Date: July 1st 2008

July 2008

Pioneer Day (July 24) is a special day for many members of the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints, known more generally as Mormons. On this day, they recall that Brigham Young and his group of settlers first arrived in the Great Salt Lake Basin on July 24, 1847. Fleeing from persecution in the Eastern U.S., the Mormon settlers wheeled their belongings in handcarts across a thousand miles of frontier. Pioneer Day is an official holiday in the state of Utah, and some Mormons reenact the travels of the early settlers along the Mormon Trail.

Isra Wa Me'raj (begins evening of July 29) commemorates for Muslims the "Night Journey" and Ascension of Muhammad. According to the tradition, the angel Gabriel took Muhammad in one night from Mecca to "the farthest mosque" (generally considered to be on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem). He then traveled through the heavens and met with other prophets and Allah before returning to Mecca.

Don't forget! 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.

 

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.

 

 

 

 

July Religious and Cultural Observances

• 6 Dalai Lama's Birthday (Buddhist)
• 9 Martyrdom of the Bab (Baha'i)
• 11 St Benedict Day (Roman Catholic)
• 13 Obon (Ullambana) (Buddhist, Shinto)
• 18 Asalha Puja Day (Buddhist)
• 18 Dharma Day (Buddhist)
• 18 Guru Purnima (Hindu)
• 24 Pioneer Day (Latter Day Saints)
• 25 St. James the Great Day (Roman Catholic, some Protestant)
• 30 Isra Wa Me'raj (Muslim)
• 30 O-harai-taisai Shinto)

[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.

Thursday- Sunday, September 4 - 7, 2008, San Mateo

"ENGAGING THE OTHER" CONFERENCE:
The Power of Compassion

An international, multi-cultural, multi-disciplinary conference examining concepts of "The OTHER" from a universal, cross-cultural perspective to promote wider public dialogue about concepts of "Us and Them."

Meet Your Neighbors

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

Friday, July 11, 6:30- 9:00 pm, San Jose

A Gathering of Women: Living the Abundant Life

In this evening gathering of women, we will explore the abundant life within through meditation and contemplation, deep sharing, and an experience of the soul’s joy.

Saturday & Sunday, July 12 & 13, 2008, noon- 8:00 pm, San Jose

Obon Festival

Enjoy the celebration of the Japanese Buddhist festival of Obon with authentic foods, music, storytelling, folk dancing, and the San Jose Taiko drummers.

Thursday, July 17, 2008, 7:00- 9:00 pm, San Jose

MOMFULNESS: Mothering with Mindfulness, Compassion,
and Grace with Denise Roy

“Momfulness” is the spiritual practice of cultivating in our everyday lives a mindful, compassionate, mothering presence—for ourselves, for our families, and for our world.

Friday, July 18, 2008, 7:30 pm Palo Alto

Sacred Choir Music The Mystical Teachings of Christ

The Oratorio "Christ Lives" The life of Jesus comes alive through this beautiful and soul-stirring choir music by Swami Kriyananda.

Saturday, July 19, 2008, 7:30 pm, San Jose

Finding Peace in an Unsettled World
An Evening with Swami Kriyananda

Swami Kriyananda is of the leading exponents of Yoga in the world today.

Sunday, July 20, 2008, Mountain View

Hope for a Better World:
The small communities solution

Visit an intentional spiritual community that has been active in the heart of Silicon Valley for 15 years.

Saturday, August 2- Saturday August 9, 2008

Gandhi Camp

Gandhi Camp offers its 26-year Peace Camp for youth ages 10-18. Practice service and teamwork through the Gandhian principles of truthfulness, non-violence and self-help.

Take Action

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

Saturday, July 26, 2008, San Jose

Art Festival for Darfur

There will be live music all day long, people from the Sudan talking about their personal experience,and Mark Brecke will be presenting his documentary "They Turned Our Desert into Fire" at nightfall.

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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.