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Footprints Around the World for Peace

Monday, May 20th, 2013

Join the URI Global Community as we
Walk for Peace on the
International Day of Peace
Saturday, September 21, 2013

What is your Cooperation Circle or organization planning for September 21st?

Trail of Dreams World Peace Walkers, a URI Cooperation Circle,  is orchestrating walks all around the world and you are invited to join them with other URI Cooperation Circles, organizations, institutions, groups and individuals in this major global activity on the International Day of Peace.  

Honor the United Nations International Day of Peace in a collaborative, creative, active way:

  • Mobilize your local organization with a global action
  • Develop relationships with other groups by inviting their participation, broadening your outreach as an interfaith peace building organization
  • Engage your interfaith community as community builders
  • Be a part of a unifying effort with URI CC’s all around your region and the world
  • Join in the Global Bell Ringing wherever you are at 12 noon

We will post the times and locations of the walks and other activities and create a world map- Footprints Around the World for Peace. Submit  your photos and videos of your event, viewers will be able to click on each location on the Footprints Around the World for Peace map and see events and activities posted. In some locations we will actually broadcast live.
Footprints Around the World for Peace honors bioregions by keeping events local and sharing globally. Through internet broadcasting, social media and other web based avenues, global sharing and weaving together of the events of the day can occur -unifying our passion for peace.

This is a great initiative to mobilize and activate communities around an experience of peaceful engagement.

4 Simple Steps
1. Organizations in each country/community to conduct a walk, dance, meditation, concert for peace as a part of Footprints Around the World for Peace, at 12 noon.


2. Ring your Peace Bell (everyone brings a bell) in celebration of the IDP followed by a brief interfaith prayer or ceremony and then walk for at least a mile. Some groups have indicated they want to do a longer walk and of course that is up to each group or organization.

3. Ring your Peace Bell at the end and conclude with an interfaith prayer.
* We encourage inclusivity/diversity of faith, culture and ethnicity, age, race,  physical/mental abilities, sexual orientation and gender in all levels of participation.

It is that simple. What makes the difference is that we show up for PEACE!

4. Take lots of photos and video and send them to the live broadcast.

The world celebrates the international Day of Peace on September 21, 2013. It is the goal of Trail of Dreams World Peace Walkers – United Religions Initiative Cooperation Circle in honor of United Nations International Day of Peace to affect the largest most inclusive initiative for peace on the International Day of Peace on September 21, 2013 @ 12 noon in every time zone around the world. Imagine a wave of intentional peace encompassing the world, like a wave gently washing over the planet to raise the consciousness of peace, a wave so strong it literally causes people to put down their weapons and hold the space for a possible future of peaceful coexistence.

The ringing of bells is a major part of this day. Bells will ring at 12 noon in every time zone to begin each event and again at 1pm to conclude the event. 



According to the Center for Neuroacoustic Research,  ”Since ancient times, human beings have been using sound to enhance states of consciousness. The ancients imparted a sophisticated, intuitive knowledge of how the tuning of the bowls, bells, chanting etc. could create sound to expand consciousness, opening higher levels of brain function.” 

If this is true, and I believe it is, the gentle sounding of the bells will connect us through our hearts, allowing all within its range to feel the power of love and compassion and  — the inevitability of peace. The Interfaith Prayers will remind us as well, that there are many wells but only one river — the Divine by many names. We are one.

Contact Audri Scott Williams for more information 404-374-1162 and home phone is 334-691-3216.

Posted in Indigenous Peoples, International Day of Peace, nonviolence, Peace & Justice, URI North America | Comments Off

Diversity and Inclusion in the URI Community by Sarah Talcott Blair, URI North America Leadership Council Member

Monday, May 20th, 2013

    The vision that compels me to work for URI is one I have seen made real again and again in my fourteen years of being involved.  Simply, it is the blissful experience of people of different religions and cultures, from all walks of life, who come together and discover those threads of common good they share with one another – seeing themselves in the “other” and the “other” in themselves.

    One of my most vivid memories of this came when I dreamed of organizing a local interfaith youth project to explore themes of intercultural understanding, service learning and dispelling misperceptions of the “other.” As I began working to make the dream a reality, I discovered another local youth group that had come into being for a similar purpose. Following 9/11, the fear and mistrust of Muslims that had flared up across the country was coming to the forefront as a very real issue that needed to be responded to. The United Youth Leadership Council, founded by youth members of a Masjid in East Oakland, decided to respond by organizing an intercultural, interfaith youth leadership project. We met at the Masjid and, realizing that our purposes were very much aligned, we discussed how we could work together.

    Organizing the two-day interfaith youth leadership program together was a beautiful learning experience for me. Through talking with the young wife of the Imam at the Masjid, I was able to get answers to questions I had about Islam and to overcome my own misconceptions. For a long time, I had followed the trend of mainstream society by assuming that women who wore the hijab were somehow being demeaned or oppressed. What I learned from Shahidah was that the opposite was actually the case. She explained to me that, by wearing the hijab, she felt freer than ever before because she knew that men were no longer objectifying her. When she spoke to men now, she could be sure she was an equal because she knew they were listening to her and seeing her for who she really was. She also explained to me how the Prophet Muhammad honored the women in his community, and how the conventions he set up were to better protect women from the abuse and degradation that were commonplace at that time. For more information dispelling myths about women in Islam.

    The other revelation that came from co-organizing the program was an experience of genuine hospitality. The Masjid, which had never before invited in people of other faiths, was now throwing wide its doors to host the entire event. The community’s open-hearted trust and sincere, warm welcome was a beautiful gift to all who participated, a living embodiment of the URI principle “We give and receive hospitality.”

    That experience fueled my passion to create new opportunities to build bridges between communities, and to ignite the leadership of young people within URI and throughout the interfaith movement. I am thrilled to see young people who participated in our fledgling youth leadership programs now serving as leaders of the URI Young Leaders Program, on regional teams, and on the URI Global Council.

    As a member of the URI North American Leadership Council, I am inspired to find ways to encourage and support youth leadership in our North American CCs, to convene conversations around best practices in youth engagement, and to work with all of you who are pioneering such practices in your Cooperation Circles.

    I am also inspired to see how we can push past our comfort zones to reach out to members of the community who have experienced discrimination or been the targets of hate speech. In the wise words of Reverend Desmond Tutu, “Differences are not intended to separate, to alienate. We are different precisely in order to realize our need of one another.” So, how can we become better neighbors, and welcome and work with those perceived as “other?” It is this question that gives life to another project I am currently working on – URI’s Talking Back to Hate Campaign – an initiative to counter hate speech, discrimination and bullying through education, advocacy and positive action. Look for more information about this initiative in our next newsletter and here.

