An Invitation to Become a
Monterey Bay Zen Center Member
Katherine Thanas, Monterey Bay Zen Center’s founding teacher, together with the MBZC Board of Directors began a contributing membership program over twenty years ago. The goal was to provide a reliable source of financial support for our sangha. This income allowed our zen center to survive, grow, and continue to provide dharma instruction and practice opportunities. Over time, the board lacked a way to keep track of membership details and the program was put on hold. At that time, the following dharma letter from Katherine was shared with the sangha explaining the importance of generosity.
Many may be unaware of the costs of Zen Center operations. These include rent for two practice locations, financial support for our dharma teachers and visiting teachers, extended retreats (sesshin), website costs, supplies, library books, scholarships, equipment for practice places, and insurance premiums to name a few.
Embracing the spirit of Katherine’s teaching, Monterey Bay Zen Center’s Teaching Council and Board of Directors once again join in inviting you to become a contributing member. Together we are thus entering the Buddha’s teaching of generosity.
Dana in a Lao Village—
Photo by Susan Brodey
Become a Contributing Member of MBZC
The Monterey Bay Zen Center, founded in 1988, is a nonprofit organization offering instruction, classes and workshops in a broad spectrum of traditional and contemporary Buddhist teachings. With a focus on the Soto Zen teaching in the lineage of Shunryu Suzuki Roshi, our activities include weekly zazen meditation, sesshin, classes, meditation instruction, workshops and lectures.
As a charitable nonprofit organization, recurring membership donations are fully tax deductible.
Memberships may be paid with credit or debit card, Apple Pay or check (using ACH, or electronic funds transfer). You will choose from these options as you checkout. If you wish to modify your pledge amount before you checkout, just click the tiny MBZC logo in the upper left corner and start over.
If you do not wish to be on our emailing list (about 2 per month), or if you run into any trouble after you have checked out, return to this page and contact us as soon as possible with this link.
If you would prefer to use PayPal, we will set up personal access for you. Please contact us with this link.
Please use the donation interface offered here. Click Monthly with an amount, or Yearly, confirm your amount, and hit
”Subscribe” to start your “Pledge”.
Note: if you do not see the membership options directly below, please try waiting 30 seconds and then refresh the page with your browser options or click here.
Thank you!