Date: November 30th 2009

December 2009

The Interfaith Space calendar is coming to you a day early this month, because on December 1, I will be on a plane to Melbourne, Australia, for the Parliament of the World's Religions. I'll be meeting with thousands of interfaith activists from around the world, and participating in the workshop on what we in the Silicon Valley Partner City group learned in the process of applying for Partner City status.

I hope to be able to post a few reports from Melbourne; you can find my updates on News & Notes from Interfaith Space and on the San Jose Interfaith Examiner blog at Examiner.com.

I will also be part of a team from the Interfaith Center at the Presidio which will be attempting an unprecedented effort to share the Parliament via webcast. There will be real-time webcasts, interviews, and daily wrap-ups, all found on the website for the Interfaith Center at the Presidio. Check it out for more details and times.

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News & Notes, the occasional blog from Interfaith Space with information about events and commentary on interfaith/ multifaith/ interreligious issues, has received a face lift. Check out our new look at the Interfaith Space website: go to www.interfaithspace.org and click on "News & Notes." We invite your comments or responses.

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.

 

 

 

 

December Religious and Cultural Observances

• 6 St. Nicholas Day (Christian)
• 8 Bodhi Day (Rohatsu) (Buddhist)
• 8 Immaculate Conception (Roman Catholic)
• 9 Maternity of St. Anne (Eastern Christian)
• 12 Feast day - Our Lady of Guadalupe (Roman Catholic)
• 12 Hanukkah begins (8 days) (Jewish)
• 18 Muharram (Islamic New Year) (Muslim)
• 21 Yule, Alban Arthuan, Jol (Winter Solstice) (Wiccan/ Pagan)
• 25 Christmas (Roman Catholic, Latter Day Saints, Protestant)
• 25 Feast of the Nativity (Eastern Christian)
• 25 Sadeh (Zoroastrian)
• 26 Kwanzaa (through January 1, 2008) (interfaith)
• 26 St Stephen's Day (Roman Catholic, (some Protestant)
• 26 Zarathosht Diso (Death of Prophet Zarathushtra) (Zoroastrian)
• 27 St Stephen's Day (Eastern Christian)
• 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 FACES Interfaith Calendar and the Multifaith Action Society Multifath Calendar 2008. 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-

December 3-9, 2009, Melbourne Australia

Parliament of the World's Religions

For news and updates from the Parliament, check these sources

Saturday, December 18, 2009, Sunnyvale, 6:00 pm

Partners with the Parliament

The Pacifica Institute sponsors another in its series of Interfaith Conversations

Sunday, January 24, 2010, 3:00- 5:00 pm, San Jose

Bay Area Satsang

Satsang members make a serious commitment to: building up relationships of compassion and appreciation across frontiers of race, language, culture and religion.

Tuesday- Thursday, January 26-28, 2010, Berkeley

Spiritual but not Religious:
Chasing the Divine

The 2010 Earl Lectures and Leadership Conference will explore the increasingly popular phrase "spiritual, but not religious."

Thursday, January 28, 2010, 7:00 pm, San Jose

“That All May Be One:"
Perspectives on Christian Unity

An ecumenical prayer service for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity followed by a panel discussion on Christian Unity

Thursday, February 11, 2010, 6:00- 8:00 pm, Santa Clara

Silicon Valley Partner City
“Initial Public Offering”

An invitation to build upon the Parliament Partner City designation and vision for the future of interfaith in our Valley.

Meet Your Neighbors

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

Thursdays, October 15, 2009- May 13, 2010, 7:30 pm, San Jose

Melkite, Byzantine, Catholic, Christian—Church And Identity

St Elias the Prophet Melkite-Greek Catholic Church, an Eastern Catholic parish in the Alum Rock area of San Jose, will sponsor a series of monthly presentations exploring the idea of Christian identity from the perspective of the Melkite-Greek Catholic Church.

December 3—American Melkite Identity/Beyond Ethnic Church: The Vision of Archbishop Joseph Tawil.

Take Action

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

Saturday, December 5, 2009, 10:00 am - 4:00 pm, Campbell

San Jose Peace Fair

Local peace and social justice organizations sell crafts, clothing, and a variety of other gifts for the holidays season, including possible alternatives to war toys.

Sunday, December 6, 2009, 11:30 am- 2:30 pm, Palo Alto

Palo Alto Peace, Social Justice, Crafts,
Gift, and Information Fair

Toys - Fair Trade Crafts - Books - Art - Music DVDs - Games - Puzzles - Jewelry - Decorations

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And more...

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.

I have begun writing an occasional blog for Examiner.com, as their San Jose Interfaith Examiner. I'll be posting more extended articles there, and welcome your suggestions for events to publicize, interviews with interfaith leaders, and news about interfaith relationships.