Posted in Compassion, Interfaith Understanding, Newsletters, URI North America | Comments Off

SARAH opens World Interfaith Harmony Film Festival in Los Angeles, Feb 6-10

Tuesday, February 5th, 2013


 
This Thursday SARAH will be opening The World Interfaith Harmony Film Festival’s 2nd evening at the Skirball in LA with our Speaking Truth to Power performance. Tickets are still available!  www.worldinterfaithharmonyfilmfestival.org

Thanks to everyone who joined us at  last week’s
Weekend of Compassion with Big Sunday meeting.

A Big THANK YOU for those of you who donated items for our Socks of Compassion and those who showed up early to help stuff them!
We sorted a plethora of Compassion and stuffed 100 socks in 40 minutes!
A very special thank you to University Synagogue for hosting our evening!
We are so grateful to everyone who holds the vision for a State of Compassion and will be sending out more information soon.
In the mean time here are some things you can do:
                        Please “Like Us ”  
Reid at The Laguna Beach Homeless Shelter was delighted to receive your donations and your compassion! 

BigSunday

Our 5th Annual Weekend of Compassion with Big Sunday’s  2nd community meeting inspired a ton of great and innovative ideas! We now have 2 elementary schools considering to join us as Hubs and potential Schools of Compassion. Even a friendly competition between Hubs in our Compassion Games!

We also announced
Compassion Ambassadors!

Back in Orange County!

email us at  sarah4hope@gmail.com
or visit us at wwww.SARAH4HOPE.org 


Find us on FacebookNow you can find S.A.R.A.H. on Facebook! Please join us!!

Posted in Interfaith Understanding, URI North America | Comments Off

The Peace Alliance: Senseless Tragedy in Newtown, CT – Take Action, Gun Control

Monday, December 17th, 2012
The Peace Alliance
The Senseless Tragedy in Newtown, CT

Saturday, December 15, 2012
.

On behalf of all who are associated with The Peace Alliance, I want to express our heartfelt condolences and prayers to all the victims, survivors, family, and friends who must endure the unspeakable tragedy that happened on Friday.  What happened, and to whom it happened, is impossible to comprehend.

As you know, The Peace Alliance, since 2004, has devoted its efforts and its resources to the challenge of changing the way individuals, communities, and countries respond to conflict and crises, internationally and here at home.  We have educated, advocated, trained, lobbied, and mobilized our expanding multi-generational grassroots network on behalf of saner foreign policies and the application of alternative, nonviolent, non-punitive approaches to resolving problems.

The murders in Newtown are but the latest examples of how violence affects our lives and punishes innocent victims with no logical explanation or rationale.  And, what did it accomplish?

TAKE ACTION

GUN CONTROL
Write President & Congress

A study in the Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery found that the gun murder rate in the U.S. is almost 20 times higher than the next 22 richest and most populous nations combined. Every one of those nations has stricter gun control laws.

And then there’s this fact: add together all the gun deaths in the 23 wealthiest countries in the world and80 percent of those are American deaths. Of all the children killed by guns in those nations, 87 percent are American kids.

Violence is manifested in many ways and guns are but one of many instruments used to perpetrate it. Yet, surely, we can’t still deny that in America the availability and nature of guns and ammunition play a significant and avoidable role in the harm and pain being inflicted upon too many individuals and communities.

This issue is not something I speak of from afar.  I was born and brought up in Connecticut and know the Newtown Region well.  Personally, I have been touched by violence.  We lost a daughter to violent murder some 17 years ago, which remains unsolved.  Life goes on, but she is always in my thoughts, especially today.  And, in the thoughts of the two small children she left behind.Yesterday, the President spoke eloquently and emotionally for the country to express our sadness, sympathy, and prayers to the people of Newtown.  He talked about the need finally to do something meaningful to address this gun related event.  Afterward, I was struck by the words of Rep. Carolyn McCarthy of New York, whose husband was shot to death, and son wounded, on a New York subway more than 10 years ago.  She noted something the President said that now was not the time to talk about gun control.  She said she agreed.  Now was not the time to discuss gun control, it was long before these innocent children, their teachers, and their families became victims of another mass murder.  And, she is right.  How many more Newtowns, Columbines, Auroras, Sikh temples, and Oregon Malls will it take for our elected representatives to say, “Enough is Enough”?

Now is the time for these leaders to enter into meaningful dialogue and, more importantly, to take action.  There are many issues we need to address beyond gun-control, and we will do so.  But one thing we should do right now is re-institute the assault weapons ban, limit large capacity ammunition clips, require comprehensive background checks on all weapons sales, particularly those through gun shows and over the internet, and stop cutting funding for needed mental health and social service programs.

None of these steps would in any way prevent serious sportsmen, hunters, or collectors from obtaining firearms for their enjoyment.  Believe it or not, it wouldn’t even deter people truly concerned with protecting themselves from possessing “sufficient” weaponry.

What will it take to make this happen?  Us.  The President needs to lead the way.  But, given the lack of action taken by Congress on this issue in the past, the only way legislators will listen is if enough of their constituents tell them to do so.  We need to get involved — call, write, petition, and, perhaps, even protest, until Congress listens.  It may not be easy, but if Congress hasn’t concluded enough is enough, certainly, most Americans have.  We can’t stand idly by and let more of our neighbors or more of our children, grandchildren, sisters, and brothers be massacred, as they were in Newtown.  Please join us in mitigating this tragedy and bringing about a more peaceful society.

Thank you.

Bob Baskin, President

Posted in Compassion, Peace & Justice, URI North America | Comments Off

Banning All Guns is Necessary but NOT Sufficient–We also need a fundamental transformation of consciousness both inner and social – Rabbi Michael Lerner

Sunday, December 16th, 2012
Tikkun  to heal, repair and transform the world
A note from Rabbi Michael Lerner Join or Donate Now!

Some thoughts and a prayer after the latest mass killings, this time of elementary school students:

Banning all Guns is Necessary but NOT Sufficient in light of the increasing violence in our society. We need a fundamental transformation as well as banning guns.  Otherwise, we will now revert to the normal debate between liberals wanting more gun control and conservatives saying that it’s not guns that kill but people. Both are right.  So here is what we need to do:

1. A constitutional amendment to ban all guns, and to create special holding units for hunting rifles to be held in control of locally elected officials in every neighborhood who keep the rifles under lock and key except when given to hunters during a hunting season and to be returned immediately thereafter, with all necessary criminal controls and penatlies for those who do not return them in a timely manner and those who continue to hold on to their guns privately. No private ownership of guns of any sort. Police must similarly be disarmed, and allowed only to use billy clubs and mace, except in emergencies in which a judge signs a warrant for the temporary use of lethal force against someone who is using lethal force. Lesser measures (background checks, banning only extreme assault weapons, etc.)  are wimply and will have only slight impact.

