SaiRam Dear Members,
Please find below the latest Sri Sathya Sai Center of Loudoun Newsletter.

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SRI SATHYA SAI GLOBAL COUNCIL – ZONE1 (USA- REGION 2)





A warm and loving Sairam dear Members,

Our hearts and prayers go out to everyone who is impacted by the recent earthquake which has caused so much pain and suffering. Calamities such as these sometimes make us ponder, if God is 'all knowing' and 'all loving', Why do these calamities occur? Why doesn't this all powerful God stop these things from happening?

Not everyone knows the answers to those questions because HIS ways are different from ours and HIS thoughts are different from ours. But one thing we can all realize and experience from such events is how precious this gift of Life is that God has presented to all of us; and how it can all go away in a second! Along with this great gift of life, God also gave us the power to choose how we can spend it. We can waste it away by chasing worldly pursuits which will only engulf us in such cycles of sorrows and joys, or we can choose to spend it wisely by constantly remembering HIS name and singing HIS glory which will help us in achieving permanent bliss!

“Nature is your school, your laboratory, the gateway to liberation, and the panorama of God's majesty. Seek to know the lessons it is ready to teach.” (Sathya Sai Baba, 4 October 1970).

Let us come together and pray from the depths of our hearts and ask Swami to spread His grace and love on everyone. Om Sai Ram!
 

Please find this week's Centre Newsletter, updates from all wings (Devotion, SSSE, Seva & YA) along with Centre Calendar for Feb 2023 and Zonal/Regional updates.

Center Newsletter – Feb 12th 2023


Please check attached February calendar above.

 Join us to learn “Hanuman Chalisa” followed by Bhajans on Sunday Feb 12th @ Claude Moore from 9:45am.

Encourage all Parents, Adults and YAs to join us to learn Hanuman Chalisa.

Subscription:
Don’t forget to subscribe to SSSCL YouTube Channel: 
https://www.youtube.com/@loudounsaicenter

Please Join!!
Sri Sathya Sai Center of Loudoun – Maha Shivaratri
2023 Celebrations

Center Address: 46105 Loudoun Park Lane Sterling VA 20164.


Hanuman Chalisa Learning, Bhajans on 

Sunday, Feb 12th 2023.

Time:  9:45 am – 11:45 am

Agenda:

Opening Prayers, Swami Darshan Video, Practice Lingashtakam, Learning “Hanuman Chalisa'' , Satsang – Glory of the Divine Names – 108 Ashtothram, Bhajans and closing prayers.

Encourage Parents, Adults and YAs to please join us to learn Hanuman Chalisa.

Maha Shivaratri Bhajans on Saturday Feb 18th from 5:30pm to 12:05am at Sister Madhavi & Rajendra Damaraju residence @42931 Teal briar Place, Broadlands, VA 20148. (More details in Devotional email).

SSSE Maha Shivaratri Bhajan Practice – MANDATORY

  • Feb 11th 2023, Saturday:  SSSCL SSSE Maha Shivaratri Bhajan practice In Person,  @ 24809 High Plateau Ct, Aldie VA 20105 from 2:30pm – 3:30pm for Story Group/Grp1/Grp2 Kids.
  • Feb 12th 2023, Sunday: SSSCL SSSE mandatory bhajan practice for Maha Shivaratri bhajans @ 22503 Bowens Wharf Place, Ashburn VA 20148 from 4pm to 6pm for Group 3 and Group 4 Kids.
Center Address: 46105 Loudoun Park Lane Sterling VA 20164.


Sri Sathya Sai Educare (SSSE) Updates

SSSE Classes on Sunday, Feb 12th, 2023 from 9:30 am – 11:45 am.

