Minutes of Buddhist Council meeting 2011-02-08
A Jesse Jiryu Davis
Present were:
Judy Chen, Rev. Doyeon Park, Pin- Pin Su, Rev.Hoshu Y.Matsubayashi,
Isabelle Bernard, Judy Seicho Fleischman, Michelle Dunson, Rev.T.K.
Nakagaki, Joren Wagner(taking minutes)
Rev. Doyeon Park -speaks a little about Won Buddhist Temple of
Manhattan where tonight’s meeting takes place
New introductions:
Rev. Hoshu Y. Matsubayashi is the new representative of the New York
Buddhist Church.
Minutes are passed from 1/3/2011
Buddhist Forum:
This years Buddhist Forum will be held at Still Mind Zendo on April
16, 2011. Judy Chen lets the Council know Nick Gershberg has also
offered to be on the committee. Judy Chen and Seicho will send out a
letter to Speakers (still to be chosen) and canters when finalized.
Jiryu will be asked to announce it on the web connecting the centers;
asking each center to put a link on their web-sites. Topic #3 was
chosen “What in Buddhist Practice is important to me?” The council
decides that the Forum program will be formally from 1-5pm and with
preparation and clean-up will actually be 12:30 to 6pm. Seicho again
offers a short review: “Sangha Space” format from last years forum as
it was highly successful and allowed for more interaction on the
topics discussed. Seicho brings up the caution of “preparing for
incompleteness” solutions are not necessarily what will be arrived at
through the forum, Isabelle Bernard suggests there be a “Greeter”
role in addition to other roles such as: clean- up, note-takers, and
preparation. Recruitment will be arranged in advance through the
committee and participating centers. There will be tea, rather than
lunch this year. Seicho offers that the Forum is open to people who
are invested in sanghas as opposed to a public call for interest so as
to encourage all BCNY members to be on for future mutual interaction
and growth.
Vesak:
The Official Vesak day celebration at the United Nations is on May
16th. This year is a celebration of the 2600 year of Buddha’s
Enlightenment. Sri Lanka is the official host of the UN ceremony.
Michelle Dunson volunteers for the event. Isabelle Bernard volunteers
for set-up and clean-up
TK Nakagaki offers some history, speaking about the 2006 national
Vesak held with Bante Kondanna. There have been many countries called
to participate
Other Matters:
Judy Chen is the Buddhist Representative on the planning committee for
“The Dialogue Project” an interfaith organization which last year
Shugen Sensei (Fire Lotus) was the Buddhist Rep. Judy discusses the
notes on this years “teach-in”.
Confirmed Interfaith Teach In Topic: “The 10th Anniversary of 9/11—
An Open Conversation among New Yorkers.”
They concluded with the below three subject areas for the event:
1. Understanding the “stranger” or “other” exploring stereotypes- &
how we apply these teachings today
2. Concepts of conflict transformation (legal codes, community and
individual laws regarding conflict) in our texts and traditions & how
we apply these teachings today
3. Community Trauma and healing in our traditions and how these
rituals/customs have meaning in the 21st century
_____________________
Michelle Dunson is the Representative Buddhist Chaplain to New York
Disaster Interfaith Service. She announces that the next meeting has
been changed an will now be held on March 14th or 15th- She will have
that information at the next BCNY meeting
Next BCNY meeting will be Monday, March 14th at Myo Ji Sunim's place.-