2. We must create a track of education in every school and every grade level that teaches non-violence both as a philosophy of life and as a practical way to live one’s life, plus: non-violent communication, and teaches children and teenagers and college students about a. how to value and care for everyone else on the planet  including their parents, teachers, neighbors, friends, and future lovers or partners  b. how to deal with depression, anger, feelings of alienation, powerlessness, stress, and isolation.  c. how to give support to those who are not functioning or are psychologically or spiritually impaired and how to find the correct help for people who need professional help  d. how to recognize and appreciate all the beauty and miraculous wonder of life itself, of the universe, and of human beings  e. how to appreciate and protect the planet from all those forces that are inadvertantly destroying it  f.how to end poverty and share the resources of this planet with everyone equally in a planet-sustaining way  f. how to develop one’s own capacities as a spiritual, ethical. aesthetically and emotionally developed, mature and loving human being .

 

These are what we must be seeking. The liberals are right about step number one, but they don’t go as far as I propose. The conservatives are right that human beings a nd not just guns are the problem, but then they never develop or support an educaitonal system that will teach people the skills we all need. Liberals fear introducing values into public education for fear that they’d be the wrong values. It’s time to stop that, and fight for a values oriented education, based on the values of love, caring, kindness, generosity, and protection of the earth. Till that happens, conservatives will always have a good case for devaluing public education, and for saying that only religion teachs values (and liberals will prove their case by not creating an educational system that teaches any value other than “making it” or, in polite Obama talk, an “education that prepares our children to compete effectively in the global marketplace” (which de facto means, learning how to advance oneself at the expense of everyone else so that “you can be number one and make America number one”). Well, guess what helps make you or others number one: violence and power over others. And that message gets reinforced over and over and over again by television shows about crime and the police, about wars and violence, but also by the society valuing and rewarding soldiers who go off to kill innocent people in foreign wars to protect imperial interests. So, it takes a whole society to create pathological killers out of human beings who are not born that way, and it will take a societal effort -plus individual efforts to get the pathological messages out of our consciousness and replace them with loving and caring messages and worldviews. But we can do it, and that is precisely what our Network of Spiritual Progressives is all about (read our Spiritual Covenant with America at www.spiritualprogressives.org). Without this kind of change of consciousness, step one (banniing guns) will be ineffective and possibly dangerous. 

Meanwhile, for immediate relief, but not in replacement for collective action around points 1 and 2 above, you might find some support in the prayer below which I urge you to read to yourself and family, to your friends and community. And blessings to you and all whom you love, and Happy Chanukah and Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday Season to all!—Rabbi Michael Lerner  RabbiLerner.Tikkun@gmail.com
God, let me cry on your shoulder

A prayer after today’s school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut. By Rabbi Rachel Barenblat

God, let me cry on Your shoulder.

Rock me like a colicky baby.
Promise me You won’t forget

each of Your perfect reflections
killed today. Promise me
You won’t let me forget, either.

I’m hollow, stricken like a bell.
Make of my emptiness a channel
for Your boundless compassion.

Soothe the children who witnessed
things no child should see,
the teachers who tried to protect them

but couldn’t, the parents
who are torn apart with grief,
who will never kiss their beloveds again.

Strengthen the hands and hearts
of Your servants tasked with caring
for those wounded in body and spirit.

Help us to find meaning
in the tiny lights we kindle tonight.
Help us to trust

that our reserves of hope
and healing are enough
to carry us through.

We are Your hands: put us to work.
Ignite in us the unquenchable yearning
to reshape our world

so that violence against children
never happens again, anywhere.
We are Your grieving heart.

Posted in Articles, Compassion, URI North America | Comments Off

Surrey Neighboring Faiths Program Mid-December Newsletter, 2012

Sunday, December 16th, 2012

 snfp logo

Surrey Neighbouring Faiths Program

Mid-December 2012 Newsletter

Greetings,

I recently attended a Meditation & Community Peace Prayer held at the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara in response to the Connecticut school shooting. The President of the Gurdwara, Bikramjit Singh, spoke eloquently about the need to work through our feelings of grief, anger and despair and to gather together in community to recommit ourselves to peace, love and forgiveness.

I returned home to find this poem from Rabbi Rachel Barenblat (The Velveteen Rabbi) in my email inbox:

 

God, let me cry on Your shoulder.

Rock me like a colicky baby.
Promise me You won’t forget each of Your perfect reflections
killed today. Promise me You won’t let me forget, either.
I’m hollow, stricken like a bell.
Make of my emptiness a channel for Your boundless compassion.
Soothe the children who witnessed things no child should see,
the teachers who tried to protect them but couldn’t, the parents
who are torn apart with grief, who will never kiss their beloveds again.
Strengthen the hands and hearts of Your servants tasked with caring
for those wounded in body and spirit.
Help us to find meaning in the tiny lights we kindle tonight.
Help us to trust that our reserves of hope and healing are enough to carry us through.
We are Your hands: put us to work.
Ignite in us the unquenchable yearning to reshape our world

so that violence against children
never happens again, anywhere.
We are Your grieving heart.

 

In the aftermath of Friday’s tragedy, interfaith communities around the world are joining together to strengthen the voices of peace, love and forgiveness in the world. More than that, they are taking active stands on gun control and are working together to address the deeper issues that lead to such tragedies.

The year 2013 will need as many hearts as possible working towards peace, justice and compassion. What gifts of the heart do you bring? Perhaps you’ll share those gifts by participating in the Surrey Interfaith Council or by helping out with World Interfaith Harmony Week? Perhaps you’ll offer to be interviewed for the Interfaith Documentary Theatre Project or come to meditate with the Surrey Interfaith Contemplative Group? And if you heart likes to move… we’ll see you at Soulstice this coming Friday!

Upcoming Events

December 21, 7:00pm – Soulstice! A celebration of the returning of the light

Soulstice takes place Friday, December 7, 7:00pm at Crossroads United Church, 7655 – 120th Street, North Delta. An evening of intercultural music-making and celebrating, a drum circle, a jam session, a dance, embodied prayer, rhythm and life: Soulstice is all of these things! So bring a drum, bring a friend, come join in the rhythm and song, or just come because you’re curious! Admission is free, but please bring a food bank donation. See attached poster.

January 4, 2013, 7:00 – 8:30pm – Surrey Interfaith Contemplative Group (Continuing every Friday!)

The Surrey Interfaith Contemplative Group is a gathering of individuals from different religious, spiritual and philosophical backgrounds that meet every Friday evening to meditate, build community and deepen relationships.  For more information join the Facebook group or contact David Dalley to be added to the mailing list. All are welcome!

February 4, 2013

“SEEDS OF HARMONY” is a one day program to honor the WORLD INTERFAITH HARMONY WEEK 2013.

It will be an opportunity to share personal experiences by people of different religions who strive for harmony, respect, and understanding in a society composed of plurality and diversity.

The Week has been designated by the United Nations since 2010.  It is based on the proposal of H. M. King Abdullah II of Jordan to be observed the first week in February of every year.

“Seeds of Harmony” will be held locally on Monday, 04th February 2013 from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. in the Richmond Cultural Centre.

