Date: December 1st 2007

December 2007

December encompasses the darkest time of the year, and with the Winter Solstice December 22, the world begins to move again toward the light. So it is no wonder that many religious celebrations at this time recall the light. Last month, Hindus, Jains, and Sikhs observed Diwali, the "Festival of Lights." Many Christians will light candles to mark the four Sundays of Advent, preparing for Christmas. Hanukkah is a time for Jews to recall the burning of the Temple lamp for eight days, and the traditional Yule log takes its name from the ancient holy day of Yule, still observed by Wiccans. Zoroastrians build bonfires on Sadeh to drive back the cold. Whatever your tradition, may you find light during these days.

Do you know a young person who would be interested in an Interfaith Camp? For many years, the SVCCJ (Silicon Valley Conference for Community and Justice) has offered Camp Everytown, helping thousands of high school young people develop skills for pluralism by reducing stereotypes and prejudice, and increasing understanding and respect. This Summer, they are holding their first Interfaith Camp Everytown June 15-19, 2005. For more information, see their website. Don't miss this opportunity!

ING, the group which has for many years been providing speakers on Islam to schools, businesses, and civic organizations, is developing a new Interfaith Speakers Bureau for interactive panel presentations and discussions. They are looking for active Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jewish, and Islamic people who are interested in being trained to describe their respective faith traditions and also consider shared values, challenges of living one’s faith, and dealing with stereotypes and misconceptions. They are seeking primarily lay people, not clergy. There will be orientation events in January around the Bay Area. See the Interfaith Space Events Calendar for more information and a flyer.

SAVE THE DATE: January 22-23, 2008, Trinity Institute (NY) Conference on Religion and Violence: Untangling the Roots of Conflict with James Carroll, James H. Cone, Susannah Heschel, and Tariq Ramadan. St. Timothy's Episcopal Church in Mountain View will host an interactive webcast/tape delay satellite conference so local folks can join in this vital conversation. See details at Interfaith Space Events.

Send your events! Let the community know about events that are open to the public and are either interfaith or offer an opportunity for others to learn about your faith community. Send information to calendar@interfaithspace.org.

 

 

 

 

December Religious and Cultural Observances

• 1 World AIDS Day
• 2, 9, 16, 23 Advent Sundays (Roman Catholic, Protestant)
• 5 Hanukkah begins (8 days)   (Jewish)
  
• 6 St. Nicholas Day (Christian)
  
• 8 Bodhi Day (Rohatsu)   (Buddhist)
  
• 8 Immaculate Conception   (Roman Catholic)
  
• 9 Maternity of St. Anne (Orthodox)
  
• 12 Feast day - Our Lady of Guadalupe   (Roman Catholic)
  
• 19 Hajj begins (Muslim)
  
• 19 Waqf al Arafa   (Muslim)
  
• 20 Eid al Adha   (Muslim)
  
• 22 Winter Solstice
• 22 Yule, Alban Arthuan, Jol (Winter Solstice) (Wiccan/Pagan)
• 22 Tohji-taisai (Shinto)
  
• 25 Christmas (Roman Catholic, Latter Day Saints, Protestant)
  
• 25 Sadeh (Zoroastrian)
  
• 26 Kwanzaa (through January 1, 2008) (Cultural)
  
• 26 St Stephen's Day  (Roman Catholic, some Protestant)
  
• 26 Zarathosht Diso (Death of Prophet Zarathushtra) (Zoroastrian)
  
• 27 St Stephen's Day  (Orthodox)
  
• 28 Holy Innocents  (Roman Catholic, Protestant)
  
• 31 Ghambar Maidyarem (through Jan 4) (Zoroastrian)
  
• 31 Watch Night   (Christian)
  

[Interreligious Calendar events are taken from the Silicon Valley Conference for Community and Justice Interfaith Calendar and the Multifaith Action Society Multifath Calendar 2007. See also the Online Interfaith Calendar] NOTE: Jewish Holidays begin at sundown the day before. Buddhist holidays are observed on many different days, according to local tradition.

December (and January) Interfaith Opportunities

"Interfaith Opportunities" focuses on specifically interfaith events;, "Take Action" offers opportunities to take action on issues of concern with people from other religious traditions, and "Meet Your Neighbors" includes events that are sponsored by a specific religious group but which are open to the wider community. Items for the calendar can be sent to calendar@interfaithspace.org

Click on highlighted links below for more information-

Saturday, December 1, 2007, 3:00 pm, San Jose

Leadership -Stop AIDS; Keep the Promise:
World AIDS Day

Join Santa Clara County's World AIDS Day Observances.

Tuesday- Wednesday, January 22-23, 2008, Mountain View

Religion & Violence
Untangling the Roots of Conflict

This conference features an interfaith panel including James Carroll, James H. Cone, Susannah Heschel, and Tariq Ramadan. Katharine Jefferts Schori, preacher.

January 28- February 1, 2008, Berkeley

Sacred Text as Window:
Seeing One's Self Through the Eyes of Another

Epiphany West 2008 will feature comparative readings of texts from Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Through classes, workshops and plenary sessions, participants will engage in modeling deeper engagement across faith traditions using sacred texts as ways to understand each others' ultimate concerns.

Meet Your Neighbors

Public events sponsored by specific religious groups that seek to help others understand their tradition and concerns more fully.

First Wednesdays, January 9- May 7, 2008, San Jose

"Look Who's Talking": Eastern Christian Churches

A series of events for learning about the Eastern Christian tradition. January 9, 2008: "That All May Be One." Ecumenical and Inter-religious movements.

Take Action

Events that address issues of public concern with an alliance of people from different religious traditions.

December 2007

Vigils of Lament and Healing
at the Site of Violent Deaths

The Council of Churches of Santa Clara County has begun to respond to homicides in the community by holding brief, ecumenical services as we pray for the victims and their loved ones, the perpetrators, and the whole neighborhood hurt by the violence. Although the prayers are from a Christian perspective, all welcome to attend and prayers from other traditions would be appreciated.

Tuesday, December 11, 2007, 7:00 pm

First Annual Energy Oscar

California Interfaith Power and Light will present its First Annual Energy Oscar to Congregational Kol Emeth of Palo Alto. Location: First Congregational Church in Berkeley, 2345 Channing Way. RSVP to jessica@interfaithpower.org. The work being honored includes the Convocation on Climate in October co-sponsored by the Council of Churches. Congratulations to Kol Emeth! More information and registration here.

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News and Notes from Interfaith Space is an occasional blog with information and commentary on issues related to interfaith relations in the South Bay, the Nation, and around the world. Recent posts have included "Loving God and Loving Neighbor: A Christian Response to A Common Word," "Trusting in God in Bakersfield," and "Beyond the Atheism-Religion Divide."

You can find News and Notes by going to the Interfaith Space website (www.interfaithspace.org) and clicking on "Notes," or simply going to www.revdak.com/wordpress/. I invite you to add your comments or responses; together we can create an online "dialogue on dialogue"!

Help us share your good news! If you know of interfaith opportunities that are coming up- please let us know so they can be included on the Interfaith Space Calendar. Send information to calendar@interfaithspace.org.

Become an Interfaith Space Associate! Help build interfaith relationships in the South Bay Area and beyond. Go to www.interfaithspace.org and click on "Associates" for more information.