2020 Strategic Planning - Community Forums ~ We’re In This Together

Mountain Stream’s Community Forums
Step One: Deep Listening and was held on October 13 and October 14.
Step Two: Envisioning the Future was held on October 26 and October 27.
Step Three: Bringing Vision Into Reality was held November 10 and November 11.
All the forums took place in the evenings and were 90 minutes long.
Thank you to all who were able to participate!

The following Invitation to Participate in the Community Forums was emailed and made available for everyone find out more about Mountain Stream’s Strategic Planning Process ~

Community Voices Matter…Please read on

Dear Mountain Stream Sangha and Interested Community,
Your Mountain Stream Board of Directors is excited to announce that our sangha will be initiating a comprehensive strategic planning process next month. Our entire community will benefit from as many of us participating in this process as possible as we consider important decisions about our future. Our new Board of Directors is committed to ensuring that we have significant sangha engagement and input throughout this planning process.

The intention of our strategic plan is to provide clarity with respect to a host of very important choices we need to make as a community to include a) refining our mission, vision, and values, in concert with envisioning the organization we aspire to become in the years ahead b) confirming top priorities for programs and services, c) exploring the most appropriate approaches to address our long-term financial needs through fundraising, and d) exploring ways to further encourage sangha members to participate.

Our strategic planning process will enable our community to:

  • build a common understanding across the sangha of what Mountain Stream is and what we collectively want to be going forward, while building upon our strong foundation

  • gain sangha input on key decisions

  • increase the number of sangha members who are actively involved in sangha activities and on committees

  • and most importantly, create a deeper sense of unity and belonging

Next Steps: How You Can Contribute Your Ideas to Our Future

There are two primary ways for you to participate throughout this planning process; further information will be provided in the coming weeks:
1.    Responding to requests for written input. We will be sending out a few brief sets of questions which you can directly reply to in writing. These will be distributed prior to each set of meeting dates.
2.    You can participate in Zoom (and possibly “live”) meetings to express your feelings, perspectives, and recommendations. At this time, we are planning the following Zoom meetings (see below). Zoom meeting invitations will be provided in a follow-on communication.


Primary Discussion Topics

Summary of the Three Zoom Meeting Agendas

Zoom Meeting Date

Step 1: Deep Listening

  • Provide opportunity for sangha members to reflect on anything from the past that will benefit from reflection and healing, to benefit the entire community going forward

  • Encourage sangha to discuss what is working well today and where we see opportunities for improvement (i.e., programming, Nevada City Insight Center, communications, Board interactions, etc.)

Tuesday, October 13
Wednesday, October 14
6:00 – 7:30 PM PST
Choose one of these two dates,
as the agenda will be identical

Step 2: Envision the Future

  • Discuss what is most important/least important to create a thriving sangha that supports our aspirations?

  • Solicit input on our evolving vision, mission, and values

  • Gain a broader perspective on programming priorities

  • Explore the role of the Nevada City Center

  • Explore the future role of Virtual Programming offerings post-Covid




Tuesday, October 27
Wednesday, October 28
6:00 – 7:30 PM PST
Choose one of these two dates,
as the agenda will be identical

Step 3: Bringing Vision into Reality

  • Explore sangha members’ suggestions that will lead to greater participation on committees and in key initiatives

  • Discuss ideas for more effective communications between the Board, Center Staff, and sangha members

  • Encourage ideas that ensure appropriate transparency in all Board matters and decision-making

  • Begin to discuss sangha members’ ideas around fundraising strategies to ensure our long-term financial viability



Tuesday, November 10
Wednesday, November 11
6:00 – 7:30 PM PST
Choose one of these two dates,
as the agenda will be identical




 


Auburn and Rocklin sangha members please note: In addition to encouraging you to participate in these Zoom meetings, there will be time set aside during a regularly scheduled evening teaching for discussion of Mountain Stream strategic planning in October and November, facilitated by Maeve and/or Mary Helen. 

We are fortunate that a long-time sangha member, Randall Harris, has generously volunteered his time and expertise to this effort. He brings over 35 years of organization consulting experience to this endeavor, and has been actively working with the Board on a number of related organization development priorities during the past 10 months.  In addition, Randall has consistently sat retreats with John and other teachers over the past many years.

If you have any questions about these upcoming planning meetings, please don’t hesitate to email Randall at randall@harrisconsulting.net. 

While this is a very challenging time, it is important that Mountain Stream move forward with our planning initiative now. As a community, we cannot thrive and be whole without everyone’s participation.

Thank you very much for your engagement, as we move forward as a community.

With gratitude,

Mountain Stream Meditation Board of Directors