Recruiting PNW Regional Helpers
The Pacific Northwest (PNW) Regional Helper plays an important role in supporting the spiritual well-being, connectivity, and development of Subud members and local helpers throughout the region. This position focuses on fostering a strong sense of community, providing personal and spiritual support, and collaborating with the regional committee and council to guide the region’s kejiwaan activities. Along with taking on the responsibilities of Regional Helper, God blesses us with the energy to handle these responsibilities.
The work is very rewarding, and our team is exceptionally collaborative and supportive. We hope you will consider testing for this role at our National Congress in July.
Desired qualifications: active member committed to the latihan kejiwaan; compassionate listening skills and a heart for member care, comfortable with communication tools such as Zoom, email and phone; and an ability and willingness to work collaboratively within a team of helpers and alongside the regional committee.
Duties include: shared helper duties for regional call-in latihans, regional committee and council meetings; supporting and connecting with regional and isolated members; providing support to local helper groups including helper development; planning and facilitating regional and local kejiwaan events; attending twice monthly regional helper calls with related administrative tasks (reports, minutes, etc.). Typical time commitment is approximately 20 hours per month but can vary according to circumstances and needs.
If you have questions, please contact Rayma Norton or David Lynch or find us at the Congress.
Your regional helpers
Be a Candle
I attended my first Regional PNW Congress in 2024
Not being a meeting person
I was resistant to going to it at all
But I remembered a blue butterfly I’d seen that week
Frolicking with some yellow ones
And I took it as a sign
The meeting surprised me.
There were true connections and spirited debates
When the call came for a volunteer to chair the next Congress
I could imagine leaning into this generosity of spirit
So I prayed in place
Within the quiet of that prayer, an answer came
“Be a candle”
A voice said clearly
“Trust the mysteries that elevate spirit”
So, with little experience and an open palm
I raised my hand.
I resolved to try.
I delved into our Subud traditions,
Some so deeply rooted
And visionary in scope
For the first time in my life
I missed not having met Bapak
But also wondered if that separated me
Under the steady watch of my brothers and sisters
I felt buoyed but also adrift
More than once, I asked,
What is my role here?
What can I bring?
How can I be a flame for this gathering?
My instinct is to take care of our business quickly,
Then have an old-fashioned social, old guard and new
Where we truly listen to each other,
Share our ideas for the future
Maybe light our meeting room with candles and serve ice cream
Because everything looks better by candlelight.
It is impossible to know what I will bring to this Congress
If anything at all
But the process of stepping up
Raising my hand instead of leaning quietly back in my chair
Has ignited hope that I, too, have courage
In this heavy time
There probably won’t be candles
And who knows about the ice cream
But the thing I’ve learned is, it’s okay to be a different voice
As we go forward into a new chapter
In Subud and on our beloved planet
I hope you will consider being a candle too.
By Isabel Branchflower Gates
NOMINATIONS WANTED:
CHAIR/VICE CHAIR
We are seeking nominations (self or otherwise) for individuals who would like to serve as Regional Chair and Vice Chair for the next two years.
Nominees are required to pretest with a helper before their names are put forward for testing at the Congress. Pretesting can occur at the Congress itself and beforehand.
The final nominees each test in front of the membership, one at a time, for the position of Chair or Vice Chair. A series of questions will be asked until the members are ready to vote to finalize the selection for these offices.
Full descriptions of these positions and what the Regional Committee does for our region are outlined here.
PLEASE REVIEW THESE PROPOSALS BEFORE THE MEETING
Many thanks to Rayma Norton and Honora Drew and SICA for submitting proposals for our review. Please take a moment to read their proposals so that we can vote on them during the meeting.
SILENT AUCTION ITEMS WELCOME
Subud Portland will kick off its fundraising for the Susila Dharma USA Matching Fund with a Silent Auction at the Subud USA National Gathering in Portland from July 2 – 5. Help is needed in continuing this vitally important SD tradition. For more information, click here.
ATTN ELDERS
Elderberry is here to help members 75 years and older with transportation costs. Please contact Margarite Charney or Halimah Bellows to learn more.
ZOOM
For those who cannot attend our Regional Meeting, a Zoom link will be made available as it gets closer. Stay tuned!
ZOOM HELP WANTED
Speaking of…we need a person familiar with Zoom to serve those attending the meeting on Zoom. Morris McClellan will provide training on the day! (Easy peasy) Contact Isabel if you can help.
