The PNC Center for Sacred Arts Is An Interfaith Community
The PNC is like a gathering place of many rivers.
We are fortunate to have a number of individuals and groups using the PNC building as a place of gathering. Though they are independently run and attended, the energy and love these people put into their offerings adds to making this a wonderfully diversified place of usefulness, creativity, and sacred community. Find below information on these offerings and visit our Calendar to see daily activities.
Sunday Mornings at the Center for Sacred Arts
​There will be no 2nd Sunday service in December due to the All Church Meeting at 10 AM, where we will vote on Council positions for 2026. We welcome all Members and Friends to attend!
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Starting in January, Spiritual Director, Circe Moss MacDonald, and Rev. Nanci Adair will offer a series of 2nd Sunday services which begin at 10 AM.
On the 1st Sunday of every month, 10 am - 12 pm, Ritual Lab presents Mathew Fox's
Come celebrate the moment with movement and live music! Hosted by Eco Chaplin Circe Moss MacDonald, Druid Priest Magnus de Ruddlan, and Rev Tod Glacy, Music Director
On the 3rd Sunday of each month,
join us for “Music for your Soul”
from 10:00-11:00 AM with
Rev. Myra Robinson
Interfaith Chaplain and Sound Healer
who leads a wonderfully creative and participatory service to revive and renew your spirit!
Everyone is welcome!
The
Sacred Mask Creation Workshop
A Path to Council of All Beings
​took place from May - October.
This wonderfully inspired mask making series and culminating event, lead by Magnus and Circe, now complete, lives on as sacred performance in the Portland area.​
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4th Sunday offerings will continue to be arts oriented events, embracing depths of spirit, inspiration, and celebrating the creative process.​​
For more info on Rev. Myra Robinson, Circe Moss MacDonald, Duid Priest Magnus de Ruddlan, and Tod Glacy, please scroll down.
We're celebrating Imbolc with a bardic circle and clootie tree! Bring a contribution to share - a story, poem, song, interpretive dance - whatever brings your heart joy. We will be sharing bardic arts and a potluck feast.
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This event is inspired by Welsh eisteddfod – storytelling festivals – and performances will be the main event for the evening. By bringing a story, song, poem, piece of art, or other creative expression helps spark inspiration for the community and celebrates the gift of Awen (pure, connected inspiration). Multiple contributions are welcome. The most inspired performance of the night will be crowned the Bardic champion!​
This event is hosted by Hemlock Grove, a druid and earth-based spiritual community in Southern Maine https://hemlockgrove.org
C.O.R.E. STRENGTH
FOR HEALING
workshop
February 14 from 8 am - 4 pm
The C.O.R.E. Workshop is a transformative program designed to empower individuals by focusing on four essential pillars: Compassion, Optimism, Resilience, and Empowerment. Participants will engage in interactive discussions, hands-on activities, and guided exercises aimed at personal growth and healing. The workshop fosters a supportive environment where attendees can share experiences, build connections, and develop essential skills to navigate challenges and seize opportunities. By the end of the workshop, participants will leave with actionable strategies to enhance their well-being and achieve their goals.​
For more information, contact Niki Merrill at niki22curtis@gmail.com​
Sacred Arts 369
Soundbath Meditation
A Way To Inner Peace In A Busy World
Friday, February 20th, 4pm - 5pm
Friday, March 20th, 4pm - 5pm
Cost: $25.00 Cash/Venmo
RSVP: SacredArts369@gmail.com/207-214-8500
ALL Are Welcome!!
Thank you for arriving a few minutes early to settle in - a yoga mat, blanket and pillow will be ideal to bring. Then, relax. Let the soundscape of frequencies, 432 Hz crystal and Tibetan bowls, and other instruments take you on a restorative journey towards balance, peace, and higher clarity.
Deborah Train, BFA/Edu.,
Artist, Certified Professional Life Coach
Vibrational & Metaphysical Practitioner
Please feel free to reach out with any questions - look forward to seeing you there!
SacredArts369@gmail.com/ TXT: 207-214-8500 (Please contact me if cost is an issue)
Circling the Sacred:
A Silent Meditation Walk
Facilitated by
Magnus de Rhuddlan, Druid Priest
Held on the 3rd Thursday of each month, 8:00 – 10:00 PM
Ritually walking around a sacred object or place, known as circumambulation, is an ancient practice that is still a part of many spiritual and religious traditions today. It honors the unbroken aspects of the Circle of Life, the power of repetition, movement as devotion, and the sacredness of place.
