Tasmania – June 2015 – Religions for Peace Australia

Tasmania – June 2015

Tasmania Logo

The Religions for Peace Tasmania Branch Interfaith Gathering for June will gather at MONA, Main Rd. Berriedale, on Monday 8 June, Queen’s Birthday, from 2.00-3.30pm to celebrate UN World Environment Day.

Welcome

We will meet in the very top car park, straight up the road at the top of the hill, near the wooden pyramids beside the Ether Restaurant at 2.00pm. If we know you are coming, we will wait for you.

We will be continuing our pilgrimage of honouring the elements and this time it will be Ether. We will be gathering at morella (Aboriginal name meaning ‘flat rock in the water’), the place which gave Moorilla its name.

Through bringing together thoughts, prayers, meditations and ceremony from our different faith traditions, we will share the significance of Ether to our traditions and our world.

From the World Environment Day website, we learn:

World Environment Day (WED) is the United Nations’ principal vehicle for encouraging worldwide awareness and action for the environment. Over the years it has grown to be a broad, global platform for public outreach that is widely celebrated by stakeholders in over 100 countries. It also serves as the ‘people’s day’ for doing something positive for the environment, galvanizing individual actions into a collective power that generates an exponential positive impact on the planet. – See more at: http://www.unep.org/wed/about.asp#sthash.52zFbxky.dpuf

If you would like to join us, could you rsvp to this email address, or ring Terry on 0438 069 728. We will be going off the beaten track, so need to meet together beforehand so that no-one is left behind.

Tents4Nepal event

Tents4 Nepal

The monsoons are now starting. Not only will this add to the hardship and suffering of the recent earthquakes, but in just a few weeks, it will make it impossible to reach and deliver aid to remote villages – including many that have yet to receive relief.

Please join us on Thursday 4 June, 6pm, at the Stanley Burbury Theatre at the University of Tasmania to learn more about the situation, to hear how you can help and to connect with the Nepalese community in Hobart.

Soul Food

Soul Food Session at the Baha’i Centre

Soul Food – Sunday June 7th 3pm.

As we step into another refreshing winter, I would like to invite you to join us for SOUL FOOD this Sunday June 7th 3pm at the Baha’i Centre of Learning (Behind the ABC Building, 1 Tasman Highway, Hobart). We will be celebrating World Environment Day and the gathering will incorporate insightful readings designed to enhance our awareness of the natural wonders of our earth. We will be entertained by “The Friends Trio” with beautiful violin, viola and possibly guitar.

We also promise you a nice afternoon tea with lots of hot food to warm the body. Hosted in the tranquil ambience of the Bahá’í Centre of Learning, (Behind A.B.C. building) 1 Tasman Highway, providing an opportunity to be inspired, uplifted and to celebrate our humanity and oneness in a spirit of friendship and unity. This pleasant meditative afternoon is a free Community inspired event

Multfaith Chaplaincy at UTAS

University of Tasmania

From Thay, Buddhist Chaplain at UTAS and Terry:

UTAS has established a Multifaith chaplaincy and friendship network at the Multifaith Centre on the Sandy Bay campus.

Friends of Multifaith at UTAS meet together every Tuesday from 2.00 – 3.30pm in the UTAS Multifaith Centre, TUU Building, Churchill Ave., Sandy Bay. Please feel free to join us and continue to build the foundations of a multifaith chaplaincy here at the Sandy Bay campus of the University of Tasmania. Inquiries: Thay Thong Phap, 0477 513 281.

UN International Yoga Day

UN International Yoga Day will be celebrated on Sunday 21 June 2015, 2.00-4.30pm with an interfaith gathering at UTAS Multifaith Centre, TUU Building, Churchill Ave., Sandy Bay. Yoga practitioners of different traditions will be sharing information about their practices and experiences.

Launceston News

From Shari in Launceston:

Launceston Interfaith/spiritual Community meets the 3rd Monday of each month, 1.00 – 2.30 pm at Pilgrim’s, Ida Birchall Room, 36-38 Paterson St (opposite Birchalls Carpark). Our inclusive community celebrates diverse sacred expression while honoring all paths that lead to Truth. Emphasizing ‘Unity in Diversity’, we learn from/through each other while finding enrichment from a range of faith and non-faith wisdoms and traditions. We share insights about our diverse beliefs while learning about paths different from our own in openness, mutual respect and goodwill. Guest speakers, discussion topics, sacred literature, reflection and contemplation, music, meditation and prayer facilitate this process – those with no particular belief background are most welcome. For more details PH: 0431909172 E: interfaithtasmania@gmail.com

When: Monday 22 June, 1.00 – 2.30 pm. Where: Ida Birchall Room, 36-38 Paterson St

For more details PH: 0431909172 E: interfaithtasmania@gmail.com

We celebrate that Shari was ordained an Interfaith-Interspiritual Minister today at the One Spirit Interfaith Seminary, New York. COme along and celebrate our new Tassie Interfaith-Interspiritual Minister! Shari and the Class of 2015 will be presented at the Riverside Church, 490 Riverside Drive, New York on Saturday 6 June 2015.

Tamar Community Peace Trust and Community Festival for Peace

The inaugural Community Festival for Peace will take place in Launceston from 10-12 July 2015. This innovative project offers the community opportunities to define and share what PEACE means to them as individuals and organisations. ‘Peace’, in the context of this concept, is not only about the conflict of wars: it is about our behaviour as citizens of local communities and global societies. At a community level, the Festival aims to celebrate the roles of art, diversity, education and sport in building community cohesion and goodwill between people.

Churches, all faiths and all community groups are warmly invited to participate in the Festival. You may like to host specific events or activities or, alternatively, adapt existing aspects of services and teachings to promote the concept of peace and good will.

While the heart of the Festival will be the weekend of the 10th – 12th July, there will be peace-related activities occurring throughout the month and yours would be most welcome any time during this period.

‘Peace’, in this context, is not only about the conflict of wars: it is about our behaviour as citizens of local communities and global societies. At a community level, the Festival will celebrate the role of art, literature, diversity, education, faiths and sport in building community cohesion and goodwill between people.

Several schools and service clubs have decided to join in and will run themed activities including assemblies, exhibitions, guest lectures, writing projects and community service activities. Other organisations are hosting exhibitions and providing venues for local choirs, orchestras and theatre companies that will deliver themed performances at a range of venues. People can choose how they wish to be involved. Any church venues that can be offered to host activities would be warmly welcomed.

If you would like to be involved, but need a discussion to stimulate ideas or possibilities to work with other like-minded entities, contact Jess on 0407 362 568. More information on http://tamarcommunitypeace.org.au/

Australian Religious Response to Climate Change

Hope is in the air. Pope Francis has urged Catholics around the world to sign a new petition for bold climate action and the Global Climate Catholic Movement is strengthening, ahead of the Pope’s encyclical, expected in June. Pope Francis has signalled his intention “to lead Catholics into an active response to climate change” and warned the rich and powerful that God will call them to judgement on whether they fed the poor and cared for the earth.

Are you up to this challenge for the sake of the climate?

Thousands of people are fasting for action on climate change. A growing movement of youth, environmentalists and people of faith are showing their strength of commitment by going without food on the first day of each month to call for world leaders to do more to solve the climate crisis. Some people you may know who have fasted so far are Yeb Sano (Catholic), Bill McKibben (Methodist), Rabbi Gabriel Hagai (Orthodox Jewish), Nigel Crawhall (Buddhist) and Rowan Williams (Anglican).