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Fall 2008 |
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The
Newsletter of the North American Interfaith Network, Inc. Building |
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NAINConnect 2009 – Table
of Contents “Experiencing the Spirit in Education: The Challenge of Religious Pluralism”June
25-28, 2009,
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NAINews Committee ° Judy Trautman, Editor ° Dr. Tarunjit Singh Butalia ° Rev. Paul Chaffee ° Susan Cook ° Bettina Gray ° Rev. Robert Hankinson ° Peter Laurence ° Dr. Teja Singh ° Terry Weller °
Dr. Jim Wiggins |
“Experiencing the Spirit in Education: The Challenge of Religious Pluralism” June 25-28, 2009, Kansas City,
Missouri, at Unity Village NAIN
Executive Board Midyear Meeting By Judy Lee Trautman,
Communications Chair Faiths
Act – Tony Blair Foundation and Interfaith Youth Core Submitted by April Kunze and
Tony Shapiro, Interfaith Youth Core Guidelines
for arranging group visits to houses of worship By Paul McKenna, Scarboro
Missions Interfaith Desk Ecumenical
response to 'A Common Word Between Us and You' From the National Council of
Churches Eric Samson United Campus
Ministry-Wesley Rebirthing
King, Rebirthing America: By Rabbi
Arthur Waskow, Director, The Shalom Center UNIITE
Is Dissolved; CIE Continues Judy Lee Trautman, NAIN
Communications Chair and NAINews Editor One Nation, Many voices Online Film Contest Building Relationships And Hope By
Building Homes By Raheel Raza Director Raheel
Raza Diversity Inc. / Forum for Learning By George Stern, NAIN Board
Member Be
Part of the World's Largest Interfaith Event By Grove Harris, NAIN Board
and Program Director for the Parliament of the World’s Religions 300th
Anniversary of the Coronation of the Eternal Guru of the Sikhs Sikhs
Celebrate Anniversary with Food for the Poor Notes
from the Edmonton Interfaith Centre By Don Mayne, Honorary NAIN
Board member |
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NAIN Executive Board Midyear Meeting By Judy Lee Trautman, Communications Chair |
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The Executive Committee of the NAIN Board of
Directors and representatives of several Committees met at |
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We discussed the 2009 Budget, some communications issues, Young Adult Committee progress in surveying young adult attendees, and a Membership report. We discussed designation of the NAINConnect
2009 as a Pre-Parliament event and ways for NAIN to be present at the
Parliament of the World’s Religions in We briefly toured the facilities at Prospective workshop proposals were discussed, as well as general program scheduling. There is a good balance of opportunities to learn about good educational interfaith programs and opportunities for networking between the educational sector and interfaith organization education initiatives. |
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Faiths Act – Tony Blair Foundation and Interfaith Youth Core Submitted by April Kunze and Tony Shapiro, Interfaith Youth CoreTony Blair announced the launch of the Faiths Act
Fellowship to engage young people who will lead the way in uniting religious
communities in the fight against deaths due to malaria. In Spring 2009,
thirty outstanding young people will be chosen from the Eboo
Patel, Executive Director of Interfaith Youth Core, said “We believe that
young people will lead the way in building inter-religious cooperation for
the 21st century. The Faiths Act Fellowship is about producing exceptional
young leaders whose inter-religious leadership results in real impact on the
lives of others. This is the mission of Interfaith Youth Core.” Faiths Act Fellows are between 18 to 25 years-old; live in the US, UK or Canada and have demonstrated an on-going commitment to interreligious understanding, social justice and global service. Organizations host Fellows. The Fellows need
an organizational base to work from in their home countries. If your
organization’s mission overlaps with the work of the Faiths Act Campaign in
the |
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Guidelines for arranging group visits to houses of worship By Paul McKenna, Scarboro Missions Interfaith DeskScarboro Missions is proud to announce the addition of this useful resource to its interfaith website. Visiting houses of worship of other faith traditions is one of the most effective ways to learn about other religions. This set of comprehensive guidelines provides all the necessary information for making the group visit a wonderful cultural, religious and educational experience. The guidelines were written by JW Windland, a highly respected multifaith educator with 40 years of experience in visiting houses of worship. This handy document can be downloaded free of charge. Here is the link: http://www.scarboromissions.ca/Interfaith_dialogue/group_visit_guidelines.php Ecumenical response to 'A Common Word Between Us and You' From the National Council of Churches |
