New Sikh Dharma Ministers Take Vows
By Guru’s Grace, four new Sikh Dharma Ministers took their ordination vows in June 2017.
SS GuruSangat Kaur administered Sikh vows to 26 members of the Belo Horizonte sangat in Brazil in June 2017.
SS Hari Bhagat Singh from Brazil, took his vows on June 4, 2017 in the gurdwara at Belo Horizonte in Brazil, administered by SS GuruSangat Kaur Khalsa.
SS Hari Bhagat Singh Khalsa taking his Minister vows in June 2017 in Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
New Minister SS Hari Bhagat Singh shared his experience of taking his Minister vows: “With deep love and huge devotion and gratitude, I did my Minister Vows today.
“They were administered by SS GuruSangat Kaur Khalsa in front of the whole sangat and it was SO special and SO amazing. It had a huge impact on our sangat to experience the vows for the first time here in Brazil.
“I feel so blessed and so grateful for this and for this chance on deeply serving in this life. After the vows I could hear just one thing in my mind: ‘May I serve until there is nothing left besides service and devotion.'”
In addition, 26 individuals were inspired to take their Sikh vows at the same gurdwara in Brazil, which was.a historic event for Sikh Dharma in the West.
Minister Vows at 3HO Summer Solstice
Solstice Vows taken by (l. to r.) SS Satya Kaur Corfield, SS Jujhar Singh, SS Harsimrren Kaur
At the 3HO Summer Solstice Celebration, we welcomed to the Sikh Dharma International Ministry SS Harsimrren Kaur (Birmingham, UK), SS Jujhar Singh (Birmingham, UK) and SS Satya Kaur Corfield (Espanola, NM USA).
The vows were administered in front of the Siri Guru Granth Sahib and the sangat on the final day of the celebration in the mountains of Northern New Mexico, following the Amrit Sanchar.
Assistant Secretary of Religion SS Dr. Shanti Shanti Kaur Khalsa administered vows to three new Ministers at the 3HO Summer Solstice in New Mexico on June 24, 2017. It was a joyful and uplifting experience to welcome these three individuals into the Ministry. Wahe Guru!
2017 Summer Solstice Minister Gathering
SS Gurujodha Singh shared the art of self-defense and personal safety to the Ministers.
By Guru’s Grace, over 40 Sikh Dharma Ministers from around the globe gathered at Ram Das Puri in the Jemez Mountains of Northern New Mexico for our Summer Solstice Minister Gathering. This year, we reflected on the importance of personal, sangat, and gurdwara safety and security.
Secretary of Religion, SS Dr. Sat Kaur Khalsa spoke about the current events in the world. She noted that, in today’s society, it is “essential that we have a heightened awareness, alertness, and preparedness…as Sikhs, we need to become more aware, alert, and prepared.” The Office of the Secretary of Religion has received requests from Ministers to learn how to be more prepared, which inspired the theme for this Minister Gathering.
SS Gurujodha Singh presented a specialized mini-course, as a sixth-degree blackbelt in Kenpo. He has been a martial artist for over 24 years. He is also the president of the Siri Singh Sahib Corporation and it was a privilege and honor to have him offer an experiential workshop for Ministers on security and self-defense. He shared a little about his own history and how he was inspired to become a martial artist when the Siri Singh Sahib gave him his spiritual name, which translates as “Guru’s Warrior.”
The Spirit of the Warrior
Sikh Dharma Ministers learned some basic self-defense techniques at the 2017 Summer Solstice Minister Gathering in New Mexico.
At the Solstice Minister Gathering, the Ministers learned specific self-defense techniques, as taught by SS Gurujodha Singh in his video course “Walking Tall” that he has developed especially for Sikh Dharma Ministers.
Gurujodha Singh spoke about the Oak Creek gurdwara shooting and asked Ministers to think about ways to be prepared for such situations. He spoke about “environmental awareness and preparation” to defend ourselves and others.
Gurujodha Singh brought out bamboo sticks and led the Ministers through a series of simple, yet effective moves to begin to develop body awareness and understanding of how to defend oneself and others. The course was well-received by all, with one Minister stating it was “one of the best Minister workshops” they had ever attended.
Resources for Gurdwara Safety and Security
Walking Tall: Spiritual Warrior Course
Sikh Dharma Courses
Learn about ongoing and one-time workshops and courses about Sikh Dharma at the Sikh Dharma International website.
This year’s offerings include monthly Shabad Classes, a Shabad Guru workshop, the Lord of Miracles Tour, Japji for the Aquarian Age course, The Miracle of Guru Ram Das and Journey Into the Heart of Sikh Dharma, as well as two yatra courses to India in the fall. For more information, visit the Sikh Dharma International website.