MHT wishes all devotees a Happy, Healthy, Prosperous & Joyous New Year 2017! Upcoming January events New Year Day – Sunday (1/1/2017) Temple opening hours and New Year Aarti :  Morning  - 10.00 AM to 12 PM  and Evening - 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM Need volunteers to prepare Garlands.  We already have a volunteer signed up for opening temple in the morning and need a volunteer for opening in the     evening. BalaGokulam for kids/Spiritual learning for adults -Saturday(1/7/2017) Ages                             : Kids well as adults Monthly Fees                 : $20 for MHT members and $30 for non-members Those who are interested in signing up their kids please do so as soon as possible. Adults can join spiritual learning and discussions too. MHT will soon start the BalaGokulam program for Children session and communicate exact timing through a BalaGokulam what's App group. MHT Wellness (Adults) - Saturday (1/7/2017) Monthly Fees                    : $15 for MHT members and $25 for non-members. Exact timing will be communicated through MHT Wellness what's App group. Vaikuntha Ekadasi - Sunday (1/8/2017) Ekadasi day is auspicious to Lord Vishnu. The Ekadasi day that falls during the Sukla Paksha of Dhanurmasa/Margahi (December middle to January middle) is very special and on this day, it is believed, that the gates of Vaikuntha are ceremoniously open for devotees to enter. This day is celebrated as Vaikuntha (Abode of The Lord Sriman Narayana) Ekadasai in all the Temples. Need volunteers to prepare Garlands.                     Program details: 10:00 AM to 10:30 AM         Govinda Namalu Chanting 10:30 AM to 11:00 AM         Sri Vishnu Sahasranama Parayanam Chanting 11:00 AM to Noon                Aarti and Nivedyam Noon to 1:00 PM                  Prasadam distribution and cleaning Makara Sankranti - Sunday (1/15/2017) Makar Sankranti is one of the most auspicious occasions of the Hindus, and is celebrated in almost all parts of the country in myriad cultural forms, with great devotion, fervour and gaiety. Makar Sankranti is a festival celebrated in India during the harvest season when the Sun enters the Tropic of Capricorn or 'Makar'. It usually coincides with 14th or 15th of January every year corresponding to the month of 'Magh' according to the Hindu solar calendar. Program details: 10:00 AM  to 11:00 AM         Rangoli Decorations, Deeparadhana 11:00 AM  to 11:30 AM         Nivedyam and Aarti 11:30 AM  to Noon                Prasadam Distribution and Cleaning All community members are encouraged to bring flowers, prasad for the above event. We also need volunteers for preparing Garlands for the New Year, Vaikuntha Ekadasi, Makara Sankranti, decoration, perform Puja, prasad distribution and clean up. Also, be sure to get involved with all the MHT programs to the community and go even further. Please email info@mainehindutemple.org or call (207) 370-0475, if anyone needs more details or clarifications regarding BalaGokulam program or various fundraising campaigns. Thank you for your continued support. Sincerely, MHT Board

MHT board takes this opportunity thanks to each and every one who volunteered, supported MHT throughout the year 2016 and wishing the community and its members "Happy Holidays and A Happy New Year 2017". BalaGokulam program for Children MHT would like to start a new BalaGokulam program for Children to engage, appreciate, learn and practice Hindu way of living called “Sanatana Dharma”.  Children need spiritual learning through fun activities and the BalaGokulam program provides an opportunity for children to perform skits and sing devotional songs during temple events. The activities are planned for Children's physical, intellectual, social and spiritual development. Below activities are offered and a weekly schedule will be sent out with allotted time for each of these activities.

• Shlokas
• Bhagavad-Gita Verses
• Devotional songs
• Stories/Indian games/Children Skits/dramas/Meditation
• Fitness through Zumba

When                     : Saturdays (exact timing will be communicated later) Ages                      : 3 to 15 Monthly Fees          : $20 for MHT members and $30 for non-members Many thanks to Neelima Namburi (MS, MBA), who has volunteered to organize the BalaGokulam program at MHT. MHT would also like to extend Zumba for adults. When                    : Saturdays (exact timing will be communicated later) Monthly Fees          : $15 for MHT members and $25 for non-members Please reach out to MHT through email or in person during Bhajans for BalaGokulam program sign up. Year End donation MHT would like to remind the community that there are just 10 days left for any year end donation. MHT board will make a matching contribution to certain amount. 2017 Membership drive MHT invites all of the community to become a member of MHT.  A yearly membership fee per family is $101 that includes preferences and a discount to the all services offered by MHT. Being a MHT member provides an opportunity to volunteer,  get involved with MHT programs and go even further. Community giving campaign towards priest acquisition Please consider making a contribution by clicking through the donation/pledge form. Many thanks to Aparna Basani, who has volunteered to lead the donation/pledge campaign. Donate supplies MHT needs pooja materials for daily as well as for the Thursday Bhajans and also needs kitchen supplies for prasadam distribution. Please email info@mainehindutemple.org or call (207) 370-0475, if anyone needs more details or clarifications regarding BalaGokulam program or various fundraising campaigns. Thank you for your continued support. Sincerely, MHT Board

With infusing vital energy and innovation of life into the new Shri Sai Baba Idol at the Maine Hindu Temple (MHT), it is necessary to perform pooja and other necessary rituals to Shri Sai Baba on a daily basis.  MHT needs to acquire priest and upgrade the temple facilities to better serve the community.  MHT is kicking off various fundraising campaigns and your generous donation will make a difference in the coming years, so please consider donating to MHT.  Every dollar counts and with your help, we can reach our goal.

• Community giving campaign towards priest acquisition: As MHT kicks off this very important initiative, please consider making a contribution by clicking through the donation/pledge form. Aparna Basani volunteered to lead the donation/pledge campaign towards priest acquisition. MHT wants to personally thank all of you who have committed to pledge in this campaign.  For those of you who have not yet contributed, MHT hopes you will consider pledging in doing whatever you can to help maintain and acquire priest at Maine Hindu Temple.

• Yearend matching contribution: Just a month left in the year 2016 and please considers donating to MHT to better serve the community. Your donation doubles with MHT board members matching program to some extent.

• Kid's engagement program : MHT is looking for a volunteer or volunteers who could engage and teach kids our Hindu culture and heritages at MHT.

• Donate supplies : MHT needs pooja material for daily as well as for the Thursday Bhajan. MHT also needs kitchen material for prasadam distribution. MHT appreciates generous donation towards supplies.

Also, be sure to get involved with MHT programs to the community go even further.   MHT also would like to remind important safety considerations when volunteering for performing daily pooja and other necessary rituals to Shri Sai Baba.  Please speak with MHT board members for following safety steps and other details. Please email info@mainehindutemple.org or call (207) 370-0475 if anyone needs more details or clarifications regarding various fundraising campaigns. Thank you for your continued support. Sincerely, MHT Board