Inter-religious signs of hope

[Mary Kay]

Dear Peace Church Friends:

I believe we Americans are sorely in need of inter-religious signs of
hope this month! And the UN Day of Peace is coming up next week!

9/21 UN International Day of Peace - Online at http://amillionminutesforpeace.org/
Friends United Meeting* (Quaker) is supporting Odyssey Networks
(formerly Faith and Values Media), sponsor of a “Million Minutes for
Peace Campaign.” You can join the effort to collect one million
pledges to pray for peace for one minute, at noon, on the United
Nations International Day of Peace (September 21).
To participate in this day of peace, visit http://amillionminutesforpeace.org/
*FUM is an international Quaker denominational office and mission/
service sending organization, based in Richmond, IN www.fum.org

In that light, I thought you might enjoy reading this story about an
inter-religious event held in Columbia MO. The article quotes a
Friend, David Finke, who was on our wedding committee, and we were
members of 57th Street Friends Meeting in Chicago IL together.
http://www.columbiamissourian.com/stories/2010/09/13/local-religious-leaders-promote-tolerance/

Also, at Cincinnati Church of the Brethren on Sunday, someone
mentioned they had heard about a Christian church in Memphis TN, that
has been sharing their space with a Muslim group. This is one of many
links I found about that story:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/09/08/heartsong-church-memphis-islamic-center_n_710053.html

First Friends and Beth Boruk congregation in Richmond, Indiana, have
helped each other out in the past, each allowing the other to use
their space for worship in times of need, cementing a warm
relationship between the 2 religious communities that continues today:
Friends in Richmond have built close relationships with other faiths.
Beth Boruk Temple met at First Friends Meetinghouse during the early
1960s until they had assembled the resources to build their own
synagogue. In a recent reciprocal gesture, Beth Boruk invited First
Friends to worship in their synagogue while the new First Friends
Meetinghouse was constructed.
In section, Did You Know?
http://www.earlham.edu/Q/brochure1/

Here in Cincinnati, thanks to the work of Fr Brueggeman and other
members of the XU theology faculty including my former prof Dr. Paul
Knitter, we have the Brueggeman Center at Xavier University:
http://www.xavier.edu/dialogue/About-the-Brueggeman-Center.cfm

Right now, the Islamic Association of Cincinnati is accepting
donations for Pakistani flood relief. With the country having about
1/5 of its territory underwater in recent weeks, there are many
internally displaced people, living out in the elements without proper
shelter, food, water, and at much higher risk of water-borne diseases.
You can find out how to make a gift at the Peace Church website:
www.amanioutreach.blogspot.com

Cincinnati Church of the Brethren has a new young couple, Parker &
Katie Thompson, both ministry students from Bethany Theological
Seminary, completing their internship in Cincy this academic year.
Together, they brought a beautiful message in worship this past
Sunday, based on the story from the Bible about Moses and the burning
bush, when God says, Take off your shoes, you are on holy ground. They
spoke to the children and adults about where we can and cannot "take
off our shoes" -- as a sign of comfort and safety, and also as a way
of showing humility, respect, vulnerability. They suggested that
Americans could elevate our public discourse by having more of a
"taking off our shoes" approach with God and one another! Maybe they
would share their sermon with us at a larger forum, at some point in
the future!

Let's add to, repeat and pass along these stories of and resources for
inter-religious tolerance and cooperation, as a way of peacebuilding
and promoting trust in our world today! Check out and tell your
friends about the upcoming Peace Church events!


Blessings,
Mary Kay Rehard