Communications Working Group
Minutes of the Communications Working Group Meeting 8/24/04
Present: Mark Szpakowski, Deborah Garrett, Molly De Shong, Brian Spielmann, Karen Wilding
Regrettably absent: Cheryl Campbell, Helen Bonzi, Luz Rodriguis, Bernard Spiegeleer, Nick WrightDiscussion
1) Web Server Report
a) The website is back up and fully functional again, after the difficulty with the “attack” and changing servers to rectify the problem. SNS currently has around 4000 subscribers, so it is well used and important for our communication as a community.
b) Hopefully the website will be used more and more as the congress gets closer and we provide more space for comments and feedback. Mark is planning to set up a bulletin board space for in-depth conversations.
c) Wendy Layton is planning to set up a bulletin board to invite conversations about the new practice and its ramifications – which will be a good place for people to go with their questions.
d) It seems like a priority to have someone on the payroll of SI to maintain and work on the website, as it is a major vector of our communication and information sharing.
2) Transformation Bulletin #3:
a) The bulletin has been updated by President Reoch and should go out on SNS this week. Mark S. will then post it on the website under our working group heading. Karen will make sure the correct documents are indicated and emailed to Mark.
3) Harvest of Peace/ Town Meeting:
a) We had planned to prepare a tool kit for centers to facilitate discussion about the progress of the various committees and the documents they have produced. We thought the Harvest of Peace celebration would be a good time to have discussion about the community plan and get regional feedback. It now seems that the new practice/view presented by the Sakyong is taking center stage and needs to be discussed at a community level. What is going to be the focus of the Harvest of Peace? Karen will ask President Reoch for clarification.
b) If the focus is on the new material presented by the Sakyong (including the videotape) will President Reoch set the context in his address?
c) How can we facilitate informed discussions? By including an acharya? By gathering questions from the sangha and presenting them to SI?
d) These practice questions are not under the auspices of the communications working group, so we should tread lightly, and try to continue to work with communications about the community plan.
Next Meeting: September 8th, 12:00 Mountain time.
Updated 2004/08/25