Dear Sisters and Brothers of the Pacific Northwest Region,

We are now 2 weeks away from our regional congress and we have a request of those of you who pray.  Would you please pray that strong candidates step forward to test for positions on our regional committee and for the positions of men and women regional helpers in for the next term?

Committee Candidates

To those of you who are considering answering that inner voice in you that is asking, “Can I do the work of the committee in our region?” I can assure you that should you become our new chair, or vice chair, you will be provided training and assistance in understanding the role and responsibilities.  You will assist in the further development of a strong region, with a solid set of bylaws, regular meetings and financial health.  You will have the opportunity to help our region to grow further through your efforts.

If possible, please grab a local helper and pretest regarding putting your name forward.  If this is not possible, testing can occur at the congress.

Regional Helper Candidates

To those of you who are considering answering that inner voice in you that is asking, “Can I do the work of a regional helper in our region?” I can assure you that should you become a regional helper, both Elizabeth Flanders and I are committed to assisting you in understanding the role and responsibilities of this job.

The role being primarily to serve the regional members in a way that you will discover during your term.

The responsibility is to just be sincere in doing the work and willing to grow as the work helps you to grow.

Also, know that if you travel out to visit our members, there is a budget for regional helper travel so that this work can be facilitated.

If possible, please grab a local helper and pretest regarding putting your name forward.  If this is not possible, testing can occur at the congress,

What a night!    A call for “More, more” came from the packed house. And at the end of the evening a standing ovation!   The audience loved it. I was thrilled to be witness to the magic.

Luther Schutz with his unique style of sophistication and soulful singing, the swinging piano improvisations of Elisha Gullixson, with Drew Baddeley playing a fascinating virtuoso double bass, and a very smooth John Anderson on tenor saxophone, mesmerized a packed house. All at the Conway Muse, the noted entertainment spot in Skagit County, Washington.  https://conwaymuse.com

We all listened intently to a wide range of tunes with major emphasis on the much beloved jazz standards. Gee, they were good. A special treat was the trio’s treatment of “Secret Love”, Doris Day’s old sock. The  audience went wild.  Luther said, “And we didn’t even practice [this one].”

Such a delight to witness four people enjoying themselves to the hilt and at the same time giving their all to the music.  Nice. The cohesion was like listening to a freshly oiled gate. Smooth. Very smooth.

By Danella Mauguin

Join us after Latihan on Sunday, April 22, 2018, for a day of gardening. Marston Gregory, Jim O’Halloran and Leandra will lead the troops in a celebration of Earth Day to clean up around the Subud House, perhaps plant a new hydrangea (thank you Lucinda O’Halloran) and replace the dogwood tree that did not make it.

Garden tools will be provided. Please come help make our house outside look new for Spring!

Were you hoping to be able to participate in some national latihans at the SUSA National Congress May 24-28, at the Hilton Hotel in Vancouver, Washington, but don’t have child care?

Put your worries aside and come. Free child care and programs now available.

The congress team is providing a paid staff person for Friday Saturday & Sunday (5/25-5/27) with additional activity support from other members.  So parents will be able to get to at least 1 latihan a day while attending the congress.

This will also provide support for those attending the Subud PNW and Subud California congresses.

Kids under age 12 years eat at a reduced rate. Kids sleep FREE under age 18 years.

For more information on the child care, and how to signup, click this link.

For more information on the latihans scheduled, click this link.

WORLD CONGRESS 
July 28-August 8

Freiburg, Germany
NEW! Congress at a Glance
Register Here
Details on travel, lodging 
Info for Families and Children
Discount Airfares 
Travel tips
Volunteer at the Congress
Financial Assistance Information
Latest Newsletter 

For many years, Melinda Wallis was the voice and multi-tasking wonder of the Subud USA National office, during which time she planned over half of the National Congress events.  
 
Melinda possessed an unwavering enthusiasm for Subud. Her welcoming, can-do attitude will not soon be forgotten, and we are excited to establish the Melinda Wallis World Congress Assistance Fund in her honor.
 
The fund will be especially useful in supporting elder members who may not have the financial means to attend the World Congress but wish to connect with lifelong Subud friends. It will also be awarded to youth with limited resources who will benefit from exposure to the greater Subud world. Moreover, it will help us defray the cost of travel by our Zone 7 World Congress delegates.  

Contributions to the fund are tax-deductible.
 
Thanks to several generous donors, we have already received $9,000 to put toward a challenge match for this fund.  That means everything raised by April 30 will be matched dollar for dollar, up  to $9,000.  Should you wish to increase the matching fund, please contact Lucas Boladian at boladie@aol.com.
 
Individual/joint donations to the fund can be made here.

Apply for assistance here.

Read more of the Subud USA Newsletter HERE.

Dear Brothers and sisters,

We have two openings for men and two for women regional helpers for the coming term.

