Honey Locust Sangha
Omaha Community of Mindful Living
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May, 2017 CTC Minutes

HONEY LOCUST SANGHA CARE TAKING COUNCIL (CTC) MEETING NOTES
 
Our CTC Meeting took place on 5/7/17 from 2:30 – 4:30 at the Yoga Path.

CTC Members Present: Gina, Mark, Mike, Megan, Dave, and Colleen  
CTC Members Not Present: Patrice, Amanda, Beth
Sangha Member(s) in Attendance: Laura, Taylor
 
CTC MEETING
 
Before discussing the agenda items:
  • Singing Meditation
  • Check in 
  • Sitting Meditation
  • Reading of “Thay’s “Meditation before Meetings”
  • Gina announced that she will use recycled paper for our Agenda or she will repurpose the used Agendas.
  •  April CTC Minutes have been posted on the Sangha Web Site.

1.  Financial issues 
  • The Treasurer and OIs are authorized to spend the Sangha’s money.
  • If expenditures are over $200, they should consult with the CTC.
  • The Finance Committee has a scheduled meeting on 5/13. 
  • The Finance Committee will present recommendations to the CTC about:
    • Priya’s issues from January email
    • Budget 
    • Guidelines on giving  (TNH Foundation, retreat scholarships, requests for funding, and books/resources for OIs, prison libraries, and the Sangha library
 
2.  CTC Meeting Time
     Changed to 2:00 – 4:00, remains the 2nd Sunday of the month
 
3.  Retreat Feedback
  • We all agreed that the retreat was wonderful and many thought it was our best ever.
  • The feedback was very positive and there were few complaints.  
  • There were a couple comments about rooms being cold.
  • The extra day was popular.  However, the survey was sent to only those who could come to a 4-day retreat. 
  •  People really enjoyed the small groups.  We had a request to have small groups meet every day - even if it  is only be a meet and greet the first night and to say good bye the last day.  
  • There should be more than four people in each group. 
  • People liked the food and especially liked that it was from the Table Grace restaurant.
  • We had requests for a looser vegan menu that includes whole grains, eggs, and cheese.
 
4.  Chanting 
  • Laura requested that we add Metta Chanting to our Monday meetings.  She said she would send a link and the words to a beautiful chant.  
  • We talked about various chants in the Plum Village tradition.  We also discussed singing along with Michael Ciborski’s chanting CD.
  • There was talk about starting a Chanting Study Group with Laura, Gina, Amanda, and maybe Priya.
  • The Chanting Study Group could learn chants and lead the rest of the Sangha.  Mike suggested we learn some of the traditional chants used for ceremonies and other practices – such as inviting the bell, the chants used when transmitting the 5MTs, etc.


5.  Deep Relaxation 
  • There may be interest in an alternate time/day of practice for Deep Relaxation if people want to do this on a more regular basis. 
  • We talked about scheduling a 45-minute Deep Relaxation during one of our Monday nights. 
  • We discussed adding this to our other Monday night practices:
    • Earth Touchings
    • Beginning Anew
    • Hugging Meditation
    • Dancing Meditation
    • Five Mindfulness Trainings
 
6.  Honey Locust Sangha Web Site 
The CTC section of our Web Site is out of date.  We need to look at it and send Angie the new verbiage. 
     
7.  Visiting Dharma teachers
We talked about providing a stipend for those who are hosting and feeding our Dharma teachers.  Mark stated that the benefits that accrue to the host are priceless and that there was no need for a stipend.  Hosts can request a reimbursement for extra expenses if needed.

8.  Sangha Monthly Meetings
·          2nd Sunday - CTC   2:00 - 4:00
·         3rd Sunday - Order of Interbeing Aspirants
·         4th Sunday - Women’s Circle  1:00 - 3:00
 
9. Sangha Tax Status
Dave Watts and Gina (and their respective attorney friends) will look at the Tax status issue for the sangha and report back. The tax reports we have seen suggest that we are automatically tax exempt since we are classified as a “religious organization” or a “church’ per the IRS definition. We do not have to file for 501c3 status to have our status, but we may need it in order for sangha members to deduct their personal donations from their taxes. This is the benefit, but there are a number of drawbacks including tracking and reporting donations, filing with the IRS annually, and a fee we would have to pay to register as a 501c3. They will talk over the pros and cons with legal counsel and get back to the sangha. 
 
10.  Next CTC meeting
July 9 at the Yoga Path at 2:00 - 4:00.  No June meeting.
 
11.  June Agenda Items
  • Add a regular committee report for the Finance Committee to each agenda.  
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.

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