The November gathering of Religions for Peace (Tas Branch) will be held on Sunday 30 November 2.30-4.00pm at the UTAS Multifaith Centre, TUU Building, Churchill Ave, Sandy Bay. The event will be part of Human Rights Week and will be entitled ‘Faiths Respecting Refugees’.
The keynote speaker will be Fr Shammi Perera, who is originally from Sri Lanka and now the chaplain with responsibility for the pastoral care of migrants and refugees, based at St Mary’s Cathedral, Hobart.
Welcome
The keynote speaker at our November Gathering will be Fr Shammi Perera, who is originally from Sri Lanka and now the chaplain with responsibility for the pastoral care of migrants and refugees, based at St Mary’s Cathedral, Hobart.
Fr Shammi Perera will speak about the treatment of strangers (which includes immigrants, asylum seekers and refugees) in faith traditions and we will spend time sharing readings and prayers/meditations both for those forced to take refuge and for those creating the conditions that force others to take refuge.
Statement on Promoting Harmony from the
Faith Communities Council of Victoria
For your interest, after the recent upheaval in Victoria, the Faith Communities Council of Victoria released the following statement:
At this difficult time, when globally and locally communities are reeling from the violence of extremism, we the Faith Communities Council of Victoria, stand in support of all those who contribute to our rich, multicultural community in Australia, and also wish to retain their religious heritage and practices.
We affirm their rights to live and practise their faith in safety and security.
We categorically refute any kind of extremism that hides hatred and bigotry behind religious slogans or names, and call on all citizens to actively work for the realisation of a peaceful and harmonious community.
We seek to live in a society which values difference and diversity, and wishes to learn and understand more about those different to us with interest and respect.
We look forward to a time when this message will be experienced widely within humanity.
We therefore urge all media organisations to report responsibly and sensitively, considering their power and influence.
Faith Communities Council of Victoria is comprised of the following peak bodies:
Baha’i Community of Victoria, Brahma Kumaris Australia, Buddhist Council of Victoria, Hindu Community Council of Victoria, Islamic Council of Victoria, Jewish Community Council of Victoria, Sikh Interfaith Council of Victoria and Victorian Council of Churches.
Emergencies Ministries Training
Bob Faser from the Uniting Church: A training session for Emergencies Ministry volunteers will take place on Thursday-Friday, 6th-7th November, at St. Clement’s Anglican Church, Kingston. Please contact the TCC’s Emergencies Ministry at emprojects@tcctas.org.au ASAP for more information and for an application form.
New Tasmanian Website: God’s Gossip
There’s a new Tasmanian website offering information in (and an opportunity to comment on) areas of faith and spirituality. “God’s Gossip”, offered to the community by Penny Edman as “an oasis of support, encouragement, and discovery”, has recently been launched and can be found at http://godsgossip.com.au .
Living with the Fourth Buddhist Precept
Commencing Saturday 8 November at UTAS Multifaith Centre there will be a presentation on Living with the Fourth Buddhist Precept, led by Thay Thong Phap. For information about this and the Fifth Precept on 5 December, together with the Summer Gathering at Dorje Ling Centre, Corinna on 25-31 January 2015, contact Mukuka at mukulagrace@gmail.com
Wild-Heartfullness Workshop
Our second experiential Wild-Heartfullness Workshop is coming up on November 9th and we’ll be focusing on the Senses as doorways to our full aliveness.
We’ll explore through story, movement, drawing and Earth as teacher, how our current lifestyle stifles our ability to bloom and practice ways to reinvigorate a deeper sense of knowing and come home to our Senses.
‘Nothing can heal the Soul but the Senses, just as nothing can heal the Senses but the Soul‘ – Oscar Wilde
At this time of planetary crisis Earth wants to imagine its own future through us.
Join us to explore the obstacles and grace-filled opportunities for Soul Flowering that are presenting on our life journeys right now.
When: Sunday November 9th – 10am till 4pm
Where: Herplace – 55 Old Farm Road, South Hobart
RSVP: astridmiller1@gmail.com or 0488391080
Cost: $40
What to bring:
A journal, drawing book and crayons are always standard (we will also have some drawing things). Also dress warmly as it can be a bit cooler up there in the folds of Kunanyi and we will be outside for some of the day. Comfortable clothes and warm socks for inside. We’ll bring a pot of soup & Summer Kitchen bread and Mieke will have a salad extraordinaire. Please bring a little something to share.