In order to provide some insight into what this experience has been like for two of the regional helper team, here’s a short description from Elizabeth Flanders and Oswald Norton

Two Regional Helpers Speak About Their Experiences

Elizabeth Flanders

I highly recommend serving as a regional helper. This work has been one of my life’s peak experiences. The harmony within our Dewan gave me a glimpse of Bapak’s vision for Subud and I’ve come to love members I did not know previously. When I reflect upon who I was four years ago and who I am now, I am deeply grateful. If you don’t mind traveling 6 – 8 times per year, don’t miss this opportunity!

Oswald Norton

Becoming a regional helper helped me to grow in the latihan and in my love for the members of our Pacific Northwest Subud Community. I was welcomed into this team in the spring of 2016. I was impressed by everyone’s dedication to meeting regularly to share the load and how we enjoyed each other’s company.

After having served as vice chair of the region, I found a whole new type of engagement and trust needed to do this new work.  As I visited regional centers in Boise, Skagit Valley, Portland and Seattle, I noticed a new way of being and thinking becoming a part of who I was becoming. Working with this team and doing this work has provided a deepening of the latihan that I am so grateful for.

Want To Know More?

For more information on the role and it’s responsibilities please contact any of the regional helpers for conversation or testing on doing the roll.

The term starts after the national congress on May 24-28, 2018 Hilton Inn Vancouver Washington.

Dear Brothers and Sisters of the Subud PNW Region,

Did you know that if you register for the Subud USA congress and select the box below you will be registered for the Subud PNW Congress for the same price? The PNW Congress is only one day, Friday, May 25th. You will be able to experience general latihans Friday morning and evening. The only additional cost would be for lodging.

I am attending a Regional Congress during this event.

[ ] PNW Regional Congress

We’re at an exciting time for our region.  New members being opened. Members from other areas are moving to our region. We have 3 Subud houses all with committees and helpers serving those communities.  What’s next for our region?  Come to learn about our region and the hopes and plans we all have for our future.

Early registration (15% Discount!) ends March 13^th, so don’t delay.

NOTE  Subud PNW members may also choose to register for Day Use only. If you are not staying in the hotel, day use for 1, 2 or 3 days (Friday,  Saturday,  and / or Sunday) are available. In all cases, meals options are available.

For more information on the Subud PNW Congress, please click this link.

International Helper Report On Their Visit To the Pacific Northwest

The area three international helpers began 2018 with a beautiful outward and inward experience by visiting four groups in the Pacific Northwest of the United States.  We are currently about half way through our visit to 13 groups in California.

We are very grateful for the hospitality and caring we have received. It is very inspiring to do latihan with many members some of whom have been doing latihan regularly for 40 to 50 years. When we receive to do so we often offer general testing after latihan and the test questions arise to fit the group we are visiting. Afterwards we talk, hear the questions and concerns in each group and share something of our experiences traveling as IHs and information about the world congress.  

In general we find that latihans are very strong and our visits draw people to come who have been away from group latihan. They express an appreciation for a renewed experience of strong receiving.

Some common themes and questions that come up during discussion time are:

• How are we living the gifts we have received from the latihan in our lives?  
• How can we talk about Subud in a natural way when we are asked about it?  
• Concerns about attending group latihans when busy lives, heavy traffic, and aging bodies make it very challenging to get there.
• Concerns about how to improve communication between men and women and between helpers and committees so that planning and decision making are coordinated.
• How to support newly opened people so they feel welcomed and cared about.
• How to create a welcoming atmosphere for younger and newer members so that they will feel comfortable to bring their friends who enquire about Subud.

We were impressed with the good condition of most of the Subud houses we visited. We feel we in Subud are learning to run center enterprises using the houses to bring in income. There are many challenges in maintaining and operating houses that create a context in which groups are learning and growing. Committee members play such an important role in providing spaces for latihan and managing finances.

We feel great admiration and gratitude for the generous ways in which people give of their time and talents. In several groups we see new and younger people coming to do the latihan. And we feel very hopeful about the future of Subud.

Often when meeting with Subud members stories are shared of times the latihan touched others or awakened something inside. We would like to share one such story.

Several years ago, during one of the wild fires that strike California the beautiful home of a Subud family was burned to the ground. As they looked through the rubble hoping to find anything that might have survived, they came across a burned down wall. They lifted up the rubble and saw one remaining sculpture turned over on its back.

They flipped it over and there was the face of our dear Bapak looking up at them, undamaged except for the paint having burned away. The sculpture was created by Liana Kelley, a long time Subud member and very gifted artist. This gift created from hands guided by God of our dear Bapak was the only surviving objects in the whole house. Going through the rubble and coming across this face must have felt like Bapak coming down from above, saying it will ok. God is with you always. Below is a photo of this sculpture.

Mahmud, Sjarifuddin, Suzanne and Myriam