What’s been happening on the St J Center Council

December 14, 2023 by St. Johnsbury Center

What happened at the Community Meeting is also what’s been happening at the Council over many months. 

Council is now delighted to sign the Affiliate agreement in full confidence that this is what our members want. The Affiliate Agreement with SGS was signed November 18

 We have all had many conversations, attended monthly SGS zoom gatherings, struggled with whether to try to find a new physical space, how to support local participation in practice and educational opportunities, communicate with members and so much more. The October community meeting energized our efforts, bringing resolution to many questions.

What is the Center’s VISION?

The community meeting also helped to clarify our work on what the vision of the center is. The following encompasses input from that meeting, the Council retreat and many council discussions

“We are a community of meditators whose practice and study, while grounded in the Kagyu, Nyingma and the wide variety of Shambhala and Dharma Arts traditions which Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche brought to us, welcomes and hopes to nurture all practitioners. We are a hub of the St. Johnsbury area community dedicated to offering the dharma to our neighbors. 

We will always have a strong heart connection with Karmê Chöling, the first land center where Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche taught. We are blessed to be in a place where he first taught the Tibetan dharma in North America and established the Shambhala teachings in direct response to his experience of this time and place. 

Sharing and nurturing the Buddhist, Shambhala and Dharma Arts teachings will guide us in fostering inherent goodness, toward enlightened society with generosity, kindness and courage.”

The Council meets the last Monday of the month. Center leaders & volunteers from Practice & Education, Publicity, Finance, Membership, SGS Liaison, with a Moderator.

Current Center leadership

  • Moderator – Paul Fixx
  • P & E Co-coordinators – Vicki Giella, Mary Beth Furr
  • Finance – David Hollocher
  • Membership – Andrea Knowles
  • Secretary – VACANT
  • Publicity – David Wilde
  • Website – Heidi Meyer-Bothling
  • SGS Liaison – Victor Caamano 
  • Dan Schreibman – Karme Choling representative
  • Chuck Slotkin – member at large

We’re always looking for people who are committed, helpful and care about the Center. Currently, the Secretary position is available. You are warmly invited to contact any Council member to learn more and to offer your bodhisattva energy.