Dear friends,
I am writing with some updates about what has been happening at Springwater Center and how you might participate as we build a strong future for our community.
Earlier this month, the Board of Trustees named me administrator following many years of dedicated service by Wayne Coger. All of us at the Center are deeply grateful for the care and steadiness that Wayne brought to this role. We wish him the best as he continues to support us by leading retreats and through his participation on the Teaching Committee.
Over the past two years, I have come to see that Springwater is the organization that has been the most meaningful for me to work with and that I am best positioned to serve. I feel lucky to be old enough to know many from the core group of the Center’s founding years, but also young enough to have insight into newer generations engaged in meditative work. I have had many conversations with both of these groups, and a common hope emerges: that our Center may remain a place for people to come to listen and inquire together for years to come. It is from this emerging vision that I write to you today.
Staffing and Operations
Following my last letter on our current staffing shortage, there has been an influx of offerings to help and also concern about the future of our Center’s well-being. Thanks to this energy, we have received exceptional volunteer support, allowing us to continue to host retreats with minimal disruption. We made the difficult decision to close the Center to guest stays for periods during November, December, and February, using this time to rebuild staff and focus on strategic planning. Thanks to these efforts, we are in a solid position as we approach the busier spring and summer months.
This period of quiet has allowed us to care for both our buildings and our staff community. With the help of Liz Heron, we have held two staff retreats that touched on the challenges we are working with and our deepest wishes for our future. Teachers Sandra Gonzalez and Richard Witteman have provided invaluable support working closely with staff during their extended residencies. With the help of our Planning Committee organized by Susan Esons, processes are now underway to assess our position and our priorities for continued resilience.
Looking Forward: Another Forty Years of Meditative Community
2026 marks forty years since we became Springwater Center. As the founding generation shifts into advisory roles, we are inheriting the fruits of their adventurous spirit, generosity, fiscal responsibility, and dedication to making Springwater Center a place of presence, stillness, and inquiry. Now, our task is to carry on the essence of what has made our Center so beloved while also innovating to remain relevant in a changing world.
A key priority to make this a reality is investing in our staff. The cost-of-living crisis has made clear that our modest staff stipend is no longer sufficient to retain current staff or attract new staff. Working with our economic model to offer a living wage for staff will be an important step toward ensuring the long-term viability of our Center and the flourishing of our broader community. In the months ahead, we will introduce a new sliding-scale membership dues structure designed to support a sustainable livelihood for our staff while keeping membership accessible to those with limited resources.
Another central priority is the continued stewardship of our retreats and other offerings. The median age of our teachers is increasing, and the time has come to begin conversations about passing this work to another generation. I look forward to working with the Teaching Committee to ensure that our retreats continue to be stewarded with the clarity and understanding that has always been the heart of what we offer.
As we look forward, we are also exploring ways of deepening community participation and member involvement so that the future of Springwater Center is not shaped by just a few individuals, but by the vitality of an engaged community. While still in the early stages, these conversations have included ideas such as polls, surveys, group feedback sessions, and online or in-person visioning retreats. We are also beginning conversations about how legacy giving can help sustain Springwater for generations to come.
Comings and Goings
In the past months, Erica Finch, Caitlin Solano, Chris Wang-Iverson, and Bob Bromley have left staff after dedicated support in areas including finances, administration, online coordination, housekeeping, and repair and maintenance. We thank them for their contributions and are grateful that they have been continuing to support us in part-time roles. Susan Esons has returned to her home in Connecticut after two years in administration and has been supporting us through the valuable work of the Planning Committee. She will return to the Center this summer to facilitate our Quiet Weeks in August.
We are delighted to welcome Kevin Hackett back to staff in the financial office and facilities support. Kevin and I worked closely together the last time we were on staff and I share our community’s excitement about his return. Efforts to build our staff continue as we seek coverage in housekeeping, maintenance, office administration, fundraising, kitchen support, and IT systems. If you or anyone you know would like to explore staff life, please email us at info@springwatercenter.org.
Online Retreats on Pause
Due to our staffing challenges, our online retreats are temporarily on hold. We continue to offer Open Meditative Dialogues and other one-day online events. We know how important these online options have been for friends of the Center, especially those unable to travel. We are exploring options to increase these offerings again as we welcome more staff. In the meantime, I am compiling a list of people interested in helping organize online activities on a volunteer basis, so if you have ideas or offers of technical support in this area, please email me directly at mark@springwatercenter.org.
Looking Ahead: Your Role in the Future of Springwater Center
As we enter into the next chapter of our history, your presence will help ensure our community continues to thrive. I invite you to be a part of the process, whether by attending retreat, volunteering, offering financial support, or reaching out with your own hopes and visions. Your engagement will create the foundation for another generation of meditative inquiry at Springwater Center.
With gratitude,
Mark Bruno
Administrator, Springwater Center