This is a silent interfaith practice of movement, meditation, and prayer. It can often be ecstatic in nature. The shared energy of communal spiritual devotion is cumulative. We walk together, synchronizing with the revolutions of the Earth, Sun, and Moon—all revolve counterclockwise around their axes. Participants will ‘revolve’ around the main PNC CFSA sanctuary space, however, there may be options to meet outside during warm weather months. All spiritual paths are welcome. Dress ritually or come as you are. Maintain silence.
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This is an accessible gathering with space for participants to move at their own pace and to rest as needed. This community offering is free, but donations to help ‘keep the lights on’ are gladly accepted.
Waltz Night
Sunday, February 22·7:00 – 8:30pm
Portland New Church, 302 Stevens Ave, Portland, ME 04103, USA
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An evening of waltzing to live music by the Emma Sloan and friends, and space to dance with friends and strangers.
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Where, When, How much
Happenings at Portland New Church (302 Stevens Ave, Portland Maine). Doors open at 6:45pm, dancing starts around 7pm to 8:30pm. Pay “whatever” cash/venmo at the door.
Level
No formal lesson so some experience is recommended, but many people will be practicing and learning from each other, willing to dance with people of any experience level, and give gentle feedback when asked. This isn’t work, it’s recess. Make your mistakes proudly.
Style
Most people will probably be waltzing in the folky-style done at contra dances (which I think evolved from the Boston Waltz?) but the music is in 3/4 and it doesn’t care if you bring a different style. Bring your danciest shoes and a water bottle.
Culture
Dress fancy or come as you are, whatever. This is social dance and switching partners is encouraged, no need to come with a partner. This is a substance-free event. For best results, please practice a culture of courtesy and consent in this space.
Namory Keita, Master Village Drummer
Drum Class / All levels
5:30-6:30 Monday evenings
Portland New Church
603 831 9609
Namory Keita, Master Drummer, is a sought after teacher and performer with a unique style and a wealth of traditional knowledge very rare to find outside the villages of Guinea. His resources include not only his wonderful ability to engage any audience but also his relationships with dancers and drummers locally and around the world.
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Visit his site:
Shamanic Practice Circle
led by Katrina Leathers
​1st and 3rd Friday of every month, 6 – 7:30 PM
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We gather twice a month to deepen our shamanic work and foster learning, healing and connection in spiritual community.
Gatherings include sharing intentions, doing drum journeys, and sometimes further exploration of shamanic practices.​​​​
All experience levels are welcome.
This is a BIPOC and queer-positive circle.
Sliding scale donation: $5 - $15 per session
For more info or to RSVP: katrinaleathers13@gmail.com
About Katrina:
I work as a spiritual counselor/spiritual director, shamanic mentor and expressive arts therapist. A long-time shamanic practitioner, I trained with the Foundation for Shamanic Studies in Core Shamanism. I live in an old house in Portland with three young adults and two dogs, finding joy in gardening and doing deep healing work with people.
For more information, see https://katrinaleathers.com
KMC Boston – Portland, Maine Branch
The Maine branch of Kadampa Meditation Center Boston aims to make meditation classes as accessible as possible, holding weekly classes on meditation and modern Buddhism that are open to everyone regardless of age, race, gender, sexual orientation, or faith. You don’t have to be a Buddhist to learn how to meditate or to benefit from it. We wish to inspire and empower people to reach their full spiritual potential, in order to be of greatest benefit to their family and friends and, by developing inner peace, be active contributors to world peace.
We hold weekly, drop-in meditation classes at Portland New Church on 1st and 3rd Tuesdays at 6:00pm with our Portland-based teacher Clare Morin, and workshops on Saturdays, often with our resident teacher from Boston,
Gen Kelsang Khedrub. Everyone is welcome! More info: www.MeditationInMaine.org
Marita Kennedy-Castro - Movement & Dance
Free *Your* Movement, Private Individualized Movement Lessons with Marita Kennedy-Castro.
Guided, embodied-movement lessons assist you in accessing greater connection to your own authentic movement exploration, somatic awareness practice and freedom of physical expression.
For details & appointment contact Marita: https://embodytherhythm.com
Traditional Dance of Guinea, West Africa with Marita Kennedy-Castro.
