Heart of Wisdom Zen Temple

Operations

As we continue to work towards our vision of growing our Portland Sangha, we will be updating this page with the latest developments. This includes who to contact to get involved, building search updates, fundraising efforts, and our new programming push.

Committees

Steering Committee Members: Nancy Kodo Conover (chair) This committee oversees the overall project and reports to the Zen Community of Oregon Board of Directors.

Operation Budget Work Group: Hogen Bays, Sensei (chair) This work group is working on a prudent budget for how to operate our own center and what sort of programs, attendance and growth is necessary to sustain a Portland Center.

Fundraising Work Group: Michelle Bussard (chair) This work group will develop short-term and long-term fundraising plans.

Building Search Work Group: Julie Weiss (chair) This group will go look at potential properties.

Communications: Julie Weiss (chair) This group will be handling the promotion of the new Portland Program.

Membership: Laura Jomon Martin (chair) This is a regular ZCO committee whose mission is to help strengthen and grow membership and ensure ZCO is a welcoming place.

Programming: Nan Whitaker-Emrich (chair)

Shusso of Heart of Wisdom Zen Temple: Laura Jomon Martin

Sangha Council: Ryushin Creedon (chair) The Council is made up of members who have made a commitment to Zen Buddhist practice through jukai and the 5 precepts. They help develop and teach classes and arrange for outside speakers and teachers to come to Portland.

We are eager for your input!  Our goal is to achieve a sustainable and responsible model for owning and operating our own place. Please contact these groups if you would like to get involved (or click on the highlighted name to email).


June 21, 2009

Dear Heart of Wisdom Sangha and Friends:
 
Our first Heart of Wisdom Zen Temple event with an outside speaker/
teacher was a great success! The Kevin Griffin Friday Evening Talk and
Saturday Workshop netted Heart of Wisdom Zen Temple approx. $2500.

Thanks to all who helped especially Nan and Allen…and Hogen who spoke
on Friday evening when Kevin’s plane was delayed. Approximately 60
people came to the Friday evening talk and close to 60 attended the
Saturday workshop, mostly different people for each event.

“It was a profitable weekend both in terms of income and new people in
the community being introduced to the Zen Community of Oregon.  It
speaks well of our desire to bring speakers and classes to the
Portland community that will help finance the Heart of Wisdom Zen
Temple and bring the dharma to more people in the community,” Allen
Whitaker-Emrich, ZCO Treasurer.

Our next event, Heart of Wisdom Zen Temple Founders Dinner, is rapidly
approaching.  Many people have given their talents, time and energy to
make this dinner a very special occasion.  If you are still
interesting in attending, please check with DT or Great Vow to
register.  Remember a pledge of only $1.00 per day for less than 3
years is a pledge of $1000!

The Steering Committee continues to meet on a monthly basis and has
evaluated a few new properties but nothing right now fits our needs.
With our fund raising events, increased programs and a growing sangha
that wants to share the Dharma, we will be ready when the right
property comes along.

A wonderful event, which I would encourage you to attend, is the 24-
Hour Chant for Peace, July 31 and August 1  (7:00 pm to 7:00 pm), held
at Great Vow Zen Monastery.

Volunteer to help with Heart of Wisdom’s chant or setting up an
information area or just come and participate for any or all of the 24
hr. of chanting for peace within. Contact: Kodo or Cybil.

Thank you all for your practice and service,

Kodo (Nancy Conover)
Chair, Steering Committee
Heart of Wisdom Zen Temple


May 5, 2009

Dear Sangha:

Since we do not have any potential buildings for Heart of Wisdom in our sights,

I would like to bring to your attention four upcoming events that Heart of Wisdom is either sponsoring or participating in. These events are part of our offerings to the community; a bridge to Great Vow and the deeper aspects of our practice, and the foundations of our hearth or home, a place of refuge and quietude within our busy daily lives.

