Tag: interfaith

Categories
Stories & Feature Articles

Imagine a rainbow

According to Rabbi Dovid Freilich, ‘tolerance’ is a bad word.

“There’s been so much conflict, sadly, in the world because of religion. The world creates something in order to stop this conflict: a word being ‘tolerance’,” he said. “Tolerance means agreeing to sit together; you really can’t stand the fellow you’re sitting with, but you’ll tolerate them. It’s not a good word.”

For 30 years, Rabbi Freilich has been the Chief Rabbi of the Perth Hebrew Congregation, a Jewish Synagogue in Menora, Perth. He has also been the Chief Rabbi of WA and one of the Presidents  of the Council of Christians and Jews WA. Preferring not to use the term ‘retire’, Rabbi Freilich left the Rabbinate in July to take-up other interests after 45 years of service.

The Rabbi believes that rather than tolerance, respect should be our priority.

“We should respect each other,” he continued. “Respect involves two things. One definition of respect is you actually feel happy in another person’s happiness. So, respect implies that even though you might be one religion and you see somebody happy and contented in another religion, you’re happy for them.

Continue reading “Imagine a rainbow”
Categories
News & Announcements

The presence of Christ in the Middle East

A delegation of Uniting Church leaders travelled to Lebanon in January with the aim of building relationships with churches in the region.

The delegation included Stuart McMillan, president of the Uniting Church in Australia, Rob Floyd, national director of UnitingWorld, and three Uniting Church ministers from the Middle East,  including Rev Dr Emanuel Audisho, multicultural ministry co-ordinator for the Uniting Church WA.

The group met with the leaders of the Union of Armenian Evangelical Churches in the Near East, the National Evangelical Synod of Syria and Lebanon and the National Evangelical Church of  Beirut. They also visited a range of historical sites, including one of the ancient jars from the biblical story of the Wedding at Cana (John 2) and one of the earliest memorial sites of the Armenian  Genocide in Antelias.

While in Lebanon, the group also spent some time at Fondation le Grain de Ble, a program for local refugee children which provides camps, clubs, sport, literature, games and entertainment for  refugee children in Lebanon, with an aim to share God’s love.

Continue reading “The presence of Christ in the Middle East”
Categories
Stories & Feature Articles

Moving from tolerance to acceptance

Cultural barriers were demolished and stereotypes quashed when girls from the Australian Islamic College (AIC) spent a day at Methodist Ladies’ College in April, and MLC girls paid a return visit in August.

Eleven teenagers from the school in the northern Perth suburb of Dianella spent a day with their hosts discovering that they were more similar, than different.

MLC Principal, Rebecca Cody, also met with AIC’s Principal, Wahaj Tarin. She said the relationship between the two schools gives the students the opportunity to move beyond stereotypes.

“I think that all great schools learn from each other, so this is merely an example of a learning conversation between two schools. It’s also an opportunity for our girls, and Mr Tarin’s girls, to seek to understand  each other,” Rebecca said.

The relationship between the schools was borne out of discussions between MLC Chaplain, Rev Hollis Wilson, and AIC Islamic Study teacher, Fazida Razak, at a series of interfaith meetings over a few years.

Continue reading “Moving from tolerance to acceptance”
Categories
News & Announcements

Perth fire-bombing condemned

The Uniting Church Synod of Western Australia and the Anglican Diocese of Perth condemns the fire-bombing overnight of a vehicle in Thornlie outside the College and Mosque.

The Moderator of the Uniting Church, Rev Steve Francis and the Anglican Archbishop of Perth, Roger Herft, extend prayers of concern and solidarity to the Islamic people of Western Australia and unequivocally condemn such violence.

Moderator Rev Steve Francis said, “In this holy season of Ramadan, we stand with the Islamic people in WA and in particular the Australian Islamic College and Mosque in Thornlie.”

Archbishop Herft said, “We offer our prayerful support to the children, teachers and school community as well as the worshipping community at the mosque.

“The Anglican Diocese of Perth and the Uniting Church Western Australia assure the Islamic community of our prayers for peace and our commitment to the promotion of understanding for all in the Western Australian community.”

 

Categories
News & Announcements

National Day of Unity

President of the Uniting Church in Australia Stuart McMillan has joined civic and religious leaders across the country in supporting this year’s National Day of Unity.

“As Christians we are called to love our neighbour, welcome the stranger, and offer refuge and care to those who are marginalised,” said Stuart.

“The National Day of Unity is a timely reminder of the values we share across our faiths – dignity and respect for all people.”

“We call on all Australians to embrace a spirit of generosity in the way we approach each other, welcome each other and offer hospitality to one another,” said Stuart.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, Federal Opposition Leader Bill Shorten, Greens Leader Richard Di Natale and leaders of different faiths officially launched the 2015 National Day of Unity program at Parliament House in Canberra yesterday.

The Prime Minister said the tragic killing of Curtis Cheng in Parramatta a little over a week ago was a reminder of the importance Australians must place on the values of mutual respect and harmony.

“Those who oppose us, those who seek to do us harm want to divide us. We answer them best by being strong and resolute in our unity,” Malcolm Turnbull said.

Continue reading “National Day of Unity”
Categories
News & Announcements

The church in the midst of change

UnitingWorld hosted three lunches at the recent 14th Triennial Assembly which discussed the work of our Uniting Church international partner churches.