Organizations from Metro Vancouver are planning the program.  Primarily they include the City of Richmond, Cultural Services; Richmond School District; Kwantlen College; The Multifaith Action Society; as well as support from groups in Surrey, Burnaby, Port Moody, Coquitlam, and Abbotsford.

The WIH Week seeks “to spread the message of harmony and tolerance among the followers of all the world’s religions, faiths, and beliefs.”  The opportunity strives to make “Love of God and Love of Neighbor or Love of the Good and Love of the Neighbor” as its primary message and invites everyone, excludes no one, encourages voluntary participation.

For further information, see http://worldinterfaithharmonyweek.com/ or talk with Peter Harris 604-247-8333.

Keep in touch…

What to learn more about the Surrey Neighbouring Faiths Program? Visit our website, watch our documentary, or look through past editions of this newsletter.  Want to stay connected? Sign up to receive this monthly newsletter or join our Facebook group.

This newsletter contains links to other events and resources in the community. Unless you are receiving this newsletter directly, some of the links may be disabled. To receive this newsletter directly, sign up at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/surreyneighbouringfaiths/.

Our Mission Statement is: “The Surrey Neighbouring Faiths Program builds community capacity for multifaith learning and dialogue with a focus on children and families.” If you have any programming or project ideas that relate to this mission statement, please let me know. We are always open to new ideas!

In peace,

David Dalley

(604) 502-8661

davidanderin@dalley.ca

 

“Comforted by how much we share, we’re able to delight in our differences.”

- Raffi, from “A Covenant for Honouring Children”

 

 

Posted in Compassion, Newsletters, URI North America | Comments Off

The Peace Alliance: Sandy School Shootings: Special Call Sunday

Saturday, December 15th, 2012

The Peace Alliance

.
Meditation, reflection and sharing on the killings at Sandy Hook Elementary School
Special call this Sunday led by James O’Dea

Our hearts go out to the families, victims and community involved in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.  It is yet another horrific tragedy, and we mourn along with them.

There will be time for conversation about action soon.  For now, we invite you to join a special call this Sunday, led by Advisory Board member James O’Dea, and in partnership with the Shift Network.

Call Details:
Sunday, Dec. 16th, 11:00am PT, 2:00 ET
General dial-in: 949-202-1057, 669749#
Alternate: 805-747-4187, 505191#
Or you can register for the call here.

In Peace,
Matthew Albracht
The Peace Alliance
Twitter The Peace Alliance
P.O. Box 27601, Washington, DC 20038 | Phone: 202-684-2553

Posted in CC & Affiliate Events, Compassion, URI North America | Comments Off

Charles Gibbs posting from India including reaction to Connecticut shooting of school children

Saturday, December 15th, 2012

Rev. Charles P. GibbsPosting #4, Saturday, 15 Dec. 2012

 

Dear Friends,
.
Greetings of love and peace from Imphal in India’s Manipur State – a high plateau surrounded by nine rings of mountains in far eastern India, nestled between Banglesh to the west and Burma to the East and connected to the main mass of India by an umbilicus that arcs over the top of Bangladesh. Abraham Karickam, Biswadeb Chakraborty and I arrived here yesterday in the waning light of late Friday afternoon.

 

I awoke this Saturday morning to news of the tragic massacre of innocents at a school in Connecticut. At breakfast, the entire restaurant was transfixed by this news played again and again and again on a large screen on the wall behind the breakfast buffet. People in India find it incomprehensible that Americans can endure one senseless gun-related tragedy after another and still have this seeming love affair with wide scale private ownership of weapons of war. I, too, find it incomprehensible and wonder when, as a society, we will come to our collective senses. I sense a call to action in this moment of insane loss. For now, at this great distance and with extremely limited communication, I can pray and anguish and pray some more. And I will.

 

My recent postings chronicled the URI India assembly at Shantiniketan, which ended this past Monday, but the challenges of internet access meant that I didn’t send out the final installment until yesterday, Friday. In between, Abraham and took a side journey to Darjeeling, the fabled town perched at 7,000’ on the slopes of Himalayan foothills, with a 14,000’ snow-capped peak rising in plain view on a clear day. Sadly, there were no clear days while we were there, so we saw the peak only in photographs.

 

To reach Darjeeling from Bolpur, home of Shantiniketan, Abraham and I took an overnight train to Jalpaiguri, a journey of about 11 hours, and then took a 3-1/2 hour cab ride that took us out of town, through vast tea plantations and then up the long, switchbacked climb, over narrow roads that seem to be in a steady state of either being in desperate need of repair or being repaired – all hard and dirty work done almost entirely by small crews doing crushing manual labor without the benefit of any big machinery. There were very few sections of sustained good road.

 

We climbed through many small villages with smiling people glowing from a lifestyle that involves a great deal of time outdoors; students walking in their school uniforms, and children playing badminton without a net on the narrow margins of busy roads. As we climbed and the faces of the people changed, it seemed as if we were leaving India behind and moving into Tibet and China, which wasn’t far from wrong as Darjeeling is a matter of a few kilometers from the Tibetan border and houses a substantial Tibetan refugee population. In Darjeeling, which was quite cold, Abraham and I did a lot of walking and reflecting on the evolution of URI in India and around the world. Also, I was able to finish my Shantiniketan reflections and Abraham was able to keep up with some of his work.

 

After two nights in Darjeeling, we left at 2 PM on Thursday to go back down the mountain to Jalpaiguri and then took an overnight train to Kolkata (2+ hours farther than Bolpur), arriving at 9:30 AM, then a few hours of refreshment at an apartment before leaving for the airport at 1PM, and then, after the usual airport routine, including a flight delayed by an hour, a 1- hour flight to Imphal, where we landed at nearly 5 PM.

 

Vrajapti Das, President of the Bhatkivedanda Society and URI Global Council Trustee, met us at the airport and took us immediately to the Krishna temple that the late Dr. T.D. Singh helped design and build. When I was last here the raw concrete structure of the temple had been finished, but there were no walls; so I was amazed to see how beautiful the temple is in its finished form – exquisitely carved wood panels, polished marble floors, etched glass windows. I rejoiced at how wonderfully T.D.’s vision had been realized and could feel his spirit hovering round. It was like having a brief encounter with him six years after he left this world. I’ll be forever grateful for that half-hour or so of communion with the spirit of a dear, dear friend.

 

Today was divided into two parts: the morning wrap-up of an International Congress on Vedanta and Science; the afternoon turned over to a URI-focused program with the beguiling title: Sowing Seeds of Peace in Students – Interfaith Workshop cum Interactive Session with Rev. Charles Gibbs.

 

The morning wrap-up, conducted in a freezing cold auditorium while outside the sun was wonderfully warming the world, included two talks – Life – Its Origin and Evolution and Controlling Blood Pressure Through Spiritual Practice – and a panel on Vedanta and Education. I can’t begin to do justice to the talks and panel, but I’ll offer a few memorable lines:

 

  • Matter has emerged from life, not life from matter.