The Vision of Refuge
News from the Tashi Choleng Dharma Foundation: In the second week of November (Tarchin Hearn, extra sessions:) Tuesday Nov 11: The Vision of Refuge
Wednesday Nov. 12: The Practice of Refuge–Mindfulness in Action
Thursday Nov. 13: The Fruition of Refuge–Mahamudra as a Way of Living
Cost: for Tarchin Hearn sessions: $10.00 full, $5.00 concession each session, plus dana (gift to teacher).
About Tashi Choleng Hobart Buddhist Meditation Centre Meditation and Discussion 7.30-9 pm, every Tuesday at 71 Liverpool St, [down the laneway next to the building, in the door between the bamboo pots and up the stairs to the 2nd floor] Entry by $5 suggested donation.
website www.hobartbuddhistmeditationcentre.com
Epiphany Monastery, Rhyndaston:
We’d like to invite you to our next open day working bee, Saturday 15 November, starting around 10 am. The plan is to start (maybe even finish?) laying the floor in the oratory (aka “barn”), and attempt to reduce the two page list of other jobs as well: gardening, fencing, stone wall building, etc etc…
If you can make it, we’d love to see you there. Please bring something to share for lunch (makes catering easier, as we never know how many will come).
#LoveMakesAWay Hobart Training
Workshop on Christian Nonviolence Training
WHAT: This workshop will introduce you to nonviolent direct action in the tradition of Jesus, Dor
othy Day, and Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. It will train and prepare you to participate in a Love Makes A Way action.
All over the country Christians are joining together to advocate for the release of asylum seeker children and their families from the cruelty of immigration detention. Join us as we explore nonviolent direct action as a method of social change and discipleship
.
WHEN: Saturday November 15th, 9am – 5pm
VENUE: Anglicare Boardroom, 159 Collins St. Hobart, Tasmania 7000
Bookings:: http://www.trybooking.com/GEIA
COST: $40 waged/full price; $20 unwaged/concession; We have a cost-is-no-barrier-to-participation policy so please let us know if this is a problem.
CONTACT DETAILS: Rev. Simon Moyle smoyle@gmail.com 0402 857 915 Bronwen Hayes 0448 074 608 b.hayes@anglicare-tas.org.au
Launceston News
Following on from a very rewarding sharing and discussion session last month, the Launceston Interfaith Friendship Circle will delve deeper into the previous months topic, “Prophets, Gurus, Masters, Saints – does anyone inspire you to a deeper sense of self”. This month we will share specific teachings, wisdoms and/or insights which have resonated with us in some way. Bring all such offerings with you.
When: Monday 17th November at 1.00 pm. Where: Ida Birchall Room, 36-38 Patterson St, Launceston. Contact: Shari 0431909172 To learn more “About Us” see http://interfaithtasmania.blogspot.com
Many thanks, yours in Interfaith
Shari Landeg (facilitator)Ph: 0431 909 172
Launceston Interfaith Friendship Circle
Interfaith Tasmania
http://interfaithtasmania.blogspot.com
Dances of Universal Peace
Dances of Universal Peace take place on the First Tuesday of each month, 7.30 – 9.30pm at Sirens (upstairs), 6 Victoria St (near cnr Macquarie). Enquiries ph 62 393499 or 0400 051 963 .
More information on the Dances of Universal Peace Website: www.dancesofuniversalpeace.australia.org
Climate Change – Our Voices
As people of faith and belief we feel a personal and collective sense of love and responsibility for the wellbeing of our 7 billion global neighbours and for nature itself. This the heart of ourvoices.net.
Make no mistake. Climate change is not just an environmental problem. It is a humanitarian and development emergency, and it’s already affecting many vulnerable communities. This is why, as people of faith, we believe that climate change is a moral issue.
According to rigoruosly verified IPCC reports, it’s going to get unimaginably worse. It’s a hard fact to face but our planet is on course for devastating climate change. And even though the world’s governments endorse the IPCC reports and have taken steps in the right direction, scientists warn that they’re not bold enough to change the future. But there is hope, if we act now. And people like us who follow the world’s religions and beliefs can play an important part.
The UN Climate Talks are the crux of the matter. The UN are asking people of religious and spiritual faith to speak up so loudly that we put the moral case for action at the heart of the Talks: this would encourage our global leaders to take the decisive action that’s needed. ourvoices.net was set up for this purpose. Millions of people of faith and belief can now add their voice right here on this website and make ONE huge number, calling on our leaders to act on our behalf and protect life on earth.
ourvoices.net gives you one simple, powerful way to make a difference in this climate crisis. Please add your voice today – and invite everyone you know to sign the petition too.
Salt Lake City, Utah, 2015: Parliament of the World’s Religions
The theme of the 2015 Parliament is Reclaiming the Heart of Our Humanity: Working Together for a World of Compassion, Peace, Justice, and Sustainability.
