Greetings of love and special good wishes for the holy days coming soon: Hanukkah and Christmas! Religions for Peace Tasmania will be in recess until February when there will be a program to recognise the United Nations World Interfaith Harmony Week at a venue and date yet to be confirmed.
Greetings of love and special good wishes for the holy days coming soon: Hanukkah and Christmas!
May they be filled with the light of peace and lovingkindness for ourselves, one another and the natural world. We wish everyone the special gift of inner peace and stillness over the break and many blessings for everything good in 2020.
Religions for Peace Tasmania will be in recess until February when there will be a program to recognise the UN International Interfaith Harmony Week at a venue and date yet to be confirmed.
Festivals December 2019 - January 2020
Religious and Spiritual Festivals for December 2019, the New Year and January 2020| Date | Event ~ Festival | Order or Faith |
| 22 December 2019 | Summer Solstice | Yule |
| (evening 22 December - (evening) 30 December | Hanukkah/Chanukah | Judaism |
| 25 December 2019 | Christmas | Christianity |
| 5 January 2020 | Janma (Birth) Guru Gobind Singh | Sikhism |
| 6 January 2020 | Epiphany | Orthodox: Feast of the Epiphany (Theophany) Epiphany (manifestation of Christ) for Western Christendom |
| 7 January 2020 | Nativity | Orthodox Christianity (Other Orthodox Churches) |
| 10 January 2020 | Mahayana New Year | Mahayana Buddhism (one of the two major traditions of Buddhism, now practised especially in China, Tibet, Japan, and Korea. ) |
| 13 January 2020 | Maghi | Sikhism |
| 25 January 2020 | Chinese New Year | Chinese Folk Religion, Pure Land Buddhism |
Carols at Uniting Church Hobart
Scots Memorial Church, 29 Bathurst Street, Hobart
Sunday 15 December 10am Service will feature the Choir of High Hopes singing Christmas Carols
Tuesday 24 December 7.30pm Christmas service including carols.
Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)
Day of Retreat: Wednesday 1 January 2020 from 10 for 10.30am and finishing at 3.30pm
Location: Quaker Meeting House, Boa Vista Rd, North Hobart (enter from Boa Vista Road or Argyle Street).
We are planning to begin the New Year with an opportunity for personal spiritual reflection.
These retreat days offer the opportunity for spiritual refreshment and renewal in a small group. Although we will begin and end the day communally, the hours in silence are for you to take time and space aside from the demands of daily life for your own reflection, growing awareness, prayerful presence and deepening in the Spirit.
Refreshments are provided and will be available throughout the day, but please bring your own lunch to have at a time that suits you. You may like to bring a journal, drawing materials or a symbol of personal inspiration.
All welcome. You may also join us at any time during the day for as long as you are able. We hope you can join us and look forward to seeing you. We may also be planning a residential retreat some time this coming year.
If you have any queries, please contact Kerstin on (03) 6228 4890 or Maggi on 0415 355 336 for further details.
Hobart Mahikari Centre
In response to the declaration of a climate emergency, the Hobart Mahikari Centre is hosting a weekend workshop for young adults titled “Become a ‘Tree Planter’ and help our future”. Our aim is to help deepen our awareness, understanding and practice with regard to learning how to help restore the earth’s forests.
It is a live-in workshop being held at the beautiful colonial homestead of Bona Vista at Avoca, on Saturday and Sunday January 11th and 12th. The cost is $50 per person for accommodation and food.
Download a Flyer and a Draft Program for any young adult from our interfaith community that might be interested in attending.
Tasmanian Council of Churches Emergencies Ministry
Community Trauma Toolkit
This toolkit contains resources to help and support adults and children before, during, and after a disaster or traumatic event. It will help you understand some of the impacts of disaster and how you can help lessen these impacts.
Emergencies and disasters are extremely stressful and it is normal to feel overwhelmed. Children, even infants, can also be affected. They depend on the adults around them for safety and security, and will need reassurance, care, and opportunities to share their feelings. These resources provide a starting point for you to help children navigate the different stages of a disaster.
Read more (and print) the Community Trauma Toolkit
Hobart Buddhist Meditation Centre
December 17-31: In recess. Our regular Tuesday evening sessions will recommence on February 4th, 2020.
During the following year we are looking at studying the Graduated Path of Enlightenment (Lam Rim) which provides all of the steps you need to know (and to practice!) in order to reach enlightenment. This study will be based on the teachings of Lama Je Tsong Kapa, and commentaries on his teachings.
Link to Newsletter: December 2019 – January 2020
The Great Bell Chant (a special gift of chanted blessings):
About Hobart Buddhist Meditation Centre
73 Liverpool St [Goulds building, down the laneway to the right of the building, in the door between the bamboo pots and up the stairs to the 2nd floor]
email info@hobartbuddhistmeditationcentre.com
website www.hobartbuddhistmeditationcentre.com
Brahma Kumaris Tasmania
A Silence Day will be held on Sunday 19 January 2020 from 11am-7.00pm at the Hobart BK Meditation Centre, 51 Risdon Rd., New Town.
