Dear all,
It was good to meet some of you and many other Dharma friends last Saturday and Sunday. I hope everyone has enjoyed Ven Wu Shin’s talk and all the interesting stories around Ven Master Chin Kung. To summarise the progress we concluded so far:
1. Logan HallWe may have problem with Logan Hall because they can’t confirm the price and it doesn’t include public liability insurance and microphones. The price will spiral above £2100 ~ £2200 and we have cheaper option. Upasaka Seung Fei is attending the matter and my personal ‘gut’ feeling is that we better go elsewhere and save the precious money for other needy use. Thank you Upasaka Alastair for following the issues up to now despite his busy schedule outside London.
Action: Upasika Margaret has checked with Friends House and the evening of 13 Oct is still available. If Logan Hall can not give us satisfactory terms and conditions by next Monday morning 17 July I suggest we have the second talk at Friends House too. The cost is just below £1100 for the same number of attendees, which is very reasonable. Do you agree? Any other suggestions or objection?2. Confirmation of Friends House for 12 OctAction: Upasika Anne and Margaret please proceed with the confirmed booking and payment for Friends House ASAP (separate from the possible hire on the 13 Oct). Please modify the booking letter to confirm that all the public liability insurance, microphones and PA systems, lighting the usage of foyer area are included. Please also request that on the stage we will need a long table or two/three tables, three chairs for master, the interpreter and chair. We will need two microphones for master and the interpreter, and another two wireless microphones for the Q and A session. 3. Invitation LetterThe letter signed by Upasaka Guosheng Li, will be presented to Venerable Master Chin Kung in person by another director of BEF (UK) in Hong Kong sometime next week.
Action: Although we still need the final confirmation from master himself we proceed with the planning as usual. 4. Other Programmes during Venerable Master Chin Kung’s VisitFollowing the discussion with Ven Wu Shin last week we came to the conclusion that we shall focus on organising the two public talks, lodging and accommodation and logistic and not state visit, inter-tradition or inter-faith dialogues etc because we will NOT have our ABS UK centre in time to host any dialogue and the Sangha-Dana.
Action: Although so many of us would like to see the inter-tradition dialogue happen we have to continue to generate more mind-power and will. The Arrangement committee for master in Australia will initiate the visits to politicians/royal family members but we will facilitate and support the actual events during the visits. 5. Financing Venerable Master Chin Kung’s VisitWith much gratitude to Ven Wu Shin, Pure Land Learning College and Amitabha Buddhist Association in Australia, it is agreed that we only need to bear the cost associated to the two public talks, logistic for master and master’s entourage (10 plus members), food, but not their flights, hotel. We put an estimated cost at around £6000.
Action: We have already received the receipt and pay in book for the separate BEF UK account set up for the purpose. Upasaka Margaret is handling any donation so please email her margyap72@yahoo.co.uk or call her (07788-131928) to pledge your support. Remember receipt will be issued and if you are a UK tax payer remember we can claim 28% more from the Inland Revenue as BEF (UK) is a registered charity.Amitabha and with metta,
KC (Kok-Cheong) Tang
