Women's Interfaith Model Seder - A Jewish Interfaith event for women only

TO REGISTER PLEASE GO HERE

Building bridges with food

Food, glorious food.  And how well food goes with faith.  In fact, our food is so often an expression of our faith.  The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews has a food blog!  The recipe below is suitable any time of year but is,  in particular, a Passover recipe.

Harmony Week 2016 Events

So much is happening on the Interfaith Calendar

as readers will see set out below.  

Perhaps because this week is Harmony Week and Passover and Easter 

are coming up ... so here is a list for you:

One Day Tantra Conference: MELA Interfaith Group

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The MELA Interfaith Group in association with Janssen Spirituality Centre invite you to:

One Day Tantra Conference | Themes:
'Well-being of the woman, well-being of the cosmos.'
'Ageing, spirituality and sexuality – an oxymoron?'

Date: Saturday 16 April 2016       Time: 8:30am to 5pm

Location: Janssen Spirituality Centre, 22 Woodvale Road Boronia Vic, 3155

The aim of Tantra is to reach the freedom that arises from the union of opposites, light and darkness, male and female, beauty and horror, strength and weakness. This paradoxical path leads most effectively to the highest state.

Due to many requests after a very successful Tantra Conference last November 2015, we are conducting a couple of one-day conferences leading up to a full Conference on 3-4 December 2016.

Guest Speakers:

Merav Carmeli was born is Israel. She has a BA and MA in Bible and Jewish Studies from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. She is now working on her Phd which focuses on the Zohar (the most important work of the classical Kabbalah from the 13th century) and specifically on the centrality of the Divine Feminine in this composition. She has taught Jewish Studies and Jewish Mysticism at the adult education program of Monash University through the ACJC, at universities in Israel and at other institutions. For the last 12 years she has analysed the available Zohar manuscripts (from the 14th-16th centuries) as part of the Pritzker Zohar Project (a critical translation into English of the Zohar, Stanford University Press). She is now an Adjunct Research Associate at Monash University. Merav has published a few academic articles and she is the co-editor of two volumes on the Zohar. She lives in Melbourne with her husband and three children.

Rev. Dr. John Dupuche is a Catholic Priest of the Archdiocese of Melbourne. He has a doctorate in Sanskrit, specialising in Kashmir Shaivism and is particularly interested in its interface with Christianity. He is Honorary Fellow in the Faculty of Theology and Philosophy at the Australian Catholic University with special involvement in interfaith relations, and senior-lecturer and co-ordinator of the Graduate Certificate in Guiding Meditation at MCD University of Divinity. He is chair of the Catholic Interfaith Committee of the Archdiocese, and member of the executive of the School of Prayer within the Archbishop’s Office for Evangelisation. He travels to India each year, and lives in an interfaith ashram. His book: Abhinavagupta: the Kula Ritual as elaborated in chapter 29 of the Tantraloka was published in 2003; Jesus, the Mantra of God, in 2005; and Vers un Tantra Chrétien in 2009 (translated as Towards a Christian Tantra). He has written many articles in these fields.

Cost: $45   Enrolments: by 31 March 2016 

More information: 

Email: jeandupuche@gmail.com | Mobile: 0417 560 0870

Program:

8.30am registration

09.00am presentation by Merav Carmeli:

'I will explore the idea that attending to the sexual and emotional wellbeing of the human woman and the Goddess is the key to personal and cosmic salvation. We will read texts from the Kabbalah of the Zohar and compare them to texts from Kashmir Shaivism and Hildegard from Bingen.'

10.00am morning tea.

10.30am workshop on material provided by Merav.

11.30am general discussion on outcome of workshop and further investigation of the topic.

12.15pm pause

12.30pm lunch (vegetarian)

1.30pm presentation by John Dupuche on:

Tantra in the third age of life: The paradoxical topic of ageing, spirituality and sexuality will be broached from a tantric perspective, drawing on themes from Christianity and Kashmir Shaivism.

2.30pm elaboration on the tantric dimension of the Mass.