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"A Common
Word Between Us and You," is a letter from 138 Muslim scholars worldwide
(and subsequently signed by some 100 others) that seeks dialogue with
Christians based on love of God and love of neighbor, two commandments
central to both Islam and Christianity, as well as to Judaism. It
stresses that peace in the world is integrally related to peaceful relations
between Islam and Christianity. Given current tensions in the world,
there is urgency in this appeal for dialogue. |
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The ecumenical response noted that at the heart of "A Common Word," there is "a call for Christians to consider that Muslims are with us, and that this togetherness bears upon the state of the world. The importance of this call should not be underestimated ... We pray, not only for the absence of enmity, but for the nurturing of friendship between our two communities." Dr. Diana Eck, professor of comparative
religion and Indian studies at Eck said "there is no minimizing our differences, but our greatest commandments to the love of God and neighbor are common to us. Our very souls are at stake if we fail to come together in harmony." In affirmation of Muslim-Christian engagement, the Board welcomed "with gratitude" the October 2007 letter calling for a serious dialogue between Christians and Muslims. |
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Dr. Sayyid M. Syeed, president of the Islamic Society of North America, came to the Governing Board meeting to welcome the response. "We need you to be seriously involved," Syeed said. "When we hear the news in the Muslim world, about suicide bombers and the like, we are more pained than you because this is not what Islam represents. We must create models here that we can represent to the rest of the world. American Muslims are what Muslims can be in a democratic, pluralistic society. We need to take those steps together." |
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"The NCC response to the Muslim letter is
an ecclesial response, meaning it is from the churches, whose leaders
thought it appropriate to respond ecumenically -- and theologically, given
the theological premises at the heart of the document -- as the family of
Christians to our brothers and sisters in the Muslim community," Dr.
Antonios Kireopoulos, NCC Senior Program Director for Interfaith Relations
said after approval of the response, which came after a year-long study
process. "It is the response of Read
the full text of the ecumenical response. Contact Dr. Antonios Kireopoulos , NCC Senior Program Director for Interfaith Relations, 212-870-3422 NCC News contact: Philip E. Jenks, 212-870-2228, NCCnews@ncccusa.org Eric Samson United Campus Ministry-WesleyThe United Campus Ministry-Wesley is using
PowerPoint projection instead of hymnals for worship. In discussion after the
service we thought we could save some paper by putting the whole worship
program on PowerPoint. If the 450,000 churches of the [It certainly would be significant if all faith institutions took seriously cutting back on paper use by online newsletters and projected programs.] |
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Rebirthing
King, Rebirthing Celebrating the Birthday of Dr. Martin Luther
King As a new government takes office, January 19-20, 2009
By Rabbi Arthur Waskow, Director, The Shalom Center[Although many of our Canadian NAIN friends have
sent congratulations to their U. S. NAIN friends on the recent election of
Barack Obama as the next United States President, I would not include this
reference except for its clear interfaith intention.] As the We propose to focus this period on renewing
Dr. King's mature vision, as put forward in his 1.
The MLK/ Inauguration process will begin in the fall
of 2008, preparing study/ action guides based on Dr. King’s The guides will be aimed
for religious and other schools, college campuses, adult ed, etc,
pointing into and beyond January 2009, and encouraging
participants to work out their own ideas: What would MLK's teachings
call for today? Materials, comments, etc., will be posted on a Website. From mid-November to mid-January,
congregations will study the 2. On January 19-20, religious and ethical communities and congregations around the country will take part in public actions intended to point America toward fulfilling Dr. King’s vision of an American freeing itself of racism, militarism, and materialism. Such actions might include: Publicly affirming a covenantal Pledge, making ourselves
personally responsible to work for Rebirthing America toward the vision of
MLK. (See a draft of the Pledge
below.) Carrying out a candle-light Night Watch the night of January 19. Candles might be lit in houses of worship and then carried into public space, perhaps as different churches/ synagogues/ mosques/ temples meet and walk together to public parks. There the covenantal Pledge might be recited. 3.
