[Fcm-News] FCM 2007 Year End Update and Revised Mission Statement

[Andrew Solis]

FLORIDA COMMUNITY OF MINDFULNESS

 

Dear Sangha, 

As we enter the last quarter of 2007, I am reminded that during this time of
year, regardless of our religious heritage, we give thanks for the many
blessings we have received.  It is a very "Buddhist" time of year since we
are encouraged to offer gratitude and generosity to one another.
Accordingly, I would like to take this opportunity to give thanks to
everyone for their support of the Florida Community of Mindfulness ("FCM")
and our teacher, Fred, during the past year.  The year 2006 was a year of
transitions which fundamentally changed how FCM and our individual sangha's
practiced together and related to our teacher.  The year 2007 has been a
year of things falling into place and the practice of the community
deepening as a whole.  In Tampa, the Dancing Waters Sangha is settling into
having a resident teacher and adjusting to the influx of new participants.
In mid-year, the St. Petersburg Sangha manifested itself and now has a
growing number of members.  The Naples Sangha has pulled together after
Fred's relocation to St. Pete and has deeply embraced the practice of
Sangha.  It was aided greatly by the experiences and support of the Dancing
Waters Sangha.  

This year has already been a very active one that offered many opportunities
to deepen our understanding of the Buddha Way and our commitment to the Five
Mindfulness Trainings.  Fred lead two three day retreats at the Franciscan
Center in Tampa, a week-long retreat at Southern Dharma Retreat Center in
North Carolina, guided over forty Sangha members in a six month intensive,
and is currently involved in a ninety day intensive with almost fifty
participants. Fred continues to travel to Naples twice a month to teach and
teaches weekly in Tampa and bi-weekly in St. Pete.  It is easy to see why
Thay ordained Fred as Brother "True Energy."  Please join me in thanking
Fred for his endless energy and for all of his efforts on our behalf.   As a
whole, this has been of year of physical growth and, most importantly,
spiritual growth for FCM.  I consider myself blessed to have had the
opportunity to walk the Path with all of you in 2007 and look forward to
continuing on the Path together with you in 2008.

This past summer, several members expressed an interest in forming other
local sangha's and having them added to the FCM website.  These requests,
combined with the organizational changes from 2006, caused the Board of
Directors to look deeply at FCM's mission, what the Board's role is in
relation to the local sanghas, and how FCM relates to Fred.  After much
discussion and emailing, the Board, Pat Dugan (Naples), Angie Parrish
(Tampa), Jacqulyn Schuett (St. Pete), Bill Vollmer (Naples), and I developed
a revised Mission Statement for FCM that more accurately expresses the
Board's and Fred's vision for FCM.  The new Mission Statement is attached as
a .PDF file and will be posted on the FCM website in the near future.  The
Board welcomes any questions and/or comments you may have.  Feel free to
email them to me or any other Board member. 

            As we look towards the New Year, the Board of Directors will
again begin its budgeting process and planning of retreats and events for
2008.  FCM functions and supports our teacher through membership dues and
"dana."  Dana is the Sanskrit word for generosity and one of the six
paramitas or heart practices of Mahayana Buddhism.  It is a fundamental
practice in our tradition.  It is generosity that arises out of a grateful
and appreciative mind state, and further helps us to develop an open and
boundless heart.  In the coming year, the Board will seek to increase its
support for Fred and provide more opportunities to deepen our practice.
Please consider supporting FCM with an additional donation prior to the
year's end so that it can continue to increase its support for our teacher
and provide more opportunities for the Sangha to practice.  FCM is
recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)3 tax exempt, religious organization and
any donations made are entirely tax deductible.  Any donation in excess of
$250.00 will be acknowledged with a letter confirming the donation.

            Membership in FCM is another means of supporting the community
and FCM's Mission.  Being a member is both a commitment to supporting the
transmission of the Dharma and a means of deepening one's understanding of
the Middle Way.  Over time, more and more members are coming to see
ourselves as Fred's students, and Fred is likewise relating more and more
directly as our teacher.  Through developing a personal student-teacher
relationship with Fred, one is better able to deepen one's understanding and
practice of Dharma through one-on-one guidance from Fred, the annual
intensives, and the various retreats throughout the year. Due to the growth
FCM has experienced in the last few years, intensives, retreats, interviews,
and consultation on practice issues is now limited to members.  In early
December, we will begin sending out membership forms for the 2008 calendar
year

            Thank you to all of you that donated either financially or
through your time during this past year.   I would like to thank Jacqulyn
Schuett for her efforts in organizing the St. Pete Sangha, Wes Cowley for
providing FCM with its website and intensive forums, Dennis Brown his legal
and accounting expertise, and last, but not least, Angie Parrish who's
organizational skills made our two retreats at the Franciscan Center
seamless.   Thank you also to everyone that has supported FCM in the year
2007 by simply being "present" at the weekly meditations.

May all beings be happy and free from suffering.

 

In the Dharma,

 

Andy Solis, President

                                                            Florida
Community of Mindfulness, Inc.

            

 

 

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