The Parliament of the World’s Religions invites proposals for programs for presentations at the 2015 Parliament of the World’s Religions in Salt Lake City, Utah, October 15-19.
Thousands of people submit program proposals for the Parliament and a team of interfaith and subject experts select about 10% of those proposals to be a part of the Parliament programing.
Everyone who attends the Parliament has wisdom to share – from those who are having their first interfaith experience to those who are steeped in interfaith. The purpose of this gathering is to support relationships, connections, and inspired calls to action which can then ripple out from the Parliament into hundreds of grassroots organizations, networks, and communities. And, the Parliament is a real place for “discourse.”
Program types may include any of the following:
- lecture,
- academic paper,
- seminar,
- panel discussion,
- religious or spiritual observance,
- workshop,
- training session, or
- artistic performance.
Regular programs will be 90 minutes in length, although other durations are possible. Symposia (1-3 day series of programs on a particular topic) may also be considered.
Most of the 2015 Parliament programming will be around three critical issues and three constituencies.
Three Critical Issues for 2015 are the following:
- Climate Change and Care for Creation
- War, Violence and Hate Speech
- The Widening Wealth Gap and Wasteful Consumption
Three Focused Constituencies of 2015 Parliament are these:
- Women
- Indigenous Communities
- Youth
We are interested in the following program components:
- Observances – enactments of rituals from diverse religious and spiritual traditions
- Engagement programs – creative approaches by people from different religious or spiritual traditions for working together to explore and address key topics that relate to the Parliament theme
- Intra-religious programs – sessions in which people from a single religious tradition express their identity, discuss their challenges, and explore future opportunities
- Interreligious and inter-spiritual programs – engagements by people from two or more religious or spiritual traditions who model new ways to move beyond understanding and into collective impact
- Training workshops – instruction in specific skills (e.g., organizing, leadership, conflict resolution, and listening) related to carrying out the Parliament themes
- Cultural expressions and spiritual arts – performances of music, dance, or drama
Special attention will be given to programs that:
- use creative methods of communication
- involve members of two or more religious or spiritual communities or groups
- offer interactive approaches to engage participants
- model gender balance
- use new models of collaborative leadership
Program proposals are now being received. The form for submission may be accessed and submitted online when completed at rfp.parliamentofreligions.org. The deadline is January 15, 2015. We will review proposals on an ongoing basis, with final decisions to be made by April 1, 2015. We encourage the early submission of proposals.
Programs and presenters will be evaluated according to the following criteria:
- relationship to the main themes of the parliament
- contribution to the overall balance of the parliament in terms of religious and spiritual traditions, new and well-known voices, academic and experiential formats, and gender balance
- evidence of strategies that successfully engage and interact with participants
The Guiding Principles of the 2015 Parliament are: (1) respectful dialogue: we listen and speak with respect (2) non-proselytizing: we do not attempt to convert others or speak derogatorily about any tradition (3) willingness to explore a wide variety of topics: we embody compassion as we engage in difficult conversations
Please note:
- Presenters will need to register and pay the registration fee.
- We offer a reduced registration fee for students.
- Early registration is reduced in price.
- Based on needs, we anticipate subsidizing some of the participants on a “first-come first- served” basis.
- We encourage you to explore possible sources of funding from within your community and/or external grant programs
Timeline
- October 1, 2014 Call for Programs and beginning of ongoing review
- January 15, 2015 Program proposal submission deadline
- April 1, 2015 Final confirmation of program acceptance
- October 15-19, 2015 The 2015 Parliament of the World’s Religions
Language:
English will be the official language of the 2015 Parliament. Information regarding translation will be made available at a later date. We encourage you to consider seeking a co-presenter who will be able to assist with any language issues.
Additional copies of The Call for Programs is available for download on the Parliament’s website at: rfp.parliamentofreligions.org.
Important Note
Proposals may be submitted only at rfp.parliamentofreligions.org. No fax, email or paper submissions will be accepted.
Coda
This month’s Coda comes from Launceston:
Palpung – Kagyu Thigsum Chokyi Ghatsal Tibetan Buddhist Institute
Palpung Kagyu Thigsum Chokyi Ghatsal Tibetan Buddhist Institute (PKTCG) is an official branch of Palpung Sherabling under the spiritual direction of the 12th Kenting Tai Situpa, a Golden Rosary lineage holder of the Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism. Founded in 2000 by Ven. Choje Lama Shedrup the centre features authentic teachings and practices of the Kagyu lineage. It is located in a residential suburb of Launceston.
In peace,
Terry
Convenor RfP Tasmania Branch
6272 6521
Religions for Peace Tasmania