Holding a national observance of the
connection in 4. The networks brought together by this process continue to work together toward the realization of Dr. King's vision. REBIRTHING
KING, REBIRTHING On this rebirthing day , January 19, 2009, Martin Luther King's Birthday, on the eve of there coming into office a new government to represent the American people, I join in covenant with other Americans: -- I commit myself to give a new birth in America and in the world to the vision of Dr. Martin Luther King, to call ourselves and every nation now to develop an overriding loyalty to humankind as a whole, in order to preserve the best in our individual societies; I commit myself to work toward a world-wide fellowship that lifts neighborly concern beyond any tribe, race, class, or nation; to call for an all-embracing and unconditional love for all humanity and for the web of life upon our planet; I commit myself to fuse power with compassion, might with morality, and strength with sight; to choose nonviolent coexistence rather than violent co-annihilation; to speak for peace and justice throughout the world — within and beyond our doors and shores. I commit myself to take the following specific actions: [For example: "I will work for a peaceful settlement of the Iraq war and an end to US military presence there"; "I will use less gasoline"; I will read one of Martin Luther King’s speeches that I have not read"; "I will write my Senators about subsidizing railroads and solar/ wind energy instead of autos, coal, and oil"; "I will work for the hospitality-for-the-homeless program in my church, synagogue, or mosque." Fill in as follows:] __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ I do this in the knowledge that tomorrow is today, that we are confronted with the fierce urgency of now. Now let us begin. Now let us rededicate ourselves to the long, hard, and beautiful struggle for a new world. (Signed) _________________________________ Name) __________________________________ Address _________________________________ Phone/s ____________________ Email _______________________________ (Please
send one copy of this pledge to: Tent of Abraham, Hagar, & Sarah, (Please circulate this message as widely as possible.) |
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UNIITE Is Dissolved; CIE Continues By Malcolm NazarethI'd like to share with the NAIN community the news that UNIITE dissolved as of 30 September 2008. The Board resolution to dissolve the nonprofit can be found at the norhashimah.com website given below. The Center for Interfaith Encounter continues its interfaith/intercultural mission. Part of the legacy of UNIITE continues in the recently published "Health Care & World Religions" (HCWR) booklet. It can be freely accessed or downloaded online. This resource was created by UNIITE so that health care personnel might better serve Somali Muslims, Lao Buddhists, South Asian Hindus, Latina/o Christians, and Hmong. The booklet is precisely about honoring culture while closing the gap. UNIITE's "HCWR" booklet link is now available at the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota Foundation website: http://www.bcbsmnfoundation.org/ It is under the News section. You can also find a link to the same booklet at www.norhashimah.com/uniite or www.creativeartisticnuance.com/uniite At the latter two sites, after you scroll down a little bit, you will find the link to the HCWR booklet just above the photo. Right now I'm looking for enough orders to go
in for a first reprint of the same booklet at a less expensive printing press
so that institutions and individuals, especially in Malcolm & Mariani Nazareth, co-founding directors Center
for Interfaith Encounter, http://www.norhashimah.com/uniite/cie.html |
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Judy Lee Trautman, NAIN Communications Chair and NAINews Editor |
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2009 Multifaith CalendarHandy guide for planning all your interfaith events!To order your 2009 Multifaith Calendar which identifies and explains observances for 14 major world religions and 140 significant religious and cultural occasions, go to: www.interfaithmarketplace.com or call 1.877.525.8883. This calendar is an excellent educational resource for: faith communities, institutions, offices, and the family home. Retails for $13.95 plus $4.00 s/h. For wholesale quantity discounts, click on the tab along the top of the home page. Great for fundraising at pre-holiday interfaith events! |
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KidSpirit MagazineThis unique quarterly nonprofit magazine by and for youth, was just named a 2008 National Parenting Publications Awards (NAPPA)
Gold winner. In
addition, KidSpirit has been singled as a NAPPA Top Pick in the Books and
Magazines category, indicating that the judges considered it outstanding
among the gold winners. This
fresh new magazine is comprised of an all-kid editorial board, and empowers
kids eleven to fifteen years old to explore values, spirituality and life’s
big questions in an explicitly non-affiliated and inclusive forum. KidSpirit
Magazine aims to offer a probing alternative for kids and parents to the
flood of commercial teen magazines. |
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For
