Building Our Future

A New Zendo

For years, our community has grown and flourished, offering a refuge for practice and deepening our connection to the Dharma.

However, our current zendo is reaching its limits—Sundays are crowded, retreats are full, and we lack the dedicated spaces needed for dokusan, kinhin, and other essential aspects of practice.

Now, we have the opportunity to build a new zendo—a space designed to support our community for generations to come.

The Vision for Growth

A Thoughtfully Designed Zendo

The zendo itself will seat 40 people comfortably and allow for indoor kinhin when needed.

Raised sitting platforms will make it easier to get up from zazen and there will be plenty of space for chairs.

There will be an indoor foyer for shoes, coats, cushions, and two bathrooms.

A wrap around deck and wooden walkway will connect the zendo to the other buildings and also allow for longer outdoor kinhin routes.

Enhanced Sesshin Experience and Community Gatherings

The current zendo will be transformed into a space for community gatherings, body practice, and dining during sesshin.

It will also provide a dokusan waiting line, a traditional part of our practice.

How We’ll Build It

Our approach balances community effort with professional expertise:

We will build as much as possible ourselves, using the skills and dedication of our Sangha members.

We will hire professionals for plumbing installations and drywall finishing.

While doing most of the work ourselves will save on costs, we still need funds for building materials and things we cannot outsource.

Our Goal

Our goal is to raise $200,000 by 12/31/25, in order to start early 2026.

$5,000 builds 1 seat in the new zendo.

This is a rare opportunity to contribute to building the future of our sangha.

We very rarely ask for financial support, and have not built a building for 20 years.

Fundraiser Status

As of 1/15/26, we have raised $207,000, 104% of our goal!

Thank you to all who have contributed!

In addition to the monetary donations, we’ve received generous commitments from sangha members:

Jayson Rivera has volunteered to clear the land and lay the foundation.

Peter Crawford has completed a land survey.

Keith Bowers has volunteered to guide us through electrical work.

Donate Today

Help us reach our goal by making a contribution. Any amount—large or small—brings us closer.

While we would prefer donations via check, cash, or bank transfer to avoid transaction fees, we would also gladly receive donations via Paypal if that is more convenient for you.

Checks can be made out to North Carolina Zen Center and given to any leadership member or mailed to:

North Carolina Zen Center
390 Ironwood
Pittsboro, NC 27312

You can donate stocks, crypto, and set up a bank transfer through every.org.

Donations are tax-deductible.

Volunteer

Do you have construction, organizational, or planning skills?

Join us in building our future together.

Reach out to info@nczencenter.org to join the team building the new zendo.

Spread the Word

Share our vision with others who may be inspired to support a space for practice and awakening.