June 2018 Newsletter
The Temple is Now Fully Open
You may remember from the April newsletter that shortly before the property purchase was completed, our mortgage provider had questioned whether we were allowed to function as a Buddhist Temple with the current residential use class that the new property has. They had asked us to check this with the council, and not to use the property as a Buddhist Temple in the meantime.
We are very happy to be able to let you know that this situation has now been resolved. The council did not require us to apply for a change of use for the property, and our mortgage provider is happy with their response.
This means that the temple is now fully open, and the calendar of events has now been reinstated on the website.
We hope you will come and sit with us in our new Meditation Hall.
Some Initial Improvements
We have also made a start on tidying up the property and rearranging things so that they work better for the temple. Even small things like coat hooks and towel rails make a big difference.
We have also been doing some more work in the garden, and our Tuesday working meditation days have been a great help. Thank you to all those who have come along to help. We have done a lot of weeding both in the back garden and at the front of the property, and this week we cleaned off the back garden fence, on the park side, and re-stained it - see the photos below.
In previous weeks we had cut back the hedge which was leaning right over the garden, and it is looking a lot smarter now. The fence is not in perfect condition, having been damaged by the ivy that was covering it in places, but hopefully it will last for a good while yet.
Alms Bowl Requests
Thank you to all those who have donated items to the temple. We are very grateful for donations of any household or other items that the temple might be able to use. Please contact Rev. Aiden if you have an item to offer but are not sure whether it would be useful.
Donations of Food
Offering food is a traditional way to support a monk, and all donations of vegetarian food are most welcome. In particular:
- peanuts or other nuts
- porridge oats
- peanut butter
- fresh fruit and vegetables (except garlic or peppers)
- fresh or dried herbs
- yoghurt and eggs
- brown rice and pasta
Any other suitable items would also be appreciated.
Donations
The temple is dependent on donations for its continued existence, and any financial support you are able to offer is greatly appreciated. Details of how to offer support can be found on the Donations page of the website.