|
A Warm and Loving SaiRam Dear Members,
Hope all of you are having a blessed week! Spring will arrive this month and will bring with it greenery, rejuvenation and energy (and lots of pollen, of course!). Nature starts to come alive and animals will start waking up from their hibernation.
We also have the Cherry Blossom Festival this month – a season when Cherry Blossom trees are in full bloom creating magnificent views! Our altar at the Center last week reflects that spirit in true pink! Cherry blossoms are a symbolic flower of spring (called Sakura in Japanese), a time of renewal, and the fleeting nature of life. Their life is very short. After their beauty peaks around two weeks, the blossoms start to fall. And as a spiritual aspirant all of us can learn so much from this phenomenon.
We also have several special occasions coming up this month at our Center! Please mark your calendars so that you can attend the Center with family and friends, and enjoy the bliss of these special programs.
We will have our Regular Devotional, SSSE activities this Sunday March 5th starting at 9:30 AM@ Claude Moore Center.
Please find this week's Centre Newsletter, updates from all wings (Devotion, SSSE, Seva & YA) along with Centre Calendar for March 2023 and Zonal/Regional updates.
Om Sai Ram!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Please check the attached March 2023 Calendar above.
Quick Highlights in MARCH, 2023:
SSSE Bhajans – Monthly SSSE Bhajans on Sunday March 5th. A day when our dear SSSE kids sing bhajans in the glory of Lord.
Daylight Savings time – Please note Daylight saving time, which moves the clocks forward an hour on Sunday, March 12th 2023.
P3/Sandwich Seva – Sunday March 12th at Claude Moore, Center starts at 9:45am.
Parental Workshop – Sunday March 19th at Claude Moore.
Hindu(Ugadi/Yugadi/GudiPadwa), Persian and Baha'i New Year – The festival is on March 22nd, which we will celebrate on Sunday March 26th. Majority of people in India and elsewhere, including Prasanthi Nilayam, will be welcoming this New Year by singing the glory of Swami and seeking His blessings for a joyous, blissful and happy New Year.
Sri Ram Navami – The festival is on March 30th which we will celebrate on Saturday April 1st. This is the day on which Lord Sri Rama was born. We will celebrate by singing the praises of Lord Sai Rama and seek His blessings. (look out for RSVP and Bhajan Signup in Devotional Session).
Subscription:
Don’t forget to subscribe to SSSCL YouTube Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/@loudounsaicenter
|
|
|
|
Regular Devotional activities on Sunday, Feb 26th 2023.
09:00-09:30 AM – Setup (Please join if available)
09:30 AM : Be at the Venue – Claude Moore
09:45 AM : Opening Prayers, Swami Darshan Video, Learn & Practice Hanuman Chalisa Chanting
10:15 AM : Learn “Mantra Pushpam” and Satsang “Glory of the Divine Names of Sri Sathya Sai” – 108 Names of Bhagawan(Ashtothra) Satsang.
10:50 AM : SSSE Bhajans
11:35 AM : Closing Prayers
Sri Rama Navami – RSVP & Bhajan Signup:
With Swami's divine grace, Sri Sathya Sai Center of Loudoun will be celebrating Sri Rama Navami Celebrations @ Sister Madhuri Chandra residence on April 1st Saturday from 6pm to 8:30pm.
Address: 24612 Lavender Grove Drive, Aldie 20105.
Link: RSVP & Bhajan SignUp
Please RSVP and kindly provide us your & your kid(s) 2 Bhajan choices if interested to offer by Monday March 13th by 11 PM.
Saíram!
|
|
|
|
Sri Sathya Sai Educare (SSSE) Updates
Regular SSSE Classes on Sunday, Feb 26th, 2023.
Important SSSE Reminders:
1. Easwaramma Day Celebrations – SAVE THE DATE for May 6th 2023 (Saturday). Kids have begun practice activities for various cultural demonstrations of what they have been learning on Swami's Educare values. Please make sure to participate in the practice sessions, assist wherever you can and encourage your kids as much as possible.
