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Greetings, friends of the Portland Center!
Welcome to this three-month edition of our newsletter, as summer beckons us to enjoy the gifts of Cosmic Mother Nature in all Her glory. We're glad to let you know about upcoming events and to share photos of our recent activities. Please join us for meditation and fellowship!
Portland Center
of Self-Realization
Fellowship
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Portland Center E-Newsletter
June/July/August 2017 - Vol 8, Issue 3
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Contact information for SRF and nearby SRF groups |
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From Master
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"The face is the reflector of your inner self; the heart, the source of feelings, is the basis of that reflection. Your face should be an inspiring sermon. Your countenance should be a beacon for others to follow, a lighthouse by which shipwrecked souls can find the way to safety in the harbor of peace."
Paramahansa Yogananda,
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Services and Activities
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Summer Events:
For information about the regular monthly schedule and additional special activities in June, July and August, please refer to the Portland Center website at
srfportlandcenter.org
or pick up a copy of the Quarterly Calendar of Services in the foyer at Portland Center.
Here are some highlights in the coming months:
June 2017
Kirtan Meditation - Sunday June 25, 8:00 a.m., 9:00 a.m., and 10:00 a.m.
July 2017
Summer Potluck -
Sunday July 2, 12:00 noon immediately following the 11:00 a.m. Readings Service. See C-Team news below for more information.
Mahavatar Babaji Commemorative Service - Tuesday July 25, 8:00-9:00 p.m., preceded by an optional meditation from 7:15-7:45 p.m.
Kirtan Meditation
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Sunday July 30, 8:00 a.m., 9:00 a.m., and 10:00 a.m.
Note: there will be no Sunday School during July
August 2017
Janmashtami Commemorative Service, observing the birth of Bhagavan Krishna -
Monday August 14,
8:00-9:00 p.m., preceded by an optional meditation from 7:15-7:45 p.m.
Kirtan Meditation - Sunday August 27, 8:00 a.m., 9:00 a.m., and 10:00 a.m.
Note: there will be no Sunday School during August
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Mahavatar Babaji Commemorative Service
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A Commemorative
Service honoring Mahavatar Babaji will be held Tuesday July 25, 8:00-9:00
p.m., preceded by an optional meditation 7:15-7:45 p.m.
"Babaji's spiritual state is beyond human comprehension....One attempts in vain even to picture the avatar's attainment."
Swami Sri Yukteswar, as quoted by
Paramahansa Yogananda in
Autobiography of a Yogi
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Janmashtami Commemorative Service
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Please join us in honoring the birthday
of Bhagavan Sri Krishna on Monday August 14.
A Commemorative Service will be held from
8:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.,
preceded by an optional meditation from 7:15 p.m. to 7:45 p.m.
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Self-Realization Fellowship Convocation
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The annual Self-Realization Fellowship 'family reunion' - SRF's worldwide Convocation - will take place
August 6 through 12 this year. Registration is available online; please see SRF's website for complete details:
Devotees who are unable to attend Convocation in person can benefit spiritually by tuning in with the spiritual vibrations in the ether during this special week, as
thousands of souls worldwide unite in meditation with the blessings of the SRF Gurus.
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Visit by Monks from Self-Realization Fellowship
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Brother Devananda and Brother Muktananda (formerly Brahmachari Allen) during their 2015 visit to Portland Center |
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After visiting with the Sacramento and Los Gatos Centers, Brother Devananda and Brother Muktananda will end their travels in Portland during the week of September 18. Because they will be with us on weekdays, many of the events will
take place in the evenings, Tuesday through Thursday September 19 - 21,
with the exception of an outing during one of the days.
More information and a schedule will be available closer to the time of their arrival.
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Save the date: Fall Silent Retreat
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The Portland Center of SRF warmly invites you to our annual fall Silent Retreat, scheduled for the weekend of October 6 - 8 2017 at the Alton Collins Retreat Center.
The theme for this year's retreat is "Peace in our Hearts; Peace in our World."
