Secretary:
-responds to email enquiries from potential newcomers
- sends out any email announcements about news, updates or events
- maintains a database of members, occasionally adding new names and contact details
- attends meetings and participate in email discussions about running the group
Treasurer
1) Collects money each Wednesday
Count the people and the money and allocate the money to teachers and dana in the following way:-
- What ever money there is, put the first $100 to the teachers
( perhaps $110-120 depending on the take, for Chris and Patrick given the distance they are coming
- of the money left over put $5 x number of people, to rent
- of the money left over ( if any ) add to the teachers dana
- record for the treasurer’s accounting records
- number of people
- total collected
- paid to dana
- remainder is banked to the treasurer’s account.
2. Assistant money collectors.
Two or three regulars or committee members are provided the above details so that when the treasurer is not available on a Wednesday night, the money and details will be collected and delivered to the treasurer without delay.
- the money is to be internet-banked to the treasurer’s internet bank account – details provide (the preferred method) or held in cash and given to the treasurer with the details, the next week.
- transfer is to be identified by the words “BlueGum” so that the treasurer can identify which deposits are Bluegum
3. Each month on the 4th, $433 rent will be electronically paid
4. The treasurer will record all the above details of each Wednesday night money received (IE attending numbers, dana paid and rent banked,) and rent and other payments, on an excel spreadsheet.
A copy of this spreadsheet will be emailed to all committee members each month.
5. Make a report to each general meeting.
6. For more secure and proper accountability it is best if another person counts or checks the money from the basket on the night and then records in a book and gives it to the treasurer to take and bank. This does not seem to be easy to work but should be considered.
Committee member: chairperson
- Call and chair meetings and review minutes.
- Prepare agenda and half-yearly overview for bi-annual sangha meetings and review minutes.
- Carry out, or delegate jobs from committee meetings and bi-annual sangha meetings, and follow up on them
- Liase with landlord, in conjunction with the Treasurer
- Liase with committee as needed between meetings
- Liase with teachers on any issues relating to them
-Help steer the committee to achieve the objectives of the sangha in line with the constitution.
- Make announcements at weekly meetings
- Welcome and introduce visiting teachers
- Oversee general running of the sangha
Key Keeper and alter
Arrives at approx. 6.45 -6.50 to open the room and set up. Setting up consists of putting out:
-the cushions and chairs;
-the tea, coffee and cups and filling and turning on the urn
-the dana basket
-the Buddha statues and candles and arranging the alter.
Locks the door to the hall and also locks the fire escape doors on levels 1 and 2 at the end of the evening.
Website manager
Ensures that the website content is kept up to date and manages relationships with service providers (e.g. ISPs)
Programme Co-ordinator
Plans two 6 monthly teaching programmes (Jan-June and July-Dec) per year. Programmes are planned around the following basic schedule:
-1st Wednesday of the month, sutta study with Chris and Winton on alternating months.
-2nd Wednesday of the month, Bluegum or visiting teacher
-3rd Wednesday of the month, small peer group discussion
-4th/last Wednesday of the month, Subhana Barzaghi gives a dharma talk.
The schedule is not rigid. The ideal is to try to strike a balance between keeping a predictable format while remaining flexible to accommodate teachers’ available dates.
Always contact Visiting Insight Teachers (‘VIP’s)’ in advance of their scheduled date to remind them of their commitment!
Tea person:
Buys tea, coffee, instant milk (or small packets of long life milk), sugar, biscuits as needed.
Keeps the boxes of cups and tea/coffee/sugar tidy
Keeps receipts and is reimbursed by the treasurer or chooses to donate the items as dana.
Positions offer the incumbent a great opportunity to get involved in the sangha. “Participation is the key to harmony”.
