WCF News

Three local spiritual groups met up on Sunday 1 July for a stroll in the countryside collecting litter. Eleven adults, one child and a puppy from two local Buddhist groups – Newbury Chan Group and the Fifth Precept Group and Newbury Quakers met up for an afternoon walk around Speen Moor with litter pickers and sacks.

Walk organiser and leader of Newbury Chan Group Susan Millington said: "As part…

Marian Partington spent 18 years writing her book, If You Sit Very Still. Drawing heavily on Buddhist practice, and particularly on her experiences during retreats at the Maenllwyd, Marian engages with the traumatic loss of her sister, Lucy, at the hands of Fred and Rosemary West. In the pages of the book, Marian charts her narrative of healing, and finds an authentic and compassionate response.…

On 28th January, Dr Simon Child Chuan-fa Jing-hong, Chan Master Sheng Yen's third Dharma Heir, was confirmed as the new Teacher of the Western Chan Fellowship. His appointment was unanimously approved by members of the Western Chan Fellowship at an Annual General Meeting. It was a poignant occasion since this was also the Western Chan Fellowship's third annual Memorial Day for Chan Master Sheng…

The recordings of the conference Western Buddhism: Engaged Buddhism? are now online for you to download if you wish.

Visit the audio page.

The photographs of the ashes ceremony for Chan Master John Crook are now available for viewing.

I am writing to you and all the other members of the Western Chan Fellowship following a joint meeting of the Executive Committee and WCF retreat leaders on the weekend of October 1st and 2nd.

As you probably know, for the first 49 days after John's death we observed a 'Bardo' period, borrowing from the Tibetan Tradition. Subsequently, we discovered that a 49 day period is also observed in the…

There are two events and the family very generously extended invitations to anyone who wishes to attend either or both events.

• A Buddhist funeral service was held on Friday 29th July 2011 at Weston-super-Mare Crematorium, Ebdon Rd, BS22 9NY and afterwards at his home near Shipham in Somerset.
• A memorial service will be held at Maenllwyd, Pant-y-dwr in Wales on Saturday 10th September 2011 at 12.00…

Two messages have been received from Abbot President of Dharma Drum Mountain, Ven Guo Dong Fashi, an obituary and an in memoriam

Visit the Obituaries and Condolences page for John Crook

We now have a webpage dedicated to obituaries and condolences for the late John Crook. You may also submit your own message of condolence from this page.

• Obituaries
• Condolences
• Submit Condolences

Messages of condolence to John's family may be addressed to John's son Stamati as follows:

Stamati Crook
c/o Winterhead Hill Farm
Shipham
North Somerset
BS25 1RS
UK

Cards/letters are preferred, but emails may be addressed to:

Email: stamati.crook@redware.com