Sunday in SLC – Two Choirs and a Film

Mormon Tabernacle Choir

We had reserved seating for the Mormon Tabernacle Choir performance this morning.  They have been broadcasting for over 80 years.  It was wonderful.  I found watching the camera choreography almost as interesting as the performance.  But the music was exquisite.

NAIN was recognized twice by the announcer. Then the choir and orchestra performed a special piece for us – the Battle Hymn of the Republic.

We then walked back to the hotel for a continuation of the NAIN Board meeting.

We broke at 1 PM for a quick lunch and the premier screening of the documentary “The Asian and Abrahamic Religions:  a Divine Encounter in America.”  The film will air on PBS this fall.  Two of the producers, Gerald and Adam Krell were present for inroduction and discussion.  Locally in Toledo we screened a previous Krell film, “Thee Faiths, One God.”

We hurried back to finish the Board meeting before hurrying to the Salt Lake City Buddhist Church [yes, they call it a church].  We were entertained by the One Voice Children’s Choir, directed by Masa Fukuda. 

One Voice Children’s Choir, Masa Fukuda, Director

Our co-hosts were members of the SLC Interfaith Roundtable, which originated to provide chaplaincy for the SLC Olympics and has continued since, due to the bonds formed then.  Participants were Alan Bachman, Chair of the Salt Lake Interfaith Roundtable, the Rev. Jerry Hirano of the Salt Lake Buddhist Church, Bettina Gray, NAIN chair, and Reverend Dr. Stephen Albert and Reverend Abigail Albert of the All Faith Center, Powoy, California. 

We now have about 90 people registered, with more to come tomorrow.  Great to see old friends and a wonderful contingent of Young Adults.

Pioneer Day Parade

Pioneer Days Parade: Then and Now

We have a window seat at our hotel room to watch the staging of the parade = the Days of ’47 KSL 5 Parade.

The floats are lining up; the bands tuning up; bagpipes playing …

NAINConnect 2010 in SLC

We have arrived in beautiful Salt Lake City for the NAINConnect. We came early to do some genealogy work in the Family History Library next door to the conference hotel, the Plaza on Temple Square.

Tomorrow morning we will watch the Pioneer Day parade from our hotel. Our NAIN Board meetings start tomorrow evening.

The TRAX trolley is wonderful and free in city center. All cities should do this!

8th Annual MultiFaith Picnic

Islamic Center of Perrysburg Pavillion

The 8th Annual MultiFaith Free Potluck Picnic will be held this year for the second time at the Islamic Center of Perrysburg picnic shelter, just south of the center, on Sunday, July 11, from 3 PM – 7 PM.  There are activities for all ages.  The shelter permits this to be a rain or shine event.

Please bring: Appetizers, salad, or dessert to share, Lawn chair, musical instrument (optional).

Provided are: Beverages, tableware, grills, Best Kosher hotdogs, buns, corn, watermelon.

See our flyer at
http://www.multifaithcouncil.org/pages/picnicflyer10.pdf

“Creating a Compassionate Community through MultiFaith Friendships”

Gift to banquet attendees

“Creating a Compassionate Community through MultiFaith Friendships” was the theme of The MultiFaith Council of NW Ohio’s 9th Annual MultiFaith Banquet. It was hosted at the Masjid Saad Foundation on Sunday, April 25, 2010, from 3:00 – 7:00 PM. The Annual MultiFaith Banquet is an Erase the Hate event.

Imam Achmat Salie, Director of Islamic Studies program, Oakland University, gave a presentation on Islam at 3:00 PM, followed by a tour of the Mosque. At 4:00 PM guests mingled at a MultiFaith mixer amidst fifteen table displays of area religious traditions.

At 5:00 PM a delicious dinner catered by the Grape Leaf Diner was served to the 280 attendees of over a dozen faith traditions.

A local businessman and Board member of the Council had socks made for the occasion that encouraged a Thich Nhat Hanh concept of taking peaceful steps upon the earth. Each attendee received the socks and a gift bag from the Masjid Saad Foundation.

A short multimedia presentation by Co-Chair Judy Trautman displayed the work of the MultiFaith Council. A 9th grade high school student recited her winning Erase the Hate contest poem “I’m Not Who You think I Am”. Kay Lindahl, founder of The Listening Center in Laguna Niguel, California, and author of three books on Sacred Listening, presented an interactive program on three practices to develop the sacred art of listening.

Toledo Blade Articles
http://www.toledoblade.com/article/20100327/NEWS10/100329759
http://www.toledoblade.com/article/20100417/NEWS10/100419766
http://www.toledoblade.com/article/20100426/NEWS16/100429746

Charter for Compassion

Charter for Compassion.

