AZC Newsletter May 2025
From Amala-roshi:
We are now in Pipiri, the first lunar month of the Māori year. A well known saying from Tuhoe for Pipiri is “Kua piri ngā mea katoa i te whenua i te mātao, me te tangata”; “All things on earth come together because of the cold, including people”. And in a few weeks time we will gather together as a Sangha to celebrate Jukai (our precepts ceremony) on the Matariki long weekend. Winter, a time of slanting light and reflection, a time for looking forward and for looking back.
Roshi at the Sangha Cottage, winter 2025.
Sangha Cottage opens its doors at Normans Hill Road
As I talked about in the last newsletter, for many, many years, Sensei and I have wanted to be able to offer suitable accommodation to members who wish to come for periods of training or retreat. Finally last year, we committed to building a small two-bedroom house on our own property at Normans Hill Road, where the garage/sleepout used to be.
Ven. Trueman Taylor and Ven. Hanya Gallagher were the first to “try out” the new place, staying before and after summer sesshin. Since then the cottage has been in regular use, much to our joy. If you would like to stay, please talk with me or Sensei. There is no charge but dana towards expenses is appreciated.
"Book party”
In February, one of the Sangha Cottage guests was an old and dear friend of mine, Kit Miller, former director of the Gandhi Institute in Rochester New York. While Kit was in Auckland, we held a “book party” at the Centre to celebrate her recent publication”Culture Shift: Nonviolence at Work”. Many in the Sangha appreciated the chance to meet Kit and have found her book both practical and inspiring. Copies of the book are still available at the Centre.
Roshi, author Kit Miller and Sensei outside the Centre in February 2025.
20th Anniversary Booklet
Last winter we gathered together for our 20th Anniversary Celebrations. This winter we are delighted to launch our 20th Anniversary Booklet. Edited by Sensei and Sally McAra and beautifully designed by Balamohan Shingade, the 88-page booklet contains contributions by Bodhin-roshi, me, Sensei and other Sangha members. Copies are available at the Centre for $30. For shipping within New Zealand, add $7 for postage.
Gassho, Roshi
Sangha members gathered together last winter to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the Centre.
Sangha News
New sitting group
In Ōtautahi Christchurch a sitting group has been meeting for the past year, led by Ven. Hanya, with much support and energy from Jane Ross and Fern McRae. The group is planning on offering its first introduction to Zen workshop soon, once it has located a suitable venue.
New beings
It was a delight to have young ones at the Centre for Vesak this month.
Preparing bouquets for our Vesak celebration
Sohini Shingade at Vesak
Special welcome to Sohini Shingade, just 4 months old and already absorbing the sights and sounds of this world at Vesak and last week at the Ockham Book Awards (see photo below).
Book Awards
Slender Volumes, Sensei’s latest book of poems, made it into the poetry final of the Ockham Book Awards. Congratulations to Sensei and also to Erena and Balamohan Shingade, the founders of Spoor Books and the publishers of Slender Volumes. This is the first book that Spoor Books have published, and the 10th book that Sensei has had published.
Erena and Balamohan Shingade, publishers of Slender Volumes, with Sohini and Sensei at the Ockham Book Awards.
From the Treasurer
2024-2025 Financial Report
As Treasurer I am pleased to present a brief summary of the provisional financial accounts for the 12 months from 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025. The Centre ended the financial year with a surplus of $61,871 before adjustments for debt repayment. This significant improvement is due to reduced staff costs and reduced building costs now the flood repairs have been completed (see Expenses section below for more details).
As always the Centre is dependent upon the generous support of Sangha members for its financial survival. Points of interest to note over the 12 month period to 31 March 2025 are:
Revenue
Revenue was within dollars of the previous financial year over the same period – $126,884 versus $126,888 (2023-2024).
Expenses
There was a significant decline in expenses – dropping from $178,436 to $66,5378. The two drivers of the cost reductions were:
The 2023-2024 expenses included the costs of the flood remediation.
A reduction in staffing costs. This is due to the fact that we are no longer paying Roshi a salary (although she remains the fulltime Spiritual Director of the Centre in a voluntary capacity). Roshi’s extraordinary commitment and generosity continue to nourish the Centre and us all.
Surplus and Paramita Trust loan repayments:
The Centre exists in its current form because of a long-term interest-free loan from the Paramita Trust, established by Roshi and Sensei. The Centre Trustees are now repaying the Paramita Trust, as finances allow.
The Centre’s 2024 - 2025 financials show a surplus of $61,987 (before depreciation and adjustments). This is a marked improvement over the 2023-2024 surplus of $11,114. Of this surplus $36,000 has been used to repay a portion of the debt owing to the Paramita Trust.
In summary
Reduced operating expenses along with the continuing generosity of our teachers and our Sangha members has seen the Centre recover from the impact of the pandemic and flooding to move into surplus over the last two years.
A big thank you to Robin for her bookkeeping skills and for John Allan for finalising the accounts for our annual reporting to Charities Services.
