Asheville Interfaith - News, Events, and Holy Days (September 2016)

Welcome to the inaugraual AshevilleInterfaith.org email newsletter. A copy of this monthly newsletter can also be found at http://www.ashevilleinterfaith.org/newsletter.html.

We added you to this email list by virtue of previous contact with you or a belief that you would be interested in this information. To be removed from future emails, please email [email protected] and we’ll do so immediately.

Please feel free to forward this newsletter to anyone you think might also be interested. Anyone wishing to also receive future newsletter emails may email [email protected].

AshevilleInterfaith.org is an effort to support and promote faith-based activities, events, connections, and conversation in the Asheville area. There will be a special focus on uplifting events that are open to the public and specifically intended to help bring together individuals from diverse faith-based communities.
  1. Website: http://www.AshevilleInterfaith.org (basic information)
  2. ​Join the Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ashevilleinterfaith (for article posting, conversations, and event listing)
  3. Join the Meetup.com Group: http://www.meetup.com/AshevilleInterfaith (specifically for organized, interfaith events)

For specific questions, suggestions, or corrections, contact Steve Hargadon ([email protected]) or Vicki Garlock ([email protected] ).

​Thank you!

EVENTS
  • Asheville: International City of Peace Events
    • Authors Speak Peace, Sunday, Sept. 18, 2 PM, The Block off Biltmore. Featured authors:  DeWayne Barton, Cecil Bothwell, Clare Hanrahan, and Jeff Messer.
    • Drumming for Peace, Tuesday, Sept. 20, 7 PM, Center for Spiritual Living, 2 Science of Mind Way
    • Asheville’s Peace Proclamation: Add your group by calling Mayor Manheimer's Office at 828-259-5600
    • Entries for Student Art for Peace awards accepted through 9/7/2016. Categories are: essays, poetry, videos, and artwork
    • For additional details check out http://www.wnc4peace.com.
  • 30th Annual Greek Festival, Sept. 23 - 25, Holy Trinity Greek Orth. Church and MHCC Event Ctr.
  • Urban Dharma 5th Anniv. Celebration, Friday, Sept. 30 - Saturday, Oct. 8, 29 Page Ave., 28801
    • Construction and dissolution of a Tibetan Buddhist sand mandala
    • Asheville Interfaith Event: Spiritual Food, Thursday, Oct. 6, 7 - 9 PM. Please contact us if you are interested in sharing a food item and a brief message about why it’s important in your tradition.
    • Further details coming soon on the Urban Dharma web site and FB page, as well as various media outlets. http://udharmanc.com/ or https://www.facebook.com/urbandharma/?fref=ts
HOLY DAYS
  • Sept. 5: Ganesha Chaturthi = Hindu holiday celebrating the birth of Lord Ganesh, the elephant-headed god who is also the Remover of Obstacles. Celebrations include public and private pujas, eating Ganesh's favorite foods, and making/displaying clay statues of Ganesh.
  • Sept. 9 - 14: Hajj = the annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca. Eid al-Adha, the Muslim holiday commemorating Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his promised son (Ishmael in the Islamic tradition) happens in the middle of the Hajj period.
  • Sept. 15: Kshamavani = Forgiveness Day in the Jain tradition. Members of the Jain community request forgiveness from everyone, regardless of religious tradition, for all mistakes committed either knowingly or unknowingly.
  • Sept. 21: United Nations International Day of Peace
  • September 22: Mabon (northern hemisphere) or Ostara (southern hemisphere) = Wiccan/Neo-Pagan celebration of the fall (northern hemisphere) or spring (southern hemisphere) equinox, loosely defined as the date on which the length of the day and the length of the night are equal.

ARTICLES (posted on the Facebook Group Page)Muslim girl goes to stay with Christian family in Indonesia to defeat ignorance. MASHABLE.COM | BY VICTORIA HO http://mashable.com/2016/06/14/muslim-christian-exchange/#nundjmCb75qE