Honey Locust Sangha
Omaha Community of Mindful Living
  • Home
  • Our Practice
    • Weekly Meditation
    • Monthly Half Day of Mindfulness
    • Days of Mindfulness
    • Annual Retreat >
      • Retreat Sign Up
    • TNH Quarterly Video Series
    • Monthly Calendar
  • Practice Resources
    • Gathas (Mindfulness Verses)
    • Beginning Anew
    • The Five Remembrances >
      • November 2022 CTC Minutes
    • Mindful Breathing (Meditation 101)
    • Touching the Earth
    • 5 Contemplations (Eating Meditation) >
      • August 2022 CTC Minutes
      • CTC Minutes April 24 2022
    • 5 Mindfulness Trainings (Guidance for Mindful Living)
    • Deep Relaxation
    • Meditating with Difficult Feelings
    • Peace Treaty (A Practice for Dealing with Anger)
    • Outdoor Walking Meditation
    • Indoor Walking Meditation
    • Meditation on No Birth, No Death
  • Articles by Thich Nhat Hanh
    • The Heart Sutra
    • Flames of Prayer
    • March 2021 CTC minutes
    • On Reincarnation
    • Mother Earth Is Inside Of Us
    • Walking Meditation
    • The Story of a River
    • Why Do We Have to Die One Day?
    • Impermanence
    • Poem: In Praise of Mother Earth
  • Dharma Talks by Some of Our Teachers
  • Sangha Musings - Poems, Prayers, Reflections
  • Videos
  • Christian/Buddhist Dialogue Articles
    • Richard Rohr- Unitive Consciousness
    • Thich Nhat Hanh- Home is the Way: A Christmas Message
    • Paul Knitter- God/Love: the compassionate energy of the interconnecting spirit.
    • Katherine Fransson- Eyes of Thich Nhat Hanh
    • Mike McMahon- An Introduction to Christian/Buddhist dialogue
    • David Stendl-Rast- A Catholic Monk Practicing Buddhism
    • Thich Nhat Hanh- The Holy Spirit and Mindfulness
    • Thich Nhat Hanh- Going Back to Our Religious Roots
    • Anthony de Mello, SJ.- Conversations with the Master
    • Mike McMahon-A Lotus Blooming in the Catholic Church
    • Mike McMahon- Buddhist Approach to Doctrine (Teachings are relative truth)
    • Joan Chittister- Practice Compassion and You Will Become It
    • August 2022 CTC Minutes
    • Notes from Thomas Merton's Asian Journal
    • Paul Knitter
  • Caretaking Council
    • February 2023 CTC Minutes
    • January 2023 CTC
    • December 2022 minutes
    • November 2022 CTC Minutes
    • October 2022 CTC Minutes
    • August 2022 CTC Minutes
    • July 2022 CTC Miinutes
    • June 2022 CTC minutes
    • April 24 2022 CTC Minutes
    • April 10 2022 CTC Minutes
    • March 2022 CTC minutes
    • February 2022 CTC Minutes
    • January 2022 CTC Minutes
    • December 2021 CTC Minutes
    • November 2021 CTC minutes
    • October 2021 CTC Minutes
    • September 2021 Minutes
    • August 2021 CTC Minutes
    • July 2021 CTC Minutes
    • June 2021 CTC Minutes
    • April 2021 CTC Minutes
    • February 202CTC Minutes
    • January 2021 CTC Minutes
    • November 2020 CTC Minutes
    • October 2020 CTC minutes
    • Sept 2020 CTC minutes
    • January 19, 2020 CTC Minutes >
      • November 2022 CTC Minutes
    • October 2019 CTC minutes
    • September 2019 CTC Minutes
    • August 2019 Caretaking Coucil
    • March 2019 Caretaking Council Minutes
    • October 2018 CTC minutes
    • September 2018 CTC minutes
    • August 2018 CTC Minutes
    • July 2018 CTC minutes
    • April 2018 CTC Minutes
    • January 2018 CTC Minutes
    • November 2017 CTC minutes
    • August 2017 CTC Minutes
    • July 2017 CTC Minutes
    • May 2017 CTC Minutes
    • April 2017 CTC Minutes
    • March 2017 CTC Minutes
    • September 2016 Minutes
  • Adventures in Buddhist/Christian Spirituality
  • Sangha Directory
  • March 2023 CTC Minutes