 

  • The purpose of education is to bring out qualities already existing within a person so they can become a true human being.

 

  • In teaching it is important to be guided by two questions: What is ultimately beneficial? What is immediately beneficial?

 

Between the end of the morning program and the beginning of the afternoon program, nearly 700 students from 9 public and private (including Christian, Muslim, Jain, Sikh and Hindu) high schools arrived and packed the now reasonably warm auditorium. It was exciting to feel that URI was the occasion for bringing these schools together, and by the end of the program there was an expressed intention to have all the schools get together three times a year, one of the times being the International Day of Peace, to build community by addressing local need, perhaps starting with a tree planting project.

 

The program opened with invocations offered by students from each of the religious schools and continued with a song, garlands and a brief ceremony honoring Dr. T. D. Singh. I then spoke for about a half-an-hour, starting with the slide show called Living Peace, which includes photos of URI members from all over the world set to Herm Weaver’s inspiring song Dream of the Light:

 

Dream, dream, we’re coming out of the night

Let’s close our eyes and dream of the light

Dream of new tomorrows from the rubble of today

And dream of things that we can do to build a better way

Ah, let’s dream.

 

I dedicated the slide show to the victims of the Connecticut and their families; and to all who have lost their lives to violence.

 

I spoke about URI and the moral imagination approach to peacebuilding, urging the student’s to see themselves as peacebuilders and grow into that calling in a world greatly in need of their light. Abraham, Biswadeb and Vrajapati each offered briefer remarks about what it means to sow seeds of peace. Biswadeb was interrupted several times by sustained applause as he finished his remarks with one of his trademark performances where he plays his face like a percussion instrument. A sustained session of questions and answers followed and then lots of photos before we returned to our hotel to refresh ourselves before going back out again for a cultural evening of music and singing. A wonderful day with many potentially positive connections made.

 

There’s so much more I could write, and perhaps I will later, but it’s late here at the end of a profoundly moving day and I’ll end for now.

 

Faithfully,

Charles


The Rev Canon Charles P. Gibbs • Executive Director
Email: cgibbs@uri.org
Phone: (1) 415-561-2300 • Fax: (1) 415-561-2313
Stay Updated with United Religions Initiative
   

Posted in Articles, Peace & Justice, URI, URI North America | Comments Off

ICCCC response to gun violence – also newsletter for Mid-December

Saturday, December 15th, 2012
Dear Friends,
The Executive Board of the Interfaith Council offer these words during this time of collective grief.
“We continue to grieve with our nation in the wake of today’s mass murder at a school in Connecticut.  This is the most gut wrenching of all the recent gun-violence related incidents we have seen in the sad history of such occurrences.  We also send our prayers and energy toward those in Portland, Colorado, and Virginia for whom this news brings back fresh memories of trauma.   

Our hearts go out to the families who lost their children and other loved ones, as well as the families of the survivors as their innocence was snatched away from them.  May God comfort them all.  We as an Interfaith Council offer our hope, love, strength and prayers in dealing with this tragedy.  Events like this remind us of our calling to become more loving towards our children, neighbors and community.  Let us renew our dedication to care for those with anger, hopelessness or mental illness.” 


“We Belong to Each Other.”

Shalom, Peace, Salaam, Om Shanti, Solh, Amani, Paz, 평화, Ping On…
Rev. Will McGarvey
Interim Executive Director
Interfaith Council of Contra Costa County
1543 Sunnyvale Avenue
Walnut Creek, CA 94597
(925) 933-6030 office
925.597.9797 mobile
On behalf of the Executive Board of the Interfaith Council of Contra Costa County:

The Executive Board -

  • Chair - Rev. Leslie Takahashi-Morris, Mt. Diablo Unitarian Universalist Church, Walnut Creek
  • Vice-Chair - Rev. Margaretmary Staller, Episcopal Diocese of California, Walnut Creek
  • Secretary - Loel Bartlett Miller, Sufism Reoriented, Walnut Creek
  • Treasurer - Myrdell Dybdal, Community Presbyterian Church, Pittsburg
  • Dr. Amer Araim, Walnut Creek Islamic Center
  • Rabbi Raphael Asher, Congregation B’nai Tikvah, Walnut Creek
  • Rev. Tom Bonacci, Ecumenical and Inter-religious Commission of the Catholic Diocese of Oakland,  Interfaith Peace Project, Antioch
  • Darlene Cioffi-Pangilla, Buddha Gate Monastery, Lafayette
  • Terry Clark, Lafayette-Orinda Presbyterian Church, Lafayette
  • Jaleh Kilpatrick, Baha’i Community, Walnut Creek
  • Dr. Harmesh Kumar, Guru Ravidass Sikh Temple, Pittsburg
  • Susan Lawton, First Presbyterian Church, Concord
  • Rev. Norman Luecke, First Congregational Church (UCC), Martinez
  • Dr. Ejaz Naqvi (Provisional),Islamic Center of Zahra, Pleasanton
  • Lori Ortiz, Church Women United, Martinez
  • Judy Porta, First Church, Christ Scientist, Orinda
    Alternate - Hazel Faries
  • Khurram Shah, Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Bay Point
.

ICCCC logoGeneral Announcements:

+++ Mt. View House Shelter has opportunities for Congregations to share meals with their homeless Clients. Please contact Martie Steinmetz, Site Coordinator of the Mt. View House Shelter (1391 Shell Avenue, Martinez, CA 94553) at (925) 228-6920 or maritess@shelterincofccc.org to help. Here are the weeks in need of support.

Dec. 24-28, 2012, Dec. 31- Jan. 4, 2013
Jan 7-11, Jan 14-18, Jan 21-25
Feb 4-8, Feb 11-15, Feb 25 -Mar 1

Mar 25-29, Apr 1-5, Apr 15-19, Apr 22-26, Apr 29-May 3

May 6-10, May 13-17, May 20-24, May 27-31

Thank you so very much for your assistance with this matter.  Please call Martie Steinmetz, if you have any questions.

+++ Interfaith Board Game   As many of you consider giving gifts to friends and loved ones in this season, perhaps ”webelieve2,” the interfaith board game, would resonate with the hearts of some. It’s being used successfully throughout the country to promote unity and understanding in families, groups and congregations.

Here’s a link to a recent article on the United Religious Initiative web site introducing the game to others.
New Resource: Interfaith Board Game
Please receive my thanks and pass it along to anyone that you think might be interested.  Gratefully, Rev. Duane Moret, creator of the game  http://mysite.verizon.net/biz1327l5/webelieve2/

The Interfaith Council offices have 4 sets of the game that can be checked out for use by member groups.  Please contact Susan in the office to reserve a copy for your event.

