Last Sunday evening Doug and I attended "A Taste of Ramadan," an annual event sponsored by the Muslim Coalition of Connecticut for non-Muslims to share a traditional meal and learn about Islam. I considered blowing it off... I was exhausted from leading the women's retreat and a Father's Day cookout with our parents, but given the tide of Islamophobia these days, it seemed especially important to show our support.

Ramadan, you may be aware, is a holy month for Muslims, who fast from dawn to sunset. It is remembered as the month when the Qur'an was first revealed to Muhammad. In addition to fasting, it is also a time when Muslims reflect on the less fortunate and practice patience and self-control.

Here are a couple of things we took away. Fasting during Ramadan, one of the five "pillars" of Islam, is a rigorous spiritual experience! It is practiced by Muslims from the age of puberty, and is particularly challenging in 2016 when Ramadan coincides with the summer solstice. Abstaining from food and drink during the daylight hours on the longest days of the year means that people have to wake before 4am to have their morning coffee and toast, and don't eat the evening meal until after prayers at sunset, about 8:30pm. (Because Islam follows a lunar calendar, the month of Ramadan begins about 10 days earlier every year. It will be about 40 years before Ramadan is again observed at this exact time of year.)

We also experienced the beautiful ethnic and cultural diversity that is Islam in America. We sat at a table with a cardiologist from Sri Lanka, a UConn professor from Senegal, and a social worker from Pakistan, along with an Avon police officer and a Simsbury Episcopalian. The feast that followed the program was just as diverse. It was so good to be there!

Blessed Ramadan to our Muslim neighbors!

The foundation is in! And Don Shaw has managed to reserve five Saturdays for work teams from Granby's two UCC congregations. Sign up on the bulletin board across from the church office. There are just a couple of spots left.