Important SSSE Reminders:

1. SSSGC Regional Retreat (Memorial Day weekend) – Calling all interested SSSE kids for participation in drama/dance/singing as part of the cultural offering planned by the Region. If interested, please notify ASAP via email  to sse@loudounsai.org. Please provide your kid's name and SSSE group name. We will need a sample video of your dance or bhajan for audition/selection by Region. If selected, there are 'mandatory' practice sessions at New Jersey in the months of March and April that will need in person participation.  
We are also working to get Debate and Puppet Show assigned to our Loudoun Center so that we can independently rehearse for those events locally. Please let us know if you are interested in participating in Debate and/or puppet shows (email 
sse@loudounsai.org with your kid and group name).

2. Mandatory SSSE bhajan practice session on Saturday/Sunday Feb 11th and 12th for all SSSE kids who signed up for Maha Shivaratri bhajans. Please look for details in the Devotional Session.

3. Maha Shivaratri bhajans on Feb 18th Saturday from 5:30pm onwards. Please join the SSSE kids singing vibrant Shiva bhajans. Please also encourage kids to practice and participate in bhajan workshops that will fine tune their singing skills.

Please Note: All SSSE Kids offering bhajans are requested to be at the Venue by 5:45PM.

4. SSSE Online Bhajan Workshop on Saturday Feb 25th, look for details from devotional coordinator.

5. Sunday March 19th – Please mark your calendar(Change in date) to join our initiative for Sai Harmonious Homes. This is a special satsang designed for parents to ask any questions on how to engage their kids in our spiritual upbringing. This workshop cum satsang is strongly encouraged for SSSE Parents.

Sai Ram!


SEVA UPDATES

Maha Shivaratri Food Signup Link: February 18th SATURDAY
DescLoudoun Sai Center is delighted to invite you and your family to participate in this year's Maha Shivaratri Bhajans starting from 5:30 PM to 12:05 AM on Saturday February 18th 2023 at Sister Madhavi & Rajendra Damaraju's residence @42931 Tealbriar Place, Broadlands, VA 20148.

Signup Link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0d4dafa929a0f8cf8-maha#/

Narayana Seva(Reston Shelter): February 18th SATURDAY
Desc: Prepare and serve dinner at *Reston Shelter* located at:11975 Bowman Towne Dr, Reston, VA 20190 on Saturday February 18th, 2023.
Signup link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0d4dafa929a0f8cf8-february4#/

Narayana Seva(Manassas shelter): February 25th SATURDAY
Desc: Prepare and serve dinner at Manassas
Shelter located at:10056 Dean Dr, Manassas, VA 20144 on Saturday January 28th, 2023.
Signup link:  https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0d4dafa929a0f8cf8-february5#/

Sai Ram


Young Adults Updates

1. YA Re-registration Form: Please look for information from YA reps to re-confirm as active YA of the center by registering using the link below.
YA Re-Registration Form

2. YA Mini Retreat: Feb 17-Feb 19 in Raleigh, North Carolina – Registration is extended until Sunday Jan 29th, if interested please register. Please reach out  Arjun Sundaram for more details.

If you have any questions and (or) looking for more YA updates, please reach out to our Female YA Rep Varsha Rao or Male YA Rep Arjun Sundaram.

Sai Ram


SSSGC's Updates

SSSGC (USA) – Region 2 Updates:

1. Region 2 Memorial Day Retreat will be held from Friday May 26th to Monday May 29th 2023 in the Address- TBD.

If Interested to be part of various Devotional and SSSE activities, please reach out to your Center Officers.

SSSGC-USA National Announcements
1. Parthi Pilgrimage 2023

With HIS divine grace and blessings, we are immensely happy to share with you all that, we will be having our SSSGC-USA pilgrimage to Divine abode Prashanti Nilayam from July 4th- July 6th, 2023.(please see the attached flyer). 

This pilgrimage is coordinated by our Mid-Atlantic Region (Region2)

A registration form to sign up for Parthi Pilgrimage will be shared with you shortly. All are welcome, Please reach out to your nearest SSSGC Sai center for more details.

