April 24, 2025
Easter morning found dozens of regional Greenfield devotees, united in prayer and meditation, at a sacred “sunrise” service. Our revered President Brother Chidanandaji conducted the service, which was live-streamed to literally thousands of SRF and YSS devotees around the world.
Take a moment to appreciate what’s going on here. This Easter service was conducted just after sunrise in Los Angeles. It’s already night time for many who tune in to the service. In multiple time zones, speaking multiple languages, Master’s devotees around the world unite in chanting, invoking the presence of Lord Jesus, radiating Light and healing and harmony to every man, woman and child on Earth.
It’s only in the past decade or so that this kind of gathering is even possible.
Loving and Serving Together
At the Greenfield-sponsored gathering, the sunrise service was a high point of a weekend of special events celebrating the resurrection of our Lord Jesus. We watched the sunrise service on a big screen, together. Immediately afterwards, we enjoyed an additional half hour of silent meditation.
All events were held at the 4-H center in Front Royal.
On Good Friday Sister Brahmani conducted an evening service. Saturday morning a one-day retreat featured a 3-hour meditation led by Sr. Shankari, with a devotee led kirtan, followed by a simple vegetarian lunch prepared at Greenfield and eaten in silence. That was followed by a movie about the ever popular Saint Philip Neri.
After our sunrise Easter service, devotees enjoyed a social gathering and—silence set aside—reveling in each other’s company. It’s always good to spend time with Master’s extended family.
This lovely weekend gathering included the company of 5 SRF nuns, 4 of whom live at Greenfield, and one, Sister Kalyani, visiting from California. The events drew devotees from surrounding communities, but also from as far away as New Jersey.
What’s Happening With the Chapel?
In the weeks leading up to Easter, Greenfield was abuzz with activity: cleaning cottages to get ready for retreatants who book space in the cottages at Greenfield, and tending the gardens, currently ablaze with a spectacular variety of colorful blossoms. And, of course, there’s the ongoing requirements of maintenance and mowing and weeding.
As for the new Greenfield Chapel, the good news is that the construction project is still on schedule. It looks the same on the outside. Work on wiring etc. inside the walls is still underway. (We do want all the wiring for things like audio-visual equipment to be done just right.)
Word is that we’ll soon be seeing a great deal of activity on both the inside and the outside of the chapel—dry wall going up on the inside, and siding getting installed on the outside.
One final note on the sunrise service: The live-streaming was recorded. Go ahead; revisit the service online and receive those blessings again, and yet again.