3.15pm afternoon tea

3.45pm workshop on material supplied by John

4.30pm general discussion and resumé

5.00pm close

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Art of Peace Dinner: Kingston Interfaith Network

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The Kingston Interfaith Network invites you to:
Interfaith Art of Peace Dinner | Harmony Week 2016

Date: Wednesday 23 March 2016     Time: 7pm to 9pm

Location: Southern Community Church of Christ, 2/12 Chesterville Rd, Cheltenham
 

Guest Speaker William Kelly OAM, artist and peace activist will feature at this night of multicultural food and entertainment and lead a discussion on Art of Peace.
 

More about the speaker: William Kelly was born in New York City. William is a writer, painter, printmaker and peace activist. William is a recipient of the prestigious "Courage of Conscience Award" from the Peace Abby in America and the only visual artist to receive an Australian Violence Prevention Award from the Prime Minister and heads of Australian Government.

All welcome.
Bookings essential: community@kingston.vic.gov.au | 03 9581 4734

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Inspiration in Diversity - The Shifting Sands of Spiritual Care: Spiritual Care Australia

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Spiritual Care Australia invites you to a national conference on:

Inspiration in Diversity - The Shifting Sands of Spiritual Care

Date: Sunday 1 May to Wednesday 4 May 2016
Location: Bayview on the Park, 52 Queens Road, Melbourne

The Spiritual Care Australia Conference Committee looks forward to welcoming you to the SCA Conference 2016! Around the theme of “Inspiration in Diversity”, we are planning a conference that we hope will stretch all of us in our understanding of “the other” and deepen our understanding of “the self”. There will be stories from people of other faiths – people of other racial background – people whose life’s journey has taken them places different and similar to your own.  With the sub-theme of “The shifting sands of spiritual care”, we will explore those things that are changing – and those things that stay the same.  There will be workshops on practical subjects and seminars and papers sessions to stretch us.  We will have ways for you to engage your heart and soul in ritual, and ways to engage with your colleagues over meals. Whatever your religious tradition, your field of chaplaincy, your age or your level of experience, we believe there will be something for you at Melbourne 2016.

For more information on the Conference program please see attached flyer

Cost:  Early Bird Rate   |  Member $550  |  Non Member $650  |  Single Day $250 (Early Bird Rate closes 29 February)
Online registration, click here.

For all queries, please contact the Spiritual Care Australia Office:
Phone: 03 9895 4447  |  Email: admin@spiritualcareaustralia.org.au

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Faith Community Inclusion Forum: Inclusion Designlab

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Inclusion Designlab invites you to:

Faith Community Inclusion Forum
Encouraging greater participation of people with disability in their chosen faith

Date: Wednesday 23 March 2016      Time: 2pm to 4pm
Location: 67 Sutherland Rd, Armadale 3143

You are invited to an innovative dialogue between faith communities, disability support organisations, families and advocates.

Inclusion Designlab is conducting a short community forum that aims to demystify the roles of disability support organisations and faith communities in encouraging greater participation of people with intellectual disability in their chosen faith. This forum is being conducted as part of a faith participation and community inclusion project conducted by Inclusion Melbourne. A 12 month trial has been conducted, with the intention of connecting and including people with an intellectual disability with their chosen faith community.

The topics that will be discussed include:

• Staff as facilitators of Faith Inclusion
• Risk perception
• Faith vs Spirituality vs Meaning vs Faith community
• Is there a model to support people with disability in faith communities?
• Navigating cultural traditions
• Buy-in from family, friends and advocates
• Genuine welcome in the community
• What are good outcomes? What is good support?

Why do we want your input?

• Your expertise and opinion in supporting people with intellectual disability to access places of worship.
• You are the expert. Through collaborating with you we hope to create a valuable resource that will assist all faith communities and disability service providers to navigate the process of supporting a person to be included in a faith community.