+++ Fall Prevention Program at Meals on Wheels and Senior Outreach Services.
Gennifer Mountain:  Fall Prevention Program Manager with Meals on Wheels is available to offer a presentation on Falls to your congregations.  They are a non-profit , do not charge, and are very much wanting to share safety tips with the community before the years end.  Please contact Gennifer to get the application form to schedule your presentations today at gmountain@mowsos.org or 925-937-8311, ext. 110.

+++  New Class “Introduction to Islamic Creeds for Young Muslims” by Dr. Nobahar
Saturdays 12-1 pm

Islamic Cultural Center of Northern California in Oakland is happy to announce a new English class for the young Muslims taught by our religious director, Dr. Rahim Nobahar, this fall.  Dr. Nobahar teaches “Introduction to Islamic Creeds” for young Muslims ages 14 to 24 years old.  The class meet from 12 to 1pm on Saturdays, inshaAllah, the class will continue through mid-December.  For more information please contacticcnc-classes-islam@GoogleGroups.com.

+++  Marty Brounstein, author of “Two Among the Righteous Few” is available to come to your congregation, Interfaith Council, or organization to share this story of courage and faith.  This is the story of a Christian couple, Frans and Mien Wijnakker, who saved the lives of at least two dozen Jews during World War II and the Holocaust.  This true and remarkable story has a meaningful personal connection as well, as Marty explains in his engaging book talks.  www.MartyABrounstein.com or 650.341.8001.
http://www.tatepublishing.com/bookstore/book.php?w=9781613461129

+++  ”The Man Who Sent the Magi,” by Douglas Krotz from the Baha’i community in Walnut Creek.  Check out the link below for when he is sharing about the book, or to invite Douglas to come to your community.  http://www.drkworks.com

+++  Theological Education Leadership courses at PSR
The TEL program will begin a new ONLINE series of classes for laity and clergy alike.  Please go to this link to see all of the opportunities.

+++ HOST INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS & SCHOLARS FOR THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY - this ministry began in 1965.

Christmas International house- Dec 18, 2012- Jan 2, 2013.  Congregations can host 2-5 International students during the Christmas holiday to make it easy for people to host.  You can make the time of hosting for a first week & a second week first week host December 18-26 or a second week host December 26 to Jan 2.  International students will pay their own round trip ticket from all over the USA & come to your city for the holiday.  Did you know that we have more than 600,000 International students & scholars from 200 nations studying in the USA?  Did you know that they receive the best education, the best campus life but they are never invited to an American home?  Did you know that 90% of them after graduation will go home to be the future leaders of their nations?  For information to host international students please email or call the Christmas International office:  amis@peachtreepres.org or call 404-846-4396.  www.christmasih.org The website has all the information you need, we also can send information & a DVD for congregations who are interested.

+++  Strengthen Your Community – One Tax Return At A Time

Volunteer as a tax preparer with Earn It! Keep It! Save It! to help Bay Area residents stand on their own and bring back money to our local economy. Join our movement of 3,000+ volunteers helping individuals, families, seniors, and other community members file their tax returns. We will provide you with free IRS-certified training and connect you to a local tax service site (200+ in the Bay Area) to help your community.

TOP REASONS TO BECOME AN EARN IT! KEEP IT! SAVE IT! VOLUNTEER
✔ Serve your community and give back
✔ Learn a valuable skill that looks great on a résumé
(We’ll train you! No tax experience necessary – just a desire to help others)
✔ Flexible hours – volunteer 3-6 hours per week at a local site with hours suitable to your schedule
✔ Help the local economy – our 2012 economic impact was $68.1 million!

Sign up TODAY at http://www.earnitkeepitsaveit.org/volunteer or contact Breana Stokes at bstokes@uwba.org for more information.

More Congregational Job Openings listed at our Events Page at http://interfaithccc.org/?page_id=57

Chronological Announcements:

+++  Chanukah
Friday, December 14, 6:00 pm,
Beth Chaim Congregation
1800 Holbrook Drive, Danville.

For the 14th year, we invite our ISRV faith community partners to come to Beth Chaim to celebrate our festival of light in which we remember the first struggle for religious freedom in the 1st century BC. We invite our ISRV partners to contribute a prayer of welcome from your faith community, and we invite clergy and other faith community leaders to attend and be honored by kindling the light of this festival in our sanctuary. You and your communities are invited to join us for a dinner of latkes and pizza at 6 pm, followed by our Chanukah Celebration with music and song. Please let Rabbi Dan know who will be representing your community as candle lighters, and it would be wonderful if you could send me a brief blessing for this holiday from your community which we will print up and place on all of the tables.

+++ Supporting the Pleasant Creek HABITAT All Faiths House:  CHRISTMAS CAROL COMMUNITY SING-ALONG
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 15, 3:00 P.M
GRACE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH,
2100 Tice Valley Road, Walnut Creek

Holiday carol-sing and music of the season, presented by the Diablo Music Students Service League, in partnership with Grace Presbyterian Church, to benefit Habitat for Humanity’s All Faiths Home at the Pleasant Creek Homes development in Walnut Creek.

About Habitat for Humanity All-Faiths House in Walnut Creek: Habitat for Humanity and civic leaders joined in a recent groundbreaking ceremony for the Pleasant Creek Homes project just across the freeway from the Walnut Creek BART station. This 10-unit development includes an All Faiths House with financial and volunteer support from the interfaith community. The first All Faiths Build Days, inviting volunteers from congregations that have joined the All Faiths House project, are scheduled for Saturdays February 16, March 16 and Sunday March 24.   Contact Emily Howard (EHoward@habitatebsv.org) or Victoria Bommarito (VBommarito@habitatebsv.org) for information on becoming a Habitat Faith Partner and joining the All Faiths House project.

+++  Dr. Prof. Syeda Noorein Inamdar (Ph.D Harvard) on Serving Humanity
Saturday, December 15, at 5:00 p.m.
Islamic Center of East Bay
314 West 19th Street, Antioch

The topic of her lecture is, “How Best We Can Serve The Humanity”, which will be followed by question/answer session and dinner. This is her second lecture. The theme of her First lecture was, “Islam and Gender Equality.” Dr. Inamdar is an assistant Professor at San Jose State University, and is a versatile scholar, with great insight in Islam.

+++ Creating Collaborative Communities Summit For our Military, Veterans, and Families
Tuesday, December 18, 2012, 10a.m. to 4 p.m.
(Registration begins at 930 a.m.)
Fremont Marriott Silicon Valley Hotel
46100 Landing Parkway, Fremont, CA.

This gathering provides an opportunity to hear from and network with like-minded individuals, non-profits, non-governmental, and governmental organizations. Throughout the day you will have opportunities to explore and discuss options for enhancing the ability of your group to identify and achieve their goals, to build community to support our servicemembers, veterans, families.

