Recent questions during Dharma gatherings on a very contentious issue
within the Buddhist Churches of America and our own Vista Buddhist
Temple has prompted me to write about membership. Membership is defined
in the dictionary as state of being a member of the Temple. A
member is a person comprising the Temple. The Vista Buddhist
Temple is not a member of the BCA. A member of the BCA is a person. It
is interesting to note that the By-laws of our non-profit religious
corporation does not define who a member is. All of the requirements of
membership are determined by the Board of Directors.
The members of the BCA provide financial support of the organization,
who are currently assessed on the basis of the approved budget divided
by the number of members ($49 per person this year). A member is
declared by the Temples in an annual membership tally, normally
submitted by November. It was assumed that the Temples would declare all
of their members as members of the BCA. However, two Temples, Vista and
Senshin, now offer separate memberships for the Temple and BCA. I
suspect other Temples use other methods to derive the membership count,
which is different than their own membership. Because this loophole and
possible inequity exists, the Buddhist Church of Sacramento has withheld
their dues until the BCA settles this issue (the Temples/Churches are
responsible for paying the dues of the BCA members within their
membership).
VBT had dues of $100 per year for families and $60 for singles for
many years, until 1996. The BCA dues averaged $46 per year during this
time, and VBT had to pay for the dues out of our total income. Since
1996, 64 VBT members have decided to be BCA members, but only 15 have
paid their BCA dues. VBT has been assessed for a membership of 126 and
110 in 1996, 1997, respectively, and the Temple has not been able to pay
the dues to the BCA. We have raised our Temple dues, but it falls short
of covering even half of the expenses of our minister. Besides the
minister expenses, we need to cover other operational expenses and our
mortgage. Our survival depends on the continuing membership dues, the
donations by those who can afford more, and fund-raisers that often tax
our time and efforts. Some BCA leaders have labeled our Temple as not
being in good standing, since we are in arrears on our dues.
Rev. Masao Kodani of Senshin Buddhist Temple said at a recent BCA
meeting that the isseis (first generation pioneers) did not have
dues. He was told that dues would not work, and thus the early days of
the Temples depended completely on donations. However, the Japanese
American community was smaller, very closely knit and social pressures
could be imposed for any needed donations. I speculate that this
taxation for "donations" left deep feelings of suspicion and
dislike among the younger ones who heard their elders complain. I doubt
that we can survive with donations alone. It might have worked before,
but not in todays culture.
Many of the BCA temples/churches have existed for a number of years,
and although the membership has decreased, many service a greater
population with funerals, weddings, memorials and commemorations. You
dont have to be a member to receive and benefit from the services
provided by the Temple and ministers. There probably are no
temples/churches that turn away non-members, but they might be charged
more for the services received. This is the practice at our own VBT. If
you want to be a person who comprises the Vista Buddhist Temple, you are
a member. But, to be a member in good standing, you must pay your dues.
Please be prompt in paying your dues, for it is dismaying that another
member must remind you to fulfill your responsibilities to VBT. As in
many organizations, the few who care, support many who take.
If we have more who are willing to sacrifice for the Temple, we can be a
stronger providing better services for those less able.
In summary, the issue is complex and currently destructive to the BCA
and members. We need to solve 1) whether to set the budget based on
approved programs or available funds, 2) whether funds should be
collected based on membership or some other criteria, and 3) if
membership, an equitable and acceptable method of determining who is a
member. Depending on what develops at the BCA, the dues assessment will
change and it will affect us. I will keep you up to date on the
proceedings.
in gassho, Clif Shigeoka
