​IN THIS ISSUE: Happy World Interfaith Harmony Week | Interim ICP Director | Four Chaplains Sunday | Third Sunday Concerts | Presidio Chapel Tours | Interfaith Calendar | Farewell, Bill Lesher | The Interfaith Observer| Notes & Quotes | Support ICP | Send Us Your News | Bay Area Interreligious Calendar | Special Opportunities | Subscribe to BAIC
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HAPPY WORLD INTERFAITH HARMONY WEEK!

This first week of February is World Interfaith Harmony Week, offering a time for interfaith groups around the world to showcase and celebrate the power of interreligious cooperation. So much interfaith cooperation goes on quietly, beneath the notice of many in their own communities, but makes significant contributions to the peace and well-being of those communities.

In a declaration on November 2010, the UN General Assembly noted “the imperative need for dialogue among different faiths and religions to enhance mutual understanding, harmony and cooperation among people,” and that “the moral imperatives of all religions, convictions and beliefs call for peace, tolerance and mutual understanding.” They reaffirmed that “mutual understanding and interreligious dialogue constitute important dimensions of a culture of peace,” and proclaimed “the first week of February every year the World Interfaith Harmony Week between all religions, faiths and beliefs.” You can find out more about the initiative, learn how people around the world plan to honor the Week, or register your own event at worldinterfaithharmonyweek.com/

The Four Chaplains were awarded the Distinguished Service Cross and Purple Heart posthumously, and received a Special Medal for Heroism (equivalent of the Medal of Honor) in 1961. They were honored with a US stamp in 1948, and Congress proclaimed the Sunday closest to February 4 as Four Chaplains Day in 1988. You can find out more about them online at the Four Chaplains Memorial Foundation, and Wikipedia.

THIRD SUNDAY CONCERTS. The Amaranth Quartet of San Francisco, including violinists Emily Botel and Abigail Shiman, violist Julie Michael, and cellist Helen Newby, shared a moving afternoon of chamber music at the Presidio Chapel as part of the Third Sunday Concert Series. See some photos here.
The next concert in the series will be  a showcase of musical talent, spirituals, songs, and instrumental music from African-American composers of yesterday and today. Sunday, February 18 at 4:00 pm at the ICP Chapel. See details here.

PRESIDIO CHAPEL TOURS. Guided tours of the home of the Interfaith Center are again available. Visit the historic Spanish Mission Revival style Presidio Chapel, built by the Army in 1931, with a breathtaking view of San Francisco Bay. It is home to a 33 foot mural by Victor Arnautoff, a protégé of Diego Rivera, and stained glass windows by Willemina Ogterop, the first woman stained glass artist west of the Mississippi to be inducted into the Stained Glass Artists Guild. Sundays, February 25 and March 25, 11:00 am – 12:30 pm.
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INTERFAITH CALENDAR. The San Francisco Interfaith Council has made a 2018 Interfaith Calendar available with listings of religious observances from many traditions. They offer the calendar as an aid to scheduling and avoiding potential conflicts, with apologies for any omissions or oversights that might have occurred. You can find the calendar in .pdf form here.

FAREWELL TO BILL LESHER. We were saddened to learn of the death last month of Rev. Bill Lesher, Chair Emeritus of the Parliament of the World’s Religions, a significant champion of the global interfaith movement. A tribute from the Parliament quotes Bill as saying:

“I think of the inter-religious movement as the spiritual expression of the globalized world. The very existence of the interreligious movement is a massive change in the religious landscape of the world, brought about by the technological advances that have created this age of globalization. The movement itself is a necessary response to the “marbleization” of the religions (to use an expression coined by Diana Eck) in a world where the different religions are not neatly separated on different continents, but flow together like the colors in a polished piece of marble. The interreligious movement is providing the occasions for believers of various religious traditions to engage one another, to respect and better understand each other. Out of these encounters, friendships are being formed and common action is being undertaken to address local and global needs. The movement is an essential force for good that is helping humanity meet the challenges of the modern world.”

See tributes to Bill at the Parliament website; an article about Bill, his wife Jean, and their work together appeared in The Interfaith Observer in April of last year. He will be greatly missed.

