Fwd: Ryumonji Schedule and Events

[kal...@att.net]

kal...@att.net

Begin forwarded message:

From: Shoken <ryum...@acegroup.cc>

Date: August 1, 2009 3:39:38 PM CDT

To: undisclosed-recipients:;

Subject: Ryumonji Schedule and Events

Reply-To: sho...@ryumonji.org

Dear friends of Ryumonji,

I hope your summer is going well.  We are sending this little up-date on this late summer and fall events.

As you know, we have been doing a regular Sunday morning schedule of 9:00 a.m. zazen, followed by tea and dharma discussion.  There has been a small regular group which seems to be growing.

There is also a public sitting at Ryumonji every Thursday evening at 7:30 p.m., followed by tea and cookies in the Kuin.  Jikan-san also has a public sitting on Tuesday evenings at 7:00 p.m. in Decorah at 510 Baker Av.

On Saturday, August 15 there will be our annual summer Work Day from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.  Come and enjoy the many tasks that keep Ryumonji so beautiful.  Your help is deeply appreciated.  And it's fun!

The summer ango (practice period) will conclude in a couple of weeks on Sunday, August 16th with a closing ceremony at 10:00 a.m. following the usual morning schedule.  The closing ceremony will also include a Memorial Service for past Board member Jean Young.  Her ashes have been returned to Ryumonji from Iowa City Medical Center where she had donated her body.  We will bury her ashes at a new burial site prepared near Ryumonji's Peace Pole.  Anyone is welcome to participate in the ceremony and burial procession to the burial site.  There will be a pot-luck lunch following the burial ceremony.  Ryumonji will provide a main dish.

The bell project is still on!  The bronze bell (300 lbs.) will be poured at a foundry in the Twin Cities.  We had hoped to do the pouring at Ryumonji, but were unable to coordinate two furnaces to handle the size of the pour.  We don't have a date as of yet, but expect it to be this Fall.  After the pour we will transport the bell back to Ryumonji and have a dedication ceremony at the Ryumonji Bell Tower.  Will keep you posted.

Our next weekend sesshins are scheduled for the third weekends in Sept., Oct. and Nov.  Those dates are September 18-20, October 16-18, and November 20-22.  Weekend sesshins begin at 7:30 p.m. on Friday evenings and end after lunch on Sunday.  The annual Rohatsu sesshin is always scheduled Dec. 1-8.  There will be a lay ordination on Sunday, October 18th at 11:00 a.m.

And finally mark your calendar for the Taste of Ryumonji.  This is our annual Fall Open House and Auction/Sale Event.  Don't miss the pie auction and wonderful art and craft items prepared by Ryumonji members.  It's the first weekend in October, Sunday afternoon 1:00 - 5:00 p.m., October 4th.

To register for any of these events contact the office at:  off...@ryumonji.org.

For more information on any of these events check out our revised web page at Ryumonji Zen Monastery

Look forward to seeing you.