At one such lunch, two presenters from church partners in the Pacific joined Dr Deidre Palmer, moderator of the Uniting Church in South Australia in a discussion about gender equality. Later in  the week, Deidre was voted by the Assembly as the president-elect of the Uniting Church in Australia.

Deaconess Martha Yamsiu – the gender officer for the Presbyterian Church in Vanuatu spoke of the many challenges women faced in her community. She outlined the disregard of women as religious leaders in the community and the ongoing issues around gender violence – a silent issue for many women living in Vanuatu. Martha spoke of the successful workshops UnitingWorld and  The Presbyterian Church of Vanuatu have been undertaking in Vanuatu to educate and inform men and women about respectful relationships.

The second speaker Rev Maleta Rumaroti, secretary for mission, Kiribati Uniting Church, presented on climate impact and rising sea levels in Kiribati. Changing environmental factors due to  climate change have magnified issues of gender inequality with women bearing more of a burden as a result. High tides have led to increased illness with mosquitos breeding and causing dengue  fever. This has resulted in increased workloads for women, as they take care of their partners, children, elderly, sick and the disabled.

Continue reading “The church in the midst of change”
Categories
Stories & Feature Articles

Partner church guests take in the sights of Perth

International guests to the 14th Triennial Assembly a tour of local Indigenous sites, visited local enterprises, and enjoyed some local multicultural hospitality on day four of the meeting.

UnitingWorld guests and other ecumenical partners found themselves warmly welcomed at St Aidan’s Claremont Uniting Church as guests of the congregation and the Western Australia  Multicultural Committee at an Assembly Multicultural Dinner.

“The most lovely food and the most lovely people!” enthused Pacific partners in particular as they tucked into traditional taro and other delicacies from their homelands. Domino’s Pizza also put in  a special appearance, as did a youth choir singing grace and Rev Steve Francis, moderator of the Uniting Church in WA.

UnitingWorld guests continued to be impressed with Western  Australian innovation and commitment on a morning tour of the Good Samaritan Industries warehouse in Canningvale. Donning bright fluorescent vests – some of which they were reluctant to hand back later – the team toured the floor of the factory which provides employment for people with disabilities, who sort and prepare donated goods for sale in iconic ‘Good Sammy’ stores throughout WA.

Continue reading “Partner church guests take in the sights of Perth”
Categories
News & Announcements

Interfaith September: bringing new light to scripture

In multi-religious Australia, as we come to terms with increasing fear and distrust of those from other faiths, we need to double our efforts to build interfaith harmony, says newly elected Convenor for the Assembly Relations with other Faiths Working Group, Rev Michael Barnes.

“It is part of our call as Christians to work for peace and harmony and we cannot do that today without first building trust, understanding and friendship among people of different faiths.”

Interfaith September is an opportunity for Uniting Church members to begin conversations on how we relate to people of other faiths.

Resources are provided to guide weekly worship with written reflections on the lectionary readings for September. Video clips featuring interviews with religious leaders of the Christian faith and those of different faiths will reflect on the themes in the scripture readings offering insights from the perspective of their own faith.

“When we consider how a person of another faith might understand Christianity and our own Scriptures, we are encouraged again to look at those scriptures and the Christian tradition in a new light,” says Michael.

Continue reading “Interfaith September: bringing new light to scripture”
Categories
News & Announcements

WA Ecumenical and Inter-faith Award

The Uniting Church in WA Ecumenical and Inter-faith Award will recognise an ecumenical or inter-faith project which has been initiated by a local Uniting Church member, congregation, faith community, school or agency. The award will be presented at the 2015 Annual Meeting of the Synod and Presbytery, in September this year, with the winning entrant receiving $500 towards  their project.

Dorothy Carey, convener of the Ecumenical Affairs Committee, said that the award will acknowledge and encourage people or groups who are thinking wider than their own circles.

“It’s trying to get people to think outside their local church, and thinking about the wider religious community,” she said. “The only way you can actually get to appreciate and love other people  is to get to know them. You only get to know them by doing something with them, working beside them.”

Nominations are to be received by the Ecumenical Affairs Committee by 31 July; send a 500-word description of the initiative or project to Dorothy Carey at dcarey@westnet.com.au.

Categories
Stories & Feature Articles

Ramadan: a spiritual journey

From Thursday 18 June to Friday 17 July, our Muslim friends will be celebrating Ramadan. Our non-Muslim readers may be wondering ‘What does that have to do with me?’ In a multicultural, multi-religious society, it’s all too important to move beyond our circles to love and understand those we might normally walk straight past.

As one of the biggest events in the Islamic calendar, Ramadan is an important time for people from the Islamic faith. Even though Muslims only make up 2.2% of the Australian population,  there is a lot of fear in the community at the moment as we hear stories about extremists and terrorists around the world. It is right to abhor these events, but it is also right to work towards  building strong relationships with people from all faiths. Most Muslims themselves disapprove of these acts, which go against the teachings of Islam.

While this year, Ramadan is taking place in June, the event is based on the Islamic Luna Calendar and so, like Easter, moves date each year. Muslims believe that their holy book, the Qur’an,  was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad during this month, so it is a holy month which is full of God’s blessings. Traditionally, many Muslims also believe that during the month of Ramadan the  gates of heaven are opened, and the gates to hell are closed – so it is a time where people are encouraged to get closer to God.

Muslims take up this opportunity in a range of ways, the most common being fasting.

Continue reading “Ramadan: a spiritual journey”