Surrey Neighbouring Faiths Program Mid-February 2012 Newsletter

Greetings, Things have settled down a bit after the flurry of activity earlier this month, making this a good time to sit back and enjoy some poetry! Im going to take this opportunity to share two pieces of poetry that have been inspired by the work of the Surrey Neighbouring Faiths Program. Many thanks to April and Debbie for sharing their work! If there are any other writers out there who would like to share their work, please send it my way and it will be included in a future edition of this newsletter. A warm welcome to anyone receiving this newsletter for the first time. Neighbouring Faiths Small children sit waiting to see themselves onscreen An exploration in faith A storyteller narrates Words and pictures, interactive dioramas Exploring another's faith Leaders welcome in curious strangers eager to learn and grow In exploring faith Doers cajole dragging us from our 'should's into action An exploration in faith made real (By: April Raines, North Delta. You can read more work by April on her website, April Raines Storybook Corner.) Reflections of Diversity To live your life with diversity Is to live your life successfully, Embrace and honour the colours of the rainbow For it increases the opportunities for you to know, About individuals, communities, faiths and cultures too Creating an open mind and open heart in all you do! (By: Debbie Lawrance, Surrey)

Upcoming Events
February 19 - Interfaith Harmony Prayer An Interfaith Harmony Prayer is being organized by the Global Clergy Association of Canada to cultivate respect and appreciation for other faiths, belief systems and spiritual orientations. The event takes place on Sunday, February 19, 2012 at Mahalakshmi Temple in Vancouver, 471 East 11th Ave. It will be the part of a regular satsang of the temple except the Interfaith Prayer will be conducted between 11.30 AM -12.15 PM. All are welcome. For further information, please call to Pundit Prameya Chaitanya at (604) 8745220 or Acharya S.P Dwivedi at (604) 507-3099.

Opportunities to Connect

Surrey Interfaith Council A range of religious and secular community leaders have embarked on a dialogue process to explore the formation of a Surrey Interfaith Council. The dialogue process will continue on into the spring of 2012, and will define the ultimate mandate and direction of the Council. At his point, participants are gathering under the general vision of creating and maintaining a positive climate for religious diversity in Surrey. The next community dialogue will take place in February 2012. Please let David Dalley know if you are interested in connecting with this project. Early Years Workshops The SNFP offers an educational outreach workshop titled Honouring the Religious and Spiritual Identities of Children in Early Childhood Education. It is 2 to 4 hours long, and is geared towards preschool and early elementary school teachers. The purpose of this workshop is to explore spirituality and religion as important components of the whole child in the education of young children. Please let David Dalley know if you are interested in observing this workshop or training to become a presenter.

Ongoing Events

Community Sweat Lodge and Drum Circle The Cwenengitel Aboriginal Society hosts community sweat lodges and drum circles. The drum circles take place every Thursday evening at 6:30pm, the sweat lodges take place every second Saturday starting at 10:30am. The next sweats are February 25 and March 10. There are separate lodges for men and women. Men must wear shorts, and women must wear a long skirt or gown to the ankles. The events are open to people from all faith traditions. For more information, please contact Wally LaVigne at wally@cwenabso.org or (604) 588-5561 October 2011 June 2012 Interfaith Speakers Series The South Fraser Unitarian Congregation in Surrey is hosting a 1st Sunday Community Interfaith Series that will run from October 2011 to June 2012. Speakers will reflect on the following theme: We live together in diverse communities. As individuals, we draw on our belief systems to guide the ways we think and act. Our belief systems shape how we relate to one another and how we come together as a community. What are some of the core values and practices of your faith tradition? How do they shape and strengthen your faith community? How might the wisdom of your faith tradition help us to live and flourish in our diverse community? We will hear perspectives from the following worldviews: Hinduism, Paganism, Humanism, Islam, Kabir Panth, Sikhism, Christianity and Bahai. For more information, please contact info@sfuc.bc.ca.

Further down the road...