further information about how to get a copy or to interview Founding Editor Elizabeth
Dabney Hochman, contact Marika Josephson at (760) 685-1883 or email her at info@kidspiritmagazine.com. One Nation, Many voices Online Film ContestSubmitted by Souheila Al-Jadda | Associate Producer LINK
TV |
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One Nation, Many voices is a really exciting opportunity to enter in a film contest. It is a great way to participate in the interfaith movement. People around the world are participating in the movement every day by sharing stories of building relationships and coming together to build a better world. This is an excellent opportunity to share your story. There will be $50,000 in prizes, fantastic
videos, and a whole new insight into American Muslim life - including a
special category for short films about interfaith friendships. |
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Everyone in the So grab a camera, visit the contest website at www.linktv.org/onenation for the complete Rules
and Regulations, and get filming! You could win some of the
$50,000 in prizes. Every finalist wins a Flip Camera. The deadline is
December 31, 2008. The Interfaith ManualEdited from a submission by the Rev. Dr. Stephen L. Albert |
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At a Religious Diversity Day seminar on
Sunday 11/9 at the The manual explores what 12 faiths believe about 40 different areas of life. It is written by a New Thought Minister and edited by Clergy from all 12 faiths. It is a 376 Page Paperback, 5-1/2” x 8-1/2” format, and Spiral Bound for Easy Copying. For more information see http://www.rebootonline.org/IMflyer.pdf Dr. Albert is with the Poway Interfaith Team, our newest NAIN member. He and his wife brought The Interfaith Manual to NAINConnect 2008. |
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Building Relationships And Hope By Building Homes By Raheel Raza Director Raheel Raza Diversity Inc.
/ Forum for Learning
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Earlier this year, when Judy Csillag, Director Community Outreach and Partnerships for The Canadian Centre for Diversity asked me if I would like to participate in a Women of Faith build for Habitat for Humanity, I said yes with no idea of what this would entail. Little did I know that this would turn out to be one of the most meaningful and unusual experiences of my life. Since I came to |
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So I volunteer wherever I can but the Habitat experience takes volunteering to a whole new level. Habitat has a vision for a world where everyone has a safe and decent place to live. Their mission is to mobilize volunteers and community partners in building affordable housing and promoting homeownership as a means to breaking the cycle of poverty. To uphold the dignity of every human being, Habitat works with partnerships and a belief of faith in action. The mission of The Canadian Centre for
Diversity is to build bridges between communities and to build a society that
celebrates diversity, difference, and inclusion so it's no wonder that with
Habitat, they came up with the idea of a Women of Faith build. Co-Chairs of
the project were Rabbi Lori Cohen, Reverend Cathy Gibbs and Tanya Khan. It
was a smooth, well planned and well executed project. Thirty women from six
faith communities were invited to participate and we met at the Bright and early on October 16, I got up
feeling like this was going to be a special day. Special it was because it
started out with clouds in the sky and then I guess prayers went up from at
least six faith traditions and the heavens opened up to smile with the sun.
The location for our build was on At the site, there were five half finished apartments and our mission was to build the back walls. "Yikes" I thought "I've never built anything let alone held a real hammer", but like the others, I was raring to go. We were told we have two coffee breaks and lunch (more than some women get at work!) so off we went following our leaders. The site is quite hazardous if one is not careful because there are beams, wood, equipment all over the place. Mike our group leader was an older experienced worker and he patiently guided us. Our project was carry heavy drywall to the room, measure, cut and paste a plastic vapour barrier over the basic wall and put a dirty black glue on it. (Dirty, because if it gets on anything, you can't get it off. I was glad I wore a black sweat shirt.) On top of that we had to put drywall and drill it in with nails. Sounds easy but cutting drywall to fit around corners is a challenge. I thought using a drill would be a cinch - not! It takes a steady hand and lots of pressure. If Mike has not guided us, we would have made serious mistakes. I developed a whole new respect for the men who do this work daily. Now being women, there was a lot of chitter-chatter
and we would wander off to see what was happening at the next lot. Some were
younger and faster than others. There was a lot of sharing and compassion
i.e. when I could not carry heavy stuff, others pitched in. We shared, cared,
laughed, worked, exchanged recipes, spoke of our kids and took a break when
we were exhausted. But it was one of the most inspiring moments in my life
