Our Centre’s Location – An UpdateListening Carefully to Thoughts and ConcernsWe would like to thank all of you who attended the Community Gathering on 28th October on the future of the Centre. A lot of good points were raised at the meeting as well as ideas and offers of support, and we are holding all this and keeping it safe.
We want to let you know what has been happening since this meeting. Over this time, we have been listening to many Sangha members. Everyone’s view is important to us. However, it became apparent that for some local Order members there was a need for the Trustees to hear more about their thoughts and, particularly, their concerns about moving from Turner Street.
Honouring the Role of Order MembersOur Manchester Buddhist Centre is significant to all of us, but maybe particularly so for many Order members – who give, or have given, much time and energy to the Centre. Many of them have worked here, or for one of our right livelihood businesses over the years. Many have lived in one of our communities at some point, some for a long period of time. We wanted to honour the important role the Order play in the spiritual welfare of our Sangha and listen more deeply to the thoughts of Order members involved. This seems important for us at this stage. The local Order also has a direct relationship with us as a charity – they make up the membership body for the Centre. Any big decision, like moving, must be done in consultation with our membership.
Next StepsThis has led us to want to go back to before the Trustees made the decision, so that any decision about staying or moving from Turner Street is made in consultation with the help of the Order. A new Order Engagement Kula has been set up to help us do this and they held a meeting for Order members in January to hear more fully their thoughts. At the meeting people volunteered to take on certain actions, for example the creation of working groups – one group will build on the work already done to assess the viability of staying at Turner Street and will include the need for improved access, another group will research options for finding a new home. This research needs to happen in parallel to a visioning process that will start in Spring.
Even though this next phase is focused on the Order, it doesn’t mean that the involvement of the wider Sangha is any less important. It is crucial and essential to us that we involve the wider Sangha in this process when we have completed this particular stage.
Manchester Buddhist Centre
16-20 Turner Street
Northern Quarter, M4 1DZ
0161 834 9232
info@manchesterbuddhistcentre.org.uk
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