All of these events need the focus and enthusiasm of our Sangha, so please take a moment to reflect how you might participate in or support any of the following:

 

Public Talk: Dharma and Recovery

May 29, 2009 7 – 9 pm

An evening exploring the convergence of ancient Buddhist wisdom and contemporary addiction issues.

Cost: $15 - No registration necessary

 

Workshop: One Breath at A Time

May 30, 2009 9 am to 4 pm

Through a combination of traditional and contemporary Buddhist meditation practices, interactive exercises, lecture, and discussion, the day will explore the ways that Buddhism and the Steps complement each other.

The day is open to all those interested. You need not be in a Twelve Step program, nor have a background in Buddhist meditation. Includes introductory meditation instructions. Beginners are welcome!

Cost $60 - Please pre-register http://www.zendust.org/kevin_griffin.htm

 

Buddhist Festival in the Park – Touching the Earth

June 13, 2009, 12:00 pm to 4:30 pm
Colonel Summers Park, SE 17th and Taylor, Portland, Oregon

Buddhist Festivities -- talks and workshops, teachings and activities for adults and children, information booths by Buddhist Communities

Help with Zen Community of Oregon information booth

Contact: Larry Fuho Trussell lotrussell@yahoo.com

 

Mindful Eating Dinner Event

June 21, 2009 5:30 - 8:30

Special Fundraising Dinner to establish Heart of Wisdom

With food prepared by Chef Corey Schreiber

Mindful Eating exploration with Chozen

Lincoln Restaurant on NE Williams Ave., Portland

More Info

 

24-Hour Chant for Peace

July 31 - August 1

Held at Great Vow Zen Monastery

Volunteer to help with Heart of Wisdom’s chant or

Setting up an information area

Contact: Kodo (Nancy Conover 503-238-0896 elkon2k@pcez.com)

 

I would like to thank all of you who are working hard planning and setting up these events.

It is also very important to keep our existing sitting times and programs going and I would like to thank all the people who have service positions (large and small), for those who lead our sitting/mediation programs every Sunday, Monday mornings, Tuesday, and Thursday…(Shusso - Rinsan, and Fuho, Senryu). Without the constant stability of our fundamental activity we could not go forward with our vision of Heart of Wisdom Zen Temple.

I would like to thank everyone who comes to practice; your practice is the most important part of all that we do. If you do not participate in anything else but practice with the Sangha…that is enough! Please continue.

Of course we must thank all the ordained and residents from Great Vow (especially DT) for all their help and support for Heart of Wisdom Zen Temple.

And from the whole Sangha we extend our gratitude for our teachers, Chozen and Hogen without their tireless leadership and support we would not have this wonderful opportunity to learn, hear and touch the Buddha Dharma.

Gassho,

Kodo Conover

Steering Committee Chair

Heart of Wisdom Zen Temple

 


Heart of Wisdom Zen Temple Update

Email Sent by Nancy Kodo Conover

December 17, 2008

Dear Sangha Friends:

I wanted to give an update on the activities of Heart of Wisdom Zen Temple.

Chozen and Hogen met with the pastor of the 25th and Alberta property but the owners decided that our proposal to lease was not something that they wanted to do at this time.  So our search for a building continues!

Now, more than ever when things are unstable and seemingly chaotic is just the right time to offer the stability and equanimity that Zen practice can afford.  Now is not the time to pull back or become isolated.

But for us to successfully manifest our vision of Heart of Wisdom Zen Temple we must have a very strong and very deep foundation.  This foundation is made up of the Sangha members and our commitment to this project.

As we come to the close of Ango and of another year’s ending and beginning, I encourage you to consider what type of commitment you would like to make to the Heart of Wisdom Zen Temple.  How can the paramitas become apparent in your personal practice and our vow to help all people?

We will be reorganizing the Steering Committee to include the chairs or representatives from our committees.  We will need people to serve on committees, help with membership, communications, programming and strategies for the coming year.  For those with an entrepreneurial bent we need ideas and planning for Zen Works II in Portland.