when the first wall was completed. Our communal cry of "Oyeh" was
heard all over At breaks we exchanged notes. A warm
vegetarian lunch was provided by Grace Church-on-the-Hill. I went to grab a
coffee at the corner coffee shop and the owners were totally impressed by the
work we were doing. In our group were three young (17 years old) students
from CHAT - Community Hebrew Academy of Toronto. Mira, Danielle and Shira
said "it's an awesome experience to meet all these women". For most
of the women, the cause was inspiring because we had done some fundraising to
get here, but more importantly it was the interaction with diverse women that
made their day so meaningful. Helen Warner, Public Affairs Director for Naheed Khokhar from the Ahmaddiya community felt elated at what she called "a brilliant experience" while Valerie John from Council Fire expressed "this is the first time I'm doing something like this. It's so poignant because it affects a real family so our work will live with them for as long as they reside in this house - it's a generational thing." On generations, many women were interested in bringing their youth for a build and we were told it's easy. They must be over 16, and ready to work one day from 08:30 to 4:30 (although I must boast that as women, we finished early!) Barbara Wilson, family outreach coordinator for Habitat informed me that most of the work at Habitat for Humanity is volunteer and 60% of volunteers are women. Sally Wasserman, an energetic eighty something Holocaust survivor, said "it's absolutely wonderful to be part of a community build. If I can contribute even one nail it's worthwhile specially meeting all these wonderful women who I would not have met otherwise". I noted emails and cards being exchanged, women giving each high fives and hugs. Gurwinder Gill who is Director Diversity Services for William Osler Health Centre this was an experience of cultural diversity where women crossed all boundaries of faith and culture putting aside biases in working together for a cause that touched all of them. "It makes me optimistic that if there is a will, we can move towards peace." For more information please visit: www.torontohabitat.ca.
To organize a community build through Habitat for Humanity, contact:
Barbara Wilson, Family Outreach Coordinator. bwilson@torontohabitat.on.ca
<mailto:bwilson@torontohabitat.on.ca> [The MultiFaith Council of NW Ohio has just
completed its sixth MultiFaith Habitat for Humanity Build. One of the encouraging aspects of working
with Habitat has been the discovery that, while By George Stern, NAIN Board Member[Rabbi
Thanks to a recent statement by Barack Obama, “faith-based initiatives” are again in the news. The fact that his comments managed to draw fire from both liberals and conservatives may well indicate that he’s onto something. It is simply not true, as some have claimed, that faith-based institutions could not receive federal, state, or city dollars prior to the Bush Administration. They always could, and, in recent memory, always have. The populations which Neighborhood Interfaith Movement (NIM), serves (I am the director) have benefited from grants from all levels of government since well before the president established the faith-based initiatives program. So have the clients of Catholic Charities, Jewish Children and Family Services, Lutheran Social Services, Methodist Services, Episcopal Community Services (etc., etc. – you get the idea). What these agencies have in common is that they are 501(c)(3) non-profits established to serve the community as a whole, acting out on a daily basis the human values expressed by their faiths. But they are not attached directly to a congregation and do not preach their faith or require clients to have any connection with any denomination whatsoever. They serve all eligible people regardless of race, religion, ethnicity, or gender. They do not discriminate in hiring. However, recognizing the connection between them and the religious body out of which they grew, they are generally led by a member of that faith and provide certain targeted services to their faith’s clients (for example, kosher food, Christmas celebrations). I consider these latter “accommodations” to be the minimum necessary to meet specialized needs without jeopardizing the ability of the agency to serve all. Common sense trumps the need for theoretical “purity” (even the wall of separation can be scaled, as long as the climbing is made difficult and the end result essentially neutral), and millions of people get served without trampling on the Constitution. Over the past few years, government grants (especially federal) have been given to individual congregations and clergy groups that take an avowedly sectarian stance. By their own self-definition they cannot separate their specific religious beliefs from the work they seek to do. So government has suggested various rules – some would say contortions – to overcome anticipated legal objections. So, for example, a congregation can display posters that advertise a particular religion or program, but workers cannot invite clients directly to the advertised events. That may seem like an appropriate compromise (after all, how can you tell a church not to have an events bulletin board?). But