PERU SWEATER SALE!

Beautiful handmade sweaters and other items from Artesania Pachamama, a woman’s cooperative in Mañazo, Peru.

St. Pius X Parish Center

2210 N. Elm St.

Friday, Nov. 6, 5:00 - 9:00

Saturday, Nov. 7, 10:00 – 7:00

Sunday, Nov. 8, 10:00 – 2:00

www.perusweaters.org

The 27th Annual Ecumenical Celebration of Thanksgiving

Sunday, November 22. 4:00 p.m. in Dana Auditorium on the Guilford College Campus.

This annual event brings the community together to celebrate the diversity of our community--our Community Kaleidoscope--and to give thanks for our unity as children of God.

Join us as we hear the music of the Triad Tapestry Children's Chorus, Louis Allen, Tangela Stanley, and others; as we watch the E. Gwynn Dancers and the Young First American Dancers, and as we listen to students from the Newcomers School share their experiences.

This special event is open to the public and free of charge.

A collaborative effort with the Greensboro Human Relations Commission, the Celebration is supported in part by a grant from the Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro.

Coming up Sunday!

Come hear the Triad Tapestry Children's Chorus sing at 5:00 p.m. at the Ten Thousand Villages Shop. TTV will donate a percentage of all sales that take place between 5:00 & 7:00 to support the Chorus. There will be coffee, refreshments, beautiful fair trade items, and the chance to visit with friends.

Please come!

No Hate in Our Town

PIC is a sponsor of the No Hate in Our Town resolution. You too can sign it here.

TRIAD TAPESTRY CHILDREN'S CHORUS

DOES YOUR CHILD LOVE TO SING???


THE PIEDMONT INTERFAITH COUNCIL
ANNOUNCES THE 17th SEASON OF THE
THE TRIAD TAPESTRY CHILDREN’S CHORUS

Rehearsals each Tuesday, beginning September 15th, 2009
1st Baptist Church, 1000 W. Friendly Avenue
~ No Auditions ~ No Fees ~
All children ages 7-11 are invited and NEW MEMBERS WELCOME ANYTIME!
The TTCC brings together area children from various races, cultures and faith traditions.
We perform several times during the school-year for community groups and local events.
Through music, we weave a beautiful tapestry of friendship and fun!
For more info, please visit www.piedmontinterfaithcouncil.org.

Prayers to Confront Hatred and Prejudice

People of goodwill were appalled to read in Sunday's paper that the National Socialist Movement plans to hold a regional meeting in Greensboro this month. We were reminded that fear and hatred can be powerful forces for disruption in any community. The Piedmont Interfaith Council is committed to affirming the dignity and value of all human beings as creations of God and so we deplore the actions of those who encourage suspicion and division.

In the same edition of the paper, though, we found encouragement and a model of how to respond to evil. There a brief note describes how Liberian women, both Muslim and Christian, joined in prayer and witness to bring a measure of peace to their country. Similarly, PIC invites members of all faith traditions and all spiritual practitioners to join us as we pray for unity and healing not only in our community, but also in our nation and our world. Set aside time on August 29 to remember--and to voice--the beliefs we hold in common.

Prayers in the Face of Hatred and Prejudice

Many faith traditions remind us that as human beings we are all created by God to be part of one family. The prayers that follow are drawn from sacred writings of the Bahá’í, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Islamic, Jain, Jewish and Sikh traditions. To see how much they have in common is indeed a source of blessing.


* May we come to realize that we are all brothers and sisters, all nourished from the same source of life.

* May we purify our eyes to be able to see that no one is different from ourselves.

* May we remember that we were created and divided into nations and tribes in order to come to know one another, not to despise one another.

* Let us pray, then, that we ourselves cease to be the cause of suffering to each other.

* May we share one goal in life and may our minds be united so as to bring life’s goodness to all.

* Let us not hate our sisters and brothers in our hearts, but love our neighbors as we love ourselves.

* Let us respond to evil actions with those that are better: in this way enmity will be replaced with friendship.

* May we remember that the most important victory is the one where no one is defeated, because it is through love that we reach God.

* May we learn to forgive and to seek reconciliation, for we will surely be rewarded by God.

* Let the whole universe be blessed;
let all beings be engaged in one another's well-being;
let all weakness, sickness and faults be diminished and vanish;
let everyone, everywhere be blissful and at peace.

The Greensboro Daily Photo

Do you know this resource?
http://www.greensborodailyphoto.com/religion/

They have some beautiful photos of local houses of worship--and of other spots in Greensboro. Take a look, and feel free to suggest to them additional places to include.

Education for Peace: Empowerment of the Women of Afghanistan

You Are Invited!The Greensboro Jewish FederationWomen's Philanthropy Cabinetinvites you to join us
for the amazing story ofThe work ofGINA BOWDENEducation for Peace: Empowerment of the Women of AfghanistanMonday, March 23, 2009
7:30pmGreensboro Jewish Federation
Desserts will be served
Admission is FREE
Please respond by March 20th to 852-5433

This is an OUTREACH event and is open to ALL women in the community.

"Education For Peace" Event Chairs
Sharon Segall & Janie Silvers

Gina Boden

During her years in Afghanistan, Gina Boden has helped build schools, teach teachers and improve education opportunities for Afghan girls living south of the capital of Kabul. Her emphasis is on peace through education and empowerment of women. Boden helped organize and found "Banu Silks", a cooperative of women in western Afghanistan who create beautiful silk scarves that are now marketed worldwide. Ms. Boden is currently researching a book called Leading Horses to Water: Empowerment of the Women of Afghanistan.

Banu Silks will be available for purchase the evening of the event.

This program is proudly sponsored by the Women’s Philanthropy Cabinet which represents women who make a minimum gift of $365 to the Annual Greensboro Jewish Federation Campaign.

Come to the Table--People of Faith ...Relieving Hunger

Come to the Table - Feed the Hungry

Register Now for the Come to the Table Conferences: Three conferences on how people of faith can relieve hunger and support local agriculture in North Carolina. Register now or find more information by clicking here. The Conferences will be held in three areas in North Carolina: Eastern NC on Wednesday, February 25 at Garysburg, N.C., Roanoke Salem Missionary Baptist Church, 10am - 4pm Western NC on Thursday, February 26 at Boone, N.C., Boone United Methodist Church, 9:30am - 4pm Central NC on Friday, February 27 at Charlotte, N.C., Myers Park Baptist Church, 9am - 4:15 pm Featuring speaker Michael Schut, author of Food and Faith: Justice, Joy and Daily Bread. Workshops on topics including community gardening, reconciliation in the garden, land preservation, food security for the hungry, starting CSAs and farmers' markets, screenings of The Guestworker, and more. Workshops vary at each site. Registration is $10 and includes a local lunch and a copy of Come to the Table's new guidebook. Scholarships are available. For more information, contact Claire Hermann at claire@rafiusa.org, (919) 542-1396 x207

Video Screening

Write Your Legislators about Persecution of Baha'is

Former Board members, Nooshi and Rezvan Oskui, write from Atlanta:

"Please contact your representatives and your senators...theyshould be urged to support U.S. House Resolution 175, “Condemning the Government of Iran for its state-sponsored persecution of its Bahá’i minority and its continued violation of the International Covenants on Human Right.” This resolution was introduced in the U.S. House of Representative on February 13,2009. If the Congressional Representative is not currently a co-sponsor of this resolution, please ask them to co-sponsor it. Also please write to your Senators and urge them to consider introducing a similar resolution in the Senate.

You may find the following websites useful in identifying the Congressional Representatives and Senators. www.house.gov and www.senate.gov.

Prayer Service for Baha'is in Iran

Persecution of the Baha'i community in Iran has increased significantly recently. The US State Department has spoken out in protest; you can learn more here:
http://www.voanews.com/english/2009-02-14-voa19.cfm

Local prayer services of support have been scheduled. More details to follow.

Divan Cultural Center: Second Annual Dialogue Dinner

We would like to invite you to Divan Cultural Center's 2 ^nd Annual Dialogue Dinner which will be held on Saturday, March 7th at 7:00pm at Sheraton Greensboro - Koury Convention Center.

We are inviting distinguished people from different backgrounds including, academicians, religious leaders, public officers, local business people and politicians from the Triad area to promote dialogue and to contribute to the efforts for a more peaceful society.

Prof. Abdullah Antepli from Duke University - Divinity School, Prof. Jerry Pubantz from UNCG - Political Science and Prof. John R. Sopper from UNCG - Religious Studies will be speaking at this year's dinner. The theme of the event is "The Role of Religion in Establishing Peaceful Civilizations"

RSVP is necessary for this event and the invitation is for 2 people. Please kindly RSVP by March 4th via phone (919-386-3464) or e-mail (rsvp@divantriad.org). Please mention the names of the attendees, and your choice of meal, Chicken Parmesan or Grilled Vegetable Galette.

Please note that this is not a fundraising event, and the dinner will be hosted by Divan Cultural Center. For information on Divan's activities, please visit www.divantriad.org

Thanks,

Dialogue Dinner Committee

Divan Cultural Center

GROWING IN COMMUNITY --Gardening to Nourish Self and Neighbor

PIC just received information from our colleague John Sopper at UNCG. He has planned an excellent program for Saturday, February 28, on community gardens. The speakers will look at these projects from many points of view, from the practical to the spiritual.

Letter to the Editor on Interfaith Understanding

A bitter, war-torn world of clashing narratives

In Ramallah on our interfaith trip, a Jewish participant commented, “All my life I have been told Palestine was vacant until our people came. That’s not true, is it?”

I assured her she had not been lied to, but that her narrative was “true” for those telling it. But, no, it did not match the narrative of the Palestinians living there.

Recent contributors to these pages have cited their own narratives regarding Gaza, each claiming truth. One person’s “collateral damage” is another’s “family.” One person’s “suicide bomber” is another’s “martyr.”

A higher narrative exists.

Rabbi Hillel: “What is hateful to you, don’t do to your neighbor.”
Jesus: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”
Muhammad: “Not one of you believes until you wish for others what you wish for yourself.”

A visitor recently on our campus said he was willing to inflict tremendous violence on the “other side” to assure none on “his side.” Hillel, Jesus and Muhammad probably groaned. Yet such sentiments aren’t uncommon in recent contributions

Such an attitude is, unfortunately, part of the current narrative, and it falls woefully short of a higher truth.

Max Carter
Greensboro

The writer is director of Friends Center at Guilford College, and a member of the Board of Directors of Piedmont Interfaith Council.

Posted by News & Record on February 7, 2009 3:00 AM | Permalink

We Are America, We are the World!

World Religion Day
Sunday, January 18th 3 p.m.
Unitarian Universalist Church of Greensboro
5603 Hilltop Road, Jamestown, NC

(near the intersection of Hilltop Road and Guilford College Road)

Join with your neighbors of many different religious traditions in our Annual World Religions Day Celebration. This year's theme is "We are America, We are the World." There will be music, prayers, and interactive elements drawn from a wide variety of traditions.

The Triad Tapestry Chorus will be among

those who will celebrate the
diversity of faiths through music.

We also will be treated to music by the Visions of Rapture Children's Choir from the All Nations Evangelical Church.

Traditional Native American flute music will be part of the program, as well as a dramatic interactive reading, a "Prayer for America," and other inspiring elements.

The aim of World Religion Day is to foster the establishment of interfaith understanding and harmony by emphasizing the common denominators underlying all religions. The message of World Religions Day is that mankind, which has stemmed from one origin, must now strive towards the reconciliation of that which has been split up. Human unity and true equality depend not on past origins, but on future goals, on what we are becoming and whither we are going.

World Religions Day is observed in more than 90 nations around the world. It is an official holiday in Canada and several other countries. In the United States, World Religion Day is being observed in more and more communities each year, most often organized by collaboration among faith communities. This is the third annual observance of World Religion Day in Greensboro organized by FaithAction and the Piedmont Interfaith Council.