​THE INTERFAITH OBSERVER. The Interfaith Observer (TIO) is an independent internet journal about all things interfaith. This month’s issue highlights the thoughts and experiences of some of our young interfaith leaders. These articles challenge our assumptions about interfaith and demand that we work harder to be more inclusive and intentional in our work. While not always easy to hear, their messages are necessary ones. How lucky we are to have such fiery spirits providing leadership in our movement! –TIO Team

• Why Religious Diversity is the Pathway to Peace by Victor Kazanjian
• Spirituality & Practice – Part 2  by Paul Chaffee
• God With(in) the World by Diana Butler Bass
• Reimagining the Interfaith Movement by Tahil Sharma and Megan Anderson
• Relinquishing Taboos by Miranda Hovemeyer 
• Courage from the Other Side  by Johnny Martin
• Fardosa Hassan: Creating Space for Questions by Ibrahim Hirsi
• Interspiritual Fraternity in Mexico City by Elías González
• Transforming Our Differences  by Tahil Sharma
• Interreligious Wherewithal  by Hans Gustafson
• Model Programs for Teens/Tweens/Young Adults by Vicki Garlock
• An Interfaith Vision for the Future of Faith  by Jennifer Bailey
• A Letter to Myself Seven Generations Into Our Future by Ta’Kaiya Blaney

NOTES & QUOTES: “Diversity of any kind — whether it be religious, cultural or ideological — comes with a degree of disagreement and tension. Recognizing that this tension, and even resulting conflict, are necessary and healthy parts of a diverse democracy seems to be particularly difficult for those who view difference as a threat to their own identity.” – Victor Kazanjian…  “Bad as things may be at times, fear really is our greatest enemy. It’s still a wonderful life, a wonderful creation, full of possibilities and potential.” – Bill Lesher…“If the religious community is going to make an impact, they need to do it together. The Christian community can’t do it by themselves, because of the number of faith traditions that are out there.” – Rev. Dr. Alvin Edwards…

SUPPORT ICP!  To be able to provide the services to the interfaith community in the Bay Area and to maintain our­ facility in a manner that guarantees both its safety and its beauty, we depend on friends like you to share our vision and support our ultimate cause: to bring peace and understanding to humankind, not only in San Francisco, but throughout the Bay Area and beyond. Please join us in our efforts to continue the dialogue with those who are different from us to help lead the way in bringing harmony and peace to our world.

SEND US YOUR NEWS! We at Bay Area Interfaith Connect make every effort to include upcoming interfaith events in our monthly calendar (which is always available on our website). Please be sure to send information about your upcoming events to calendar@interfaith-presidio.org. We’d also like to share what happened at your events or celebrations with the wider interfaith community. Got a story you’d like to share? Pictures from that latest gathering? Send them along and let everyone know what’s happening!

BAY AREA INTERRELIGIOUS CALENDAR

Our searchable new calendar page offers listings of interfaith opportunities for learning, celebration, taking action, and celebrating the diverse religious traditions of the Bay Area. The calendar can be viewed as a list, as a monthly calendar page, or by the week.

SPECIAL OPPORTUNITIES
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Information about the Parliament
INTERFAITH MARCH. On April 29, 2018, people across America will be participating in a coordinated event called the Interfaith March for Peace & Justice – a non-partisan, positive re-assertion of the principles of equal justice and religious liberty. This event was initiated by the Safe Alliance for Interfaith Leaders in Columbus, OH (an aspiring URI Cooperation Circle) and it has the support of a number of organizations including the Interfaith Association of Central Ohio and the Unitarian Universalist Peace Ministry Network. We would love for other groups to join in this effort and we invite you to check out our website at interfaithmarch.com or follow us on facebook at facebook.com/interfaithmarch.

RE-IMAGINING INTERFAITH. A conference in Washington, D.C., July 29-August 1, 2018, Re-Imagining Interfaith is a global gathering for grassroots activists and interfaith peacebuilders focused on skill-building, networking, and organizing.  Training will be offered in 6 Program Tracks: Cultivating Inclusive Communities in the Face of Religious Discrimination; Community Organizing: Initiating and Sustaining Social Change Movements; Staying “Woke”: Recognizing Privilege, Challenging Systemic Oppression; Interfaith Organizing in a Changing Spiritual Landscape; Making a Movement: Building Skills to Bring Interfaith to the Next Level. Co-sponsored by numerous diverse organizations, including Religions for Peace-USA, Shoulder-to-Shoulder, World Congress of Faith, the Interfaith Funders Group, the International Association for Religious Freedom and multiple faith communities. See details and registration at www.reimagineinterfaith.org/

MULTIFAITH CALENDAR. The 2018 Multifaith Calendar offers a quick and accurate reference to dates and descriptions of approx 240 culturally relevant observances and holidays for 14 world religions (including religious accommodation references), plus many additional public holidays, UN events, etc. The MFC also includes a carefully selected collection of stunning original art. It’s available from the Interfaith Marketplace for $14.95 plus shipping.