RSVP: 18 March 2016
Contact: Alice Nicholas or Nathan Despott | 03 9509 4266 | projects@inclusiondesignlab.org.au |www.inclusiondesignlab.org.au

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 Places of Worship Bus Tour: Brimbank and Maribyrnong Interfaith Network

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The Brimbank and Maribyrnong Interfaith Network invites you to:
Places of Worship Bus Tour  (Western Region of Melbourne) | Cultural Diversity Week 2016
Date: Friday, 4 March 2016       Time: 9am to 4pm
Location: 9am – Meet at Maribyrnong City Council located at 67 Hyde St, Footscray.
9:20am – Meet at Brimbank City Council located at 6-18 Alexandra Avenue, Sunshine
Finish at approximately 4pm – Drop off at pick up point.
As part of Cultural Diversity Week 2016, the Brimbank Maribyrnong Interfaith Network invites you to join us on the following tour. This is an opportunity to witness the religious and cultural diversity in the western region of Melbourne.

The tour will visit:

• Sunshine Mosque, Sunshine
• Sikh Temple, Hoppers Crossing
• Quang Minh Buddhist Temple, Braybrook

Please wear comfortable shoes and modest clothing covering thighs and shoulders. Please Note: You may be asked to remove your shoes or cover your head to enter some areas of worship.
Light lunch and refreshments will be provided. This is a no cost community event but registration is essential. Limited spaces. All welcome to attend.
Register online or call 03 9688 0342. For more information about the Brimbank & Maribyrnong Interfaith Network and other events visit www.bmin.org.au.

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Harmony Day: Frankston Interfaith Network

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The Frankston Interfaith Network would like to invite you to:
Harmony Day | Understanding the range of beliefs, practices and traditions within faiths

Date: Sunday 20 March 2016       Time: 2 to 4pm 

Location: Cube 37, 37 Davey Street Frankston

Across Christianity, Islam and Judaism, groups range in practice and beliefs. Come along to find out more about the variety within these religions from approachable and learned speakers.

We offer this afternoon as a chance to listen, learn and deepen our understanding of the range of beliefs, practices and traditions within faiths.

This is a free event.

RSVP essential: 17 March 2017  

Contact: 03 9784 1851 | info@frankstoninterfaith.org.au

Proudly Supported by Frankston City Council and State Government Victoria.

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World Interfaith Harmony Week 2016: The Interfaith Centre of Melbourne

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The Interfaith Centre of Melbourne together with 17 interfaith and other organisations invite you to:

#I'll Dine With You | World Interfaith Harmony Week 2016

Date: Monday 29 February 2016   Time: 6:00pm (registration), 6:30pm-9pm (dinner)

Location: City Square, corner of Swanston Street & Collins Street

Be a part of the #IllDineWithYou interfaith and intercultural open-air dining experience and actively support our vibrant diverse communities. Enjoy an inspirational evening along our spectacular eighty metre dining table in the heart of Melbourne. Do what Melbournians do best and connect with people through great conversation with food!

Three course vegetarian meal. Includes entertainment and special guests. No alcohol.

Registration starts at 6pm | Dinner 6:30pm to 9pm

Tickets: $25 - $20 Students/Concession

Bookings: Click here 

More information:  info@interfaithcentre.org.au | (03) 9650 7163 | Mobile: 0400 228 146

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Multi-Faith Service: Hume Interfaith Network

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Hume Interfaith Network invites you to:
Multi-Faith Service
Date: Tuesday 8 March 2016     Time: 5:30pm to 7pm
Location: Broadmeadows Town Hall, 1079 Pascoe Vale Road, Broadmeadows
This event will give you an insight into the different faiths that represent Hume City and celebrate our strength in diversity.

This event is supported by Hume City Council.

Women's Interfaith Model Passover Seder: National Council of Jewish Women of Australia (Vic)

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The National Council of Jewish Women of Australia (Victoria) would like to invite you to:
Women's Interfaith Model Passover Seder (Women Only Event)
Date: Monday 4 April 2016      Time: 6pm to 9pm
Location: The Eva Besen Centre, 131-133 Hawthorn Road, Caulfield North

Speakers: Rabbi Allison RH Conyer

This year's theme - Bring a relative or friend!
Learn about the traditions and customs of this eight-day festival which commemorates the emancipation of the Israelites from slavery in ancient Egypt. Includes a specially prepared ‘Seder’ type meal, take home booklet and packet of matzah We are encouraging participants to bring a friend or relative from the same or different faith with whom to share this experience.
About the speaker: Rabbi Allison Conyer of the Etz Chayim Progressive Synagogue in Bentleigh will be facilitating the seder. She brings with her a passion for the Jewish faith and a wealth of experience in interfaith dialogue both here and in the US.

Please Note: This is a Women only event.
Cost: $25 Kosher Vegetarian meal served
Click here for Registration.

More information: Phone: (03) 9044 5401
The event is partnered with United Jewish Education Board and supported by the Victorian Multicultural Commission.

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Caves of unredeemed nastiness and bitterness engendering disrespect of others

The material posted below concerning yesterday's rallies is posted for information and for the record. However, the Social Media Project Officer, a Christian, cannot resist a comment. 

The Saturday between Good Friday and Easter Sunday is, in many Christian traditions, a sobering and quiet day. It is a day for remembering Jesus lying in the borrowed tomb after his death on Friday and before his rising to life on Sunday. 

This year, the Christian holy days overlapped with the conclusion of the Jewish Passover which marks the remembrance of the escape of the Jews from tyrannical power, a tyrannical nation. This leaves a question. Who were the noisy anti-Islamic people who were the initiators of all this noise in the public squares of Australian cities yesterday? 

I think it might be possible to rule out the participation of Muslims. Saturday is the Jewish Sabbath - so I think Jews could be ruled out. Some of the participants would have called themselves Christian. I would challenge these people. I would say that they are Christian in name only - and not in spirit. 

The true spirit of the day would not have seen public outcry and uproar. It would not have seen expressed hatred to another Abrahamic faith - because, in the Abrahamic tradition, we are taught to love and respect others as ourselves. The true spirit of the day, instead, would have been private and reflective. 

Something horrible happened in Australia yesterday. It enlivened latent bigotry and xenophobia in the Australian psyche which many of us had hoped we, as a nation, would have overcome. If yesterday did nothing else, it held a mirror up to ourselves. It showed us that all Australians are not sweetness and light and good mates - but dwell in caves of unredeemed nastiness and bitterness which engenders disrespect of others.

 ~~~~

The post below has been cross-posted with permission from The Network

The video above and the text immediately below are from the Melbourne rally.
Violent clashes at anti-Islam protests in Melbourne
Thousands of anti-Muslim and anti-racism protesters have clashed in cities and towns across the country after Reclaim Australia group organised rallies
Violent clashes have marred anti-Islam demonstrations in Australia.

Thousands of anti-Islam and anti-racism protesters clashed today after the Reclaim Australia group organised rallies in 16 cities and towns across the country.

The group claims to oppose Islamic extremism, the "Islamisation" of Australian society, Sharia law and the Halal-certification of most meats sold in Australia.

But counter-rallies were organised by other groups, who claim Reclaim Australia is anti-Muslim.
The most violent clashes were in Melbourne, Australia's second-largest city, where police struggled to hold back opposing demonstrators.

Ambulance Victoria spokesman Paul Bentley said the Victoria state ambulance service treated four people, three for minor injuries, due to assaults in Melbourne.

The fourth was treated for chest pains.

Police arrested three people after groups clashed in the city's Federation Square.
A man at the Reclaim Australia rally in Hobart was arrested and charged with assault after his group clashed with the counter-rally supporting multiculturalism.

A large rally was held in Sydney, where police were forced to remove opposition protesters who stormed the Reclaim Australia stage.

Clare Fester, who organised a counter-rally in Sydney, said Reclaim Australia was racist and divisive.

"It's quite clearly an attack on Muslims and Muslim communities in this country," she told ABC News.
"It's all about halal food, sharia law, banning the burka."

But Reclaim Australia's John Oliver said it was wrong to label the group racist.

"We're not against any particular race or any particular religion," he said.
"We're against the extremists of one particular religion."

One Nation's Pauline Hanson addressed supporters in Brisbane telling them she was a "proud Australian" who wanted to fight for "our democracy, culture and way of life".

Other rallies were held in Adelaide, Hobart and Perth.

Report from The Age, Melbourne.

The video below together with the text came from here.

On April 4th an organisation named Reclaim Australia has called racist anti-Muslim rallies across the country. Their core demands include banning the burqa, opposition to halal food and stopping sharia law. It has attracted support from far right organisations such as the Australian Defence League.

Unlike previous far right events this rally has attracted a large number of attendees on Facebook. Reclaim Australia is trying to win credibility by claiming it is not racist to be anti-Muslim. Our counter-protest aims to challenge this and make clear the racist nature of their event. We hope this will stop the hard core racists behind this event from building any greater support.

In Sydney they have called their rally outside the Lindt Café, where the Martin Place siege took place in December. But Man Haron Monis, an unstable individual with a history of bizarre actions, had no connection to any terrorist organisation. Even Federal Police Commissioner Andrew Colvin has stated the siege had nothing to do with Islam. But Reclaim Australia is attempting to make a political link between terrorism, Islam and Martin Place.

MAINSTREAM ISLAMOPHOBIA

Islamophobia is already being peddled in the political mainstream. Tony Abbott and the mainstream media have labelled the entire Muslim community as responsible for terrorism.

Abbott has effectively accused Muslim leaders of sympathising with violence and terrorism, saying, “I've often heard Western leaders describe Islam as a 'religion of peace'. I wish more Muslim leaders would say that more often, and mean it.”

Abbott launched a scare campaign about terrorism following police raids in the western suburbs of Sydney and Melbourne, despite there being no evidence of any terror attack planned. Just one person was charged on terror-related crimes as a result.

The raids served to whip up fear and division in the community and allow the government to pass a raft of new and invasive anti-terror laws that curb civil liberties. The result has been a spate of violent attacks on Muslims around the country, especially visibly Muslim women who wear the hijab.

It is not a coincidence that Abbott has ramped up the Islamophobia while he keeps sinking in the polls. Across the world governments are using fear of Muslims, refugees and migrants to get away with budget cuts and austerity.

This is a desperate government trying to sow fear and xenophobia in the community as a distraction.

WHY WE ARE RALLYING

We are holding a rally on April 4th in solidarity with Muslim communities all over the country who are currently under attack.

SBS coverage of the anti-Islam/anti-racism rallies

ABC coverage

news.com.au coverage

The Australian

The Guardian

The Sydney Morning Herald

The New York Times

Celebrating Easter and the reason for the season

First, let me tender apologies for a long absence.  I have been ill for quite a long time.  I am improving but stamina is an issue. I am having more good days than bad days - so it means that I am unable to do all that I am used to doing.  Now that Easter is here, I hope I can become more enduring and reliable.  The post below comes from my own spiritual blog, Desert.

~~~~~

The picture above comes from here

We have been on pilgrimage for the last six weeks.

A pilgrimage of penitence and remembrance. 

Now the climax is upon us -

The Blessed Triduum or The Great Three Days.

It began last night as we remmembered

and partially re-enacted

the last passover of Jesus of Nazareth

which he celebrated with is friends. 

The photos below were taken by my friend, Ian Hall.

 You can find more at his blog, Spiritual Journey of life.

Father Constantine - Footwashing

St Paul's Anglican Church, Humffray Street, Ballarat

Worship at the Altar of Repose

If you would like to celebrate The Blessed Triduum

with us at Saint Paul's here are the times:

Good Friday

11 a.m:   Stations of the Cross

3 p.m: Liturgy of the Passion

Saturday

8 p.m: Vigil Service at Christ Church Cathedral, Lydiard Street

Easter Sunday

8 a.m:  Lighting of the New Fire and Eucharist

10 a.m: Procession, Sung Eucharist, Renewal of Baptismal Vows

God willing, the writer will be doing the Second Reading

at this afternoon's service.

If you are there, please come up afterwards and say hello.