Early March Surrey Interfaith Council Dialogue Session The second dialogue session in Surrey Interfaith Council Project will take place in early March. Please read above for more information on this project and let me know if you are interested in being part of this event. A summary

of the first dialogue event in November can be viewed via that link at the bottom of this newsletter. March 2 - Peninsula Homeless to Housing (PH2H)Task Force Meeting The PH2H is an ecumenical and interfaith group that addresses homelessness and housing needs in the South Surrey and White Rock communities. They meet 9:30am on the first Friday of each month at the White Rock Baptist Church at 1657-140th St Surrey. Their most recent newsletter is attached below. For more information, please contact Peter Greenwell at petergreenwell@telus.net. March 4 Community Interfaith Series: Dr. Jagessar Das on Kabir Dr. Jagessar Das is a well known multifaith activist in Surrey. He has appeared on television, presented at numerous conferences, and authored numerous books. He leads worship at the Guru Kabir Centre in Surrey. Come and hear Dr. Das speak about Guru Kabir at the fifth service of the Community Interfaith Series at the South Fraser Unitarian Congregation. All are welcome. The service starts at 10:30am at the Newton Seniors Centre. March 15 Fraser Health Interfaith Panel Seeking Speakers Volunteer speakers are needed to participate in an interfaith panel being organized by the Fraser Health Spiritual Care Program on March 15, 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. in Surrey. Participants will be a small group of people training to be spiritual care volunteers in local hospitals. This is an important way to ensure that our health care system is sensitive to the diverse religious and spiritual needs of all in our community. Please forward this invitation around to others in your faith community and let David Dalley know if you or anyone you know is interested in participating in this program. Mid-March - Evening Candlelight Meditation Walks at Fleetwood Labyrinth Labyrinths are found throughout history and in many different cultures and religious traditions. They are used as tools for meditation and prayer; as a means of quieting the mind and enriching the spirit. Weekly evening candlelight meditations will be starting up again in Mid-March at the Labyrinth at Fleetwood Gardens in Surrey. These meditation walks are open to the all, and are a great opportunity for building interfaith connections. Please contact labyrinth@sfuc.bc.ca if you would like to be a part of this program. March 29 - Student Conference on Compassion in Religion with Karen Armstrong KAREN ARMSTRONG, TED Prize Winner 2008, prolific author, and Visiting Scholar at SFU inspired the Charter for Compassion, endorsed by the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu. The Iona Pacific Inter-religious Centre at the Vancouver School of Theology is proud to host a post-secondary student conference on compassion, religion, and society featuring internationally acclaimed scholar Karen Armstrong. The conference includes Karen Armstrongs keynote and summary addresses, stories about compassion from eight different traditions, student-led discussions, and a nutritious lunch. Students can expect an invaluable learning experience and networking opportunity with students and leaders from diverse religious and professional backgrounds. The conference takes place Thursday, March 29, 2012 from 9am-3pm at the Chapel of the Epiphany, Vancouver School of Theology, 6030 Chancellor Blvd, UBC-Main Campus. Post secondary students can register here or contact Aliya Hirji for more information.

April 14 10th Annual Early Years Festival The Surrey Neighbouring Faiths Program will be hosting and information booth and childrens activity at the 10th Annual Early Years Festival on Saturday, April 14th, 10:00a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Chuck Bailey Recreation Centre. This is a great family event! Let David Dalley know if youre interested in helping out. Early May Surrey Urban Mission Interfaith Dialogue Volunteer speakers are needed to participate in an interfaith panel being organized by the Surrey Urban Mission. The Surrey Urban Mission is a nonprofit, faith-based organization that provides a variety of services to people in need. In early May, delegates from Lutheran churches around the province will gather in Surrey, and the organizers are hoping to provide participants with experiences and insights to work more collaboratively with diverse groups in their home towns. Please forward this invitation around to others in your faith community and let David Dalley know if you or anyone you know is interested in participating in this program. May 10-11 Workshop at 2012 Cities Fit for Children Provincial Summit The 3rd Annual Cities Fit for Children Provincial Summit is dedicated to the sustainable development of our cities and urban and rural areas. The event will bring together local, municipal and regional leaders involved in policy decisions and designing and building healthy safe communities for children and families. Come and hear how multifaith networks can play an important role in this process.

Keep in touch...

What to learn more about the Surrey Neighbouring Faiths Program? Visit our website, watch our documentary, or look through past editions of this newsletter. Want to stay connected? Sign up to receive this monthly newsletter or join our Facebook group. This newsletter contains links to other events and resources in the community. Unless you are receiving this newsletter directly, some of the links may be disabled. To receive this newsletter directly, sign up at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/surreyneighbouringfaiths/. Our Mission Statement is: The Surrey Neighbouring Faiths Program builds community capacity for multifaith learning and dialogue with a focus on children and families. If you have any programming or project ideas that relate to this mission statement, please let me know. We are always open to new ideas! In peace, David Dalley (604) 502-8661 davidanderin@dalley.ca Comforted by how much we share, were able to delight in our differences. - Raffi, from A Covenant for Honouring Children