Monthly Newsletter
SEPTEMBER 2009 (No. 30)
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Dear Friend,
Everything
that has life, changes.
Religion
has proven its ability to isolate and destroy. Now is the time for religion to prove its ability to
integrate and heal, create and nurture new changes. Each religion needs a context and opportunity to learn to
live in our newly interdependent
world, finding strength within its own mysteries.
Tolerance and appreciation between religions is simply not enough. Change must
go deeper. We all must dig further into our texts, traditions, and practices to
find resources that can help us experience,
understand and need one another. The earth itself demands this.
That's
why we have Faith House, a place where we can experiment, learn, commit, and
act together for the good of the world. Faith House exists so that we can
all learn to love and live with those who are different from us. We will
discover ways of knowing each other more deeply and serving the world in
synergy instead of competition.
There
are no clear footsteps on this journey we have taken. That's why we have
embraced change as a way of life together. We are beginning this second year of
Faith House with some courageous steps of change based on what we have learned.
So
much of what we plan to do is new from our new fall Living Room schedule on a new
night, Samir's upcoming book It's Really
All About God, our new Social Justice Intern, and a new "look and feel" for
this Newsletter and our website (in process!). Please take a minute to read our
revised "Mission, Vision, Principles" posted on our website and let us know
what you think!
Welcome
to Faith House Manhattan 2.0! You our friends from New York City and around
the world provide the strength, passion, and most of all, the support and love
that sustain the heart of our adventure!
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LIVING ROOM GATHERINGS Begin again on 9/9/09!
"Twice a month, Faith House hosts Living Room gatherings
where we share holy days, learn new spiritual practices, and address current
cultural and social issues. Each gathering has a specific theme and hands-on,
participatory elements." ~ from Mission, Vision, Principles
New Day & Time
WEDNESDAY Evenings this Fall Doors @ 6 PM, Program @ 7 PM
Same location
INTERSECTIONS, 274 Fifth Ave, between 29th and 30th
Upcoming Programs
September 9 Banquet of Love: A Ramadan Feast with the Nur Ashki
Jerrahi Sufi Community
This year we would like to
invite you to a special opportunity to experience a Ramadan Iftar feast
(fasting is optional) with the Nur Ashki Jerrahi Sufi Community, as well as
others. There will be delicious food, prayer, Quranic readings, poetry and
music. Special guest on Sitar, Dawoud.
Rabia is providing a vegetarian Iftar meal. Beverages, fresh fruit and
desserts are most welcome! Please RSVP so we have a sense of how many
people are coming. Email [email protected]
or sign up on our Facebook Event or Meetup Event
online.
September 23 Preparing for Yom Kippur with Jill Minkoff, Amichai Lau-Lavie & Storahtelling guests
October 14 Spirit & the Creative Imagination
October 28 Paul Knitter on themes from his new book: "Without Buddha, I Could Not Be a Christian"
November 11 Marcia Kannry, from The Dialogue Project, & Sam Aboela from the Progressive Muslim Meetup, lead a session on
Israel & Palestine
November 25 Interfaith Thanksgiving
December 9 TBA
December 23 Deconstructed Pre-Christmas Rummage Sale
All programs FREE. Donations welcome.
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Release Date: September 22, 2009
Pre-order online or at your local bookstore
It's Really All About God is a very personal story and a thrilling exploration of a redeeming, dynamic, and radically different way of treasuring one's own religion while discovering God, goodness, and grace in others and in their traditions.
"Samir Selmanovic is asking the right questions at the right time, and refusing the consolations of certainty at a time when strident orthodoxies--atheist as well as religious--are perilously dividing us."
-Karen Armstrong, author, A History of God and The Great Transformation
"If atheists, agnostics, and non-religious people like myself want to
gain understanding and improve the world ...we need to read not only
the hard-line voices of ancient religions but also the freshest and
wisest voices of modern progressive religion. Samir Selmanovic's is
just such a fresh voice."
-Greg Epstein, Humanist Chaplain of Harvard University, and author, Good Without God: What a Billion Non-Religious People Do Believe
"Why are thousands not saying what this man is saying? Such obvious truth must be made even more obvious, and this is exactly what Samir Selmanovic is doing for all of us and for the future of humanity. After you read this wise book, you will say, 'Of course!' and 'Thank God!'"
-Fr. Richard Rohr, O.F.M., Center for Action and Contemplation, Albuquerque, New Mexico
"Samir Selmanovic offers a deeply personal reflection on faith, doubt, and ultimately, spiritual peace. . . . [He tells] a sophisticated and introspective story that simultaneously stirs the heart, challenges the intellect, and inspires the soul."
-Daisy Khan, executive director, American Society for Muslim Advancement (ASMA)
"In a world in which religious traditions are too often digging their heels into the tired sod of exclusionary self-righteousness, this love song to the God of all Existence is a much longed for work of hope and optimism."
-Rabbi Marcia Prager, author, The Path of Blessing: Experiencing the Energy and Abundance of the Divine
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Finally, this email and our website have a new "look and feel." But our re-design in still in progress! Please check out www.faithhousemanhattan.org and send us your feedback. We will be completing our re-design this month and would love to hear from you! Email all ideas and feedback to [email protected]Our tremendous thanks to Mairim Pina, who designed the new banner.
In Faith,
Bowie Snodgrass, Director Juliet rabia Gentile, Islamic Co-Leader Samir Selmanovic, Founder and Christian Co-Leader Bara Levitt, Social Justice Intern
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Featured Article from faithhousemanhattan.org
Ramadan Mubarak! Ramadan Karim!
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A Ramadan Greeting from Faith House Islamic Co-Leader, Rabia Gentile
O blessed month of Ramadan, welcome...
CLICK to read the rest
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Featured Article from faithhousemanhattan.org Welcome Bara Levitt, Social Justice Intern!
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Bara Slafkes Levitt is a Senior at List College,
the Joint Program between Columbia University and the Jewish
Theological Seminary, where she is majoring in Sociology and Jewish
Women's Studies. Bara is looking forward to coordinating Social Justice
opportunities with the Faith House community this academic year.
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Featured Article from faithhousemanhattan.org Australian Catholic Finds Path to Coexist and "Encounter Point" in NYC
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By Penny Elsley
Two years ago, as part of my role as Coordinator of World Youth Day for
the Broken Bay Diocese in Sydney, Australia, I discovered that we were to be the host of a
large 13 foot high wooden cross that has been traveling the world for 20 years.
I have to confess that my initial reaction to this news was "oh no!!!" CLICK to read the rest
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NEW Sabbath Poems Posted this Summer on faithhousemanhattan.org
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Print Resources
Online Resources
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