Friday, November 21, 2008

A Decade of a Week of Awareness - the 2008 Proclamation

The first Interfaith Awareness Week Proclamation was signed by Governor
Tommy Thompson in 1998 and it has been proclaimed every year since! It is
the first state in the USA to make such a proclamation. Here is the text of
the proclamation.


THE STATE of WISCONSIN
OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
A Proclamation

WHEREAS, Wisconsin has a long history of celebrating the diversity of
belief; and
WHEREAS, Wisconsin has been a leader in human rights throughout 160 years of
statehood; and
WHEREAS, December 10, 2008 is Human Rights Day designated by the United
Nations and the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights, which states in Article 18 that "Everyone has the right to freedom
of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change
his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with
others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in
teaching, practice, worship and observance;" and
WHEREAS, the State has developed great spiritual and religious diversity and
diverse beliefs have played an important role in the development of our
State; and
WHEREAS, the celebration of diversity diminishes no one, but enriches
everyone; and
WHEREAS, we affirm the right of every person to believe and act according to
their beliefs as long as it does not infringe upon the rights of others; and
WHEREAS, interfaith and multifaith efforts of different churches and faith
groups have a rich history in the State; and
WHEREAS, interfaith and multifaith coalitions, dialogues and activities
continue to grow in importance locally, regionally, nationally and
internationally; and
WHEREAS, the Capitol of the State of Wisconsin is located on an isthmus,
which is considered a place of peace and reconciliation; and
WHEREAS, December 2008 holds holy days of many religious and faith groups;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, James Doyle, Governor, do hereby proclaim December 7-13,
2008 as INTERFAITH AWARENESS WEEK
in the State of Wisconsin and encourage citizens to learn more about each
others' beliefs in the spirit of community.

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  • A Seventh Annual Capitol Celebration

    IN HONOR OF

    60th HUMAN RIGHTS DAY

    &

    THE 11th ANNUAL

    INTERFAITH AWARENESS WEEK

    “encouraging citizens to learn more about each others' beliefs in the spirit of community.”

    A Seventh Annual Capitol Celebration

    In the Rotunda of the State Capitol, featuring presenters and performers from the variety of living traditions in Wisconsin

    12 NOON - WEDNESDAY

    DECEMBER 10, 2008

    Displays of World Religions in the Capitol Rotunda

    Monday thru Friday ~ December 8 - 12, 2008

    ALL EVENTS ARE FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

    FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THIS OR OTHER AREA EVENTS

    (608) 242-4244 ~ inroads@minister.com

    The Proclamation of Interfaith Awareness Week has been made by

    Wisconsin’s Governor, the Dane County Executive and the Mayor of Madison every year

    SINCE 1998

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  • INTERFAITH AWARENESS WEEK EVENTS AND ACTIVITY

    11th ANNUAL

    INTERFAITH AWARENESS WEEK

    DECEMBER 7-13, 2008

    “A Decade of a Week of Awareness”

    608-242-4244 leave voice mail to get more information

    ALL EVENTS ARE FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

    The Proclamation of Interfaith Awareness Week has been made by Wisconsin’s Governor and the Dane County Executive every year ~ SINCE 1998! ~

    Joined by City of Madison in 1999 ~ Middleton and Monona in 2006

    Events and activities organized and offered especially for Interfaith Awareness Week are listed here.

    ~*~*~*~

    If you have an event, activity or open house for Interfaith Awareness Week to be listed, please contact us.

    EVENTS AND OPPORTUNITIES as of NOVEMBER 21, 2008

    SUNDAY – DECEMBER 07

    ECKANKAR Monthly Worship Service

    10:30am "How Do I Establish My Spiritual Connections?" Pot luck follows Service

    Wil-Mar Neighborhood Center, 953 Jenifer Street, Madison

    MONDAY – DECEMBER 08 thru 12

    “World Religions in Wisconsin

    Displays in Wisconsin Capitol Rotunda continue through Friday, December 12

    MONDAY – DECEMBER 08

    Third Annual Good Neighbor Interfaith Celebration

    Middleton Sikh Gurdwara, Century Avenue, Middleton (details TBD)

    TUESDAY – DECEMBER 09

    Madison Baha'i Center

    7:00pm (to 8:30) There will be a short program followed by refreshments and socializing.

