Treasurer Report
- Please see attached for details
- Halfway through the year and the ADZG has raised $50K
- Because a new accounting system is being used, it is difficult to compare with previous years. Going forward, it will be much easier to compare annual reports.
- LiveOak Building fund currently has close to $240K, general savings has about $82K, and checking has approximately $35K at the end of June, 2025.
- Traditionally, most of the ADZG revenue comes at the end of the year with fundraising, and the sum total typically fluctuates up and down throughout the year.
- The programming that ADZG has been doing so far this year has been effective in revenue building.
- Overall, ADZG is doing well financially at this point in the year.
Financials Update
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- Continuing segue to Zeffy, now all credit card transactions for new donations are being made via Zeffy
- Tracking monthly donations as well as one-time donations is going well. Statements are easier to track. This will help the Treasurer in tracking donation revenue.
- Adrienne recommends sending out an email to monthly donors who are still using Stripe to explain the steps to segue to Zeffy, as well as posting instructions on the website. Also posting the QR code for Zeffy donating in the temple.
- Adrienne and Paula are planning to go to Chase later this summer to open the ADZG account.
- All new monthly donors and one-time donations are going through Zeffy at this time.
Actionable Items
- Discussion of amendments to the Ethics and Reconciliation Documents adopted in 2012. The update of our policies will have a more expansive view of what our ethical obligations include.
- The amended document will also have better policies around formal dispute resolution, especially for wrongdoing by Sangha leaders
- It is divided into two sections:
- Standards of Conduct that all Sangha members and leaders are expected to abide by, essentially the Bodhisattva Precepts
- Procedures for Conflict Resolution
- Procedures discussed for Conflict Resolution calls for the creation of “Sangha Harmony Allies”
- Includes the Guiding Teacher and other persons appointed by the Board, either in advance or on a case-by-case basis
- Term of office of one year
- Their role is essentially to hear people’s concerns regarding intrapersonal disputes
- Allows and supports voicing and discussing concerns
- Complaints can be raised to the level of the Board and notifying the Board that there has been a violation of ethical procedures
- Board could then refer to a panel (two Harmony Allies and one non-Harmony Ally) for resolution of a intrapersonal dispute
- In the case of ethical disputes, discussion and fact finding cannot be delegated and requires the entire Board to become involved in fact finding, determining what has happened, and preparing ADZG’s response
- This could include involving an attorney in fact finding and rendering an opinion of what has happened
- After further discussion, the Board decides to carry the vote to adopt the documents forward to the next meeting and allow time to clarify the language involving “Sangha Harmony Allies” and description of their responsibilities
Guiding Teacher Report
- There is a wonderful general deepening of practice and sangha
- Two new meditation and recovery groups are being formed with Mark Splitt, Karen Lukasek, and Paula, one in person only, and one online. Needed offering
- New meet up groups should have two people in charge so they can cover each other. If in person at the temple, two people in case something occurs and two people are needed
- Need to figure out how to have two separate Zoom meetings on the same account, or do we need a separate account for when two events occur simultaneously
- Working on Lay Dharma Entrustment with Brian Taylor, Dharma Transmission with Paula, will happen in the next couple years
- Priest Ordination for Reuben November 23, 2025 at ADZG Temple
- Hogetsu will be starting a new Precepts class, open to everyone, but particularly for Jukai, beginning in October.
- Peter Nicholson has been recruited for the Finance Committee, who runs his own non-for-profit
- Hogetsu would like the Board to begin a process for a capital campaign in January 2026 in order to purchase a property for a temple. This would be a multi-year campaign
Fundraising Update
- The Summer Monthly Donor Campaign is going well, 7 new monthly givers and 3 others have increased their monthly giving. Goal was a total of 12
- YEAA Campaign, working on strategy in the next month, begin writing the YEAA letter in September
Finance Committee
- Two people, David Doerksen and Peter Nicholson are now on the Finance Committee, fully populated.
Fundraising Committee
- Appeal in announcements and Newsletter for someone with experience in obtaining grants, but this has not been successful. Will stop this appeal for now
- Plan to appeal for someone with a different skill set to serve on Fundraising, Someone who can identify and cultivate major donors and other fundraising strategies. This person would work directly with our Guiding Teacher
Promotions Committee
- No significant new items to report
- Committee continues postings on social media, including posts for New Member Campaign twice in July, plan to post twice more in August
- Mark feels we are lucky to have a variety of offerings for people at ADZG
Hospitality & Sangha Care Committee
- No new items to report at this time
Other Business
- ADZG Open House on September 27, 2025. Casual day to allow new attendees to share with their families/friends and invite in the general public
- Board will plan on meeting on a two-month basis rather than every 6 weeks
- Next meeting Board will have discussion regarding other affiliations with ADZG (eg Corrales Zen Meditation Group) and what that process should be. Hogetsu would like this to be a ceremonial process. What it does and does not mean to be affiliated with ADZG