Come and immerse yourself in the quiet beauty of nature and in the blessings of our beloved Guru, imparted to us through our efforts in deep, silent group meditation and shared devotion.
Registration forms and retreat flyers will be available on our website in early July, with registration beginning July 1st. Please mark your calendars and plan on attending this uplifting event.
"Peace of the soul mends fragmented personal and family harmony and also the disintegrating fabric of our communities....Your vibration of peacefulness will touch all who cross your path and will contribute in a profound way to the cause of lasting peace in our global family." Sri Daya Mata
Nestled in an old growth forest 40 minutes from Portland, the Alton Collins Retreat Center provides a secluded place of serenity and peace. Along with inspiring group events, you may enjoy lovely forest walks, sitting in stillness by a stream and filling your body, mind and soul with gratitude.
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Our Day of Service Deemed a Huge Success!
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"Let God work through you; that is the best part of devotion. If He is walking through your feet, working through your hands, and feet, and will, then you will know Him."
Paramahansa Yogananda
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Organization par excellence! |
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Portland Center had its semi-annual Day of Service on April 8th. Volunteers arrived at 10 o'clock and began with a meditation in the chapel. The Coordination Team hosted the event and afterwards Sharon, Rebecca and Sarah said they were very pleased with the outcome. "Enthusiastic folks joined in and we accomplished everything we set out to do," they said.
One attendee remarked that everything was very organized. All of the necessary supplies were arranged prominently in the foyer, with index cards describing jobs broken down into little projects that one or two people could tackle.
In addition to all of the regular volunteers who attended, there were several chairs of various committees. The head of the Maintenance Team, Tom, was on hand to direct projects related to upkeep and preservation. He and Clair also installed a new sound system in the chapel. The weather was fine and Max, the head of Landscaping organized a Spring Cleanup outdoors which included washing mold from the outside of the building, removing debris and trimming plants and shrubs.
The Sunday School coordinator, Sarah, organized and straightened materials in the classroom. Sharon, the head of the flower committee gave that area a good going over. Claudia, the head of the hospitality committee cleaned and organized the supplies in the kitchen with help.
Lunch consisted of gourmet pizzas that were delivered piping hot, a delicious salad prepared by Bruce and wonderful vegetarian chili created by Rebecca. Some of the talk overheard around the table included gratitude for such a satisfying experience of being able to contribute to our Center in the fellowship of other devotees.
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If you would like to find out more about our service opportunities, we invite you to complete a volunteer application in the Information Room after Sunday service, or you may go to our website, www.srfportlandcenter.org/volunteer.
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Sarah Floyd, Volunteer Coordinator |
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Sarah Floyd, our Volunteer Coordinator, will also be happy to speak with you personally about your inter
est in serving. You may contact her by calling
971-570-5683 or through email at
Sarahfloyd21@gmail.com.
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Organizing Sunday School materials
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Salad and pizza for hungry volunteers |
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Spiffing up the woodwork
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Photo Album: Easter Sunday Service and Activities
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Our Easter service was followed by
a festive potluck luncheon, and the Sunday School children
thoroughly enjoyed their
annual
Easter Egg hunt.
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YSS Centennial Celebration
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It was in March of 1917 that Paramahansa Yogananda began his organizational work by establishing a school for boys in Dihika, India. Outgrowing that site after only one year, the facilities were relocated to Ranchi, near Calcutta, where Paramahansaji remained before departing for the United States in 1920. Yogoda Satsanga Society (SRF's sister organization in India) celebrated its 100 year anniversary with many festive activities in Dihika, Ranchi, and throughout India.
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Kirtan at Portland SRF Center
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Our Guru, Paramahansa Yogananda said: "The importance and power of the habit of devotional chanting cannot be overestimated. To banish inertia, indifference, lack of devotion, sad moods, blind attachments, and a host of other enemies of spiritual enlightenment, chanting is half the battle."