there is no rule that requires them to post religious events other than their own (after all, would we really expect a church to advertise Jewish and Muslim services?). The fact that these work-arounds are necessary demonstrates the existence of potential constitutional dangers. Furthermore, it is my sense that the new groups that have gotten the “faith-based money” are precisely those whose theology prevents them from starting “secular” 501(c)(3)s – or they would have done so years ago. Giving tax money to such groups is bound, therefore, to raise constitutional issues. I must therefore conclude that this Administration’s “faith-based initiative” was specifically intended to challenge the “wall of separation” – part of an ingenious scheme to win elections and gain the power to appoint judges who would overturn progressive constitutional interpretations like religion/state separation. In his recent talk, Mr. Obama said, “If you get a federal grant, you can’t use that grant money to proselytize to the people you help and you can’t discriminate against them — or against the people you hire — on the basis of their religion…. Federal dollars that go directly to churches, temples and mosques can only be used on secular programs.” To which Richard Cizik, vice president for governmental affairs for the National Association of Evangelicals, responded, “For those of us who believe in protecting the integrity of our religious institutions, this is a fundamental right…. He’s rolling back the Bush protections. That’s extremely disappointing.” To me Cizik’s comment proves that “faith-based initiatives” were indeed meant to challenge the “establishment clause.” Is there a way to accommodate these religious groups? If they insist on maintaining recent practice, which Obama and liberals oppose, I would say, NO. But the “old way” still exists: establishing a “secular” faith-based non-profit like NIM or like those started by the various religious bodies mentioned above. It would be interesting to consider whether constitutional issues might be avoided if there were a requirement that, if sectarian groups wish to run programs under their congregational nonprofit status, they would have to join in that endeavor with a group of congregations representing, say, three or more faiths, not all of which could be Christian. Rabbi Carl Choper, director of the Interfaith Alliance of Pennsylvania, recently stated, “It is a misuse of politics and an abuse of religion for religion to become a political tool, or for the political system to become the tool of a particular faith tradition.” Entangling the two does harm to both. While getting funds to “do good deeds” is both tempting and admirable, doing so without regard to consequences is neither wise nor ethical. |
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Be Part of the
World's Largest Interfaith Event By Grove Harris, NAIN Board and Program Director
for the Parliament of the World’s Religions
Join us for the
2009 Parliament of the World's Religions The Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions invites all people of faith, spirit and goodwill to encounter the vast and rich diversity of the world's religious and spiritual traditions, and to take part in over 500 events including keynote addresses, seminars, conferences, dialogues, performances, concerts and exhibitions. The 2009 Parliament will bring together more than 8,000 people from across the world, including renowned spiritual, religious and political leaders. Make a World of
Difference: Hearing each other, Healing the earth The theme of the 2009 Parliament underscores the opportunity for religious and spiritual communities and all people to act on environmental concerns and take responsibility for cultivating awareness of our global interconnectedness. Key topics of global concern will be addressed from religious and spiritual perspectives. These include:
CALL FOR PROGRAMS http://www.parliamentofreligions.org/index.cfm?n=7&sn=6 Submit a proposal to present a program or presentation at the Parliament. The deadline for proposal submission is February 28, 2009. REGISTER TO ATTEND http://www.parliamentofreligions.org/index.cfm?n=26 Register to attend the 2009 Parliament of the
World's Religions in BRING A GROUP OF
STUDENTS http://www.parliamentofreligions.org/index.cfm?n=6&sn=8 Offer a course leading up to the Parliament on
the various topics and bring a group of students to HELP ORGANIZE A
PRE-PARLIAMENT EVENT http://www.parliamentofreligions.org/index.cfm?n=6&sn=5 Consider hosting a Pre Parliament Event and join in the movement building up to the Parliament. VOLUNTEER FOR THE
PARLIAMENT http://www.parliamentofreligions.org/index.cfm?n=6&sn=1 Offer your support and time before and during the 2009 Parliament. REGISTER NOW AND
SAVE $$$ DUE TO THE LOW AUSTRALIAN
DOLLAR. FOR MORE WAYS TO GET INVOLVED, VISIT www.parliamentofreligions.org |
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300th Anniversary of the Coronation of the Eternal Guru of the Sikhs Guru Granth Sahib
model of religious pluralism - and the Turban for Peace. By Ralph Singh, Director, Publications and Public Relations Gobind Sadan Institute and Society for Interfaith Understanding
