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Nurturing the Heart & Sangha - February at SIMC


WOWZA - What a beautiful turnout for our Annual Meeting - our largest yet! We’re so grateful to witness the growth of our Sangha - not only in numbers, but in heart and connection.  And the potluck with the delicious food that was shared made the evening even more joyful and nourishing in every way.  


There were good, thoughtful questions about our outreach groups and the 2026 budget.  The 2026 budget passed unanimously.  Our board was also approved by unanimous vote.  We also appreciate the input and ideas brought forth.


We thank you for attending our Annual Meeting and for being part of this blossoming community.


With care,The SIMC Board — Carla, Denise, Kym, and Paul

It Takes a Sangha


"A Jug Fills Drop by Drop." - Dhammapada

The strength and vitality of our sangha community is a direct reflection of the volunteers who make it run. Are you looking for new ways to practice daily mindfulness and openness? Buddhism teaches us that service to others, even in small amounts, directly cultivates compassion, reduces ego-driven attachments, and generates positive karma.


When you volunteer at the sangha with an open heart, you help to create a more peaceful world, inside and out. Below are current opportunities for volunteers, and the general time commitment and description and/or skills required for each.


Your participation truly matters, and we are deeply grateful for every helping hand.​


  • Retreat Help - Help with retreat preparations and set-up for weekend retreats. Time commitment varies and takes place during the week and weekend of each retreat.

    Please email us using the button below and specify Retreat Help and we will contact you before our retreats.


  • House Cleaning - Find a day during one month of the year to come in and clean the house and if possible, some house checks through the month. Time commitment: 1-1.5 hours for house cleaning, a few minutes for house checks.

    Please use the House Cleaning sign-up sheet on the Sangha house kitchen cabinet above the shoe rack. Guidelines are posted above the sign-up sheet.


  • Substitute and regular Bell Ringers for Thursday Noon and Friday Morning (7-8am) meditations.  Arrive a little early to open the Sangha House, ring the bell to begin the meditation, keep time, and ring the bell three times to close the sit. Time commitment:  the length of the sit.

    Please email us using the button below and specify Regular Bell Ringer or Substitute Bell Ringer if this is for you. Someone will contact you to get started and provide direction.


  • Regular Yard Maintenance - Learn to identify which weeds should be pulled and which plants and grasses should remain, and help keep the yard free of trash. Yard care is done on your own time and needs regular maintenance from April through November. Time commitment is flexible, ranging from 15 minutes to an hour at a time.

    Please use the Yard Weeding sign-up sheet posted on the kitchen cabinet above the stove. Then plan to come regularly during the weed-picking months as they tend to pop-up overnight! Guidelines are posted there as well.


  • Yard Watering - Some of our trees are not on the drip system and require regular watering during the summer, with occasional watering in the winter. Familiarity with appropriate seasonal tree-watering needs is helpful. Time commitment varies by season - more in summer, less in winter.

    Please email us if this is for you and specify Yard Watering and someone will contact you to set you up.


  • Small Acts of Kindness - Do you have a few minutes after a meditation you attend to do a quick bathroom clean-up, refold/tidy up blankets and cushions, check for and refill toilet paper and cough drops, or pick a few weeds or trash in the yard?  

    No sign-up needed - simply consider doing this….it only takes a few minutes.


SIMC Nominated for Organization of the Year!


Exciting news! Our Sangha has been nominated for the 2026 Chaffee County Community Awards Organization of the Year.  This is an annual event that celebrates individuals, businesses, and organizations that are making a significant impact in our community.  We’re deeply grateful to whoever took the time to nominate us, and to all of our volunteers and members whose generosity and care make this community what it is. We won’t find out the results until the awards dinner on February 20th, but we’re feeling very honored just to be included.  Thank you for being part of what makes our Sangha shine!

Looking for a fresh and inspiring way to nourish your

practice and connect with Sangha?


Join us for an evening of Dharma-inspired poetry, heartfelt reflection, and meaningful conversation. Together we’ll explore poetry that opens the heart, sparks insight, and supports our path - followed by gentle discussion in a warm, welcoming circle.

Begins Monday, February 16 | 6:30–8:00 pm

In-person at the SIMC house, 248 D Street

This group will continue every third Monday of the month


Please email Jackie Mart to sign up.  If this time or day doesn’t work for you but you’d like to participate in the future, let Jackie know as well!

Come for the poetry, stay for the connection, and leave nourished.

Touching the Earth

a Nature-based Retreat


with Denise Ackert, Liz Powell, and Kate Siber

August 11-16, 2026

Rocky Mountain Ecodharma Retreat Center, Ward, CO

This retreat is designed to support those wishing to deepen their Insight Meditation practice in the supportive environment of nature under the guidance of wise and caring teachers. The retreat includes periods of group and solo sitting and walking meditation, dharma talks, and meetings with teachers to support the folding of your practice.

Echodharma retreats fill up quickly and this offering has early-bird discounts, hence the early announcement for this retreat.  

“Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.”  Paraphrased from the Sutra of Forty‑Two Sections (translated into Chinese Buddhist canon)


As we move into the coming weeks, let us remember that our Sangha is sustained by both our shared practice and our care for one another. Whether by showing up to meditate, offering a helping hand, or sharing a kind word, each act of generosity strengthens the community we cherish and ripples outward. Thank you for all the ways you support the Sangha and help keep this place of refuge and practice alive for everyone who walks through our doors.


With gratitude,

The SIMC Board - Carla, Denise, Kym, Paul


 
 
 
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