This is a special time at the beginning of a new year to be still and reconnect with our own inner peace, in the process sharing that vibration with the world.
If you would like to come for part of the time, you are very welcome.
A light lunch will be served. RSVP by 17 January 2020. Donations to help cover costs are appreciated.
Enquiries: Alice on 03 6278 3788 or hobart@au.brahmakumaris.org
St David’s Cathedral, Hobart
Concert: Handel’s Messiah
Wednesday December 18th 2019 from 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm
The Christmas favourite returns with the Argyle Orchestra & Choir.
Book early to avoid disappointment: https://www.trybooking.com/book/event?eid=568625
Tickets: $30.00/$25 concession
Location: St Davids Cathedral, 23 Murray Street, Hobart, Tasmania 7000
Also at St David’s Cathedral:
Tuesday 24 December Midnight Communion starting at 11.00pm
Sacred Conversations
Sacred Conversations warmly invites you to join us at 2pm on the last Saturday of every month at the Multifaith Centre on the UTAS campus.
Sacred Conversations is a time and place for people of different faiths and cultures to come together in an environment of deep respect, understanding, peace, and love! Come along and enjoy respectful dialogue, prayer, meditation, music, food, friendship, and more.
Please note that there will be no meeting in December … but … we would be delighted to have you gather with us at our next meeting on Saturday 25th of January at 2pm.
Our special guests will be Rosalind Goodsell, Sandeep Singh, and Gurleen Grewel from the Sikh community in Hobart. They will treat us to a fascinating presentation on Sikhism, including some traditional Sikhi devotional music. All welcome.
All enquiries are welcome: Julian McGarry 0401673016 or julianmcgarry@gmail.com
Dances of Universal Peace
This year we are taking the opportunity to have our Dances of Universal Peace early in the year with Anahata Iradah on 6th-9th March.
Many of you have danced with Anahata before but may not have experienced the depth of what she brings in a retreat setting. We can truly unwind, have nothing to do except immerse ourselves in the music, dancing and stillness in a beautiful retreat setting, away from our busy lives. It will be a wonderful experience.
As our Venue we have chosen Tenchi Farm in Meander, in the North of Tasmania, which has a beautiful hall to dance in (with sprung floor), and set in a lovely rural setting.
To make it easier for people to get to Tenchi farm we will organise car pooling. For anyone interested from interstate it would be best to fly into Launceston on Friday early afternoon and we could arrange pickup.
Please see our attached flyer, and hope to see you in March. Please forward to anyone you think maybe interested.
Enquiries, bookings & payment details: email peacedancestas@gmail.com Phone Chando 0419 553 717 or Nicola 0400 051 963 More information:
About Anahata: http://www.traveling-light.net
About Dances of Universal Peace: http://dancesofuniversalpeaceaustralia.org/
About the Venue: https://tenchifarm.com.au
Faith Communities Council of Victoria:
https://www.aii.unimelb.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/ThinkPreventFCCCV.pdf
https://www.acu.edu.au/about-acu/news/2019/november/the-importance-of-religious-freedom-examined-at-interfaith-breakfast
Thousands join Humanity Walk in Melbourne to celebrate 550th Parkash of Guru Nanak
https://www.sbs.com.au/news/negative-attitudes-about-muslims-in-australia-remain-high-survey-finds
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-11-06/annabel-crabb-australia-talks-religion-insights/11674076
Coda:
The inaugural The New South Wales Jewish Board of Deputies President’s Award has been awarded to community stalwart Josie Lacey, Religions for Peace NSW:
http://www.jwire.com.au/josie-lacey-receives-the-inaugural-presidents-award/
Freedom of Speech and Religion (Deakin Uni):
https://www.facebook.com/808981712534477/posts/2293442220755078/?sfnsn=mo
Einstein and God:
https://www.facebook.com/1127703627341760/posts/2441999562578820/?sfnsn=mo
Interfaith Couples Celebrating Festivals:
Zenit:
Message from Pope and Grand Imam to UN Secretary General:
Pope Francis calls for mutual respect, esteem and co-operation among religions:
Bangkok: Pope Calls for Mutual Respect, Esteem, Cooperation Among Religions
Christian leaders visiting Islamic Institutions in Pakistan:
Pope Francis’ Letter to the UN Conference on Climate, Madrid:
Pope on Climate: ‘There Remains a Window of Opportunity, But We Must Not Allow It to Close’
Persecution of Christians and other Faiths:
Inter-religious Solidarity:
Council for Inter-Religious Dialogue Meets with World Council of Churches
In peace,
Terry
Convenor RfP Tasmania Branch
Vice Chair, Religions for Peace Australia
Phone 6272 6521
