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RECENT  ANNOUNCEMENTS

March 2023​

  • Mark your calendars for the upcoming visit by two SRF monks! Brother Devananda and Brahmachari Bhaskarananda will be with us at the end of May during the Memorial Day weekend. A detailed schedule of events will be available soon.

  • The third Sunday of each month is Hospitality Sunday, a chance for us to socialize and connect with one another after the 11:00 service while sharing in light refreshments served by our Hospitality Committee. We hope you will be able to join us for this opportunity to enjoy spiritual fellowship.

  • Our Book Room will be open after the service this morning, where you can browse our collection of inspiring SRF publications and useful devotional items. By purchasing through our Book Room, you not only save shipping costs but you help to support our  beautiful Center.

  • At the conclusion of our 11:00 Sunday service, those who wish to stay in the chapel a little longer to enjoy the meditative atmosphere generated during the morning are welcome to do so. We ask those who want to converse with one another after the service to kindly meet in the foyer or the Information Room, to preserve the silence of the chapel. Thank you for your consideration.

  • A reminder that the chapel windows will be partially open during our Sunday and Tuesday evening services to allow for adequate ventilation, so you may want to continue to dress warmly.

February 2023

  • All registered voting members of Portland Center are invited to attend a meeting to vote on the purchase of a much needed newer flower cooler. The meeting originally scheduled for February 26th will now be held on March 4, immediately following the 11:00 Sunday service.  A short presentation, discussion and voting should take about 20 minutes.

  • If you are an SRF Lessons student or Kriyaban who has been attending Portland Center regularly and you have not yet done so, we invite you to consider registering as a voting member of our congregation. This will entitle you to participate in major decisions involving our Center, such as the current need to replace our flower cooler. More details about membership and a registration form are available on the table in the Information Room, as well as on our website.

  • We have two special services coming up in early March honoring the mahasamadhi of Paramahansa Yogananda and his guru Swami Sri Yukteswar. Tuesday evening March 7th we will celebrate the mahasamadhi of Paramahansa Yogananda and on Thursday March 9th we will observe the mahasamadhi of Swami Sri Yukteswarji. For both of these special services an optional meditation will be held from 7:15 – 7:45 p.m., followed by the service from 8:00 – 9:00 p.m. You may bring an offering of a flower or flowers as a symbol of devotion to God and the Guru. Traditionally, the devotee does not smell the flowers as the fragrance is part of the gift meant for God. You may also offer a donation in a plain white envelope as an expression of your loyalty to and appreciation for the SRF Gurus and Self-Realization Fellowship. Anyone with a sincere interest in this spiritual path is welcome. 

  • Portland Center's Managing Council would like to consult with someone who has expertise or interest in emergency preparedness and procedures. If this is something you could help with, please contact Mike O’Brien at PortlandCenterSRF@gmail.com  or fill out a Volunteer Application at the Newcomers Table in the foyer.

  • In the event of weather related closures, an announcement will be posted on our website, portlandcentersrf.org

  • And a message from our Book Room: It’s not too late to pick up your 2023 SRF Wall and Engagement calendars! These useful items are graced with beautiful pictures that can add inspiration to our everyday routines. Please visit us in the book room after the service today.

  • We are happy to announce that Kirtan will again be offered on the last Sunday of every month. Kirtan is devotional chanting with traditional Indian instruments. We will begin with group practice of the SRF Energization Exercises at 8:00 a.m. You may enter during the chanting at 8:15, 9:00 or 10:00. This is followed by the Inspirational service at 11:00.  

  • Sunday School will be starting again this year if there are qualified teachers and teacher’s aides. The SRF Youth Services offers training to devotees who would like to volunteer for this important and meaningful service . No prior experience is necessary. If this is something that captures your interest, please send an email to Mike O’Brien at the Portland Center email address or fill out a volunteer form. If you know of any SRF devotees who have children please inform them that we hope to start offering Sunday School. If they are interested, please have them contact us. The email address is: Portlandcentersrf@gmail.com and can also be found on the internet.

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  • If you would like to receive emails with updates including possible weather related closures you need to be receiving the Portland Center E-Newsletter. You may sign-up for the E-newsletter on our website or by submitting a small form at the Newcomer’s Table.

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  • A reminder that every Tuesday evening our chapel is open for silent personal meditation.  You may enter and leave at any time between 6:30 and 9:30 pm. 

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  • Looking ahead to later this year, we are happy to announce that Brother Devananda will be visiting us from May 26 through the 29th. You may want to mark your calendars.

 

  • The backyard landscaping project has made significant progress. The paths and garden areas have been created, and several benches installed. The next phase involves selecting plants for landscaping.  Feel free to visit the backyard following the service to view the new installations. As the work continues, donations are still being accepted. A chart with the fundraising progress is located on the display board in the Information room. Thank you for your support!

 

 

Your donations help support the Portland Center. One way to do that is through the Zelle money transfer system. It is free and most often used by banks. Once you enroll, you just need an email address to send the money electronically.  The email for Portland Center donations is: portlandcenterdonations@gmail.com  This information will be posted on the bulletin board in the Information Room.

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Fragrances can be a problem for people who are allergic to them. Please be mindful of others, and we request that you refrain from wearing fragrances when attending services and events at the Portland Center. Thank you for your understanding.

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