At the November 29^th board meeting, Ginger Harris was welcomed as both a new board member and as board treasurer.  For the past 4 months, Ginger has volunteered, assisting treasurer John Wiley, learning our bookkeeping system and helping to develop a transparent system for tracking our capital campaign incomes and expenditures. As a further example of dana to support our sangha, John will continue serving on the board as an “at large” member.

Ginger brings a complex background of corporate industrial management experience, local non-profit organization oversight, and long and varied experience with various Zen sanghas.  We are truly grateful and excited to benefit from her dedication and experience as we enter this next phase of our sangha’s growth.      

– Bob Rose, Board President 

Learn more about Ginger and all of our board members on the Board of Directors page of our website.

Members helping members: we’re looking to revive a pool of folks who can offer things like

Members needing a hand:   If you are in need of assistance, sangha may be able to help.

Your privacy is respected.  Contact membership@redarzen.org’

Here's a wonderful short talk by Chân Huong Dien Tracey Pickup who is a member of Thich Nhat Hanh's Order of Interbeing. Desiree invited her to Zen Alive! on November 27th.

Exciting news: the Re-Store has cleared out the office divider walls in our new home. Please attend (and RSVP) our Open House and Work Party to take a look, mingle, and even do a little work in the backyard on Saturday December 10th, 2022 from 10am-noon.

And check out the video tour of our new building!

During Rohatsu, you can still join your sangha for practice at the usual weekly times:

Thursday evening 7-9 pm: zazen, orientation, kin-hin, zazen, refuges and close. Join us in person or via Zoom.

Friday morning 7-7:30: Robe chant, doshi opening and zazen. This is different than the usual informal Friday morning sit. Join us via Zoom.

Saturday morning 7-8:30: normal Saturday morning format. Join us via Zoom.

Sunday Zen Alive! 10-noon: Back to our normal schedule.

Thanksgiving
Thursday: Zendo closed (no morning or evening sit)
Friday - Sunday: Usual schedule (Friday am informal sit, Saturday am practice, Sunday Zen Alive!)

Year-end
Year-end pause: The zendo will be closed and our weekly schedule suspended beginning December 24th and through December 31st. 
New Year's Day: A special Zen Alive! to start our new year together as a sangha!

Dear Sangha,

As we approach our national holiday of gratitude there is much to be grateful for in our sangha, in our world. Thank you so much for your ongoing support of Red Cedar Zen as an organization and, more importantly, as a group of people pulling together towards peace, clarity, and understanding. 

And I'm grateful that we're gradually making headway on our new building at 2509 Cedarwood (stopped by to take a peek yet?). Hopefully we'll have most of the interior office walls out in the next weeks and we'll be able to have another open house to see emerging possibilities there. Tentatively hold the date of December 10th at 10am for a Building Open House - to be confirmed. Much to be grateful for, so much.

Much to be grateful for, and much to mourn as we take in the news of yet another hate inspired mass shooting. And so many other tragedies and disasters. And that our wonderful holiday of Thanksgiving also rests a false narrative from our dominant culture's oppression of the native cultures that were already here. 

I'm grateful there that the Samish Nation put together this wonderful website of Coast Salish place names and stories with how the words are actually said. Check out how "Whatcom" is truly said! I felt such joy and such sadness and embarrassment that I had no idea that Coast Salish languages include these fabulous sounds - sounds I don't even know how to make. I notice my awareness of these issues comes in waves. Listening carefully to how X’wótqwem is actually said feels like another step in that journey of understanding.

Wishing you joy and peace in the holidays. And I hope many of us will be able to gather for our Zen celebration of gratitude for the example of the Buddha at the Rohatsu Sesshin next week.

Yours,
Nomon Tim

Nomon Tim has recently been exploring Zen Forms and Ritual with the sangha on Thursday evenings. Check out the first five talks here.

I'm looking forward to this year's Winter Practice Period with Shuso Ikushun Desiree Webster leading us in an exploration of the Heart of Buddha's teachings. Check out the great overview page Michael Kelberrer put together to learn the schedule and options.

-Nomon Tim

Our connection with the Japanese Zen origins of our lineage were renewed recently. The temple that Shuryu Suzuki roshi left in 1959 is a medium-sized community oriented temple in the coastal town of Yaizu called Rinso-in. The temple was originally founded in year 1472! 

We recently contributed the following message for their celebratory ceremonies to commemorate their 550th anniveray:

With gratitude for the continuous and generous practice of the Suzuki family. We wouldn't be here without you. Your friends at Red Cedar Zen Community in Bellingham, Washington.

(we were limited to a 28 word "telegram"!)

And then were honored to receive this message from Shungo Suzuki, Shuryu's grandson and himself a priest at Rinso-in:

Dear Red Cedar Zen Community Members,

We unexpectedly received a congratulatory telegram, from the Red Cedar Zen Community for the 550th anniversary ceremony of Rinso-in.

The heartwarming congratulatory telegram was read out at the beginning of the ceremony and offered in front of the Buddha and Shunryu roshi.

We, the members of Rinso-in, were very touched by your thoughtfulness.

We hope that Rinso-in Temple will be your spiritual home in Japan.

I'm really thankful to you.

Nine bows,

Shungo

And please note that Red Cedar Zen is in the early stages of planning a sangha visit to Japan in the first half of May, 2024, which we very much hope will include a visit to this our spiritual home in Japan.