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Interfaith Commemoration of September 11, 2001~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In remembrance of September 11, 2001, Central Pennsylvanians of all religious and philosophical perspectives are invited to join in an appreciation of America's unique diversity and religious freedom during a commemoration titled, "The Challenges and Opportunities of America's Diversity"
Thursday, September 10, 2009, 6:00 pm.
St. Stephen's Episcopal Cathedral
221 N. Front St.
Harrisburg, PA
All are welcome to remain for a breaking of the Ramadan fast ceremony and dinner
beginning at sundown. A freewill offering will be accepted to benefit Downtown Daily Bread.
Co-sponsored by The Interfaith Alliance of Pennsylvania, the Institute for Cultural Partnerships, the Religion and Society Center, the Red Rose Foundation, the InterReligious Forum of Greater Harrisburg, St. Stephen's Episcopal Cathedral, the Sikh Society of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania Nonbelievers, Unitarian Church of Harrisburg, Community Relations Council of the Harrisburg Jewish Federation, Blue Mountain Lotus Society, the Episcopal Diocese of Central Pennsylvania, and others.
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Interfaith Alliance Unveils New Project on Marriage Equality ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rev. Gaddy has written a paper entitled " Same-Gender Marriage & Religious Freedom: A Call to Quiet Conversations and Public Debates." The goal of this project is to move the debate on same-gender marriage and LGBT equality from one of "problem" to solution, and to demonstrate the importance of separating civil and religious marriage.
We are pleased to say that the discussion is already underway. The Newsweek/Washington Post OnFaith Forum is using our paper as the basis for a forum discussion. On July 30th, Rev. Gaddy participated in a roundtable discussion with journalists and a panel that included Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council, Maggie Gallagher of the National Organization for Marriage and Rabbi Jeffrey Wohlberg of the Rabbinical Assembly. Needless to say, this is an issue on which these panelists do not see eye to eye, but the discussion modeled the type of engagement that is necessary, whether we're speaking with friends who share our views or people who oppose them. Interfaith Alliance will continue to engage in these discussions over the coming months, and we ask you to do the same. Visit interfaithalliance.org/equality to read the paper and join the discussion. And better yet, look for opportunities in your community to convene quiet conversations and public debates around same-gender marriage.
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Faithful Reform in Health Care ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Save the Date: President Obama to Join Conference Call with People of Faith
Wednesday evening, August 19, 2009, 5:00 PM Eastern Time: President Barack Obama has accepted an invitation to join us on this conference call. It will be a wonderful moment to share with thousands of others who want to be part of the solution and are working to raise a moral vision for our health care future. Because thousands of participants are expected, you are urged to RSVP to help facilitate planning and to guarantee your place on the call. In addition, we invite you to tell your family, friends, and colleagues; spread the word through your email networks; and invite others to listen to the call with you. Please help us meet our goal of thousands! RSVP (Click here) to receive your call-in information and to submit a question.
Faith participation in health care reform intensifies in August and September: The unprecedented faith mobilization around health care reform continues as communities of faith and their leaders all across America intensify their efforts in August and September to support health care reform this year. Under the "Let Our Light Shine, Let Our Voices Be Heard" Campaign, member organizations in the Faithful Reform in Health Care Coalition are working within their own organizations and with others to raise a moral vision for a health care future that includes everyone and works well for all of us. View the list of events sponsored or supported by members of the coalition. Click here or email
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to add your event here!
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TIA Tribute to Walter Cronkite ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 TIA National has put together a tribute to Walter Cronkite (1916 - 2009)
Walter Cronkite was the Honorary Chair and one of the founders of TIA National.
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Reducing Gun Violence
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Pennsylvania has been the setting for more than one nationally-noted episode of gun violence this year. The recent shootings in Pittsburgh are just one example. In the City of Harrisburg, neighborhoods are reeling from the upsurge in violence (12 murders so far this year in a population of 48,000). Efforts are being undertaken to organize faith communities on local levels throughout the state to implement measures to reduce handgun violence. For more information or to assist in this endeavor, please contact
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.
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Lebanon Valley College to Host Tibetan Monks for a Week of Cultural Learning ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lebanon Valley College will host the Monks of Drepung Gomang Monastery as they create a sand mandala painting in the Lynch Hall Atrium from November 1 through 6. The event is open to the public daily from 10 a.m to 4 p.m. To construct the mandala, monks carefully place dyed sand particles on a board.
The opening ceremony for the mandala construction will take place at 5 p.m. on November 1. The monks will chant powerful prayers for peace, prosperity, and healing in traditional overtones-the chant master intoning a full chord of three notes. This chanting will be accompanied by delicate hand gestures, cymbals, drums, horns, and flutes.
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TIA-PA Attends Pride Festivals this Summer ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
TIA-PA had a presence at two LGBT Pride Festivals this summer. On July 25 we were at Pride Festival of Central Pennsylvania in Harrisburg, and on August 16 we were at Pride in the Park for Greater Lehigh Valley in Allentown. We know many of you saw us there, because at both places we made or renewed many valuable connections!
It is very encouraging to see the growing numbers of religious organizations who are present at the Pride Festivals across the state. It used to be that most religious communities made a point of staying away. This year in Allentown there were some UCC congregations, various Lutheran congregations, the entire Episcopal Diocese, the Unitarian-Universalist Church, Metropolitan Community Church, and Dignity representing the Roman Catholic community. In addition, people of many other faith traditions stopped at our table. The success of efforts like ours to encourage louder religious voices for diversity and inclusiveness can be reflected in the increased participation of religious groups in festivals like these.
There are several other LGBT Pride Festivals each year across Pennsylvania. Next year we hope to have a presence at even more of them. You can help us in efforts like that. Contact us now if you would like to help represent our efforts in a future festival in your area.
In general, please let us know of opportunities to have a presence in your part of the state. We would welcome opportunities to contribute to the strength of the interfaith presence in your area.
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Religion & the Ethics of Climate Change
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The Religion and Society Center is connected to an effort called the Interfaith coalition on the Environment. This group is helping to publicize the " Religion & the Ethics of Climate Change" conference in State College Oct. 7-8. This will be an excellent two-day event in State College to help any religious community address "climate change" within the congregation. Great for church leaders or issue leaders within your church. It's free, there's no registration, and if you can't make it to State College, it'll be shown live online and then available as a webcast. No excuse to miss it! Please participate and/or pass along to folks at your church, synagogue or temple.
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PA Council of Churches Coordinates Letters Concerning PA Budget
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The Pennsylvania Council of Churches is coordinating letters intended for members of the Pennsylvania Legislature regarding Pennyslvnia's budget. This council believes that Pennsylvania's budget is a moral document and a statement of our shared responsibility to protect our most vulnerable citizens. Pennsylvania is facing a budget crisis that is threatening the very lifelines that protect thousands of vulnerable Pennsylvanians, and there is no end in sight. The PA Council of Churches are asking Pennsylvania's faith community clergy and leaders from every faith tradition to come together to sign on to letters that will be sent to every member of the Pennsylvania General Assembly.
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