Events, Holy Days, Needs, and News (February 2017)

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

Our World Interfaith Harmony Week events (Mt. Soma visit and the fellowship potluck) were great.  Photos from both at https://www.facebook.com/groups/ashevilleinterfaith/photos/?filter=photos (click “albums” to see the potluck photos).

New in the newsletter this month are sections on “volunteer / service opportunities” and “donations needed.” To submit items for either, or for the calendar items, use the form at http://www.ashevilleinterfaith.org/submissions.html.

The AshevilleInterfaith.org project is an effort to support and promote faith-based activities, events, connections, and conversation in the Asheville area. We focus on uplifting events that are open to the public and specifically intended to help bring together individuals from diverse faith-based communities.

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]. To be removed from future emails, please email [email protected] and we’ll do so immediately.

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

Thank you!




EVENTS


Tu B’Shevat Mindfulness Practice
Congregation Beth Israel, Sat., Feb. 11, 12:30-1:45PM
After kiddush lunch, join Rabbi Goldstein in the small chapel for a contemplative guided meditation inspired by the themes of Tu B’Shevat (New Year for the Trees)


Great Night of Shiva
Sri Somesvara Vedic Temple, Fri., Feb. 24-Sat., Feb. 25
Various events from 10AM Friday morning until 2AM Saturday morning
For more info., see http://srisomesvara.org/s/mahashivarathri-great-night-of-shiva/

Intro. to Zen (1-day workshop)
Great Tree Zen Temple, Sat., Feb. 25, 9AM-4PM
Learn about the Soto Zen tradition as practiced at Great Tree and experience the 3 pillars of practice: meditation, study, and work.
For more info., see http://www.greattreetemple.org/events/


Surya Ram Class
Mount Soma, March 3-5
Classes include lectures by Dr. Michael Mamas, two 40-minute meditation rounds, and a delicious vegetarian lunch. Resident and non-resident options available.
For more info. on the class or Dr. Mamas, see http://www.mountsoma.org/courses/surya-ram-classes/


Men’s Retreat (for men only)
Great Tree Zen Temple, March 4, 5PM to March 5, 11:45PM
Led by Rev. Shugen Chris Sheehey and Foster Shugan de la Houssaye. Silent meditation periods, gentle yoga and the opportunity to share in a council of men.
For more info., see http://www.greattreetemple.org/events/



VOLUNTEER / SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES

The LDS Family History Center on Sweeten Creek Road in Arden is looking for genealogy / family history volunteers. Training is provided. A German speaker is also needed. Contact: Cynthia Rush at [email protected].

Homeward Bound’s Welcome Home Program is looking for volunteers with a truck to go and pick up furniture from our community and then take the furniture back to Homeward Bound’s new donation center. Contact: Ashley Campbell at [email protected] or call (828)777-1886. (Flyer at http://www.ashevilleinterfaith.org/resources.html.)


DONATIONS NEEDED

The greatest needs for Homeward Bound’s Welcome Home Program right now are bed frames, side tables, coffee tables, lamps, small dressers, coffee pots and microwaves. These items can be new or gently used. An Amazon wishlist is at https://www.amazon.com/gp/registry/wishlist/3IQSHZXPALDES/ref=cm_wl_list_o_1.


SOME UPCOMING HOLY DAYS (see Interfaith Calendar)

Tu B’Shevat (New Year of the Trees) – Jewish, Feb. 11
Feast of St. Valentine – Christian, Feb. 14
Parinirvana Day (Death of historical Buddha and entry into final Nirvana) – Buddhist (Mahayana), Feb. 15
Maha Shavaratri (Celebrates Shiva and the start of spring) – Hindu/Vedic, Feb. 25
Fat/Shrove Tuesday (Last day to eat whatever you want!) – Christian, Feb. 28
Ash Wednesday (Start of Lent/Lenten fast) – Christian, March 1
Start of 19-Day Fast – Baha’i, March 2