Space is limited to the first 80 participants. Please RSVP by December 11, 2012, toMaryellen_salzano@yahoo.com

Confirmed and Invited Presenters Include:
MG (R) Peter Gravett, Secretary, California Department of Veterans Affairs (CalVet)

Lindsey Sin, Deputy Secretary for Women Veterans Services, CalVet

Pamela Rasada R.N., P.H.N., Administrative Officer, The Governor’s Interagency Council on Veterans -Enhancing the Collaborative Voice Within the ICV Conduit of Communication

Sidney Gardner, M.P.A., President, Children and Family Futures - Beyond Collaboration to Results: Networking and report on Washington Convening of Agencies

+++  Holiday Immigration Posada (POSADA POR LOS DERECHOS DE LAS FAMILIAS INMIGRANTES)

Round Table Discussion:

International Migrants Day
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
12 noon-1:30 pm
State Building San Francisco
455 Golden Gate Ave. SF, (Civic Center BART)

What if the Holy Family was torn apart at Christmas?
This month 2400 people will be deported from California because of ICE’s “Secure Communities” program.
Imagínate lo que hubiese pasado si la Sagrada Familia hubiese sido separada por la Migra en Navidad.
Levantemos nuestras voces para proteger a Nuestras Familias Inmigrantes porque también son Sagradas

The Posada, a Latin American holiday tradition, depicts Mary and Joseph’s search for room at the inn in Bethlehem. In this modern day adaptation, we knock at the door of Gov. Brown, saying: Open the door of your heart to immigrant families. Sign the Trust Act (AB 4).  [Religious leaders, please wear clergy attire for special prayer for separated families. Others are invited to bring signs of support for immigrants and their families.]  Sponsored by: Interfaith Coalition for Immigrant Rights -CLUE, East Bay Interfaith Immigrant Rights Coalition, SFOP, CARECEN, Causa Justa-Just Cause, ACUDIR.  If you cannot make it, call the Governor’s Office and ask him to work immediately on the TRUST Act to protect family unity and give due process to immigrants. (916-445-2841).

+++ Adoptive Parent Educational Support Group
Friday, December 21, 2012 6-8 P.M.
Cornerstone Christian Center
1745 East 18th Street, Antioch
Adults Room 3B Children go to Surf City

Connecting with education & support for parents of children any age. Support in understanding the complexities of being an adoptive parent.  Upcoming Topics of Discussion: Allegations: What to Expect, Emotional Training Techniques & Evidence Bases Therapies: What Works, Parenting the Hurt Child During the Holidays. Professionally Facilitated & Provided in Partnership with Los Medanos College, Keller Canyon Foundation and the East County Faith Based Sub-Committee to the Child Welfare Redesign

For more information call (925)550-7129 or E-Mail: trudyemanuelson@sbcglobal.net.  Respite available with advanced reservation.

+++ Longest Night Service 
December 21 at 7pm
First Christian Church of Concord
3039 Willow Pass Rd., Concord

Even in the midst of a holiday season that preaches joy and goodwill, Christmas is still a time of unease for untold numbers of people. And as the nights reach their length- iest, and as the darkness reaches its longest points, it is important that we reunite as a close-knit community of Jesus. We do this by hosting a special worship service at 7 pm on the night of the winter solstice, Tuesday, Decem- ber 21st. You and your family and friends are warmly in- vited to come and share in fellowship on this longest night of the calendar year. All are welcome at this service. Come as you are, and know that God loves you.

+++  Interfaith Council’s Longest Night Service
Friday, December 21st at 7:00 pm
Clayton Valley Presbyterian Church
1578 Kirker Pass Rd., Clayton

An interfaith service of light amidst the darkness.  All are invited to this time of meditation and healing of our losses on the shortest day of the year.  Please bring a picture or memento that represents your loss.   The service will be in the Sanctuary.   If you have a musical gift or poetry reading you would like to share, please contact Rev. Will McGarvey at eye4cee@gmail.com.

+++ Winter Solstice Labyrinth Walk
Saturday, December 22nd, from 7-8:00 PM
St. George’s Episcopal Church,
301 E. 13th St., corner of 13th & Marie in Antioch.

Come walk the labyrinth during the longest night of the year. With drumming in the background we will call the sun to begin its journey back from darkness to bring us warmth and light. No Fee – donations will be accepted.  For information call: Jane at 925.432.1453

Labyrinth Facilitators will be available to help first time walkers. Bring a drum to join the drumming circle. A few will be available to borrow. Our drumming circle leader will be Marty Hoffman, BA who is a music teacher and has studied drumming in Africa.  Bring refreshments to share following the walk. Coffee & tea will be provided. Come Join the fun!

+++ Winter Solstice Celebration
Unity of Walnut Creek,
1871 Geary Road, Walnut Creek
Friday, December 21, 7:30 pm

The change in our days from greater darkness to greater light is a fitting symbol for the greater change of consciousness unfolding in humankind. Come and take part in a service designed to invite us into a greater experience of the presence and purpose of Divine Love.

This long-awaited 2012 solstice marks a turning point in the expansion of awareness. What a joy to enter into our hearts together and call forth a consciousness of harmony and peace for all people. This special service will include a time of deep attuning through a beautiful service of quiet reflection in which our true heartfelt dreams are acknowledged. Join us in calling forth the birth of the consciousness of Divine Love.

+++ Jazz Church West Presents Taylor Eigsti with bassist Gary Johnson
Sunday, December 23 at 5:00 pm – Free.
Peace Lutheran Church
3201 Camino Tassajara, Danville

Our special Christmas, Chanukah, Kwanzaa gift to the Community. This is perfectly timed so that after the chaos and commotion of December you can enjoy a truly fine seasonal gift. Info is attached. Hope to see you then. And Remember: Jazz at Peace will shift to the First Sundays in 2013 beginning on January 6 with the Erik Jekabson Quintet.

+++ Food and Faith Traditions for a New Year,
December 30, 9:30 am – 2 pm.
Temple Isaiah
3800 Mt. Diablo Blvd., Lafayette

We will gather at 9:30 at Temple Isaiah, and travel together to the Walnut Creek Farmer’s market, where we will buy produce to make a lunch for the guests at the Winter Nights Shelter. We will have a cooking class with Winter Nights guest families, and sit down together to discuss New Year’s traditions and ways to celebrate moving into a new year.

To register, please go to http://www.temple-isaiah.org/groups-activities/volunteer-sign-up/,
click “activities” and select the December 30 outing to the Farmers Market and the December 30 cooking class.

+++  SUICIDE PREVENTION SKILLS TRAINING MORGAN HILL
January 11th & 12th
Advent Lutheran Church
16870 Murphy Ave, Morgan Hill

Learn suicide intervention skills in this two day, highly interactive, practical, practice oriented workshop ASIST/ www.livingworks.net on Jan. 11 and Jan 12 in Morgan Hill. Cost is $75
and class size is limited to the first 20 sign ups. Please send your check made payable to:  Advent Lutheran Church with ASIST in the memo line.  Phone of the church is 408 779 3551. To register, please contact maryellen_salzano@yahoo.com for more information.  The trainers are veterans and civilians.  We are grateful to Advent Lutheran Church for the donation of their rooms and the donations of time by the trainers.  We have worked to keep costs at a bare minimum.   Mary Ellen Salzano, Founder and Facilitator, California Statewide Collaborative for our Military and Families.  Proud Parent of (Former) Cpl. Salzano, USMC, OIF 2 and 3 and Philippines, (408) 779-6916 or (408) 489-0911.

