Date: January 2nd 2010

January 2010

Last month's Parliament of the World's Religions in Melbourne was an amazing experience, from which I am still unpacking- literally and figuratively! There will be much to share from that gathering of leaders from around the world, and new energy for continuing our work of building communities of compassion and understanding. If you are interested in finding out more, you can read the items I posted on News & Notes from Interfaith Space and the San Jose Interfaith Examiner. Some additional links to news, photos, and videos from the Parliament can be found at Interfaith Space.

I will be a guest on "Spirit Talk with Jean," a local cable-TV show hosted by Jean Ramaciotti. Check the listings for broadcast time. And I will be speaking on "Partners with the Parliament" for the monthly Pacifica Institute Interfaith Conversation on January 16th.

SAVE THE DATE! The Silicon Valley Partner City Group invites you to join with people from the communities of Silicon Valley on Thursday, February 11, 2010 at 6:00 pm at deSaisset Museum on the Santa Clara University campus. This will be the Community Gathering to consider the next steps in building a just, peaceable, and sustainable community as the Inaugural City in the Parliament Partner City Network. Watch for more details to come.

SEASON OF NONVIOLENCE. For several years, people across the nation have marked the 64 day period between the anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi's assasination (January 30) and the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (April 4) as a time to recommit themselves living lives of nonviolence as both those great men demonstrated. Consider how you personally, or how your community together, might honor these men and how they broke down fences of violence and hatred that kept people apart.

---

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.

 

 

 

 

January Religious and Cultural Observances

• 1 Feast of St Basil (Eastern Christian)
• 1 Gantan-sai (New Years) (Shinto)
• 1 Mary, Mother of God (Roman Catholic)
• 1 Temple Day (Buddhist)
• 5 Birth of Guru Gobind Singh Ji (Sikh)
• 5 Twelfth Night (some protestant)
• 5 Vigil of the Epiphany (Catholic)
• 6 Dia de los Reyes (Christian)
• 6 Epiphany (Christian)
• 6 Theophany (Eastern Christian)
• 7 Nativity of Christ (Julian Calendar)
• 10 Baptism of the Lord Jesus (Christian)
• 12 Vivekenanda Jayanti (Hindu)
• 13 Maghi (Sikh)
• 14 Makara Sankranthi (Hindu)
• 17 World Religion Day (Baha’i)
• 18 Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (National)
• 18 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (through Jan 25) (Christian)
• 20 Vasanta Panchami (Hindu)
• 24 Triodion begins (Eastern Christian)
• 30 Mahayana Buddhist New Year (Buddhist)
• 30 Tu B'shvat (Jewish)

[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-

Wednesday, January 13, 2010, 11:45-1:30 pm, Sunnyvale

South Bay Interfaith leadership Dialogue Group

Topic: Debriefing the Parliament of the World's Religions and its Implications for a South Bay Interfaith Movement that Matters!

Saturday, January 16, 2009, Sunnyvale, 6:00 pm

Partners with the Parliament

The Pacifica Institute sponsors another in its series of Interfaith Conversations, featuring D. Andrew Kille.

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

Bay Area Satsang

Satsang members make a serious commitment to spiritual growth in their own tradition and removing barriers that separate people from each other.

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

Saturday, January 30, 2010- Sunday, April 4, 2010 Nationwide

A Season for Nonviolence

A Season for Nonviolence is a national 64-day educational, media, and grassroots campaign dedicated to demonstrating that nonviolence is a powerful way to heal, transform, and empower our lives and our communities.

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.

Beginning week of January 4, 2010, Sunnyvale

2010 New Series of Zen Classes

A new series of classes on Zen meditation and Buddhism at different levels will start the week of January 4, 2010.

Sunday, January 17, 2010, 7:00 pm, Los Gatos

Holocaust Stories of Redemption

Join us for a special evening featuring film, interview, and exhibition.

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.

January 28—“That All May Be One: Perspectives on Christian Unity.” Panel Discussion

Take Action

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

Tuesday, January 12, 2010 9:00 am - 11:30 am, San Jose

Preaching a Just Word

Learn and share your techniques on getting people fired-up to do what is right! The Interfaith Council on Economics and Justice is sponsoring an Interfaith Seminar on Justice and Preaching for clergy of all faiths.

Friday, February 5, 2010, 8:00-9:30 pm, Los Gatos

Poverty Simulation

In conjunction with Step up Silicon Valley, Congregation Shir Hadash will be holding a Poverty Simulation evening event.

==

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.