The Dewdrop Digest

The Dewdrop Digest
Connecting Children, Youth and Sangha
Clouds in Water Zen Center
Sunday, June 16, 2002


THANKS TO THIS YEAR'S VOLUNTEER TEACHERS

Cat Burns
Megan Dushin
Neetha Guneratne
Robbie Gunther
Jeff Kelley
Sandra Knaeble
Carl Kosinski
Scott Parker
Carol Patt
Carrie Pomeroy
Matt Simonson
Carol Souter
Scott Velders
Stephanie Wenderski
Carol Wickers
Steve Wilson

Your hard work and caring presence with our children and youth truly model the Bodhisattva ideal that we taught this year. Both parents and non-parents come to me to thank me, and I want to make sure that you know this: You are making a difference in the lives of children and families, and of the sangha overall. You and what you offer are deeply appreciated!


THE END OF A QUARTER... SPRING ACTIVITY HIGHLIGHTS

Our teaching focus: "Awakening to boundless openness fosters Compassion and Right Action (and vice versa!)."
Chain of Vows: Children and adults made personal vows to protect the earth
Storm Drain Stenciling Service Project and Potluck Picnic
Great classes! Students of all ages seem to have learned and integrated the lesson material AND they seem to all look forward to being here. Yeah!


THE END OF A PROGRAM YEAR

Wow, we have reached the end of our third year of our having a "full service" Children's and Youth Program. Through the hard work of many dedicated volunteers and the support of the entire sangha, we now offer one of the most developed programs in the country. When we wrote our Mission Statement, agreed to staff a Coordinator position, and fleshed out our first teaching message and curriculum, we paved the way for a great program that has continued to evolve. This year:


We've added this Dewdrop Digest, assigned more homework, and developed a Coming of Age program.
We have more consciously nurtured connections between the sangha and the children, and between home and zendo.
We have expanded the ways that storytelling, art, drama, movement and service extend, embody and express our learnings.


FUTURE PLANS: YOUTH RETREATS, "MINDFULNESS" THEME


Next year, we will be offering improved teacher training and an expanded youth program including retreats and a wilderness experience. We will share more information with adults about how each session's story and activities reinforce the teaching message. And we will strive to find more challenges to engage our long-time students.


Beginning with 1999, our annual themes have been Mindfulness and Meditation, The Four Noble Truths, and Boundless Openness. We plan to repeat these themes every three years, so that each student's understanding and experience is reinforced and deepened as they mature. Hence, the teaching focus for 2002-2003 will be "Mindfulness and Meditation," with The Four Foundations of Mindfulness as our primary source material. We of course will continue to present and review "basics" such as the Two Vows (to develop wisdom and compassion), the Three Refuges (Buddha, Dharma and Sangha), the Five Wonderful Precepts for Children, and the life story of the historical Buddha.


TODAY'S LESSON

Today, weather permitting, we'll be at Mears Park. I will tell the story of how an Irish potato farmer saved an ant during a thundershower (later, the colony of ants harvested his field of potatoes so that he could go to market on time). We'll have songs, games, yoga, snacks and will reflect on our year together.


COME CAMPING WITH US - CHILDREN NOT NECESSARY!
Say, everyone in the sangha - not just parents - are invited to the camping trip!
When: July 3, 4, 5 or any part of those days/nights
Where: Afton State Park
Cost: $2-4 per camper per night, plus state park sticker or parking fee.
Possible activities include swimming (at one of the loveliest, shadiest beaches around with the purest water by far!), hiking, orienteering, natural dyeing, drawing, building a stick fort, and simply relaxing. To sign up - or to join in optional shared meal and activity planning - please contact Katharine Krueger at 651-222-6968 x10 or katharine@cloudsinwater.org


CLOUDS IN WATER SUMMER PICNIC
Hope to see you all at the picnic on Sunday, August 11th at 11:00 am.

SONG: STEP-BY-STEP

Step-by-step the longest march can be won, can be won.
Many stones to form an arch: singly, none; singly, none.
And by Union what we will, can be accomplished still .
Drops of water turn a mill: singly, none; singly, none.


QUESTION, SUGGESTION, PROBLEM? Contact Children's and Youth Practice Coordinator Katharine Krueger at katharine@cloudsinwater.org

posted by Michael Howard on 6/16/2002 12:00:00 AM | link