Buddha Eye Temple has arrived! A twenty-year journey has brought us to this rich soil of community and tradition that nourishes the creative, caring, and responsive seeds of our hearts. With the celebration of the Mountain Seat on October 17th, our temple has now established the Office of the Abbot, the final step in becoming a fully recognized and functioning Soto Zen Temple. Through countless generosities we have founded a rare jewel here in West Eugene, one of only a handful of such temples in North America. We should not only feel proud of what we have accomplished, but inspired by what is possible! Great thanks for walking together!

A central component of this journey the past several years has been to build the financial foundation to fully and sustainably compensate our Abbot. Joyfully, 2021 marks the first year we are able to support our Abbot with a full salary, health insurance, and retirement contributions in line with ministers of similar size congregations in Eugene. This is a great benefit to us all. It assures clear leadership and teaching, not just for us now, but continuing long into the future.

Through the continued challenges of 2021, we have also stayed true to our vow to keep Buddhist practice and teaching lively and available. Throughout the year we have worked hard to have a full slate of practice opportunities, community rituals, and classes to center our deepest intentions for a more wise and compassionate world. The ceremonies surrounding the Mountain Seat were a culmination but also a verification of a temple that is deeply rooted both in the Buddhist spiritual tradition and in our Eugene community.

The temple buildings and grounds have never looked or felt better. While the past two years of COVID have been incredibly difficult, we used the opportunity to invest in the physical place we call our spiritual home. New fences, refreshed and replanted gardens, trellises, planters, and the very soon to be completed Children’s Sangha and Community Classroom now make the temple more functional, more inviting, and more beautiful. The temple is in an excellent place to receive more people as we begin to transition from COVID restrictions.

As we near the end of this incredible year of progress and investment, please help us continue the vitality of our temple into 2022 and beyond by contributing toward our $50,000 year-end appeal goal. Meeting this goal will allow us to cover the 2021 budget and start 2022 on a firm footing. While you are welcome to make donations anytime, this year Buddha Eye Temple is encouraging community members to make their donation during Giving Tuesday on November 30. Giving Tuesday is a worldwide day of service and philanthropy that is an opportunity to reflect, serve, and contribute. As we have seen in recent years with almost half of our year-end goal being donated on Giving Tuesday, it is clear that receiving donations on Giving Tuesday helps energize the year-end appeal. This year Buddha Eye will be holding a special breakfast, service project, and simple lunch to celebrate Giving Tuesday and to encourage the community to gather and contribute financially and through offering service. We hope you will join us on the 30th!

Please stay tuned to the website and weekly digest for updates and let us know if you have any questions or suggestions by talking to us individually or emailing the temple office: office@buddhaeye.org.

With Deep Bows of Gratitude from the Board and Sustainability Team,

Myoan Soderquist
Karuna Neustadt
Zuishin Madrone
Genjo Yorke
Kogen Housenecht
Jikie Peterson
Issei Weil
Koshin Kaperick
Louise Ruhr
Ejo McMullen

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