008 will be kicking off at 6 pm in the Buddha Hall. We’re especially looking for skits and musical numbers (vocal or instrumental), so take this once-a-year opportunity to demonstrate your talents and delight the most forgiving audience you’ll ever come across. Slots fill up fast! Call Eryl or Dana at 473-9180 or email receptionist@rzc.org to pitch your act. Because time is limited, solo performers are asked to hold themselves to one moderate- or two short-length selections.

Thank You

A deep bow to all the volunteers who have helped out in so many ways at the Center in 2007. At a time when our staff are relatively few and 5 or 6 are out at Chapin Mill, our volunteers have been invaluable in keeping things afloat here at Arnold Park.

If you are interested in helping at Arnold Park, contact John Pulleyn at 473-9180 or by email: john@rzc.org. To volunteer at Chapin Mill, call Lou Kubicka at 409-6496 or by email at lou.kubicka@gmail.com.

Chinese Screen

During the December sesshin, we installed an exquisite 6-paneled screen in the Piano Room (former Chair Zendo) at Chapin Mill. The monochrome landscape was painted in the late 18th or early 19th century by the Chinese artist Tan Zan, and generously donated by Center member Steven Rockefeller.

Website Calendar

The calendar posted on the Center’s website carries up-to-date information on Center events and activities. We now list all formal sittings and indicate whenever dokusan or daisan are offered. When changes happen, we’ll try to post them immediately.

Sangha Mail

There is a shelf in the Link coatroom set aside for Sangha correspondence that inadvertently comes to the Center’s address. Members can also leave items and correspondence there for each other. Please check the shelf from time to time to see if you have anything.

If you change your address, please remember to inform the post office and let the Center know as well. Since email is the easiest and least expensive way for the Center to contact members, we really appreciate knowing email address changes as well.

Dennis Bradford’s New Book

Center member Dennis Bradford has written a book entitled The Seven Steps to Mastery, which is being sold as an “e-book” at the website: www.the-7-steps-to-mastery.com. The book is being offered at a 50% discount during this holiday season. To order it at half price, visit the website and use the coupon code “Geneseo72”. The code will expire at the end of the year.

Buddhist Artwork from Richard Wehrman

Richard is a long-time member and friend of the Center who’s done a lot of design work for us over the years. His website ( http://www.merlinwood.net/ ) offers various items for sale through a company called CafePress. For Richard’s Buddhist artwork, check out http://www.cafepress.com/merlinwood/3731792.

Member Seeking Lodging

Long-time Center member, Dwain Wilder, is looking for a place to sleep for the month of January and possibly for the month of February. He assures us that he leaves a very light footprint. If you’d like to help out, call him at 506-2749 (his cell phone) or 288-5031 (his shop).

“Zen Brain, Selfless Insight”

Roshi Joan Halifax, the Abbot of Upaya Institute and Zen Center in Sante Fe, New Mexico, and a speaker at our 40th anniversary symposium, has asked us to help promote a program Upaya will hold in January, entitled “Zen Brain, Selfless Insight.” Information is available at www.upaya.org/programs/event.php?id=42

Lost and Found

On January 3, 2008, all items currently in the lost-and-found area in the basement of 7 Arnold Park will be moved across the hallway into donations. Please check before then for any items you may have mislaid or forgotten about.

Hair Dryers in Sesshin

After years of announcing “No hair dryers in sesshin,” we’re revising that guideline. Rather than sitting with wet hair in a cold zendo, participants may briefly use a hair dryer in the shower room right after showering. Please do take care to finish so that the next person can start showering on time.

Important Tax Notice

To ensure the deductibility of your contributions to the Zen Center, do not file your 2007 income tax return until you have received the written acknowledgment of your 2007 contributions that the Center’s Financial Office will mail by the end of January 2008. Some of your contributions may not be tax-deductible if you file your tax return before receiving the written acknowledgment of your contributions.

ROOTZ Seeking Donations

The Youth Program (ROOTZ) has adopted a disadvantaged family (through Dimitri House) for the Holidays and will be purchasing food items for a festive meal, as well as gifts for the mother and five children. The Youth Program did this last year in memory of Molly Miller, who had a special interest in supporting homeless families. ROOTZ families would like to continue the effort as a way of remembering Molly.

Marty Larch is coordinating this year’s effort. He thanks the many people who already gave money for the family to enjoy a Thanksgiving meal and would really appreciate help with the Christmas meal and presents for the family. For more information, please contact Marty at 527-0070, or by email at larchmj@earthlink.net. Donations may be earmarked and left at the Center before Thursday, December 20.

Kannon Committee

The Kannon Committee provides 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 by contacting Lou Anne Jaeger at 381-4613 or by e-mail: louanne_jaeger@urmc.rochester.edu.

If you are available to offer help by making a meal or helping with errands or other things, please let Lou Anne know this as well.

New Year’s Activities

2007-2008

THURSDAY, FRIDAY, AND SATURDAY, December 27-29

Regular zazen and work schedule

Help needed through Saturday with preparations for

ceremonies

(Dokusan – Thursday evening)

SATURDAY, December 29

Cleaning of the Temple (Arnold Park)

10:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., followed by pizza

SUNDAY, December 30

Zazen at 8:30 a.m., followed by teisho & Sangha meeting

MONDAY, DECEMBER 31

No formal morning zazen

New Year’s Eve Ceremonies: 8 p.m. to 12:30 a.m.

Zazen

Repentance Ceremony

Circumambulation

Candle-lighting Ceremony

Refreshments

TUESDAY, January 1

Center closed

WEDNESDAY, January 2

Regular schedule resumes at 5:45 a.m. with dokusan.