2. SSSE Seva Day and Photo Shoot Day – SAVE THE DATE for March 12th, 2023 (Sunday). Kids are required to mandatorily participate in the Seva activity as they cherish the joy of participating in making food for those in need. This is at the regular center timings on Sunday, so there should be no calendar conflict for anyone. We also request the parents to participate and join the seva activity. We have a Photo Shoot for the yearbook on the same day. Kids are required to come in appropriate dress code (white and white) as instructed by their gurus. This will really help the Yearbook team a lot.
3. Yearbook Inputs – As an annual tradition, we publish the yearbook that is compiled by the yearbook team throughout the year. We are seeking SSSE kids inputs to the yearbook. If they have great articles on SSSE core values, poems, their understanding of Swami's quotes, or stories/messages that they want to convey, please encourage them to write them, and submit it to our yearbook team. Please remember to include the kid's full name, SSSE group number, and a title for their submission. All submissions can be sent to sse@loudounsai.org or submitted to their gurus. For very young kids such as story group and group 1, if they have a piece of artwork, you can send a picture or submit the hardcopy at our center to the gurus.
All submissions are due by March 20th !
If you are comfortable submitting it directly to google drive, here is the link, but please make sure the details are very clear.
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/14nhcudNZYegvdZY4cCJv7v8pA4g5xVBH
4. 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
Month of March 2023 service activities
*P3 Seva and Sandwich Seva: March 12th @ Claude Moore (Center)**
Desc: Pack non-perishable snack bags at Claude Moore and drop-off at Centre Ridge Elementary school.
Pack sandwiches at Claude Moore and drop-off at Reston shelter. *We encourage all SSSE kids, parents and center members to participate in packing these items.**
Signup link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0d4dafa929a0f8cf8-march3#/
*Narayana Seva (dinner at Reston shelter): March 18th**
Desc: Prepare and serve dinner at Reston Shelter located at:11975 Bowman Towne Dr, Reston, VA 20190 on Saturday March 18th, 2023.
Signup link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0d4dafa929a0f8cf8-march4#/
*Narayana Seva (dinner at Manassas shelter): March 25th**
Desc: Prepare and serve dinner at Manassas Shelter located at:10056 Dean Dr, Manassas, VA 20144 on Saturday, March 25th, 2023.
Signup link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0d4dafa929a0f8cf8-march5#/
Saíram!
|
|
|
|
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
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 Regional, National and Zonal Updates
SSSGC (USA) – Region 2 Updates:
1. Region 2 Memorial Day Retreat will be held from Friday May 26th, 6PM to Monday May 29th, 12PM 2023 at Camp Green Lane, 249 Camp Green Lane Rd, Green Lane, PA 18054.
https://campgreenlane.com/
If Interested to be part of various Devotional and SSSE activities, please reach out to your Center Officers.
2. Region 2 Parthi Pilgrimage: July 4th to 6th 2023.
Camp If you are interested, please register for this pilgrimage by using the link below.
https://forms.gle/Xu6dGfodufVWjrvu7
3. Our Musical offering at Bhagawan's Lotus feet during our Region 2 Retreat from Friday May 26th, 6 PM to Monday May 29th, 12 PM 2023 and Parthi Pilgrimage July 1-6 2023. Region 2 Pilgrimage is between July 4-6 2023, but there will be practices from July 1-6 2023 as needed after regular darshan times.
If you have already registered for Parthi Pilgrimage and said yes to be part of an Adult /YA Musical Program, please use this form to let us know your interest in helping with these programs.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeXRw7KwDCvaL62L-PcpuXdWrv0Cx-68_txDgX0Mx-PwYRJKg/viewform
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)
Please sign up using the above Registration Form from Region 2.
SSSGC-Zone1 Updates:
Below are the zonal announcements for the week of March 1, 2023 all members, Please click on the below link:
https://www.sssgc-zone1.org/zonal-chair/zonal-chair-announcements-week-of-march-1-2023/
1. An opportunity to serve the Syrian earthquake victims
2. SSSGC Medical Camp for Syrian Earthquake victims
3. SaiLights-Last Day of Submission- Friday, March 10, 2023
4. Prasanthi Networking Event
5. Prasanthi Welcomes Center Leaders – Zone 9 Chair Mr. Soobrie Naidoo
Sai Ram!
|
|
Video of the Week
Seven Qualities of Women | Sri Sathya Sai Speaks |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
