It is with joyous heart that I share with you the news that with the support of the Sangha the Rime Board has purchased land for the future home of the Rime Center. We invite you to participate in a truly unique project – building the first Tibetan Buddhist Temple here in Kansas City. We are asking for your help in raising $150K for the down payment on the construction loan for the temple. Support us as we open the doors of lovingkindness to a community in need, while employing principles of access for all abilities and in the spirit of responsible financial husbandry.
The Temple will be a warm-hearted and welcoming home for Buddhists and non-Buddhists alike – especially members of the New Hope neighborhood surrounding the property at 1616 East 30th Street. We will support our neighbors in creating commonwealth by providing gathering spaces and planting a Meditation Grove. The Meditation Grove will nourish the body with communal fruit trees and nourish the mind with a peaceful, contemplative green space.
Have you had the opportunity over the last couple of decades to visit the Rime Buddhist Center at 700 W. Pennway in Kansas City, MO? If you have, then you are familiar with challenging stairs that pave the path to our welcoming hearts. Although we have an alternative entrance with a chairlift, the facility lacks accessible necessities (such as the restrooms). Our new home will be gracefully accessible for individuals of all abilities.
Building a temple inspired by the Rime Tibetan tradition is not a just a wish, it is a necessity. The lease on the Pennway property expires in late 2019. Given property values in the area, it is reasonable to anticipate a large increase in rent. Currently, rent and utilities run about $5,000. Do we invest tens of thousands of dollars to improve a leased property to create accessibility and pay increased rent, or do we build our own center inclusive of everyone? The current amount budgeted would easily cover the payment on the new temple including utilities. We, the members of the Rime, are devoted to expanding our community and building our own home.
Besides the obvious financial and accessibility wins involved in building a temple, there is literally no better way for your money to achieve peace through compassion in Kansas City. With your help, we will build and spread a new thriving, vibrant and welcoming Rime Buddhist Temple and Meditation Grove. Finally, as you may know, one of the primary tenets of Buddhism is unselfish giving, so make yours count more than ever and share the Rime tradition for decades to come.
Join us in our next chapter of the Rime Center’s legacy in Kansas City and consider making a donation to the Rime Buddhist Temple. May the blessings of health, peace, success and happiness be yours.