December & January Newsletter

Council News

As Self-Realization Fellowship focuses on building the foundation for the next 100 years, Portland Center members are also considering how to do our part to maximize Portland's location as a Northwest hub to spread the light of divine awakening in our region.

With that in mind, we are exploring the possible relocation of Portland Center. We believe at least three factors are vital for spearheading growth.

We need to attract more families and younger devotees. Additional space for an expanded Sunday School program will be a draw for families with children ages four through 12, plus teens.
Roomier quarters for hosting SRF Monastics would lead to longer visits and SRF programs in the greater Portland area and around the region. While Portland Center is blessed to have accommodations upstairs for periodic Monastics' visits, the tight quarters also restrict the number of nights the City allows them to stay overnight.
We currently lease a nearby parking lot and when we lost it for a few months this past year, it underscored that we need to own our parking lot and be near to reliable mass transit.

We welcome your input and suggestions. If you are interested in being kept up to date on the process, please contact us by email at PortlandCenterSRF@gmail.com, with the subject line RELOCATION.

Portland Center also continues to do its part in our local neighborhood. A holiday food drive is underway to support Vestal Elementary School. Non-perishable food items can be dropped off at Portland Center on Sundays.

We look forward to celebrating the spirit of Christmas with SRF Monastics Brother Sarvananda and Brahmachari Rahul, who will stay with us for several days and lead the All-Day Christmas Meditation at Portland Center on Saturday, December 13. More details on their visit is outlined elsewhere in this newsletter.

We are grateful for the blessings our Guru Paramahansa Yogananda bestows on all of us and for the many who meditate and serve with us.

In Divine Friendship,
Kimberly Stevens, Linda Clark-Traeger, Lisa Buchholz,
Mike O'Brien and Paulette Fritsch

Sunday School is Growing!

Meeting on the first Sunday of each month, Portland Center’s in-person Sunday School will celebrate its second year in Spring 2026.

Our Sunday School follows traditional Self-Realization Fellowship How-to-Live School principles. Anchored in the SRF teachings, the lessons convey God-centered, age-appropriate content through activities such as prayer, affirmation, meditation, chanting, stories and art projects. While engaging in “serious fun,” students experience the joyful presence of our Guru, Paramahansa Yogananda.

We are glad to welcome the newest additions to our teaching faculty, Mary Morasch and Andrea La Canela. Having two teachers during each session provides an enriching teacher-to-student ratio for presenting Master’s teachings.

To continue our growth in 2026 and beyond, Sunday School accepts children from four to twelve years old. We currently offer once-a-month classes and would consider every other week classes as interest and demand allow.

Sunday School nurtures our next generation of devotees, with young families and new students bringing fresh perspectives and a renewing spirit to our entire Portland Center community.

Professional dance teacher Ms. Andrea led Mr. Darden and the October's Sunday School class in dancing to the Divine, while chanting “Spirit and Nature, dancing together” from Yogananda’s Cosmic Chants.

If you know of a family wishing to guide their children in our Guru’s teachings, contact Darden Bynum at dardenbynum@iCloud.com.

Upcoming Events

Sun, Dec. 7

Remembering Who You Really Are

A video talk by Sister Brahmani

Sunday School

Christmas Craft & Bake Sale

Fri, Dec. 12th

Outing with the Monastics

See details below

Sat, Dec. 13

Monastic-led All-Day Christmas Meditation 10:00 am - 6:00 pm

Sun, Dec. 14

Inspirational Service by an SRF Monastic

Christmas Vegetarian Potluck

12:00-12:45 pm

Sun, Dec. 21

Celebrating Christmas in the Temple of the Soul

A video talk by Brother Nakulananda

Friendship Tea 12:00-12:45 pm

Sun, Dec. 28

Kirtan 8:00 am, 9:00 am & 10:00 am

Energization Exercises 8:00 am

Attunement with the Christ Consciousness

Sun, Jan. 4

Paramahansa Yogananda Commemorative Birthday Service

Sunday School

Sat, Jan. 10

Paramahansa Yogananda Commemorative All-Day Meditation

10:00 am to 4:00 pm

Sun, Jan. 11

Rediscovering Your Higher Self

Sun, Jan. 18

Living the Spiritual Life in a
Material World

A video talk by Brother Kartikananda

Friendship Tea 12:00-12:45 pm

Sun, Jan. 25

Kirtan 8:00 am, 9:00 am & 10:00 am

Energization Exercises 8:00 am

How to Rise Above Pressures & Problems

Highlights

The Rose Garden at The Grotto

Monastic Visit

We are blessed to host the SRF Monastics from December 12th to 14th. The weekend will start with a tour of The Grotto on the 12th, then the Monastics will lead the All-Day Christmas Meditation on the 13th and all of the events on Sunday the 14th. If you would like to sign up for a Kriya check while they are here, please email PortlandCenterSRF@gmail.com.

Friday, December 12th

9:30 am Carpool from Portland Center to The Grotto

10:00 am The Grotto Tour with SRF Monastics

NE 85th Ave & Sandy Blvd, Portland

Tickets are $10.95 for Adults and $9.95 for Seniors

12:15 pm Lunch at Portland Center

Saturday, December 13th

10:00 am - 6:00 pm Monastic-led All-Day Christmas Meditation with Kirtan

Break at 2:00 pm (No admittance after 10:00 am)

Sunday, December 14th

SRF Monastics will be leading all of the events for the day

9:40 am Energization Exercises

10:00 am Guided Meditation

11:00 am Inspirational Service

12:00 pm - 12:45 pm Christmas Vegetarian Potluck

Food Drive

In these difficult times members of our Center and members of our local community can benefit from support. We are collecting non-perishable food for the Vestal School community and for Portland Center members. Please place what you would like to contribute in the white box in the Information Room. Portland Center members may access the box in the Family Room closet for their own needs.

Connect Online With Young Adults From Around the World

The SRF Young Adult Sangha (sangha is Sanskrit for “gathering” or “fellowship”) is a global community that offers opportunities for young adults to connect, share inspiration, develop friendships, and strengthen our spiritual practices.

Monthly online gatherings are usually held on the third Saturday of each month. Each event, held via Zoom, focuses on a particular aspect of Paramahansa Yogananda’s teachings and includes time for meditation and discussion. Examples of past topics include: “Mindful Living: Connecting With the Present,” “Making the Right Decisions for Success in Life,” “Harmonizing Work and Spiritual Life,” and “Developing Dynamic Willpower.”

For more information visit: yogananda.org/programs-for-young-adults

Financial Donations

Online donations to the Portland Center can be made through Zelle with the following email address:

portlandcenterdonations@gmail.com

Checks made payable to "Portland Center" can be mailed to 356 NE 80th Avenue, Portland 97213

Helpful Links

Portland Center Announcements

Submit a Prayer Request

Self-Realization Fellowship Website

www.PortlandCenterSRF.org