White House Invitation
By Sam Muyskens
Five experienced interfaith executives were invited to the White House by the staff of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. Rev. Sam Muyskens and three others from Houston, Austin, and Philadelphia were able to attend. On November 4, 2009, the four met with the specific purpose of sharing the effective traits of the Dialogue in Action model of interfaith understanding. All four cities have dynamic organizations that practice the Dialogue in Action methodology in their ministry. Inter-Faith Ministries-Wichita has practiced the model for well over thirty years. Dialogue in Action is a methodology that retains at the core of all it does inter-religious understanding. Effective Dialogue in Action models demonstrate a unique understanding and respect for all faith traditions within every aspect of its ministry. From decision making and planning to the actual doing of ministry.
During our four hours together we shared with the White House staff programmatic models that demonstrated the methodology of Dialogue in Action. The staff demonstrated interest in programs that effectively involve persons from diverse faith traditions. Programs such as the Amazing Faiths Project in Houston, the GoZones! and Benefit Bank projects of Wichita, and the Community Center for Austins refugee population are only a few Dialogue in Action models of interest.
As organizations like Global Faith In Action and Inter-Faith Ministries explores programmatic areas to develop, it might be helpful to know what four focus areas President Obama has assigned the White House Faith-Based Initiative. The four focus areas are: (1) economic recovery, (2) increasing the presence of fathers within the home – healthy families, (3) reducing the need for abortions, and (4) increasing the level of inter-religious understanding within our nation and abroad. Arie Alexander, Director of the White House Faith-Based Initiative office requested us to send him dialogue in action models that address the four focus areas.
The White House staff is planning a June 2010 conference and is looking for best practice models. There is an underlying felt need for effective interfaith organizations in our world today. Now, is an opportune time for interfaith organizations to grow and expand their vision – particularly organizations that are committed to the Dialogue in Action model?
Five experienced interfaith executives were invited to the White House by the staff of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. Rev. Sam Muyskens and three others from Houston, Austin, and Philadelphia were able to attend. On November 4, 2009, the four met with the specific purpose of sharing the effective traits of the Dialogue in Action model of interfaith understanding. All four cities have dynamic organizations that practice the Dialogue in Action methodology in their ministry. Inter-Faith Ministries-Wichita has practiced the model for well over thirty years. Dialogue in Action is a methodology that retains at the core of all it does inter-religious understanding. Effective Dialogue in Action models demonstrate a unique understanding and respect for all faith traditions within every aspect of its ministry. From decision making and planning to the actual doing of ministry.
During our four hours together we shared with the White House staff programmatic models that demonstrated the methodology of Dialogue in Action. The staff demonstrated interest in programs that effectively involve persons from diverse faith traditions. Programs such as the Amazing Faiths Project in Houston, the GoZones! and Benefit Bank projects of Wichita, and the Community Center for Austins refugee population are only a few Dialogue in Action models of interest.
As organizations like Global Faith In Action and Inter-Faith Ministries explores programmatic areas to develop, it might be helpful to know what four focus areas President Obama has assigned the White House Faith-Based Initiative. The four focus areas are: (1) economic recovery, (2) increasing the presence of fathers within the home – healthy families, (3) reducing the need for abortions, and (4) increasing the level of inter-religious understanding within our nation and abroad. Arie Alexander, Director of the White House Faith-Based Initiative office requested us to send him dialogue in action models that address the four focus areas.
The White House staff is planning a June 2010 conference and is looking for best practice models. There is an underlying felt need for effective interfaith organizations in our world today. Now, is an opportune time for interfaith organizations to grow and expand their vision – particularly organizations that are committed to the Dialogue in Action model?
Seeing Each Others Light Community
Event with Hesston College
A Video Introduction to the Golden Rule
Dear Interfaith Colleagues around the world:
In this 12-minute video, Canadian Golden Rule activist Paul McKenna outlines the basic tenets of the Golden Rule. McKenna demonstrates how the Golden Rule can be applied in numerous realms including social justice, multiculturalism, diversity and interfaith dialogue. Ideal for classrooms, youth groups and adult audiences.
This video also comments on the visual and symbolic features of the Scarboro Missions Golden Rule Poster which has achieved international renown as an educational and interfaith resource.
Below is the link that will enable you to view this video. Please feel free to forward this link and announcement through your communities and networks for use in newsletters, bulletin boards, websites, mailing lists, list-serves, blogs, Facebook pages, twitter, etc. Peace
Paul McKennaScarboro Missions Interfaith Dept.
2685 Kingston Rd.
Toronto, Ontario
Canada M1M 1M4
tel. 416-261-7135 ext. 296
www.scarboromissions.ca
interfaith@scarboromissions.ca
In this 12-minute video, Canadian Golden Rule activist Paul McKenna outlines the basic tenets of the Golden Rule. McKenna demonstrates how the Golden Rule can be applied in numerous realms including social justice, multiculturalism, diversity and interfaith dialogue. Ideal for classrooms, youth groups and adult audiences.
