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Interfaith Alliance of Pennsylvania Newsletter
Issue 14: Early March, 2010 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ |
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TIA-PA Meetings
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| Resistance from Within: The Story of Dietrich Bonhoeffer in the Midst of Nazi Germany
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Bonhoeffer
Tuesday, March 23, 7:00pm
Spector Room
The Jewish Community Center
3301 North. Front St.
Harrisburg, PA 17110
The monthly program meeting of The Interfaith Alliance of Pennsylvania will be held on Tuesday, March 23rd at 7 pm in the Spector Room of the Jewish Community Center, located at 3301 North Front Street in Harrisburg. The meeting will feature a showing of Martin Doblmeier's film, entitled: Bonhoeffer, followed by a discussion moderated by Dr. Guy Carter who has pursued extensive studies of the various involvements of the Christian Church in Germany during the Third Reich and the Holocaust. Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a distinguished Lutheran theologian who was teaching at Union Theological Seminary in New York City as the Third Reich gathered menacing strength. He returned to Germany to form a resistance movement in the German Lutheran Church, and was involved in two attempts on Hitler's life. He was executed only a week or two before the Allies broke through to the prison where he had been held. This film is the gripping story by an award-winning film maker of a man who could have remained safe and comfortable in this country, but felt a moral obligation to return to Germany and resist the evil of the Third Reich. |
| Commonwealth Interfaith Service
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Commonwealth Interfaith Service
Monday, May 3, 2010, 5:30pm
Pine St. Presbyterian Church
310 N. 3rd St.
Harrisburg, PA, 17102
Planning has begun for the second annual Commonwealth Interfaith Service: Prayers for Justice and Peace.
The service will take place on Monday, May 3, 2010 at 5:30 p.m. at Pine Street Presbyterian Church, 310 North 3rd Street in Harrisburg. The service is timed to coincide with the week of the annual National Day of Prayer, and intended to emphasize how much of a multi-faith society Pennsylvania and America have become. Religion truly holds a very important place in our society, we are one of the most religiously diverse societies in the world. William Penn, perhaps could not have envisioned how far his Holy Experiment would grow, but he would certainly be thrilled.
The service is designed so that representatives of many different faith perspectives can offer music and prayers in the words of their own particular tradition, after which we will all participate in a prayer litany voiced in very inclusive language. In keeping with our strong sense of separation of religion and state, the service will be held in a house of worship. We are inspired by the fact that the particular church - Pine Street Presbyterian - has been very supportive or our efforts, and is one of several churches located within sight of the Statehouse.
It would add to the celebration of our multi-faith society if there were other regional Commonwealth Interfaith Services being held in other parts of the state. If you would be interested in convening one, please contact us. To help you get started, we will connect you to to other people we know in your region, and share with you the plans and guidelines that we have developed for our own use.
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| TIA-PA Recent Meeting & Marriage Equality
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The most recent meeting of The Interfaith Alliance of Pa. was a discussion of marriage equality held in the Jewish Community Center on Feb. 16th. Alanna Berger of Unitarian Universalist Pennsylvania Legislative Advocacy Network (UUPLAN) discussed Unitarian's steadfast support and activism for civil rights including the plight of the LGBT community. Valerie Burch, Attorney from ACLU-PA, outlined various types of legal benefits which gay couples lack without the right to marry, which benefits would still be missed if Pa. allowed civil unions for gays, and which benefits can be obtained through legal documents. Zach Hoover, Staff Strategist from the office of State Senator Daylin Leach gave the senator's reasoning for his marriage equality bill and legal strategy for support of this bill. Zach also discussed strategy for opposing the bill to define marriage as one man and one woman within the Pa. constitution and the senator's strategy for combatting that bill. Rev. David Zwifka spoke from the Episcopal point of view, enlightening us on the struggle within his church and other churches regarding this world wide debate and gradual acceptance. The first Pa. gay couple to obtain a marriage license from California, Ted Martin and Dwayne Heckert, provided an outline of their path to equality. The room became still when Ted attempted to convey his feeling of realizing his own church was rejecting him for accepting himself. Finally, Rabbi Carl Choper, President of TIA-PA, described different denominations within Judaism, and where each one is along the path of LGBT acceptance.
This TIA-PA meeting was part of a series of events named Freedom To Marry Week of Pa. Each event was designed to bring awareness to marriage equality. While two heavy snow storms challenged the turnout for the events, the whole series was successful in reaching a statewide, and a bit of national audience who spent at least a small amount of time considering the equality challenges faced by gays and lesbians. One event, designed to be a celebration of faiths that affirm same-gender marriages had a marked impact on participating clergy and others present. Each speaker described a similar trajectory within his or her own faith tradition from one of exclusion to increased acceptance. Most clergy commented on the number of participants and all were warmed by the accelerated achievements within each denomination. TIA-PA plans to facilitate this progress with an annual interfaith summit on marriage equality.
One final Freedom To Marry Pa event, still postponed from the snow is a debate between Maggie Gallagher, President of the National Organization for Marriage which describes itself as "a nonprofit organization with a mission to protect marriage and the faith communities that sustain it," and Sen. Daylin Leach, the Pa State Senator who introduced the bill to legalize same-gender marriage.
Marriage Equality Debate: Senator Daylin Leach v Maggie Gallagher
Wednesday, March 24th at 7:00pm
Cooper Student Center
Harrisburg Area Community College
One HACC Drive
Harrisburg, Pa 17107
More information regarding Marriage Equality can be found through these links:
Thomas Waters's blog article on marriage equality and action you can take.
http://thomascwaters.com/2010/02/11/pa-sb-707-eichelberger/
Two nationally respected attorneys are challenging California's proposition 8, a voting referendum which overturned the state's legal acceptance of same gender marriage. Hear their summary of the case on PBS, Bill Moyers Journal:
http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/02262010/watch.html
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Take Action
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Health Care Reform ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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Talk Back
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| Feedback and Input
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TIA-PA Goal/Mission Statement:
To create an interfaith movement in Pennsylvania where citizens committed to the American values of justice, equality and compassion are encouraged to speak out in support of issues and policies which promote that vision.
To create politically resonant religious language derived from that progressive social vision, and engage our community by restoring that language into the larger society.
Are there issues and events happening in your area? Tell us about them so we can share with others. Have ideas on programs and events you'd like to see? Share your thoughts so we can collaborate.
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| Contact Information
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phone: 717-724-0353
This e-newsletter is produced and sponsored by BoltMap, Inc (717) 564-2477
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DONATE
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Support The Interfaith Alliance of Pennsylvania
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HELP PROTECT BOTH FAITH AND FREEDOM IN PENNSYLVANIA
As 2010 begins, we are off to a great start of a busy new year. Please help us continue to advocate for a stronger multi-faith society. Our Board has decided to ask for voluntary contributions rather than asking for a flat annual dues amount. You can support us on-line using the DONATE option on TIA-PA.org, or here:
https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=8124595
The Interfaith Alliance of Pennsylvania
3211 N. Front St., Suite 104
Harrisburg, PA 17110
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