    324 W. Lakeside Street, Madison LSA@bahaicentermadison.org

    WEDNESDAY – DECEMBER 10

    INTERFAITH AT THE CAPITOL

    Special Meeting of Madison Interfaith Dialog

    9:30am (to 11:30) “Interfaith Perspectives on Human Rights”

    Capitol - Room 330 SW - Please RSVP - Karen (karing4@centurytel.net)

    7TH ANNUAL INTERFAITH CELEBRATION IN THE CAPITOL

    12:00 Noon (to 1:00) Wisconsin Capitol Rotunda

    THURSDAY – DECEMBER 11

    No confirmed activity or event.

    FRIDAY – DECEMBER 12

    Circle Sanctuary

    7:00pm (to 9:00) Open House with Yuletide Full Moon Circle

    Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve near Barneveld, Wisconsincircle@circlesanctuary.org

    SATURDAY – DECEMBER 13

    Hindu Temple & Cultural Center of Wisconsin

    2138 South Fish Hatchery Road, Fitchburg - whindu@yahoo.com (details TBD)

    OTHER OPPORTUNITIES ~ DECEMBER 2008

    December includes holy days for many area religious traditions. The main holy days in December 2008 are:

    1. Advent (preparation for the Birth of Jesus Christ) continues through December 25 in most churches (for a small number, it will continue through January 6)

    2. Hajj & Eid al-Adha (Muslims) December 7 & 8 ~ Last days of pilgrimage. Eid observed even when not on pilgrimage.

    2. Hanukkah (Jewish) beginning December 22 ~ A menorah in the capitol rotunda is lit each evening without ceremony.

    3. Winter Solstice is sacred to several traditions including Shinto, Wicca and Native American.

    4. Traditional “Winter” holy days for Hindu, Baha’i, and Sikh fall in November this year.

    In addition to the Interfaith Awareness Week Events listed, here are more opportunities:

    SUNDAY

    Christian Churches have regular Sunday morning services – check the Worship Directory in most local newspapers. Many other religious groups meet for weekly gatherings on Sundays out of convenience, including Buddhist, Sikh and others.

    FRIDAY

    Muslims Gather for mid-day Community Prayers at Madison Area Mosques and Campus locations

    SATURDAY

    Jewish Services begin Friday at Sunset, usually at home, and then gather Saturday at Madison Area Synagogues and Campus locations

    Looking forward:

    THE 12th ANNUAL INTERFAITH AWARENESS WEEK

    ~ DECEMBER 6-12, 2009 ~

    “encouraging citizens to learn more about each others' beliefs in the spirit of community.”


  • Buy "Neighbors, Strangers and Everyone Else" a book by Rev John Brian Paprock
  • Thursday, November 13, 2008

    Statement of Office of Greek Orthodox Interfaith Relations

    http://www.goarch.org/news/interfaithoffice%20statement-2008-11-11

    Statement of Office of Interfaith Relations

    November 11, 2008

    NEW YORK - The Office of Interfaith Relations of the Greek Orthodox
    Archdiocese of America released a statement in response to a recent
    headline in the Press which read "The anticipated victory of Obama in
    the U.S. elections signals the end of Jewish domination. Everything
    changes in the USA and we hope that it will be more democratic and
    humane."

    The statement reads: "For decades, the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese has
    been a leader in inter-religious and inter-cultural dialogue. This
    ministry of the Archdiocese is part of the wider witness of the
    Ecumenical Patriarchate around the world which works for
    reconciliation and mutual understanding among all peoples. We are
    opposed to the language of bigotry, hatred and anti-Semitism in any
    form by any media. Furthermore, an association of this kind of
    language with an election in the United States that clearly witnesses
    to how far prejudice has been abolished is deplorable and rejectable."

    ###

    Contact: Father Mark Arey
    Phone 212-570-3593
    Email: ecumenical@goarch.org

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  • Tuesday, November 11, 2008

    UN to Host Meeting of World's Religions

    HEADLINE: UN to host meeting of world's religions
    BYLINE: Herve Couturier
    DATELINE:  UNITED NATIONS,  Nov 11 2008

    World leaders gather at the  United Nations  on Wednesday and Thursday for a conference on inter-faith relations that was overshadowed by uncertainty even before starting.

