Tri-Faith News and Updates

This is a weekend of special celebrations for members of the Tri-Faith.

 Tonight our Jewish members celebrate Rosh Hashanah, the beginning of the new year and the beginning of the Days of Awe leading up to Yom Kippur later in the month.  As the sun goes down, let us pause for a moment to be with them in spirit. Rosh Hashanah is seen as the symbolic anniversary of the creation of the world.  Worship in synagogue services includes the blowing of the shofar or ram’s horn, and there are special foods eaten by tradition including a sweet challah bread and apples dipped in honey to symbolize a sweet new year.  The traditional greeting is “Shana Tova” in Hebrew.

Also tonight, Omaha Muslims are gathering for the first annual Community Iftar dinner sponsored by the Islamic Center of Omaha.  I saw Azhar and Bilal at Borders on Wednesday when they were meeting with colleagues planning the final details and only a few tickets were left.  It will be a fund raiser for the renovation of the Islamic Center which is currently closed for construction.  Iftar is the dinner where Muslims break the fast during Ramadan.  Tomorrow night, they will complete the Holy Month and celebrate Eid-al-Fitr on Sunday. The traditional greeting is “Eid Mubarak.” As our Muslim friends celebrate with their community tonight and their families for Eid, let’s join in wishing them all blessings of the season.

 Join me in a prayer of thanksgiving for all we receive from the God we share.

The holy month of Ramadan began in the U.S. on August 21.  Observant Muslims fast during the day.  As one friend explained, “for a few hours we get to experience the hunger that the poor feel all the time.”  At the end of the month, Muslims make a charitable commitment to of a prescribed percentage of their wealth, so fasting helps remind the believers of the needs that exist in the world.

At night, Muslims break the fast with a dinner known as Iftar, often shared with friends and neighbors. Iftar dinners are often opportunities to invite interfaith friends to share dinner and learn more about Islam and Muslims’ faith and practices like the Friendship Dinner sponsored on August 27 by the Niagara Foundation.

When greeting a Muslim friend during the month of Ramadan, the standard greeting is “Ramadan Mubarak”.

The World Council of Churches held a youth gathering outside Geneva.

The three-week course, which had the theme “Building an Interfaith Community”, was attended by young Christians, Jews and Muslims from all over the world.

 Students heard presentations on Christianity, Islam and Judaism, and on the contributions of each of the religions to peacemaking. Daily morning prayers were prepared alternately by the Christian, Jewish and Muslim participants, and the group attended services in a church, synagogue and mosque in Geneva.

 Religion is so often seen as a barrier to peace, but peace is a central theme across the religions and a good basis for discussions about interfaith community-building, says Rabbi Delphine Horvilleur.

Read the complete story here:

http://www.oikoumene.org/en/news/news-management/eng/a/article//theres-value-in-diversit.html

TRI-FAITH FAMILY PICNIC

Celebrating Health and Wellness

SUNDAY, AUGUST 2, 2009

12:30 to 3:30 p.m. Rain or Shine

All Saints Episcopal Church, East Lawn

93^rd and Blondo

Please RSVP by email to info@trifaith.org

Main dish and beverages will be provided.  Please bring a dish to share – salad, side dish or dessert.  Because our three faith groups have a variety of dietary restrictions, good choices are fresh and dried fruits, vegetables, salads with veggies, pasta and rice, breads, chips, salsa and any dishes you would serve on Jewish or Muslim holidays.We ask that you do not bring a dish with pork in it, or a dish which combines meat and dairy in one dish (a meat casserole with cheese, lasagna, etc.) 

Activities for children and adults

Sports, bounce castle, therapy dogs and more

Health fair provided by Creighton Medical School

Free blood pressure screenings, osteoporosis information.

The Undercroft will be available for those who need air conditioning as a respite from the heat.

We have posted a story from Great Britain about the effects of swine flu (H1N1 Virus) on religious practices, especially those that involve shared vessels, towels and other items in Christian and Muslim worship. Britain has been hard hit by the virus already — many believe it is because of its status as an international travel hub.

For the full story please see our NEWS page.  US religious bodies have been doing preliminary planning in case this flu virus becomes widespread in this country.  There is no need for panic or major concern, but we may all be called on to reconsider how we have traditionally practiced our religions

The Rev. Canon Judi Yeates of the Episcopal Diocese of Nebraska posted this on the Nebraska Diocese blog from the Triennial General Convention of the Episcopal Church in Anaheim, CA last week:

Tri-Faith Initiative Day

July 15, 2009 by jyeates

Washington, D.C. – Interfaith Alliance President, Rev. Dr. C. Welton Gaddy expressed his deep sorrow on the passing of Walter Cronkite, the organization’s honorary chair. Mr. Cronkite has been affiliated with Interfaith Alliance since 1997. Mr. Cronkite told Rev. Gaddy at their first meeting that “nothing less is at stake in the work of the Interfaith Alliance then the existence of democracy as we know it.”

Our sympathies are with all who knew and respected Mr. Cronkite and we honor his committment to interfaith work.

To read more, The Interfaith Alliance can be reached at www.interfaithalliance.org.  Rev. Gaddy did a broadcast about the Tri-Faith Dinner in Abraham’s Tent in April.  The replay is available on their website.

From our friends at Common Tables: