Jane Goodall - praying for peace

Blogging Baha'i style

This post serves to let you know that the Baha'is have a blog.  The latest entry, Why is the Baha'i World Centre in Israel, has a stunningly beautiful picture of the centre.  You can certainly learn more about the Baha'i faith and its adherents here.

Greening the Uniting Church

From Crosslight - magazine of the Victorian and Tasmanian Synod of the Uniting Church of Australia. An encouraging and inspiring write-up of how congregations can review the energy consumption of their churches.

~~~

Greening the Church

BY CROSSLIGHT ⋅ JULY 6, 2014 ⋅ 

When the Synod resolved to reduce energy use by 20 per cent by 2020, many congregations set about working towards ways in which they could live out the commitment to responsible stewardship of the environment.

Whether it is investing in solar power, retrofitting buildings or simply shopping around for the best utilities provider, church groups are increasingly seeking opportunities to lower their carbon footprints.

In 2012 the small team at Glen Waverley Uniting Church started their journey of investigation.

Throughout the next two years, Warren Greenwood, Neil Leister and Ross Lennon reviewed the electrical needs of the congregation and looked at various options to reduce energy use.

They found between 60 to 70 per cent of their annual power usage was in the daytime and 80 per cent of energy usage was electricity.

After consulting a number of solar companies, Glen Waverley UC recently installed a new 30 kW solar electric system. The system will slash their annual power bill by more than half and pay for itself in seven years and will produce free, zero-carbon electricity for at least 20 years.

It was calculated the system would reduce their annual power bill from $14,000 p.a. to between $5000 and $6000. The total cost of the project was approximately $50,000.

An added benefit is that, when the community looks up at the roof of the church, they are seeing a clear – or rather a shiny black – representation of the church’s commitment to the environment.

The Queenscliff-Point Lonsdale congregations have also taken steps to reduce their carbon footprint and lower their bills.
Treasurer Lorel Larcombe was encouraged to review their energy deal after being contacted by the Synod’s new Uniting to GREEN program.

“It could not have been simpler,” Ms Larcombe said.

“I told them we could get a better deal elsewhere, and they immediately offered to review our current plan. They then offered a fantastic additional 20 per cent reduction. This will mean the churches now save nearly $1,000 per year in energy bills.”

Encouraged by these savings, church members are now considering using the money they’ve saved to invest in more green initiatives.

“There is a nice synchronicity about using the savings to fund another green activity, such as solar panels. We are delighted that the serendipitous contact with Uniting to Green has opened up these options,” church secretary Richard Allen said.

Congregations interested in learning more about energy efficiency initiatives are encouraged to make contact with the National Energy Efficiency Network (NEEN).

Michael Hwang, NEEN regional leader for Victoria and Tasmania is based at the synod as another resource to assist congregations to get started on energy reduction initiatives.

Funded by the Federal Government and Department of Industry, NEEN provides information and advice on how to implement energy reduction initiatives.

Mr Hwang said that often the first steps are the most difficult.

“There is so much information out there that it can be daunting to get started,” Mr Hwang said.

“But once you get started there are significant cost savings to be made from simple behaviour changes and low cost initiatives.

“These in turn can support more significant investments like retrofitting or solar panels.”

For more details on Glen Waverley’s project please visit www.gwuc.org.au/solar or contact Warren Greenwood on 9560 3580.

Congregations interested in reviewing electricity and gas energy plans can contact the Uniting to GREEN team at UnitingtoGREEN@victas.uca.org.au or 03 9251 5916.To find out more about NEEN visit www.neen.org.au or contact Michael Hwang on 0417 342 017 or michael.hwang@neen.org.au.

Related posts:

1. A greener future
2. Waste not …
3. Greening the Church
4. Church petition calls for stronger climate change action
5. Five stars for UC schools

Muslims sheltered by Christians of the Greek Orthodox tradition

Muslim Gaza Refugees Find Shelter 

In Greek Orthodox Church

For more please go to the Religion section of Huffington Post

The Australian Fair for Freedom of Belief & Religion - on this weekend at MONA (the Museum of Old and New Art in Hobart)

Apologies for only providing this information now.

However, I have only just found out by email.

More details at the AFFBR website and

the media release below which has been obtained on-line

from TasmanianTimes.com

Links in the media release below have been placed by the Ed.

MONA to host 

The Australian Fair for Freedom of Belief and Religion

Delia Nicholls 

Research Curator and Media Manager 

Museum of Old and New Art
27.05.14 6:12 pm

Mona is hosting the inaugural Australian Fair for Freedom of Belief and Religion to be held from July 26 to 27, 2014.

The AFFBR seeks to bring together a wide range of groups, communities and organisations from around Australia to present a broad spectrum of beliefs and religious views as represented in our contemporary society.  The AFFBR will run for two days and will include forums and workshops offering visitors the chance to experience and to learn about many diverse viewpoints.

“I am sure everyone will be wondering why Mona is doing this given David Walsh’s clear statements of non-belief in any gods,” says Jarrod Rawlins, Mona’s assistant curator.

“We have the freedom to offer a forum where everyone can engage with and learn about the beliefs and religious views that are part of many people’s lives. We hope the fair is a place of freedom, tolerance and learning,” Rawlins added.

Rawlins confirmed that expressions of interest have been sent to many groups inviting them to take part and so far there has been a great response.  He said that Mona will not charge any fee to registered participants to take part in the fair, and that there were still a handful of positions available.

