April 2026 Newsletter
April Offerings
Monday, April 6; 6 PM, on Zoom & in person at Shove Chapel, Meditation, Sutra Service and Conversation
Tuesday, April 7; 6:30 PM, on Zoom, Steering Committee Meeting – all are welcome
Monday, April 13; 6 PM, on Zoom & in person at Shove Chapel, we will listen to a recorded talk by Joan Sutherland together followed by conversation
Sunday, April 19; 4:00-5:30 PM on Zoom,Spring Koan Series with Sarah Bender, Rōshi beginsFor more info, email Sarah at sembender@gmail.com
Dana (donations) much appreciated but not required.Suggested dana $10-$15 per session can be sent to Sarah via check or paypal. (info at the bottom of this email)
Monday, April 20 16; 6 PM, on Zoom & in person at Shove Chapel, Meditation, Precepts, Community Conversation
Tuesday, April 21; 6:30-7 PM, on Zoom Welcome to New Comers Evening with Brandy Lancaster
Thursday, April 23; 6:30 PM, on Zoom, Great Matter Series with Sarah Bender, Roshi Ceremonies for Death and Dying
Sunday, April 26; 4:00-5:30 PM on Zoom, Spring Koan Series with Sarah Bender, Rōshi continues For more info, email Sarah at sembender@gmail.com
Monday, April 27; 6 PM, on Zoom & in person at Shove Chapel, Meditation and dharma talk by Sarah Bender, Roshi
Candlelight Meditation
Every Sunday from 8 to 8:30 PM, you are invited to join candlelight meditation online. Simple and lovely.
More information on the offerings listed above:
The Great Matter of Livingdying
a series of conversations with Sarah Bender
continues Thursday, April 23, 6:30-8 PM MT
Zoom Zendo
We’ll discuss the teachings Joan Sutherland has offered in our Ceremonies Manual, around caring for someone dying and after death. You can find these on page 29 at
https://joansutherlanddharmaworks.org/cgi-bin/dharma/jump.cgi?ID=177;view=PDF3
Dana is much appreciated but not required.
Suggested dana $10-$15 per session can be sent to Sarah
via check or paypal.
If you’d like to join the series and haven’t let Sarah know already please do so, to be added to the email list.
sembender@gmail.com
Welcome to New Comers Evening
with Brandy Lancaster
Tuesday, April 21, from 6:30-7PM MT
on SMS Zoom
New to the practice or Sangha? Have questions to ask? Pop on the Zoom at 6:30 on the 3rd Tuesday of the month to meet with a Sangha member and learn more about our practices.
We look forward to connecting with you!
2026 Upcoming Retreats
Mark your calendar and save the date for these retreats coming up in 2026 – more information will be available as the dates get closer
May 24 Buddha’s Birthday retreat
June 5-7 Integrative retreat
August 30 Ullambana retreat
October 17-23 Open Source retreat in Tucson
December 6, 2026 Bodhi Day retreat
If you are interested in helping to coordinate a retreat, please let Kelly McFarland know via email at s.kelly.HLS@gmail.com Coordinating a retreat is a great way to support the sangha. All who have an interest are welcome regardless of how long you have been practicing with SMS. One of the challenges that comes with offering this many retreats is that we can’t hold a retreat without a coordinator so we really appreciate people offering to step up and help coordinate.
Ongoing Meditation Schedule, All available via Zoom; Monday Eves available in person as well
Weekly Meditations (all times MDT) on Zoom:
- Weekdays from 6:30 to 7:30 AM. We sit for two periods and people come and go as they need to, and leave camera off. (Often a poem or koan will drop in at some point.)
- Saturday we sit from 6:30 to 8:00 AM, then someone speaks for a bit about their practice to kick off a deep and lively discussion (til roughly 8:30) These Zen Threads talks are now alternating every other week with “woven threads” group discussions of practice with multiple paths emerging and joining, interwoven. You can join the meditation at 6:30, 7:00, 7:30 or 8:00.
- Sunday 8:00-8:30 PM Candlelight Meditation
- A period of meditation online with others, easy and sweet!