Amazing Faiths Dinner Dialogue - November 12, 2009
The Amazing Faiths Project, developed by the Interfaith Ministries of Greater Houston, is a nationwide effort to get people of all faith perspectives talking to each other in meaningful ways. The centerpiece of The Amazing Faiths Project is a set of Dinner-Dialogues, held annually in cities around the United States and other countries. To learn more, see www.amazingfaithsproject.org.
The dialogues:
- provide an opportunity for people to meet people of other faith traditions, to share the experiences and listen to the sharing of others, and to converse about matters of faith and spirituality;
- are generally hosted in individual homes;
- are each managed by a moderator who facilitates the conversation in a structured way that creates a safe space for all to share and listen. Guests share a meal together and dialogue together with the use of dialogue cards created exclusively for the Amazing Faiths Project, which contain thought provoking questions about the broad themes present in nearly all faith traditions and worldviews.
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| Electronic Donations Now Accepted
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TIA-PA is proud to jump into the age of the internet with a Donate button on our website. Please consider donating to TIA-PA using the Donate option on our website. It's not easy knitting together a state as large, diverse and mountainous as ours - but we have a message that needs to be heard. Please help us bring diverse voices together on your behalf.
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| Thanks for your Attendance at the "Challenges and Opportunities of America's Diversity"
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Over 100 people - Buddhists, Christians, Jews, Muslims, Atheists, Bahais and more - gathered at St. Stephen's Episcopal Cathedral in Harrisburg on September 10, 2009, the eve of 9-11, to commemorate the events of September 11, 2001. A musical setting to the Hebrew of Psalm 23 framed a time of remembrance for those who lost their lives on 9-11 and in the events which followed in its wake. We heard messages of challenge and hope from members of various parts of the community, and music played on the Ney, a historical instrument from the Turkish Muslim experience. The ceremony concluded with a blowing of the Shofar as a call to move forward - and a break-the-fast meal in the undercroft of the Cathedral in recognition of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. In addition, we collected over $500 for Downtown Daily Bread that provides food and services to the homeless in Harrisburg.
Check our website to see comments regarding the event as well as the event's program.
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Congregations Share Faith and Now a City Church
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As reported by the Patriot-News on September 8th, the Unitarian Church of Harrisburg (UCH) recently purchased the Shared Ministry church at 1508 Market St, Harrisburg. Shared Ministry, a combined congregation of the former Park Street United Methodist Church and the Fourth United Church of Christ, had considered disbanding upon the sale of their church, but are now welcome to stay as UCH expands into the borders of the city. A "back-to-school barbecue," hosted by Shared Ministry, UCH, and Martin Luther King Baptist Church was held on Sunday, Sept. 13th to celebrate the interfaith unity. The Interfaith Alliance of Pennsylvania is happy to have played a role in bringing these congregations together, and at the same time building bridges between the city and the suburbs of Harrisburg. See the Patriot-News article. |
| TIA-PA Offers Bus Seats for the National Equality March
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Needed: Louder Religious Voices of Moderation (That's where you come in...)
As reported by Americans United (AU) on September 2nd, AU's Barry Lynn, calls on religious right leaders to repudiate violent rhetoric. Rev. Steven Anderson of the Faithful Word Baptist Church told his Tempe, Arizona congregation he prays that Obama "Dies and goes to hell." He added, "...like Ted Kennedy, of brain cancer." Shortly afterwards, a member of the congregation carried a semi-automatic assault rifle outside an event in Phoenix attended by President Obama. Barry Lynn, also a target of death prayers, cited several other examples of "imprecatory prayers" (prayers that ask God to kill or otherwise harm others). The problem is, of course, every once in a while someone acts on what some of these preachers say.
Sometimes you need to be the change you want to see. If other religious folk won't loudly denounce violent rhetoric, then the rest of us have to. That is one reason why we are building The Interfaith Alliance of Pennsylvania.
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Three Upcoming Climate Change Events in Pennsylvania
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Pennsylvania Interfaith Climate Change Co-Sponsors Conference near Philadelphia.
Monday, October 12, 2009, 7:30 to 9:00 p.m.
1500 Hagys Ford Rd., Penn Valley (Montgomery County)
Presenters will explore the challenges in combating global warming and the opportunities for taking action. Speakers will also examine state and federal climate legislation, and what they offer from both religious and business perspectives.
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350.org Sponsors "International Day of Climate Change"
Saturday, October 24th, 2009
in countries around the world350.org will be having events on October 24th, possibly in every country around the world. The ultimate goal is to raise awareness and takes steps toward getting the earth's atmosphere down to 350 CO2 parts per million. Currently, people in 100 countries are signed up, and several Pennsylvania cities. To learn more and get involved, go to www.350.org.
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Religion and Ethics of Climate Change
October 7-9, 2009
Pasquerilla Spiritual Center, The Pennsylvania State University
This conference will examine the role that religion can play in solving the climate change crisis. This interactive conference is open to everyone concerned about climate change, but it is especially designed for members of religious communities in Pennsylvania. Join us for lectures, workshops, films, and liturgy. Learn about the science, the ethics, and the practical steps that Pennsylvania churches and synagogues are taking now to reduce the impact of global warming.
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Pennsylvania Healthcare Reform Rally -- October 20, 2009
What: Rally for PA Legislature bills for Single Payer Medical Care To support the "Family and Business Healthcare Security Act," HB 1660 and SB 400 Sponsor: Health Care for All Pennsylvania When: Tuesday, October 20, 2009, 10 a.m. to 12 noon. Contact: Healthcare4AllPA.org
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