IN SUMMARY
What:  Australian Fair for Freedom of Belief and Religion
Where: Mona – Museum of Old and New Art
When:  July 26 and 27, 2014; 10 am to 5pm
What provided: exhibition booth, table and chair, cinema for talks and films, spaces for workshops and other related activities
Cost: No booth charges for registered participants
Contact Details: affbr@mona.net.au

PARTICIPATING GROUPS SIGNED TO DATE
Eckankar
Ecorevolutionaries
First Church of Christ, Scientist, Hobart
Goddess Association in Australia Inc.
Loads of Laughter (laughing yoga)
Love Hobart
Share International / Tara Network
Synod of Victoria and Tasmania
Tashi Choling Dharma Foundation / Hobart Buddhist Meditation Centre
Kabbalah Australia
Hobart Sukyo Mahikari Centre
Ron Cruikshank - Pathways of Light
The Australian Religious Response to Climate Change
Religions for Peace Australia
Brahma Kumaris Australia
The Tasmanian Pagan Alliance
The Emmanuel Synagogue
Hobart Spiritualist Church
The Lotus Centre Hobart
Professor Douglas Ezzy – Associate Professor of Sociology, University of Tasmania, Hobart
Dr. Graeme Miles – Lecturer in Classics, University of Tasmania, Hobart
Mandy Cruikshank - Colour Vibrations (harp meditation)

mona.net.au

The Museum of Old and New Art

It's Time To Share The Faith

An invitation to an interfaith women's lunch ---- Lajna Imalliah Victoria, the women's auxiliary of Amadiyyah Muslim Association ---- Saturday 23 August 2014

Ballarat Interfaith Network (BIN) has received an invitation to lunch.  :Please note it is a women only lunch.

The invitation comes from Lajna Imalliah Victoria, the Women's Auxiliary of the  Amadiyyah Muslim Association of Australia.

At the moment BIN is considering two options to enable attendance at the lunch from Ballarat people.

•  Firstly, if there are sufficient numbers we would consider hiring a bus.  There would be a financial contribution required from attendees if this option was tajken.
• Secondly, if numbers are few we would be car-pooling.

Needless to say, for either option we would need you to be in touch for this.  You can do this by emailing ballaratinterfaithnetwork@gmail.com.au.  

It is suggested that, if you are coming to the lunch, you follow the RSVP instructions in the flyer published below"

RSVP by 10 August 2014.

Contact: Khola Usman on 0449 665 263 or Sabia Waheed on 0450 156 180

and be in touch with us at the email address above.  Further information about Amadiyyah is published below so that you can be well informed prior to the lunch.

If you can't see the flyer,

please click on the title bar and it will come up.

Amadiyyah
Lajnah Imaillah
Amadiyyah Times

Ramadan ... and the first Taraweh of the year in Australia

To find out more about what Taraweh means, please go here.

To follow Ballarat Interfaith Network on Twitter, please go here

The world's refugees now outnumber the entire population of Spain? What part do each of us play in finding a solution to this problem?

A Christian shares in the practice of Ramadan ---------- Dave Andrews

Dave Andrews tells us about Ramadan
from the perspective of a Christian with Muslim friends. Many thx to Dave for his permission to publish his Facebook post below.

Dave Andrews

· 

My Reasons For Fasting As A Christian With Muslim Friends In Ramadan

I don’t know a lot, but let me tell you the little bit I have learnt about Ramadan over the last few years. Ramadan is the ninth month in the Islamic calendar. It is a period of prayer, fasting, reflection, solidarity, accountability and charity.

Fasting during Ramadan is one of the Five Pillars (religious duties) of Islam. It is a time of self-examination and increased religious devotion Fasting occurs during daylight but meals can be eaten when the sun is down. It is common to have a pre-fast meal (suhoor) before sunrise and an evening meal (iftar) after sunset during Ramadan. Groups of people, including the chronically ill, mentally challenged, and the elderly who cannot participate due to health reasons, are exempt from fasting.

Muslims are encouraged to read the Qur'an often during Ramadan. Some Muslims recite the entire Qur'an by the end of Ramadan through special prayers known as Tarawih, which are held in the mosques every night of the month, during which a section of the Qur'an is recited. I have one Muslim friend, MK, who knows the whole of the Qur’an by heart and can recite it all by himself.

Muhammad Nazreen says ‘Ramadan has created a stream consciousness for us to rethink the system. For instance, consumerism becomes a major hindrance for the development of the marginalised poor. Ramadan gives us chances to sober up on how the poor are mistreated by the inequalities of the economic system. During this fasting month, we are encouraged to give more and get less. Perhaps, this might be an implicit message that we can learn from Ramadan.’

Ramadan is a time for Muslims to remember the hungry as they go hungry and many Muslims donate to charity by participating in food drives for the poor, organizing a collection or charity event, and other voluntary activities. During Ramadan our friends from AMARAH (Australian Muslim Advocates for the Rights of All Humanity) join us in our community meals with the ‘marginalised poor’.

The Oxford University Islamic academic, Tariq Ramadan, says: ‘Human beings must undertake the fast in a spirit of seeking nearness to the Unique, of equality and nobility among their fellows, women and men alike, and in solidarity with the downtrodden. The core of life thus rediscovered is this: to return to our hearts, to reform ourselves in the light of what is essential, and celebrate life in solidarity.’

I may not always fast during Ramadan, but I have wanted to fast and pray as a Christian with my Muslim friends during Ramadan in the last few years because it's a joy to fast and pray with friends, we remind ourselves once again of the priority of loving God and loving our neighbor, we demonstrate our solidarity as brothers and sisters in the Abrahamic families of faith, we reflect on the cruel limitations and contradictions of the consumerist capitalist system we inhabit and we remember the plight of the ‘marginalised poor’ being forced to go without food involuntarily whom we are called to serve.

Interfaith blogging

Beside the Creek, the blog of the Ballarat Interfaith Network, is but one of many interfaith blogs across the planet.  Here is another, Project Interfaith.