We now have approximately $26,000 designated for Heart of Wisdom.  You may want to consider a year-end contribution to ZCO…. either to Great Vow, Heart of Wisdom, both or just a general contribution.

I find this to be a very exciting time to be part of Zen Community of Oregon as I develop my own vow around Heart of Wisdom Zen Temple. Please join me in 2009 to take the next steps to awaken the Heart of Wisdom.

Gassho,

Kodo


Fundraising Update

Finance Email Update Sent by Nancy Kodo Conover

October 7, 2008

Dear Sangha:

I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who contributed to the Heart of Wisdom Zen Temple during our recent "Stimulus Package Campaign" which ended on September 5.

While the exact sum for this campaign not yet been determined (we are still waiting for a couple of pledges), we collected at least $8,036. Twenty-three people contributed to this initial fund raising drive.

This allows me to experience generosity by contributing an additional $100 per person (or couple). That will raise our results for the Stimulus Package Campaign for Heart of Wisdom Zen Temple to $10,236.

It is just a beginning but everything needs a beginning, even the Heart of Wisdom. Since the campaign ended there have been other donations, for which we are also very grateful. Let us work together during these next months and years to deeply grow the root of our Zen practice and allow it to bloom as bricks and mortar and as an offering to the larger community and future generations.

Thanks again and gassho,

Kodo

Stimulus Package Challenge
Contributors and Pledges


Chozen and Hogen Bays
Wendy Brown
Michelle Bussard
Darro Breshears-Routon
Nancy Kodo Conover
Linda Frischmeyer
Patrick Bansho Green and Laura Jomon Martin
Greg Hill
Robert Ota
Frankie Paulson
Mark Rinsan and Anne Senryu Pechovnik
Judith Byakuren Ragir
Ron Rubino
Alan Shusterman
Cortlandt Smith
Judy Stamp
Barry Sutton
Abby Mushin Terris
Larry Fuho and Cynthia Trussell
Tracey Kyoko Walen
Julie and David Weiss
Cibyl Shinju Kavan and Ed Gensho Welsh
Paul Wiegand


Building Search Update

We are continuing our search for a new building. On August 14th, the Sangha went to look at a former Masonic Temple for sale at 5131 NE 23rd (SW corner of Sumner & NE 23rd - one block north of Alberta Street). We are also looking at a property on the corner of SE 45th and Main. It was previously viewed by the Sangha last Spring, but a deal for its sale fell through. If you find any buildings that would fit the description below, please contact the Building Search Committee.

Criteria for Finding a Building/Property

1.     Location relative to Sangha:  Located in the area where primary sangha population resides (though obviously not all). A reasonable search area to be bordered (roughly) by the Willamette River, Broadway/Fremont, 65th/Tabor, Woodstock.
2.      Safety: People who attend need to feel safe in the neighborhood.
3.      Zoning: Any property has to have the correct zoning for our purposes.  Focus on churches. Cannot expect to get zoning changed after purchase.
4.      Building code: If a building changes its previously designated use, then it may require prohibitively expensive updating to meet codes for the new use.
5.      Size: PDC is ~ 4,500 sf.  To accommodate projected growth, we will need to consider properties over 8,000 sf.
6.      Parking.  Any activity which regularly has many people coming to it must have approved parking areas, a function of the size of the building and the maximum number of people it is rated for.
7.     Cost: A compromise between optimal location, zoning/code, size, state of repair, and terms of payment.

If you see a building that might fit this bill, please contact anyone on the Building Search Work Group (see names above).

 


We Have a New Name for Our Portland Program!

The board and our teachers, having absorbed the input of the Sangha, having considered the nature of our practice, giving attention to both heart and mind, heaven and earth, have selected …

"Heart of Wisdom Zen Temple"

 


 

 

 

 

Zen Community of Oregon
P.O. Box 368
Clatskanie, OR 97016
(503) 728-0654
Email: info@zendust.org

©2006 Zen Community of Oregon
Updated: October 20, 2009
Site by Michelle Bagley