The HEAR committee will be sponsoring a series of councils to promote sangha harmony and develop our conflict resolution skills by raising controversial issues in a safe setting. The committee is open to your input about what topics fall under this description. Our first council will take up the dynamic relationship of BZC residents
and non- residents. The meeting will be on July 11 at 1:00 pm, convened by Stan Dewey and Laurie Senauke.
The residency program at BZC contributes an important structure to the practice at BZC, and to the sangha. By combining intensified temple practice and rent subsidized housing, residents are able to
commit to following the schedule fully, and provide a backbone for BZC activities. Residents also open their homes for various community programs, thus, sangha members interact with residents in a variety of ways. Over the years, the resident group has evolved (and also stabilized), and market rents in our neighborhood have skyrocketed.
This launching council seeks to open up the issues on both sides of the resident-non-resident divide. Within the safety of the council process, thoughts and feelings can be brought to light,
heard and understood by participants. In the interest of having a deep conversation about a complicated set of issues and considerations, we are keeping the number of non-resident to roughly equal the number of resident participants. The committee knows of some members who might have particular interest in participating, but we are open to others. Members who would like to be considered to participate in this council should indicate their interest to the conveners. The conveners will make invitations with the aim of having broad representation of opinion and feeling.