Group chanting of Paramahansa Yogananda's Cosmic Chants is part of every service here at Portland Center and all Self-Realization Fellowship Groups, Centers and Temples. The goal of chanting is to arouse devotion and interiorize our consciousness, preparing us for deep divine communion with God in meditation.
You may have noticed that our Center's schedule includes kirtan during the meditations from 8 a.m. - 10:45 a.m. on the last Sunday of each month. Kirtan is group chanting accompanied by traditional Indian instruments, such as seen in the accompanying photograph. At Portland Center we have two kirtan groups, both of which have practiced and played together for many years. They offer soulful renditions of Master's chants on the hour for the monthly Sunday morning meditations, and also play at most of the longer meditations held throughout the year.
Pictured here is the group led by Mary Faulkner. The other group, led by Sharon Schaefer, plays at many of our Special Services honoring each of our Gurus, as well as for the All Day Christmas Meditation. Sharon also serves as the Musical Director at Portland Center.
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Book Room enters the electronic age!
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We're happy to announce that sales transactions in the Book Room have been modernized. The old system of writing each item and price on paper and then adding it up by hand has been replaced with an electronic technology that takes about a fourth of the time.
Another improvement is that our credit card equipment is now connected directly to the internet instead of going through the phone line. As many of you may know, the phone line took longer and sometimes didn't go through.
In addition to speeding up sales, our new system also keeps track of inventory and generates reports that are automatically emailed to our bookkeeper.
Our volunteer Book Room attendants have just completed over a month of training on the new system and look forward to assisting you with purchases of books, CDs, DVDs, and photographs of the SRF Masters.
All proceeds from the Book Room go toward
Portland Center's operating costs.
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Landscaping project
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A plan to install river rocks in the Portland Center parking strips has been approved by the Coordinating Team. This is a practical solution that will eliminate the need for weed control, create a clean space for disembarking from cars, and will lend a more orderly appearance to the periphery of our Center.
Current view of main entry parking strip
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News from the C-Team
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Greetings, friends of the Portland Center!
The Coordinating Team (C-Team) would like to invite you to a special
Summer Potluck to be held on
Sunday July 2nd at the Center. Please come and bring a friend. Meet, mingle and bring a vegetarian dish to share.
We would also like to welcome all the Committee Chairs of the Portland Center to attend our semi-annual
All Chairs Meeting on Sunday June 4th. A delicious lunch will be provided.
Please also note that beginning with July,
Sunday School will be on break until September.
As always, we welcome your questions and feedback. There is a suggestion box located in the Information Room. If you would like a response from the Coordinating Team to your suggestions and questions, please write your name and phone number on the note.
Jai Guru!
Sarah Floyd
Sharon Schaefer
Rebecca Field
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Other Activities
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Sunday Socials
Socials are held on the third Sunday of each month in the Sunday School Room following the Inspirational Service. Light refreshments are provided.
Kirtan
Kirtan meditations, with devotional chanting accompanied by traditional Indian instruments, are generally held on the last Sunday of the month, from 8:00 a.m. to 10:45 a.m.
Kirtan Services start
with the Energization Exercises at 8:00 a.m., followed by periods of devotional chanting and meditation.
During the 10:00 a.m. service, there will be chanting instead of an opening prayer and a reading. Master strongly encouraged chanting as a way to deepen one's meditations and devotion. If you are unable to
stay for the full kirtan period, you may enter or leave the chapel during the chanting at 9:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m.
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How to Make a Financial Contribution
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Portland Center of SRF is supported solely by financial contributions from members and friends, and by volunteers who donate their time. Proceeds from our Book Room sales also benefit the Center.
Some members choose to make regular donations to our Center. One convenient option is to set up automatic bill pay through your bank.
To donate by check, please make your check out to "Portland Center". All checks made out to "SRF" are sent directly to Mother Center.
Thank you for your support!
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September/October E-Newsletter
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The deadline for submissions to our next issue is August 20th.
Thank you!
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In Divine Friendship,
E-Newsletter Committee
Portland Center of Self-Realization Fellowship
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