Students from the Newcomers' School

Many of us remember these presentations as the most moving part of this year's Ecumenical Celebration of Thanksgiving. They appeared in the News & Record on Saturday, December 27. Thanks to Leisa for organizing the presentations and sharing the essays and pictures.

My name is Deepak and I am from Bhutan. Bhutan is a small country between India and China. My family left this country because the government arrested and killed innocent people. They burned houses and people were forcefully asked to leave the country. We went to a refugee camp in Nepal and lived there in a thatched hut for 13 years. Faith helped us to reach safely to America in June, 2008. I am grateful to the people and government of the United States for accepting Bhutanese refugees in this big developed country.


My name is Joseph Lian and I’m from Burma. It is now called Myanmar. When I was a child there, my mother went to the farm every day. One day the army came and she gave them rice. This caused a problem for our family, so my mother had to escape to Malaysia. I joined her later and we lived in Malaysia for two years. Then the United Nations called us to come to America. My mother prayed to God and said, “Thank you, God”. Now my brother and I go to school and my mother works. Every Sunday we go to church and I play the guitar for God and the people. Now I say, “Thank you, God” for my new life in America.


My name is Jane and I’m from Sierra Leone. The conditions in my country were poor. We did not have good food and the food was very expensive. There were no jobs for people because of war. My family was lucky enough to win the immigration lottery, and we came to the United States this year. Here in the US I enjoy school, the environment, and the city, but I miss my friends and family in my homeland. I give thanks to God for giving me a new life here in Greensboro.

I am Tabeer and I’m from Pakistan. Why do people from many different countries come to America? They come for the dream that each man can create his own destiny. When I left my country the political conditions were very bad. My family came here for a better livelihood and the best education for me and my sisters. When I stepped into America for the first time, my first thought was that America is a really clean and beautiful country. The problem for my family is learning the new language and getting settled into a new country. I think we should always have fun in life and be prepared for our new journey.


My name is Leslie and I’m from Mexico. As with many Mexican families, my father first began working in the United States. My mother and I came to join him this year in search of a better job for my mom and a better education for me. Also, the security in Mexico is very bad and there is a group of people that kill and kidnap. This is scary, so the people live with fear. That’s why my parents decided to come to live here. I miss my friends and everything about Mexico, but my dream is to be something in life, and for the moment, I’m working toward that dream here in the United States.



My name is Meena and I’m from Iraq. I came here to the United States in August, 2008 to start a new life because my life was taken from me. Because of the bad situation in my country, I cannot go back because I am afraid. Have you ever known anyone who is afraid of his own country? I left my country with a tear in my eyes. I said good-bye to my home, friends, and family and went to Jordan. We felt free at last, and I made new friends. However, it was difficult living there for Iraqi people. I had to say good-bye again. Then I came here to the land of dreams to start and never stop. I will get a good education and I want to become a genetic engineer. However, I left half of my heart in Iraq and the other half in Jordan. I hope the day will come when I collect my heart again here in America, because no one can live without a heart.

Spring Semester for Triad Tapestry Children’s Chorus

The spring semester will begin next week: our weekly rehearsals resume on Tuesday, Jan. 6th at 7:00 pm at 1st Baptist Church on Friendly Avenue. HOWEVER, we have been given a different room to use, since we have very obviously outgrown the room we've been in for the past several years!It's in the preschool building, and the entrance to that is just to the left of the entrance we've been using. The preschool building is the one with red doors and the circular drive right next to the handicapped parking lot on Guilford Ave. Just come in the red doors that are marked "Preschool," go about 12 ft down the hall to the large double doors on the left, which open to the stairs that will take you to the 2nd floor. Go to the 2nd floor. Once upstairs, you'll walk out of the stairwell, and room 225 is across the hall, slightly to the left.

Our first performance date of the semester is coming up very soon. It will be on Sunday, January 18th, and we will sing as part of the World Religions Day event being held at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Greensboro on Hilltop Rd. The event is from 3-4pm. We'll have only 2 rehearsals to prepare for this performance, but we have plenty of songs we can quickly polish up and have ready!