BAY AREA INTERFAITH CONNECT is sent each month to nearly 2,000 subscribers, and is available online at the Interfaith Center at the Presidio website.

Subscribe to BAIC

About the Editor: D. Andrew Kille is director of Interfaith Space in San Jose, working to develop and strengthen interfaith relations throughout the Bay Area.

Send your calendar items, comments and suggestions to calendar@interfaith-presidio.org. We try to keep the ICP Update and Calendar as current as we can, but if you want your item included in the monthly newsletter, it needs to be in our hands a week before the end of the month.

This entry was posted in BAIC and tagged newsletter on January 31, 2018.
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The January 3rd Sunday Concert featured the the Amaranth Quartet, which has been playing in the Bay Area  since 2013. They performed music by Felix Mendelssohn, Fodé Lassana Diabaté, Garth Knox, Rhiannon Giddens.
The Amaranth Quartet includes violinists Emily Botel and Abigail Shiman, violist Julie Michael, and cellist Helen Newby.
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HAPPY NEW YEAR!
At least according to the Gregorian Calendar, we are entering a new year, with all the hopes and potentials that new beginnings offer. The name of this month, January, takes its name from the Roman god Janus, the patron of thresholds. Janus is represented with two faces- one looking back at the past and one turned toward the future. Thresholds have long been deemed holy places, marking the transition from inside to outside, from darkness to light, from past to future. What will this new year hold?

Here’s one vision, from Margari Aziza Hill

2018 will be the year that churches, mosques, temples, synagogues, Gurdwaras and sacred spaces will work together to protect the most vulnerable. I see more people of faith coming together motivated to heal the divides and ugliness not just in their societies, but in their neighborhoods. 2018 will be the year that faith-based organizing will no longer be an aberration. I see faith leaders reaching across the aisle, pushing back against the nativism, xenophobia and partisanship. 2018 will be more investment in faith-based organizing, moving policies, healing on a city-wide, county-wide, state-wide and national level.

As we enter this new year together, may we commit ourselves even more deeply to the ongoing work of celebrating our diverse religious traditions and working together to unleash the power of interreligious cooperation to building a better world for all!
SUPPORT ICP!  This is the time of year when it seems that every organization doing worthy work is asking for your support, and ICP is no different. To be able to provide the services to the interfaith community in the Bay Area and to maintain our­ facility in a manner that guarantees both its safety and its beauty, we depend on friends like you to share our vision and support our ultimate cause: to bring peace and understanding to humankind, not only in San Francisco, but throughout the Bay Area and beyond. Please join us in our efforts to continue the dialogue with those who are different from us to help lead the way in bringing harmony and peace to our world.
Click for donation options

HOLIDAY MUSIC AT ICP. The December offering of our Third Sunday Concerts featured several performers: Kokomon and Ayeeshah Clottey shared the meaning of Kwanzaa through music and story in a most captivating way. Cantor Brian Reich sang about Hanukkah with warmth and humor. Deon Neilson Price, Linda Baird and Josephine Gandolfi played beautiful Christmas music, including some of Deon’s original work.

Among the 80 attendees were four members of the Coexister Interfaith Tour from France, who are traveling around the world, learning about interfaith cooperation in many countries. They interviewed our ICP staff for a future video report.

Our next Third Sunday Concert will feature Chamber Music and the Amaranth String Quartet playing music from several composers. Sunday, January 21, 2018, 4:00 pm. Free concert. 

WORLD INTERFAITH HARMONY WEEK is coming soon! Celebrated the first week of February every year, World Interfaith Harmony Week “provides a platform—one week in a year—when all interfaith groups and other groups of goodwill can show the world what a powerful movement they are. The thousands of events organized by these groups often go unnoticed not only by the general public, but also by other groups themselves. This week will allow for these groups to become aware of each other and strengthen the movement by building ties and avoiding duplicating each others’ efforts.” Groups are invited to schedule events celebrating interfaith cooperation and share them on an international calendar. See more at worldinterfaithharmonyweek.com/

UN DECLARATION ON INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUE. In December, the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted a draft resolution affirming the importance of interreligious dialogue in developing cultures of peace. The proposed resolution “Recognizes the importance of interreligious and intercultural dialogue and its valuable contribution to promoting social cohesion, peace and development, and calls upon Member States to consider, as appropriate and where applicable, interreligious and intercultural dialogue as an important tool in efforts aimed at achieving peace and social stability and the full realization of internationally agreed development goals” and further “Condemns any advocacy of religious hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence, whether it involves the use of print, audiovisual or electronic media or any other means.” Full text of the resolution is available here.

