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January/February 2005 NW Newsmakers
Community News

 

Mystical Medieval Music

Norma Gentile

An evening of Mystical Medieval Music by Hildegard von Bingen, the medieval mystic, visionary, abbess, and one of the earliest-known composers (1098-1179). The Healing Chant Concert will be held on Friday, January 26^th at 8pm in the candlelit sanctuary of The Old Church. Accompanied by Tibetan singing bowls, Norma Gentile will sing Hildegard's sacred 900-year-old chants, while storyteller Anne Rutherford weaves tales of spiritual bravery.

Hildegard spoke of her music as being a translation of the 'Cosmic Symphony' which she heard during her visions. In Hildegard's words, "All the arts serving human desires and needs are derived from the breath that God sent into the human body."

Norma Gentile is a passionate sound healer who has recorded four solo CDs of chant by Hildegard von Bingen. She has appeared on CBS TV, demonstrating the properties of Gregorian style chant to relax the body, and has been profiled by National Public Radio's All Things Considered.

Tickets $15 by phone: 503-257-7623 or in person at New Renaissance Bookstore. www.healingchants.com.

Seeking Poetry Submissions

PoetSpeak announces another popular family poetry and music event on Sunday, February 20. 2005 on the wonderfully well equipped stage at Sherwood Community Friends Church, 950 S. Sherwood Blvd., Sherwood, OR 97140.

This is a family friendly performance that honors and respects artists by providing a respectful and listener enhanced environment for Spoken Word Art. Poetry in a PoetSpeak performance is Accessible And Enjoyable.

The PoetSpeak Reading Series seeks Poets, local writers and occasional scribes with a treasured poem or two. You are invited to submit 3-6 poems via email for their Spring performance on February 20th. Students in grades 6 through college are encouraged to submit.

Paste 2-3 poems into body of email and send to: editor@poetspeak.com. You can get poster, map and further information by going to their website at www.poetspeak.com. Submissions should be received by February 1, 2005

Green Marketing has come to Portland!  The Greener Good Women's Marketing Group was formed by a local group of women who realized there was a need for an effective green networking group in the area.  Their mission is to educate, empower and support the growth of all women professionals who value green practices.  The response to the group has been overwhelming with many community business leaders involved in the formation.  Poll after poll shows that women place a higher importance on environmental and social purchasing criteria than men.  The Greener Good has recognized that the best way to influence change is to reward the companies that are socially responsible with our purchasing dollar.  It's expected that this group will serve as the role model for similar groups around the country.    For more information please feel free to contact Jennifer Lee-Kwai at 503-768-4248 or Jennifer@rosecitymtg.com.

Pancakes for Public Power!

The Central Portland PUD campaign is hosting an all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast fundraiser on January 15, 8 AM-noon, at St. Francis Church Dining Hall (330 SE 11th, Portland). 
For details on the event, visit www.cppud.org, or call 503-232-8456.  The Central Portland PUD campaign is working to bring public power to inner east Portland.  A PUD will lower electric rates, keep money local, and allow for increased focus on energy efficiency and renewable generation.  Central Portland PUD could serve as a building block in creating a fully sustainable, independent, and diverse local economy, complementing the existing community businesses and neighborhoods.  Please join us to help support public power!  (Volunteers also needed.)

The menu features organic vegetarian all you can eat pancakes, plus vegan sausage and organic juice, coffee, and tea.  Adults $7, couples $12, kids under 5 $5, family of 4 $20.  Tickets are available in advance
from www.cppud.org or by calling 503-232-8456, and tickets will be sold at the door.   

Aspire Seeks Volunteers

The counseling department at Roosevelt High School has an immediate need for the next few months for volunteers who are willing to talk one on one with students at Roosevelt, encourage them to believe in themselves, and help them with the process of applying to college, and exploring career options. ASPIRE is an acronym which stands for Access to Student-assistance Programs in Reach of Everyone.  It is geared to provide tools and resources to encourage higher education for all, and to recruit voluteers to help the process. The ASPIRE program was founded in Oregon, and is only offered to high school students at designated ASPIRE schools, like Roosevelt in Portland.

If you would like more information on ASPIRE please visit the website: www.aspireoregon.org; 
If you think you would make a good mentor, please feel free to contact Jess Gardner, Americorps Member & ASPIRE Program Coordinator at (503-916-5260 or even better by email to: jgardne1@pps.k12.or.us.

Course In Miracles

A Course In Miracles is a spiritual teaching and thought system that was received as a channeling during the 1960s and 1970s by Helen Schucman, an American professor of clinical psychology at Columbia University in New York City, which has been transcribed into a book. Schucman believed that these messages came from Jesus. ACIM uses Christian concepts and terminology, interpreting them metaphysically and metaphorically rather than fundamentally. This is in alignment with New Thought teachings. The Abundant Life Center is offering a new study group for Course In Miracles.

Beginning January 12, 2005 on Wednesdays, 7-8:30pm at the ALC Library, 111 West 39th Street in Vancouver. Adults and older teens are welcome to join this group. Drop-ins will always be welcomed, as each weekly session will be unique. info@abundant-life-center.org.

INDIGO the Movie - in Theaters January 29th!

INDIGO, the film by Stephen Simon, Neale Donald Walsch and James Twyman, will be launched internationally on January 29th & 30th. The first showings in Portland Metro at the time of going to press are:

New Thought Ministries of Oregon at the Valley Theater in Beaverton, OR

The Abundant Life Center at August Moon, Vancouver's Community Cultivation Center, 111 West 39th Street in Vancouver, WA. Along with the showing of "INDIGO, the Movie," ALC will be hosting a Peace Fair to kick off ALC's involvement in Season for Nonviolence. Showings at 2 and 7pm. Tickets are $10 in advance / $12 at the door. For tickets, email info@abundant-life-center.org.

Celebration Church will be showing Indigo on Sunday, January 30th.right after service at Cheatham Hall in the World Forestry Center at about 1:15 pm. Price $10; for details and reservations contact Celebration Church through the website, www.celebrationchurch-portland.com, or call 503 705-5832.

Wellness Classes and Groups at Project Quest

Project Quest is a Non-Profit Integrative Health Center that has been offering mental health therapy and complementary & western medicine to the community for 15 years at 2100 SE Belmont St., Portland, OR. It serves the general public as well as those dealing with life challenging illnesses, such as HIV+/AIDS and Cancer.  Project Quest provides many Wellness Classes and Groups, Special Focus groups, such as grief and pain management, a gay men's process group, meditation and Qigong.

Sarting in January they will offer Community Nutrition Nights, where participants can learn about nutrition and whole food cooking while joining in for a community dinner Thursday's 5:45pm - 7pm; $3.00 - $5.00 donation requested.

To find out more information or to register, please contact Julie at 503-238-5203 or go to www.projectquest.org