This video also comments on the visual and symbolic features of the Scarboro Missions Golden Rule Poster which has achieved international renown as an educational and interfaith resource.
Below is the link that will enable you to view this video. Please feel free to forward this link and announcement through your communities and networks for use in newsletters, bulletin boards, websites, mailing lists, list-serves, blogs, Facebook pages, twitter, etc. Peace
Paul McKennaScarboro Missions Interfaith Dept.
2685 Kingston Rd.
Toronto, Ontario
Canada M1M 1M4
tel. 416-261-7135 ext. 296
www.scarboromissions.ca
interfaith@scarboromissions.ca
What Happened At The Golden Rule Adult Retreat?
Event was held on
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
6:00-9:30 p.m.
Lorraine Ave. Mennonite Church
Wichita, Kansas 67211
The purpose of the Golden Rule Adult Retreat was to provide adults a Golden Rule experience that could be integrated into their home, work, and community environments. The retreat focused on the commonalities of world faith traditions, while respecting their uniqueness. The Golden Rule is often thought of as a rule for individuals and the retreat will challenged each person to consider how he or she would wish to be treated when deciding how to treat others. However, our changing world invites us to broaden this rule to groups of people and society as a whole. The Golden Rule may be the best guide we have for bringing all of the worlds people together in peace.
Sensitive, Caring Facilitator, Katie Marshall Flaherty, from Toronto, Canada, was the facilitator. In addition to the many Golden Rule retreats that Katie has led, she is also an award-winning poet, yoga and meditation instructor, and founding member of the Childrens Peace Theatre. She has had four books of poetry published, and has poems in several international anthologies. She also leads Meditation and Mindfulness days at the University of Toronto, as well as serving as a guide for Writing as a Spiritual Practice for the League of Canadian Poets.
By the conclusion of the four hour retreat you will be equipped to facilitate a Mini Golden Rule Experience (30-90 minute experience). You will be encouraged to share a Mini Golden Rule Experience with your congregation, business, staff, youth group, school, church school class, or any group that would be interested in furthering their understanding of the Golden Rule.
Golden Rule Adult Retreat Videos
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
6:00-9:30 p.m.
Lorraine Ave. Mennonite Church
Wichita, Kansas 67211
The purpose of the Golden Rule Adult Retreat was to provide adults a Golden Rule experience that could be integrated into their home, work, and community environments. The retreat focused on the commonalities of world faith traditions, while respecting their uniqueness. The Golden Rule is often thought of as a rule for individuals and the retreat will challenged each person to consider how he or she would wish to be treated when deciding how to treat others. However, our changing world invites us to broaden this rule to groups of people and society as a whole. The Golden Rule may be the best guide we have for bringing all of the worlds people together in peace.
Sensitive, Caring Facilitator, Katie Marshall Flaherty, from Toronto, Canada, was the facilitator. In addition to the many Golden Rule retreats that Katie has led, she is also an award-winning poet, yoga and meditation instructor, and founding member of the Childrens Peace Theatre. She has had four books of poetry published, and has poems in several international anthologies. She also leads Meditation and Mindfulness days at the University of Toronto, as well as serving as a guide for Writing as a Spiritual Practice for the League of Canadian Poets.
By the conclusion of the four hour retreat you will be equipped to facilitate a Mini Golden Rule Experience (30-90 minute experience). You will be encouraged to share a Mini Golden Rule Experience with your congregation, business, staff, youth group, school, church school class, or any group that would be interested in furthering their understanding of the Golden Rule.
Golden Rule Adult Retreat Videos
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News Stories
Playing for Change is a multimedia movement created to inspire, connect, and bring peace to the world through music. The idea for this project arose from a common belief that music has the power to break down boundaries and overcome distances between people. No matter whether people come from different geographic, political, economic, spiritual or ideological backgrounds, music has the universal power to transcend and unite us as one human race. And with this truth firmly fixed in our minds, we set out to share it with the world.
Parliament of World Religions Report
Every generation is called upon to answer the great challenges of its time. We have the capability and the responsibility to come together in peace and goodwill to listen to each other and work together to heal our conflicted communities and our endangered planet. With these words the Parliament of World Religions in Melbourne, Australia began.Nearly 5,000 people of faith from around the world came together to hear each other and to highlight some of the most effective strategies to help people of faith and goodwill transform the world through real action in their own communities. You name the religion, whether it be a new religion or one of the traditional faiths, they were there said Sam Muyskens who was invited to make a presentation on one of his favorite topics, Dialogue in Action. His presentation was filled with real life experiences where interfaith dialogue resulted in transformative acts of kindness and compassion.The Parliament claims to be a home for all faiths, and they did a pretty good job of that. I have attended three Parliaments and this one, in my opinion, was the most inclusive. What has struck me the most, however, is the presence of seminary students and young people. Never before, in all the interfaith events that I have attended has there been such a presence of seminarians and youth. This is a dramatic change in the interfaith movement. Christian ministers, Jewish rabbis, or Muslim imams cannot be effective religious leaders without knowing something about other religions. And if the youth of our world do not take up the banner, the interfaith movement will die.