Learn foundational movements, cultural and historical context, style and choreography of Guinean traditional dance in this upbeat dance class for Beginners, honoring the source and original teachers of this form. Fridays 9:00-10:15am
Details: https://embodytherhythm.com
WholeHeart Yoga Center
Mindful and gentle yoga honoring the heart and wholeness of yoga. Our studio is mostly online now, with our Monday morning class both online and in the PNC Center for Sacred Arts sanctuary. We also hold outdoor yoga events in spring and fall.
Find more at https://wholeheartyoga.com
Maine Sacred Harp Singing Group
The Maine Sacred Harp singing group meets at PNC on the 2nd and 4th Sunday afternoons most months, from 1-4 pm. We gather to sing in 4-part harmony from traditional shape-note tunebooks. Since this is a system of music notation originally created to teach the musically illiterate to sight-read music, it is perfect for beginners as well as experienced singers, and we welcome all. It is participatory rather than performance-based, and anyone who is curious is encouraged to come, listen, and try it out. Any questions? Email us at: sksandberg@gmail.com
Gurdjieff Movements
Gurdjieff Movements in Maine is a group of seekers who practice the Movements, a series of sacred dances, dynamic postures, gestures and other physical actions developed by George Gurdjieff, the spiritual teacher who in the early 20th century developed the Work, or Fourth Way, system of spiritual inquiry. The Work includes a broad variety of practices — meditation and contemplation exercises, reading and communal study, inner tasks and attention efforts in daily life — but the Movements are central to its understanding and transmission.
The Movements were developed out of Gurdjieff’s extensive travels in central Asia, India, Tibet and northern Africa, where for millennia a broad variety of sacred dances have enjoyed profound refinement in the Sufi, Buddhist and other traditions. These are employed as experiential engagement with universal truths as well as tools for individual development, self-observation and self-understanding.
For these sessions at the Portland New Church, we will practice several Movements, accompanied as always by live music which was composed by Gurdjieff and the Ukraine-born composer Thomas de Hartmann, his close companion. The Movements reveal infinite levels of subtlety and insight as one continues to practice them, however these sessions are designed to be accessible to all, and first-time practitioners are welcome.
For more information, contact Larry at forbes.larry@gmail.com
Maine Pagan & Alternative Spiritual Alliance
Jen Deraspe, MS
Spirals of Well-Being Holistic Life Coaching services
and founder of Women's School for Spiritual Warriors
Jen Deraspe, MS, has been a leader in the health and wellness industry since 1989. With a background in sports medicine and health sciences, Jen is a certified facilitator of The Work of Byron Katie, Holden Qi Gong, Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, mindful Hatha Yoga and Laughter Yoga. A creator of intentional, safe and loving experiences, both one-on-one and in a group setting, Jen approaches guiding people as a true honor. In Jen, you will find a mirror of wisdom, humor and humility. In 1999, Jen Founded Maine's first green-certified retreat center, Nurture Through Nature, inDenmark, Maine as well as Spirals of Well-being holistic life coaching services and the Women's School for Spiritual Warriors.
Chris Reed
During open Studio sessions, those with previous experience in a medium of choice have the freedom of working on their own project while receiving one-on-one supportive feedback and demos as needed. Perhaps you want to fine-tune a particular aspect of a landscape painting or break new territory with an abstract composition. This class will open new doors in developing your unique creative path.
Each class will begin with a short meditation for heightening awareness while minimizing inhibitions associated with the creative process.
For further info., including all group classes in oil, watercolor, pastel, and charcoal, and inquiries about future classes at The New Church, please visit:
https://www.christopherdreed.com/group-classes
Private drawing and painting lessons are also available for the beginner, intermediate, or advanced level. For more info. to book a time at The New Church, please visit:
Rev. Myra’s “Music for your Soul” is at 10:00 on the third Sunday of every month.
As an ordained Interfaith Chaplain, Rev. Myra’s approach is broad-based, has no dogma or agenda, other than to explore different expressions of each person's individually defined spirituality. In fact, one doesn’t need to “believe” to recognize that our innate human drive to search for meaning may lead to a more balanced and fulfilling life.
