Date: June 2nd 2008

June 2008

NAIN Connect 2008, the annual gathering of the North American Interfaith Network, will take place July 24-28 in San Francisco. This is a unique opportunity not only to meet interfaith activists from across North America, but to show off what's been happening in our own communities around the San Francisco Bay Area. See the Events listing below or the NAIN CONNECT website (www.nain.org/2008/) for more information.

The SouthBay Interfaith Steering Committee is the group that sponsored the three interfaith community gatherings at the Circle of Palms (see www.southbayinterfaith.org for details and photographs of those events). The group continues to meet regularly, and is planning for another community event in Spring of 2009. Most recently, we have been exploring the possibility of becoming a "Partner City" with the Parliament of the World's Religions. SBIF welcomes the participation of any local religious leaders and communities that would like to be involved. Write to: southbayinterfaith@yahoo.com.

On the panel for the recent "Northern California Religious Leaders in Conversation" gathering in Oakland were two of our local interfaith leaders— Maha ElGenaidi of Islamic Networks Group and Venerable Jian Hu, Abbot of the Chung Tai Zen Center in Sunnyvale. They spoke together with Dr. James Donohue, president of the Graduate Theological Union, on the challenges for religious communities today. (For more on the day, see Interfaith News & Notes).

And, welcome to the 218th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church, USA, which will be meeting in San Jose June 21 - 28, 2008! The General Assembly is the overall governing body of the PCUSA, with representatives from all of the Presbyteries (regional groups). They are being hosted by the Presbytery of San Jose.

 

Send your news! 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.

 

 

 

 

June Religious and Cultural Observances

• 5 Ascension of Jesus (Orthodox Christian)
• 6 Anniversary of Attack on Akal Takhat (Sikh)
• 9 Shavuot (through May 24) (Jewish)
• 15 Pentecost (Orthodox Christian)
• 16 Martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev Ji (Sikh)
• 19 Juneteenth (Cultural Festival)
• 21 First Nations Day (Canadian Native Peoples)
• 21 Litha, Alban Heruin, Midsumarsblot (Summer Solstice) (Wiccan/Pagan)
• 22 All Saints (Orthodox Christian)
• 22 New Church Day (Swedenborgian)
• 24 Nativity of St. John the Baptist (Roman Catholic, some Protestant)
• 29 Feast Day of Saints Peter and Paul (Roman Catholic, some Protestant)
• 29 Ghambar Maidyoshem (through July 3) (Zoroastrian)

[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.

Upcoming 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-

July 24-28, 2008, San Francisco

NAINConnect

Themes include: "Multifaith Challenges We Face," "Gifts We Bring," and "Making a Difference," and participants will be able to choose from over twenty-eight workshops.

Meet Your Neighbors

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

June 7, and June 9-11, 10:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., Castro Valley

Hugging Saint, "Amma" visits Northern California

Amma is famous world-wide for her ministry of providing blessings and healing through hugging.

Tuesday June 24, 2008, 10:30 am San Jose

Melkite Archbishop Elias Chacour

The Most Reverend Elias Chacour, Melkite-Greek Catholic Archbishop of Akka, Haifa, and All Galilee, is a leading advocate of peace and cooperation among Christians, Muslims, and Jews in the Holy Land.

Take Action

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

Wednesday, June 4, 12:00 noon, Sunnyvale

Service of Lament and Healing

Please join us for a Service of Lament and Healing at the site of the violent death of Jason William Gamino and Benjamin Oseguera.

Friday, June 6, 2008, 11:30 am-2:00 pm, Saratoga

"Loud & Clear in Election Year"
Learn to Be Prophetic and Stay Non-Profit!

Clergy and lay leaders of all communities of faith and nonprofits are invited to attend. Speaker Holly Minch was the lead editor of "Loud & Clear in Election Year" a handbook created for non-profits during the 2004 election year.

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And more...

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.

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.