    Seventeen heads of state are expected to attend, including US President George W. Bush and the leaders of Arab nations and of Israel, countries where religion and politics are especially sensitive.

    The conference comes as US president-elect Barack Obama, who has signaled greater flexibility for US foreign policy in mostly Muslim geopolitical hot spots, readies to take power.

    Two days of meetings will take the form of a debate in the UN General Assembly under the official theme of "culture of peace."

    The conference was organized by the General Assembly president, Miguel d'Escoto Brockmann, a Nicaraguan Catholic priest who adopted the leftwing liberation theology and served as foreign minister under Sandinista  rule.

    However, the meeting comes at the call of Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah, who is keen for a UN follow-up to efforts at promoting inter-faith dialogue in the "World Conference on Dialogue" held last July in Madrid.

    King Abdullah, who rules as the head of an ultra-conservative Wahabite Muslim royal family, went to Madrid seeking "constructive dialogue"  aimed at opening what he called "a new page of reconciliation" among major  religions.

    The Madrid declaration that followed that meeting was noted for its call for an international agreement on fighting the root causes of terrorism.

    This time it is not clear whether the session will end with a UN  resolution or a lower-grade declaration, said Enrique Yeves, spokesman for  d'Escoto. "They are still negotiating among themselves."

    Diplomatic sources said there was no chance of a resolution and perhaps not even of a declaration because of splits between countries on the nature of the problem in religion and politics.

    One source said that Saudi Arabia had proposed a text inacceptable to European countries because of a reference to the "mocking of religious symbols," an issue deeply offensive to Saudis, but seen as a free speech matter in many Western states.

    "It's extremely sensitive. That raises important questions and could create many misunderstandings," the diplomat said.

    The representatives of 65 countries are planning to speak, Yeves said, including King Abdullah, Bush, Israel's Shimon Peres, and Britain's  premier Gordon Brown.

    France is sending only former prime minister Alain Juppe, but "we think it's a good thing that religions talk," said UN Ambassador Jean-Maurice Ripert.

    Ripert said that sending a serving government representative was impossible.

    "The idea is that we do not mix religious matters... with public  matters," he said.

  • Buy "Neighbors, Strangers and Everyone Else" a book by Rev John Brian Paprock
  • Tuesday, November 04, 2008

    HEALTH CARE & WORLD RELIGIONS BOOKLET


    Blue Cross/Blue Shield:
    HEALTH CARE & WORLD RELIGIONS BOOKLET
    by UNIITE (Minnesota Interfaith Group)


    UNIITE's "HCWR" booklet link is also available at the Blue Cross and Blue
    Shield of Minnesota Foundation website: http://www.bcbsmnfoundation.org/
    It is under the News section.
    an interfaith resource posted by:
    Rev. John-Brian Paprock
    Inroads Ministry
    P.O.Box 5207, Madison, WI 53705
    608.242.4244
    o HEALING LIFE o DEEPENING FAITH
    o ENRICHING PRACTICE o REFRESHING SPIRIT

  • Buy "Neighbors, Strangers and Everyone Else" a book by Rev John Brian Paprock
  • Monday, November 03, 2008

    Gathering of Waters - prelude future interfaith work

    The Gathering of Waters event in October was a nice prelude to further interfaith activity in the Madison area. There will be an interfaith Thanksgiving event November 23, 2008 at Lakeview Lutheran Church in Madison. Then the 11th Annual Interfaith Awareness week will have a week of interfaith opportunities from December 7 through December 13 - the annual noon program in the Capital will be December 10th - Human Rights Day.

    Pictured are a few attendees at one of the almost 50 program elements at the Gathering of the Waters (Edgewood College, Madison, Wisconsin - October 12, 2008) Pictured from left to right: Fr. John-Brian Paprock, Mikas and Markos Muluken, S.S. Shiva Singh Khalsa, Fr. Fred Janecek. Fr. John-Brian gave a presentation on the Blessing of Water in the Eastern Christian Tradition - more pictures and the powerpoint are on-line -> here.
    Posted by Picasa

  • Buy "Neighbors, Strangers and Everyone Else" a book by Rev John Brian Paprock