Rev. Myra Robinson (she/her), is an experienced Interfaith Minister; certified in Clinical Pastoral Education, Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM), and suicide prevention. For the last three years she was on the Faculty at The Chaplaincy Institute of Maine (ChIME). She is also an accomplished musician and Sound Healer. Her focus is empowering people with the Affirmantra Method (she created in 2015) and saving the planet “one mantra at a time.” FMI on Rev. Myra’s offerings visit www.SOulMotivated.com
Circe Moss MacDonald’s business is Ritual Lab: Ceremonies for People and Planet, offering ceremonies and rituals to support spiritual well-being in the community; all ages and backgrounds welcome. We sing, express gratitude, play, reflect, grieve, and transform together. Ritual Lab is for folks who yearn for more connection in their lives.
An Eco-Chaplain, Water Priestess, and Ceremonialist, Circe regularly conducts seasonal ceremonies at The Portland New Church, the University of Southern Maine, and around the Mid Coast region to celebrate nature and help people metabolize grief about climate change, based on teachings of the StarHouse and the work of Joanna Macy and Matthew Fox.
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Having earned two ordinations; the first as a Transdenominational Minister at The StarHouse in Boulder, Colorado in 2003; the second as an Interfaith Chaplain from The Chaplaincy Institute of Maine in 2019, Circe has been conducting wedding ceremonies, memorial services, and rites for passage for 20+ years. Contact Circe here.
Circe is also a puppeteer in the Mayo Street Arts community.
Magnus de Rhuddlan, Norse Druid Priest (a.k.a. Rev. Paul S. Ridlon)
To be a Druid means to work with Awen, the divine flow of inspiration and creativity.
Magnus is grounded by his Nature-based ancestral Northern European animist practice, permaculture, and shamanism. Guided by his life’s purpose, ‘To inspire, especially the young; and to recover that which was lost’, his personal spiritual journey transitioned from a primarily solitary practice to an integrated community-based practice. He is involved with shamanic practice circles that focus on healing ancestral trauma, soothing disrupted Earth energies, and re-gathering lost esoteric knowledge.
Magnus maintains a shamanic practice for clients seeking ancestral healing methods. He is particularly passionate about teaching and helping people to develop their own spiritual practice. He is devoted to creating sacred art, ritual regalia, and spiritual tools. He offers a range of spiritual services and pastoral care. He is currently working in collaboration with Eco-Chaplain Circe Moss MacDonald, Rev. Todd Glacy, and Rev. Nanci Adair to bring Matthew Fox’s Cosmic Mass to the Portland New Church community.
Contact (text only): 207-408-1989
Magnus is licensed clergy through the Maine Pagan Clergy Association. He is co-founder of the Evergreen Druid Fellowship, a trio that creates sacred visual art and bardic literature. He lives in a Mongolian ger (yurt) in his back garden with his cats--Ravus, Maya (Baby Kitty), and Bella; and his dogs Blue and Athena.
Rev. Todd Glacy, MSC
Sacred Sound and Living
Enlightenment Advocate, Empowerment Educator and Instigator of Joy.
As a professional musician, counselor, chaplain, educator, speaker and facilitator, Rev. Todd has traveled extensively over the years sharing his talents and wisdom with individuals and spirit/wellness focused communities all across the country. Drawing on and combining a vast array of experiences, practices and modalities (sound, music, meditation, yoga, dance, journeywork, Nature, etc…) his mission is to invite, encourage and inspire people to reconnect with themselves and each other in ways that promote awareness, gratitude, unity and celebration for all Life and inspire people to live happy, healthy, meaningful and fulfilling lives.
Todd received his BA in Professional Music from Berklee College of Music, Masters Degree in Professional Counseling from USM, and was ordained as an Interfaith Minister through the Chaplaincy Institute of Maine. He is the founder of Sacred Sound & Livng and created/facilitates the Consciously Evolving Men’s group. He serves as an adjunct professor at the University of Southern Maine and also mentors students through Berklee and ChIME. He is a certified Life Coach, Yoga instructor and Drum Circle facilitator and has trained in a wide variety of spiritual/wellness modalities including: Breathwork, MBSR, Hypnotherapy, Shamanic Journeywork, Reiki, Sacred Sound & Music Therapy, Ecstatic Dance / Mindful Movement and Nature Immersion practices (among many others).
Todd has been involved with the PNC Center For Sacred Arts for over a decade and has offered a variety of event and workshops including: Gong Journeywork, Community Kirtan, Peace Concerts, Community Drum Circles, Labyrinth Ceremonies and Conscious Community Dance gatherings (to name but a few).
To find out more contact:
Rev.Todd Glacy
207-229-9965
Supporting Life’s Journey