Membership of the Western Chan Fellowship

It is not required that you "join" the Western Chan Fellowship to attend any of our activities since these are open to all.

For those who would like to join the sangha of the WCF and support the WCF we offer three categories of membership, full (£40/£15 concs) and associate (£30/£10 concs), and couple (£60/20 concs, one copy of the New Chan Forum). The principal difference between the full and associate is that full membership confers voting rights but requires retreat experience with the WCF, whereas associate membership does not.

Both full membership and associate membership include a subscription to New Chan Forum at no extra charge. Couple membership is at the lower rate and includes one copy of the forum.

Associate Membership

This does not you give voting rights, nor the right to be elected to be a trustee of the WCF, but in other respects is similar to full membership.

Requirements

1. You have undergone a formal Refuge ceremony with an authorised teacher and agree to follow the five Lay Precepts of Buddhism (not killing, not stealing, not lying, no sexual misconduct and not using intoxicants), according to your own sincere interpretation and to the best of your ability. Refuge may have been taken with a teacher of the Western Chan Fellowship or in another Buddhist organisation, it doesn’t matter which.
2. You undertake to carry out a regular personal practice of Buddhism
3. You support the Western Chan Fellowship

Application

• Refer to the Constitution
• Complete the Application Form:
  • Associate Membership Application Form as PDF
  • Associate Membership Application Form as DOC
• Send the completed form, together with the fee, to the Secretary.
• Also, if you are a UK taxpayer, please also complete a Gift Aid declaration and post it to our Treasurer.
  • Gift Aid Declaration as PDF
  • Gift Aid Declaration as DOC

Full Membership

Full members have voting rights and may be elected to the trustee and officer posts of the WCF.

Requirements

To become a full member you must meet the criteria specified in Clause 9(7) of the Constitution of the WCF, principally this refers to attendance at at least three of our in-person residential retreats including at least one each of Western Zen retreats and seven-day Chan retreats, and undertakings regarding personal practice.

Application

If you qualify and wish to apply then:

• Refer to the Constitution
• Complete the Application Form:
  • Full Membership Application Form as PDF
  • Full Membership Application Form as DOC
• Send the completed form, together with the fee, to the Secretary.
• Also, if you are a UK taxpayer, please also complete a Gift Aid declaration and post it to our Treasurer.
  • Gift Aid Declaration as PDF
  • Gift Aid Declaration as DOC

Couple Membership

Both applicants must be independently eligible or already be members.

Annual Membership subscriptions

Please set up a standing order to pay your subscription, by completing this standing order form then signing it and sending it your bank.