Administration & Governance
Our Mission
WMC was formed in 1989, part of a worldwide community of practitioners. Our mission is to nurture mindfulness, love and understanding among those who participate in our activities and in the larger society. Mindfulness is the continuous practice of touching life deeply in every moment of daily life. To be mindful is to be truly alive, present and at one with those around us and with what we are doing.
If you have any questions - or suggestions - related to our administration or governance arrangements, please do contact us at WMCsangha@gmail.com
WMC is incorporated as a Maryland non-profit religious institution. All gifts are tax deductible. Our governing structure is a Board of Trustees and a Practice Council.
Community Meetings
Community Meetings are held twice each year for all interested sangha members. In normal times, we meet face to face in a local cafe; during the pandemic, our community meetings have been online. During these meetings, Board and Practice Council members report to the broader community about ongoing work and our financial status, and discuss plans for the coming six months. Community members make sangha activity suggestions, for example speakers or topics for panel discussions, which the Practice Council then does its best to implement.
Board of Trustees
The Board of Trustees manages the business, finances and affairs of the WMC, and ensures that we are always in compliance with our 501c3 status. Before making any major decisions, the Board consults with and receives input from the larger community. The Board grounds all its decisions on the wishes and needs of the whole sangha membership. As the elected representatives of the community as a whole, the Trustees are entrusted by the community with holding the wellbeing of the sangha in their heart, and with embodying in their actions the needs of the community as a whole. Elections are held annually for the Board; these are two years terms, with staggered elections for half the Board each year to ensure continuity. Following elections on April 15, 2023, Board members are currently Neal Riemer, Patti Murphy, Sigal Samuel and Dana Dirker.
The Practice Council
The Practice Council oversees the spiritual life of the sangha, and supports the mindfulness practice of community members. The Practice Council looks for guidance from the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh and from Dharma teachers from his tradition. Before making any substantive changes to established practices, the Practice Council will consult with and receive input from the larger community. As the elected representatives of the community as a whole, members of the Practice Council are entrusted by the community with holding the wellbeing of the sangha in their heart, and with embodying in their actions the needs of the community as a whole. WMC Bylaws state that all Practice Council members should have taken the Five Mindfulness Trainings; they are also often members of the Order of Interbeing. Elections are held following the same process as the Board (above). Following elections on April 15, 2023, members are currently Joann Malone, Patrick Smith, Jude McCartin, Nigel Twose and Jeanine Cogan.
Elections
Elections are held every spring, at a Community Meeting. Each year, we elect two members of the Board and two members of the Practice Council. These rolling elections ensure continuity from one year to the next. In order to vote or to stand, you need to have been an active member of the sangha for at least six months, and have registered to receive or complete a ballot form.
Sangha facilitation
We are a peer-led group; we have chosen not to have a full-time WMC dharma teacher. Experienced members facilitate our sangha meetings each week.