HLS Caretaking Council  Sunday, July 8   2018
Present: Mark Watson, Laura Silbernick, Colleen Brown, Dave Watts, Mike McGann, Mike McMahon
Absent: Gina Matkin, Beth Bross


The meeting was begun with a short meditation, a check in, and a reading of Thay's “Meditation before Meetings” (which we actually remembered about halfway through:-)

1) Review of Sangha Bylaws
      A) Mark will check with a lawyer to advise whether or not we should include an     
indemnification clause in the bylaws.
       B) Discussion of previous decision to include dana for teacher in the retreat registration cost.  Discussion of how to include those who can't afford the retreat, especially with this increased cost.  It was decided to add this phrase to the bylaws: "Regardless of finances, no one who wishes to attend the retreat will be turned away".  Item VII of Financial Policies and Procedures now reads: Retreat teacher dana shall be included in the registration fee. Regardless of finances, no one who wishes to attend the retreat will be turned away. Explanation of dana shall be provided prior to registration.
        C) Amanda has graciously agreed to type and edit the final version of the bylaws. A copy of the bylaws will be kept in the Sangha information book, on the website, and by each of the Order of Interbeing Members.


2) Discussion of how often the CTC should meet.  Currently meeting every month, the discussion was whether to meet only every other month.  After some discussion it was decided that the monthly meeting is helpful in deepening our relationships and our practice together and it was agreed to continue meeting on a monthly basis.  Because of a scheduling conflict at the Yoga Path, it was decided to begin meeting from 12:30 pm-2:30pm (previously has been 2pm to 4pm) pending the approval of council member Beth Bross who was absent (Gina Matkin had already approved the time change).  

3) Payments to Yoga Path
        A)Discussion of payments to Yoga Path for monthly and weekly HLS practice events. Despite a significant increase in HLS activity at the Yoga Path ( a weekly Friday evening meditation, a monthly OI pre-aspirant gathering) the amount paid has not increased from $260 (this represented payment of $200/month for Monday night meditation plus $60 for two other monthly activities).    It was decided to have the finance committee take a closer look at HLS income, HLS activity at the Yoga Path and determine a fair and affordable monthly rental to be paid to the Yoga Path.  The finance committee will meet within 3 months time and make a determination.  Until an official decision is made, the CTC decided to pay an interim monthly fee of $500/month to the Yoga Path.
         B) Discussion of possible conflict of interest with Mark, as director of the Yoga Path,  being on the HLS board and being a payee of rent  from HLS.  Decision was made, due to lack of time, to return to this topic.


4) Discussion of whether HLS should continue to participate in the monthly e-talks given by Brother Chan Huy.  The talks have been part of a monthly half DOM the sangha has been engaged in for several years.  It was decided to discontinue the HLS participation in the etalks.   Some possible alternatives were discussed regarding ways of doing the monthly half- DOM, and for having a dharma talk as part of the DOM, but nothing was decided upon, again due to time constraints.  

5) Reciept of Treasurer's report.  Balance in HLS account as of July 8, 2018 is $4621.37

The meeting was closed with a lovely reflection provided by Mike McGann.




The Honey Locust Sangha / Omaha Community of Mindful Living is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. All funds donated help to fulfill the mission of practicing and raising awareness of the mindfulness practice in the Thich Nhat Hanh / Plum Village tradition.

​You can donate (provide Dana) using the PayPal link at the left (you do not need a PayPal account) or send via Venmo to @HoneyLocust. Please indicate General Dana or specific event (December DoM, for example) in the text via Venmo.