SSSGC-Zone1 Updates:

1.  “How Swami Came Into My Life”:  Please announce at your next meeting that SaiLights Magazine is requesting devotees to share a unique story or personal experience on how Swami came into their lives.   Kindly share the attached flyer with your center members how they can participate. 
Dear Sai Devotee:  Do you have a “Special Story” or “Personal Experience” to share about how Swami came into your life?
SaiLights, the magazine of the SSSGC Zone 1, cordially invites you to share your story with the Sai family for publication in its Volume 5, which we aim to offer at His Lotus Feet on Aradhana Day, April 24, 2023. Friday, March 10 -Last date to submit (200 words in length). You can use the link below to submit the article.

Submission link: https://www.sailights.org/sailightssubmission/
Flyer link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/17HX3nFxhN2JJCXxuvaI3AMNNTp4gTniN/view?usp=share_link

2. Zone 1 Conference presentation material: 
Kindly click on the link below to access the presentation material used during the February 4th Conference:
https://www.sssgc-zone1.org/zonal-meeting-feb-4-2023/

3.  Humanitarian Committee Earthquake Update:   
Sairam Dear Brothers and Sisters,
As many areas of Turkey and Syria are dealing with the disastrous impacts of the earthquakes, let’s keep them in our thoughts and prayers.  May our prayers bring solace to the families impacted and strengthen the hands of the relief workers.  

While several centers in our Zone are in communication with local church groups and/or embassies to coordinate assistance at the local level, no zone wide initiatives are planned for now.  We are keeping abreast of the situation through various contacts and are receptive to the forwarding of information for any opportunities that may arise.

In Loving Service of Sai, 
Giridhar Jeedigunta 
Chair Zone 1 Humanitarian Relief Committee

4. Zone 1 Conference Videos: 
Will be posted at the following link:  https://www.youtube.com/c/SSSGCZone1/videos

5.  New Zonal Website
Our new zonal website is up and running:  https://www.sssgc-zone1.org/   It is a great resource to obtain the latest zonal announcements, find centers in our zone and provide information regarding Swami and His organization. Please provide the Media committee with suggestions to further enhance the site. 

6. SSSGC Announcement – Smule App: Our Zone 1 media, with Swami's Grace, has also joined in to create a smule account for all to enjoy as they practice Namasmarana (remembrance of the name).  It is titled Sai Keerthan to Sankeerthana  (Individual Sadhana to Community Sadhana).  Please see the attached flyer and information given below.   Click on the link below to subscribe to the channel:

Goal: To create a platform by sharing and being part of Swami’s mission to travel from individual to community sadhana by signing His glory.
Objective: To make singing His glory part of our daily practice
Who can participate? Everyone of all ages, including SSSE students and Young Adults, can participate in the glorious singing. 

7. Call Sai Seva Program: Call Sai, where you are never alone, is a program designed to provide assistance to Sai devotees by connecting them to appropriate resources in a confidential manner. All it requires is a phone call (1-272 CALL SAI; 1-272-225-5724). For more details on the Call Sai program, please visit https://www.callsai.org/

Sai Ram!

Video of the Week
SSSCL – Maha Lakshmi Ashtakam Chanting – |SSSE Story Group, Group 1 & 2|

Jai Sai Ram!

Saideepa Amin (devotion@loudounsai.org
Karthik Srinivasan (sse@loudounsai.org)  
Vijay Konkimalla (seva@loudounsai.org)  
Arjun Sundaram (yamrep@loudounsai.org)  
Varsha Rao (yafrep@loudounsai.org)  
Prasanthi Babu (vp@loudounsai.org)
Raghavendran Srinivasan (president@loudounsai.org)

!! Samastha Lokah Sukhino Bhavanthu !!

LOVE ALL SERVE ALL . HELP EVER HURT NEVER

Copyright © *2023* *Sri Sathya Sai Global Council Center of Loudoun, VA*, All rights reserved.

Our Center Website address is:
loudounsai.org


 

May Swami's Love flow through All

At his divine lotus feet,

Raghavendran Srinivasan

5712860085

Sri Sathya Sai Center of Loudoun

(https://loudounsai.org)