December 2025

Dearest Sangha,

Solstice ushers in the deeps of winter. It’s here we have time to pause, to reflect, to revisit the accomplishments of the previous year. Below are some highlights from 2025.

Winter: Mountain Stream hosted its first annual State of the Sangha. Together, we revisited Mountain Stream’s history and discussed our beloved Temple’s recent and upcoming facilities needs. Guiding teacher Adam Stonebraker spoke to ongoing and upcoming programs. Our financial and fundraising consultant, George Kellar, presented an impressive visual and verbal financial portrait: how your donations are used, proposed budgetary changes, and our expectations for the coming year.

Spring: Springtime brought Dale Borglum to the Center to teach a well-attended course - a practical guide to awakening: Conscious Living and Conscious Dying. From that, Sangha members created the Community of Care, a group with two streams: Conscious Dying, with trained individuals who can offer mindful, compassionate presence for those in transition; and Conscious Living, for Sangha members in need of compassionate support. The full program launches in 2026.

Summer: Following 2024’s Outdoor Five Elements daylong with Kirsten Rudestam, summer brought a fuller flowering of Mountain Stream’s Eco-Dharma program: a five week course taught by Constance Washburn. Another outdoor half-day at our beloved Yuba River was taught by Leslie Pace and Lakshmi Prasad. With Mountain Stream’s newly formed Eco-Dharma Council, expect more to come.

This summer also saw the much needed refreshing of our Village Temple’s exterior. ABC Masonry removed and replaced the old, crumbling grout, partially removed one structurally unsound chimney and securely attached a handrail loosened from long use.

Autumn: In early fall, we bade farewell to Robyn Hennon as Center Director and welcomed Lauren Pittman as our new Executive Director. We’re also welcoming a new member of the financial team, Azriel LaMarca while extending our deepest gratitude to Tina Tesene, a beloved and long-term part of both our admin family and our Sangha.

Throughout the year: We sat with new teachers and enjoyed a wide variety of courses, daylongs and retreats. We delighted in Sangha at summer potlucks, dessert teas, and labyrinth walks. We also engaged with more peer-led programs, such as Room to Breathe (our recovery Dharma weekly meetings), Sitting and Sangha, a Deepening Our Practice daylong, and in our our monthly meal offering at Hospitality House. And we maintained our beautiful Village Temple.

We are deeply grateful for the ongoing generosity of our community and for the many volunteers who make this all possible. It takes a village to create and support our Village Temple and all that’s offered therein. Thank you.

 With deep appreciation,

Alison Sweetser, Mountain Stream Board President