The Charter for Compassion was unveiled Monday, November 12, 2009.  If we all affirmed this Charter, we could transform the world.

It is simple (though not easy).  It is essentially the Golden Rule.  We are called to return to our core values and respect everyone.

It is really up to each of us.  Traditional media are not spreading this message.  It is being spread by email, the Internet, and social network platforms.

Erase the Hate 2009 Youth Contests

Erase the Hate 2009

Originally uploaded by jltrautman@sbcglobal.net

The Erase the Hate Youth Family Event was held at Notre Dame Academy on April 26, 2009. Contest Winners were showcased and prizes and recognition awarded.

Event photos may be found at

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jltrautman/sets/72157617442351102/

Contest results are listed on our website at http://www.multifaithcouncil.org/pages/EtHWinners09.htm with links to the videos, poetry and images of the posters.  The posters are on display at the Toledo Museum of Art Community Gallery through May 29.  Some of the posters will also be on display at the 2nd Annual Interfaith Blood Drive. 

See http://www.multifaithcouncil.org/pages/poster09.pdf for details.

PCA Grant Outcomes

UCF renovation in BG on April 18th 002

Originally uploaded by jltrautman@sbcglobal.net

The MultiFaith Council of NW Ohio applied for and received a small PCA grant from BGSU. The grant-writing group included Tom Klein, Joe Zielinski, Cynthia Heilman, and Srini Srinivasan.

Outcomes of the grant were a public discussion series at the Wood County Library. The four- week series called “Interfaith Dialogue as a Vehicle for Peace and Understanding: A Discussion Series for Those with Religious Faith and Those Without” was conducted by Tom Klein and attended by an average of 50 people.

The planning committee for this series included Tom Klein, Series Director, M. K. Ahmed, Mary Callahan Boone, Norma Davenport, Meera Gupta, Rev. Cynthia Heilman, Tom Hudson, Roudi Jamabi, Barbara Keller, Vimala Krishnan, John Krochmalny, Deb Novak, Elaine Paulette, Lia Ricci-Sons, Sandy Rowland, Srini Srinvasan, Rev. David Young, and Joe Zielinski.

In addition to discussion, the class made site visits to the Maumee Valley Unitarian Universalist Congregation, the Islamic Center of Greater Toledo, and the Hindu Temple of Toledo.

The class undertook the renovation of the United Christian Fellowship Center to include cleaning, painting, flooring and the creation of a MultiFaith mural.

The class instructor was Ian Young. Our MultiFaith Council Liaison was Srini Srinivasan.

Photo by Srini Srinivasan.

MULTIFAITH “TABLES OF EIGHT” DINNER DISCUSSION PROGRAM

Invitation

The MultiFaith “Tables of Eight” Program facilitates understandings and thereby weakens the environment for hate, It provides a friendly and safe opportunity to begin new friendships with diverse people, representing at least four different faith persuasions. Those of past participant have been Baha’i, Buddhist, Catholic Jewish, Hindu, Muslim, Protestant, Unitarian, Secular, Agnostic, Atheist, Other and None. Thank you, participants in the spring and fall 2008 programs for your interest, positive comments and suggestions.

We are now ready to form new diverse groups – “Tables of Eight” – for the winter, each group to come together at least twice on Fridays, Saturdays or Sundays during January, February and March 2009. We invite you to participate again in a new diverse group or to join for the first time.

Activity

In this program, eight persons – couples and singles – share an informal potluck meal. The host supplies the main dish and coordinates the other dishes from the other participants.

Conversation during the evening can progress from interests, family and hobbies to spiritual topics and deeper sharing. Participants have gained new insights and a respect for another’s beliefs. This works best with a commitment of at least two meetings of complete groups. Some previous groups have wished to extend these benefits and have arranged their own future encounters together.

Formation of Table Groups

Groups will be formed on the basis of concurrent date availability and diversity so please indicate below the maximum number to suit you. Of course, Hosts are needed for each dinner, so please type in the text box the dates you would be willing to Host (only one to be selected!). And to increase the pool size and opportunity for diversity, please suggest this program to your interested friends. Thank you.

Register on the forms at this link:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=v0ugFlwNcAciEeXKMxXnIw_3d_3d

For questions or comments contact Woody Trautman at area code 419   phone  475-6535 or at email wtrautman@sbcglobal.net or visit the website at www.multifaithcouncil.org..

Woody Trautman, 14 Jan 09

Potluck Attendees Create Slogans for the Build

Click here to see the creative slogans by attendees of the MultiFaith Habitat Potluck/Build Blessing at the Hindu Temple of Toledo mfchabitatslogans