Red Clay Sangha is a refuge. It is a place we come to engage in the practice taught by the Buddha that moves us towards freedom, towards liberation, towards nirvana. Volunteering within the sangha is a way of deepening your refuge, by offering a form of dana to your fellow sangha members. In most Buddhist traditions, working in and for the community is recognized as a form of practice. We can bring our generosity and mindfulness to bear, and know that while our work is important, we are offering our generosity in a kind and forgiving space. It is also a wonderful way to build community and relationships and to actively participate in your sangha. So if you're in a place where this feels like something that might make sense, please take a look at the list of volunteer opportunities below, and make a selection that feels right for you. But remember: it's important not to overwhelm ourselves or to turn work into a distraction.
If you know you would like to volunteer, or would like to discuss, please reach out by email.
Sunday Service: The RCS Elders Council is actively working to formalize the practice and rituals for certain elements of our Sunday Service such as serving tea, arranging the altar flowers, and greeting members and guests. An announcement for these new practices is expected later this summer (2024) and details will be added here. Note that the SignUpGenius site introduced in May has been disabled pending the final program announcement ... we will continue our Sunday Service as usual for now.
Newsletter: This began late 2023 as a simple event-oriented communication, prepared each month by our Guiding Teacher. But it has the potential to be much more, including personal updates on members, community events, dharma matters and teachings, and even some fun. Coordinated with the regular event emails, it will help us provide optimal information to our community without overburdening with emails. Creating and publishing the newsletter is relatively easy through our website platform provider, Wild Apricot
Social Events and Activities: Many members have asked for expanded sangha gatherings such as hike-and-sit, or movie nights at the sangha. And then there are those one-off activities, such as an event in Piedmont Park or at the Carlos Museum or at a local movie theater. This role will plan and schedule those events and then coordinate with the other volunteers to have them announced in the newsletter, on Meetup, etc.
General Calendar and Email Notifications: We have so much going on at Red Clay, including uses of the space that are not on the main calendar, that it's becoming important for the calendars for the space and for Red Clay to be coordinated and managed. This role will maintain a central calendar and ensure that all the various events and notifications are managed and published.
Pastoral Care: Communities care for their members. We want a support structure that can be present to celebrate when members of our community have a personal or family milestone, or to support and even grieve when there is a sickness or heartbreak. Working directly with the Guiding Teacher, this role entails using all forms of communication with the sangha and individual sangha members to coordinate and manage a helpful response to specific member needs.
Meetup Group: Red Clay has a simple setup in Meetup that mirrors most of the regular schedule. But it is basic and behind the times for many of our activities, and it requires an ongoing facelift, coordination and synchronizing with the Red Clay calendar, and proactive engagement to keep it alive, used, and therefore attractive. This role will undertake these activities in coordination with the website, calendar, etc. (Red Clay's Meetup can be viewed here.)
Instagram and Social Media: Red Clay Sangha has an Instagram account and a facebook account, and we are open to suggestions about other social media platforms we should be using. Our social media needs to be actively managed. (Red Clay's Instagram can be viewed here.)
Fundraising: In our first twelve years and more, Red Clay Sangha's approach to fundraising has been pretty relaxed. That has worked well for us, but as we grow and look to the future, it will become more important for us to have well structured and managed fundraising plans or activities. This role will participate in both the design and planning as well as the execution of these plans.
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