THE INTERFAITH OBSERVER. The Interfaith Observer (TIO) is an independent internet journal about all things interfaith. This month’s issue explores a variety of different roads one can travel to foster trust. –TIO Team

• Differences & Disagreements: Crossing the Final Bridge by Paul Chaffee
• Breaking Down the Walls of Our Hearts by Marcus Braybrooke
• A Surprising Surge of Hope by Paul B. Raushenbush
• Interfaith Holiday Books for Kids by Vicki Garlock
• Review: Learning to Live Well Together by Paul Chaffee
• A Bold Flagship Experiment in Living Well Together by Bud Heckman
• Aziza Hasan: Breaking New Ground  by Ruth Broyde Sharone
• Meeting People Where They Are by Rev. Andrea Goodman
• Recognizing the Secret Community by Deborah Moldow
• 7 Myths About Raising Interfaith Kids by Suzan Katz Miller
• A Call to Professionalize Interfaith in Higher Education by Cody Nielsen
• Coming to Grips with Christian Normativity by Kevin Singer

NOTES & QUOTES: “When we seek what is truest in our own tradition, we discover we are one with those who seek what is truest in their tradition.” – James Finley…”[U]nderneath the very real differences between religions and peoples lies a unifying foundation.” – Fr. Richard Rohr…”If we are to have peace on earth, our loyalties must become ecumenical rather than sectional. Our loyalties must transcend our race, our tribe, our class, and our nation; and this means we must develop a world perspective. – Martin Luther King, Jr.…”Different religious traditions can engage in dialogue with one another in a true spirit of ecumenism. Dialogue can be fruitful and enriching if both sides are truly open. . . . Peace will be a beautiful flower blooming on this field of practice.”  – Thich Nhat Hanh (with thanks to Richard Rohr’s reflections on “Interfaith Friendship.”

SEND US YOUR NEWS! We at Bay Area Interfaith Connect make every effort to include upcoming interfaith events in our monthly calendar (which is always available on our website). Please be sure to send information about your upcoming events to @. We’d also like to share what happened at your events or celebrations with the wider interfaith community. Got a story you’d like to share? Pictures from that latest gathering? Send them along and let everyone know what’s happening!
BAY AREA INTERRELIGIOUS CALENDAR

Our searchable new calendar page offers listings of interfaith opportunities for learning, celebration, taking action, and celebrating the diverse religious traditions of the Bay Area. The calendar can be viewed as a list, as a monthly calendar page, or by the week.

SPECIAL OPPORTUNITIES
RE-IMAGINING INTERFAITH. A conference in Washington, D.C., July 29-August 1, 2018, Re-Imagining Interfaith is a global gathering for grassroots activists and interfaith peacebuilders focused on skill-building, networking, and organizing.  Training will be offered in 6 Program Tracks: Cultivating Inclusive Communities in the Face of Religious Discrimination; Community Organizing: Initiating and Sustaining Social Change Movements; Staying “Woke”: Recognizing Privilege, Challenging Systemic Oppression; Interfaith Organizing in a Changing Spiritual Landscape; Making a Movement: Building Skills to Bring Interfaith to the Next Level. Co-sponsored by numerous diverse organizations, including Religions for Peace-USA, Shoulder-to-Shoulder, World Congress of Faith, the Interfaith Funders Group, the International Association for Religious Freedom and multiple faith communities. See details and registration at www.reimagineinterfaith.org/

MULTIFAITH CALENDAR. The 2018 Multifaith Calendar offers a quick and accurate reference to dates and descriptions of approx 240 culturally relevant observances and holidays for 14 world religions (including religious accommodation references), plus many additional public holidays, UN events, etc. The MFC also includes a carefully selected collection of stunning original art. It’s available from the Interfaith Marketplace for $14.95 plus shipping.

BAY AREA INTERFAITH CONNECT is sent each month to nearly 2,000 subscribers, and is available online at the Interfaith Center at the Presidio website.

Subscribe to BAIC
​
About the Editor: D. Andrew Kille is director of Interfaith Space in San Jose, working to develop and strengthen interfaith relations throughout the Bay Area.

Send your calendar items, comments and suggestions to calendar@interfaith.presidio.org. We try to keep the ICP Update and Calendar as current as we can, but if you want your item included in the monthly newsletter, it needs to be in our hands a week before the end of the month.