Relating, Creating, Transforming
John 4:5-26 What are some specific places or activities that cause you to feel the presence of G-d? Where or when is God especially absent from you? Where do we think that God or the Divine or the Great Spirit or the Eternal Consciousness is? Here? [Sikh Gurdwara] Or here? [Hindu deities] Or here? […]
Read MoreJohn 3:1-9 Last week, I participated in the Interfaith Center of Greater Philadelphia’s Interfaith Encounters Alternative Spring Break program for college students. I journeyed with students, faculty, and college staff professionals to encounter seven different religious traditions, including: Reconstructionist Jewish; Egyptian Coptic Orthodox Christian; Sikh; Quaker; Won Buddhist; Hindu; Black Muslim and Sunni Muslim. There […]
Read MoreOur last day began and ended at Masjidullah in Northwest Philly. This Muslim community recently moved to this new space in January. Previously, the building was a Jewish synagogue and then a Christian church. First, we were greeted by Adilah, one of the leaders of their community. She had set up some refreshments for us […]
Read MoreOn Day 6, we traveled to NE Philly to Aid for Friends. The mission of Aid for Friends ( AFF) is to alleviate the hunger and loneliness of isolated homebound individuals. All their services are provided for free. – AFF provides home-cooked meals and the gift of friendship to people in the five-county Philadelphia region. […]
Read MoreOur morning began bright and early at Philabundance. Philabundance was created in 1984 with the simple belief that no man, woman or child should go hungry. Its growth and eventual integration with the Philadelphia Food Bank in 2005 has made Philabundance the region’s largest hunger relief organization. They are now able to address hunger through […]
Read MoreOur day began with Sue Witte and the folks from Urban Tree Connection! And…what amazing weather! Urban Tree Connection is a nonprofit organization that engages children and adults from some of Philadelphia’s most disadvantaged neighborhoods in community-based, urban-greening projects. UTC believes that community-based urban greening is a great way for residents of all ages to […]
Read MoreOur morning began with volunteer work at SHARE in the East Falls neighborhood of Philly. The SHARE Food Program is a nonprofit organization serving a regional network of community organizations engaged in food distribution, education, and advocacy. SHARE promotes healthy living by providing affordable wholesome food to those willing to contribute through volunteerism. Their motto: […]
Read MoreTurning the clocks forward one hour did not help…we had to get up EARLY. But it ended up being well worth it. We began our second day in Newark, Delaware at St. Mary Coptic Orthodox Church. St. Mary Coptic Orthodox Church Of Delaware was started by 5 immigrant families in the State of Delaware in […]
Read MoreThis week, and part of next week, I will be participating in the Interfaith Center of Greater Philadelphia’s Interfaith Encounter Alternative Break program. Students from Bryn Mawr College and Haverford College will journey with Walter Hjelt Sullivan, Haverford’s Director of Quaker Affairs; Vanessa Christman, Bryn Mawr’s Assistant Dean of the College and Director of Leadership […]
Read MoreMatthew 17:1-9 On April 3, 1968, Martin Luther King Jr. addressed a large crowd inside a church in Memphis, Tennessee. He spoke about the history of the struggle for civil rights in the United States and the difficult days ahead. Towards the end of his sermon, King raised his voice as he was known to […]
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