Dear Kadampa Center Family and Friends,
What an amazing year 2022 has been – the dharma is flourishing at Kadampa Center!
So much has been accomplished over the past year to insure that Kadampa Center is on a sustainable and secure path to continue to offer the precious Dharma. The entire community has continually joined together to accomplish so much during these challenging times.
Whether giving once or becoming a Monthly Sustainer, we’ve made it easier than ever to give! There is no need to fill out a separate pledge form. Simply fill out the online giving form and choose your Sustainer gift amount and frequency.
With deep appreciation for your support!
This past month alone has been one of the most phenomenal periods in Kadampa Center’s history as we hosted Sera Jey Khensur Rinpoche Jetsun Lobsang Delek for an extended series of precious teachings. What wonderful inspiration as we engage our community and continue to work together to create a sustainable future.
We are blessed with an amazing community.
Expanded Teachings
Sunday Dharma with Geshe Gelek, Circumambulation Practice, Discovering Buddhism, and Sunday morning meditation – all in-person while continuing our expanded virtual offerings achieving a hybrid teaching environment.
Going Solar
We are living our values by installing a solar energy array on our roof, partially funded by a grant, that will provide almost all our electric needs for years to come.
Turning Faith Into Action
Reaching Across the Globe
Our online Zoom presence has enabled people from far-flung areas to hear Geshe-la teach, including Spanish-speaking students, thanks to Ale Almeda’s translation skills on Sunday mornings. People are coming online from Argentina, Mexico, Thailand, and Canada, as well as many other states in the US.
Expanded Practice Space
We built a beautiful brick path that allows our community to safely circumambulate our entire gompa and all the holy objects inside, as well as the stupa.
Community Garden Work Days
Volunteers led by our Grounds Team worked hard all year long on a variety of tasks as we prepared for our Circumambulation Path and developed plans for the Buddha Shrine and Community Garden.
Prayer Wheels Painted
What started as a fairly simple job of cleaning the prayer wheels turned into a major project of refinishing and painting the wood frame, and finding the proper ball bearings to balance the beautiful newly gilded prayer wheels.
Stupa and Building Cleaned
Volunteers came together to wash and clean our stupa and the exterior of our building…no small job!
Geshe Sangpo's Book
Celebrated with our own Geshe Palden Sangpo on the launch of his new book, Opening the Door to Happiness: A Commentary on the Thirty-Seven Practices of a Bodhisattva.
Geshe Sangpo’s intention for writing this book is to benefit all who read it. He freely offers this book as a teaching and will make no monetary gain from its release. Through the generosity of many kind benefactors, copies of Opening the Door to Happiness: A Commentary on the Thirty-Seven Practices of a Bodhisattva are being freely given away at the center while supplies last.
Hosted Khensur Rinpoche
We had the amazing opportunity to host our teachers’ teacher, Sera Jey Khensur Rinpoche Jetsun Lobsang Delek for the past month. Khensur Rinpoche offered teachings, initiations, empowerments, and many, many blessings to our community.
Sand Mandala at Elon
Geshe Sangpo returned to Elon University for the eighth year to create a sand mandala for peace and healing.
“When people come here to view and experience the creation of this mandala, which represents the calling together of all the positive, peaceful energy, they are each bringing a little piece of that energy with them, and they all leave with the collective energy they’ve generated,” said Elise Strevel, Kadampa Center’s Outreach Coordinator.
2022 has been an amazing year and we believe 2023 will be just as wonderful!
Working with diligence and dedication, keeping a conservative budget, and with generous donations of both service and financial gifts, our experiences together this year were more than we ever imagined.
With a robust team of volunteers, we expanded teachings, created a hybrid teaching environment, expanded practice space, signed a contract to go solar, and hosted Khensur Rinpoche. What an incredibly dynamic year!
We start 2023 with humble goals once again. Maintaining a conservative operational budget, while focusing on Kadampa Center’s mission of keeping the dharma rich and present.
As plans are developed for building a shrine for our garden buddha, enhancing our grounds, and Light of the Path ~ you will learn of special fundraising opportunities.
For many years now, the actions that enable us to create a budget and sustain our operation have been your commitment to our sustainer support. Please take a few moments in this holiday season to renew (or boost!) your sustainer giving or make a one-time donation in support of Kadampa Center. If you do not give monthly, please consider signing up. Our online donation process is easier than ever, and it is no longer necessary to fill out a separate pledge with your donation.
We both thank you for your generosity and ask that you continue to do what you can to contribute to a sustainable future for Kadampa Center.
With much love and deep appreciation,
Robbie Watkins,
Center Director
Sandy Carlson,
President of the Board of Directors
– 2023 INITIATIVES AND EVENTS –