When a Sikh (man or woman) opens the scripture, as we do twice daily to read our order for the day, we may read the teachings of an eight or an 80 year old. So when we bow before the Guru with reverence and stand in prayer, we are automatically taught reverence for all those who brought God’s message and to love and serve all humanity regardless of their race or creed. It is a blueprint for religious and cultural
pluralism, compiled at a time when Enter any Gurdwara and many Sikh homes, you’ll find a scene reminiscent of a king’s court: Guru Granth Sahib is enthroned, bedecked with beautiful raiment, and devotees reverently waving a whisk over its Divine presence. If you like music, the entire 1430 pages are set to music, the melody and even the rhythm is noted at the beginning of each verse. As Sikhs gather, devotional artists will sing the ragas, and the readings will continue round the clock with devotees taking 2 hr. shifts, finishing in 48 hrs. I had the privilege of living at the feet of a great Saint, Baba Virsa Singh, who embodied these teachings. No matter what our scriptures teach, people have lost faith because no one lives up to them. Few even try. So it is easy, as Bill Mahr has shown, to find an audience who scoffs at belief and dismisses miracles as myth. But Babaji often said that he never met a true atheist, just people in search of answers. Fanatics were the real atheists as they turn people away from God. Gobind Sadan, Babaji’s community in Closer to home, following Sept 11th,
our Gurdwara, north of As we celebrate this 300th anniversary worldwide, we recommit to affirming the dignity of each individual and each tradition, and we know that all of creation will join us in singing God's praises. So next time you see a Sikh, understand that his is a “Turban for Peace.” Link to the full
story and photos Sikhs Celebrate Anniversary with Food for the Poor Submitted by Dr. Teja SinghEDMONTON - There were big fireworks outside each of Edmonton's four Sikh temples Thursday night, but the generosity of Sikh faithful could make an even bigger bang among the city's poor and destitute. As part of local celebrations marking the birth of the founder of the Sikh religion, a record $100,000 is expected to be raised by this Sunday for the Edmonton Food Bank. "People have committed $60,000
already," said Joginder Singh Pannu, president of Siri Guru Nanak Gurdwara
of As well, it's expected At Guru Nanak Day activities at the temple, Bikkar S. (Randy) Randhawa spoke of the many causes local Sikhs have supported. "Sikhs are a very generous community," Randhawa said. "For any charitable cause, they never sit back. They always contribute." For example, Randhawa noted that over the past two years, Sikhs here have raised more than $2 million for a healing garden at the new Mazankowski Alberta Heart Institute. Located on the fourth floor of the institute and intended as a place for quiet conversation and reflection, the healing garden bears the name of the founder of the Sikh faith." http://www.sikhnet.com/news/sikh-holiday-inspires-gifts-poor
Notes from the By Don Mayne, Honorary NAIN Board member1. The City Council of For the 30th anniversary the
Edmonton Interfaith Centre arranged for a prayer by ten representatives of
faith groups to open this special meeting of the Council.
The ceremony was introduced by Don Mayne, former President of NAIN, and
members of Eckankar, Hindu, Baha’i, Christian, Jewish, Sikh, Unitarian,
Muslim, Jain and Zoroastrian faiths read a line of their
joint prayer. Len Gierach, President of the Edmonton Interfaith Centre and
Rev. Eileen Conway, President of the Mayor Stephen Mandel of
the City of The Mayor welcomed the representatives of the Edmonton Interfaith Centre and expressed the appreciation of Council for the prayers for them and their work over the years. Don Mayne commented on the uniqueness of the City talking responsibility for prayers to open their meetings. 2. Dr. Betty Reardon, Founding Director
Emeritus of the Peace Education Centre of Columbia Teachers’
College in The symposium was titled "Promoting Cultures of Peace in a Troubled World: An Interfaith and Interdisciplinary Perspective" and dealt with methodologies to promote cultures of peace. Dr. Reardon spoke of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and it’s application in many countries of the world. She asked what the world would be like if the Universal Declaration of Human Rights were applied equally to all people. Several speakers responded about their
commitment to peace and how their faith groups promote the universal call to
bring peace to this world. One of the respondents was Hon. Douglas
Roche, former Edmonton Member of Parliament
and Canadian Senator, who served as |
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By Dr. Teja SinghGuru Arjan (1563-1606): |
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"Thou art the Lord, to Thee we pray! Thou hast given us the living breath and body vessel! Lord, Thou art Mother and Father, we are Thy children! And by Thy Grace we attain endless happiness! Who is there that knoweth Thy bounds? Thou art higher than the highest! The whole universe is strung in Thy Thread; And all Thy creation abideth by Thy Will! Thou alone knoweth Thy Way and Conduct; Nank, Thy slave, is ever a sarifice unto
Thee!" |
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