+++ Second annual Womanist Symposium 
Jan. 12 at McGee Avenue Baptist Church
Saturday, Jan. 12, from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
McGee Avenue Baptist Church
1640 Stuart Street, Berkeley

San Francisco Theological Seminary, the Graduate Theological Union and McGee Avenue Baptist Church in Berkeley are teaming up to offer the second annual Womanist Symposium entitled “But Who Do They Say I Am?”

“This symposium offers an opportunity to engage womanist theology within the context of Black women in the local church setting,” said Rev. Dr. Martha Taylor, symposium convener and adjunct faculty member at SFTS. “By holding the symposium in a church setting, it bridges the gap between the academy and the church. Taking the academy to the church is an excellent opportunity to engage theory with praxis.”

The Womanist Symposium is part of the Black Church/Africana Religious Studies Certificate Program offered through the GTU. The certificate program director is Rev. Dr. James Noel, professor of American Religion at SFTS and the H. Eugene Farlough, Jr. Chair of African American Christianity.

The event is open to the public. The emphasis is geared toward seminarians, scholars and people interested in two critical issues that impact the African American community:

· “Media Madness” will bring to light how the media has a history of stereotyping African American women negatively, resulting in a misrepresentation in the ways Black women are perceived by America. The depictions of Black women in the media as domestics, Jezebels, welfare queens and hypersexual beings serves to perpetuate a long standing history that casts Black women negatively. The invited scholars will use a womanist approach to counter these depictions through the praxis of responsibility and action. (Presenters: Dr. Joi Carr, Pepperdine University professor, and Margaret B. Wilkerson, University of California, Berkeley, professor emeriti)

· “My Mama’s Shoes Don’t Fit My Feet” will discuss the intergenerational divide. Black youth/young adults grow up in a pop culture society. Yet, they stand on the shoulders of their ancestors without the lived experiences of the struggles for equal human rights during the Jim Crow era. Many of the older generation feel there is a lack of appreciation for the struggle that opened the doors. What is a womanist approach to building a bridge between the generations? (Presenter: Dr. Jacqueline Thompson; Respondents: Angelina Graham, psychologist, and Vivian Wells, American Baptist Seminary of the West student)

Rochelle Rawls Shaw is an SFTS Master of Divinity student currently undergoing her internship with the Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations. She attended last year’s symposium and says it was life-changing.

“It has helped shape me into the confident woman I have become,” Rawls Shaw said. “Being in the company of brilliant, intelligent and compassionate women of faith allowed me to see myself in their reflections. There is something divine about boldly asking and answering the question ‘But Who Do They Say I am?’”

Registration includes materials, continental breakfast and catered lunch. Registration is available online at www.womanist.eventbrite.com. Please send the completed form and payment to Black Church/Africana Religious Studies, c/o Rev. Dr. Martha C. Taylor, 3828 Sequoyah Road, Oakland, CA 94605. http://www.sfts.edu/news/view_event.asp?ID=285

+++ Tolerance
Saturday, January 12, 10am-2pm
Creekside Room, Caleruega Hall
Dominican University, San Rafael

Tolerance – A word used too often to represent being patient and accepting of what is different rather than learning to understand the other, truly honoring our diversity. Register Now at (http://ias.org/buildingbridges/tolerance/) $20 registration online until January 5, thereafter $30 at the door.

Judaism: Rabbi Jane Rachel Litman
Director of the Western Region of the Jewish Reconstructionist Federation

Christianity:  The Rev. Canon Charles P. Gibbs
Founding Executive Director of the United Religions Initiative

Islam:  Shah Nazar Seyed Ali Kianfar, Ph.D.
Co-director and co-founder of IAS and executive editor of Sufism: An Inquiry and author of a number of books.

More Chronological Events listed at our Events Page at http://interfaithccc.org/?page_id=57

+++  Interfaith Quotes (from the Awakening Center)

 

Through drying one person’s tears you are drying the whole world’s tears. In making one lame person walk, you are helping every lame person throughout the universe… because the Group is never separated, and always works through the contribution of each member to the whole…

- Ronald Beesley

The drop of water is only weak when it is removed from the ocean; replace it and it is as powerful as the ocean…If a portion of one unit excludes itself from the whole, it makes no difference to Principal Being, but it makes a vast difference to the unit. The ocean is not conscious of the removal of a drop of water, but the drop is very conscious of the ocean when it is returned…
- Baird Spalding

I believe that if one man gains spiritually the whole world gains with him and, if one falls, the whole world falls to that extent…
- Mohandas Gandhi

If God is everywhere, then He is also in you. You simply have to realize it.___Swami Rama Anything and everything can become our teacher of the moment, reminding us of the possibility of being full present: the gentle caress of air on our skin, the play of light, the look on someone’s face. Anything and everything — if it is met in awareness.
– Jon Kabar-Zinn

One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people. He said, ‘ My son, the battle is between two ‘ wolves ‘ inside us all.One is Evil. -  It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.The other is Good. -  It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith. ‘ The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather: ‘ Which wolf wins? ‘ The old Cherokee simply replied, ‘ The one you feed. ‘
– Anonymous

Interfaith Calendars and Quotes listed at our Events Page at http://interfaithccc.org/?page_id=57

Posted in CC & Affiliate Events, Compassion, Newsletters, URI North America | Comments Off

SARAH Responds to the Tragedy in Connecticut

Friday, December 14th, 2012


We the women of our SARAH are shocked and deeply saddened by the recent shooting of innocent children at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Ct.

 

Our hearts and prayers go out the generations of family members who will forever be at a loss because of this senseless act.

We feel the pain in our pulse and we know we must respond with prayer, compassion and love.

 

We must also remember who we are, what we stand for, what power we have to effect long lasting change and the courage to take the first step and reach out the first hand in that direction.

 

I would like to share a beautiful prayer that was just sent to me which expresses the essence of what we believe is essential in this moment.

In Solidarity for Lasting and Enduring Peace,

S.A.R.A.H.

 

“It is most especially in moments when the Truth of God’s love and our Unity is least apparent that we are called to be a presence for It, surrounding those affected with love, and being a presence for It in our own mind, hearts, and interactions.

 

I absolutely know that the good will and support that comes forth for these families so expresses the truth of who we really are as spiritual and human beings, that although it does not negate the evil actions of the individual responsible, it reminds us all of that which binds us, guides, and is at the heart of us all.  Amen.”

 

Reverend John Reeves

Seal Beach Center for Spiritual Living

Posted in CC & Affiliate Events, Compassion, URI North America | Comments Off

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