NEW ARTICLES (posted on the Facebook Group Page)

  • 12 Books for Children Written by Black Muslim Authors AYAKHALILFEBRUARY 12, 2016 muslimgirl.com. “I often get disappointed when it’s Black History Month and Islamic schools and mosques ignore it. Many will shrug it off and not address the significance of this month because they don’t know how to celebrate it with young children. As an educator and mother myself, celebrating Black History Month with young children is important in order to help raise cultural awareness, encourage diversity and honor African-American heroes. Here are some great children books written by Black Muslim authors. Check them out, add them to your children’s library or gift them to your local schools and public libraries and mosques.”
  • Kids make valentines: ‘To Islam, With Love’ By Nicole Fleming BOSTON GLOBE CORRESPONDENT  FEBRUARY 06, 2017. “Lots of kids make lots of Valentine’s Day cards this time of year, but the cards hung on a display inside the Massachusetts College of Art and Design on Sunday afternoon were different. Among the usual red and pink, hearts and doilies, glitter and paint, were messages in Arabic. More than 150 adults and children showed up for “To Islam, With Love,” a card-making marathon at the school’s Design and Media Center.”
  • Harmony of Religions: By Eduardo Faleiro. http://www.pakistanchristianpost.com/. “Religion has emerged as a major source of conflict across the globe. Ideological strife has now given place to the “clash of civilizations” and it is felt that in the foreseeable future, religion will be a major source of conflict within and among nations. The possibilities of conflict are greater in countries such as India where different cultures and religions do meet. However, such clashes can be prevented if appropriate strategies are formulated and implemented at an early stage so as to ensure religious harmony.”
  • Crowd stands in solidarity at Islamic Center  Citizen-Times. Beth Walton, [email protected] Feb. 3, 2017. “For the first time in two years, Basem Alkahlani said he felt he wasn’t alone. Alkahlani, 30, immigrated from the Republic of Yemen to Asheville two and a half years ago and has been working to bring his wife and 2-year-old daughter to the United States to live with him. Yemen has been in a civil war since 2015, and some estimates put the death toll at 10,000.”
  • Chris Highland: One nature, indivisible by differences. Citizen-Times. Chris Highland, Columnist Feb. 3, 2017. “In the moment, no one cared about that. Someone needed help, and we helped. Like the firefighters from across the nation. What does it matter what their politics or religion or bank account may tell us about them? Strangers don’t seem so strange when we realize that we are strangers to them too — and it doesn’t have to make any difference.”
  • Jews in a small Texan city gave Muslims the keys to the synagogue after their mosque burnt down. Business Insider. Jon Sharman, The Independent. Feb. 1, 2017. “Jewish people in a small Texas city handed Muslim worshippers the keys to their synagogue after the town's only mosque was destroyed in a fire. The Victoria Islamic Centre burned down on Saturday and had previously been burgled—the cause is being investigated by federal officials. But the town's Muslim population will not be without a place to worship while their building is reconstructed, thanks to their Jewish neighbours.”
  • WNC Women March On Washington—Henderson Monk To Bus Dozens. wcqs.org. By DAVIN ELDRIDGE • JAN 12, 2017. “Thousands of women from across the U.S. are expected to march on Washington D.C. the day after President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration, and international Buddhist monk Venerable Pannavati Bhikkuni is among those women from Western North Carolina who will make the trek to D.C.”
  • Chris Highland: Do holy books speak? How do we listen? Citizen-Times. Chris Highland, Guest columnist Jan. 13, 2017. “When I was a jail chaplain one of the most satisfying parts of my work was bringing books inside to prisoners. These were mostly “spiritual” or “inspirational” books like "Daily Word," "Each Day a New Beginning" (AA meditations) or selections from “wisdom teachers.” What surprised inmates the most was how happy I was to bring them scriptures. I handed out hundreds of free Bibles, but I also honored requests for other holy books as well as pagan, wiccan and other literature incarcerated people have a constitutional right to access.”