2020 BLIA South Island AGM & Mid-Autumn Tea Party

Buddha’s Light International Association (BLIA) South Island held its 2020 Annual General Meeting (AGM) on 4^th October 2020. More than 60 people consisting of Fo Guang Shan (FGS) South Island Minister-in-charge Venerable Jue Xi, BLIA South Island President Bernie, Vice President James Low, Advisor John Lai, Subchapter Presidents, and BLIA South Island Directors and members. In his reporting, President Bernie highlighted the following activities carried out by BLIA South Island in the past year: the Love and Peace Interfaith Concert, the FGS NZ Vegefest 2019, the Post Lockdown Thanksgiving Tea Party, the 2020 Blessing Chocolatte – Coffee and Chocolate Festival, the ‘Forum on Humanistic Buddhism in Modern Society’, and the participation of BLIA South Island Basketball Team in Canterbury Basketball League Tournament.

Following President Bernie, 1^st Subchapter President Louisa reported her subchapter’s activities as follows: organized traditional Chinese medical checkups for members, organized birth day parties for members and participated in the Red Cross’s Meals on Wheels Program. 2^nd Subchapter President Cao Qian reported the subchapter’s activities as follows: participated in 2020 FGS Vegefest, participated in New Year Lighting Show and participated in online Dharma courses during Lockdown, and finally, 3^rd Subchapter President Sally Lim reported that 3^rd subchapter organized English Dharma classes and read book by Master Hsing Yun about the meaning of ‘Faith’.

The AGM discussed and passed the following motions:

• Members are encouraged to participate online in the Triple Gem Refuge and 5 precepts Ceremory to be held on 25^th October 2020 in FGS Temple North Island,
• Members are to plan and arrange for participation in the Dharma Talks to be organized by FGS South Island. The 2020 Dharma Talk will be on 31st October 2020. There will be 3 more Dharma Talks in 2021,
• The FGS NZ Vegefest 2020 will be held on 7th November 2020. Members are to distribute 3000 entry tickets, and
• The Buddha’s Enlightenment Day Sharing of Laba Congees Activity will be held on 11th and 12th December 2020. The target this time is set at 3000 bowls.

In her address to the meeting, Venerable Jue Xi remarked that, despite having to face calamities such as the 2011 Canterbury Earthquake, the 2019 Christchurch mosque shootings incident, and the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic, FGS Temple South Island still continues with its services to the public. For this, Venerable Jue Xi was thankful to BLIA members who, working hand-in-hand with Venerable Abbess Manshin all these years, were able to overcome all these predicaments encountered.

Venerable Jue Xi reported that the post Lockdown 2020 Blessing Chocolatte – Coffee and Chocolate Festival had been a success, attracting 1500 visitors. She informed that, in the coming months, FGS South Island will organize a series of Dharma Talks to calm the minds of the people, and to enable the public and BLIA members to have deeper understanding of ‘Life’ itself so that they can face it with positivity. Venerable Jue Xi hoped that BLIA members are able to follow the footsteps of Abbess Manshin closely and to have a strong bond with her.

After the AGM, members adjourned to the Dining Hall for a Mid-autumn Tea Party. More than 20 varieties of food and delicacies were prepared for the occasion. BLIA members thanked Venerable Jue Xi for her effort in organizing such a nice and heart-warming Tea Party, making them feel as if they were celebrating Mid-autumn Festival in their home countries.