Dear Friends,
The International Olympics are here! It’s a time for athletes from around the world to come together in one city in peace and competition. Its overarching ideal is of unity. Regardless of conflicts going on in the world, we still come together to compete. The Olympic flag is raised in the Opening Ceremony, and competitors meet, friends are made, world records are broken, and medals are won. Famous singers sang “Imagine” by John Lennon in the opening ceremony. In a world full of conflict everywhere you look, it is hard to imagine a time of unity and peace in the world. But that vision is what we have to strive for in our daily lives, every single day.
The Interfaith Council is about bringing people together from different perspectives, beliefs, and faith traditions, for learning and sharing, with an attitude of respect and humbleness. I am a member of the Baha’i Faith. When coming together, I am humble in sharing my beliefs and am respectful in learning about others’ beliefs. In that way, regardless of beliefs, we can learn and share and build bridges.
On July 20th, we had our 2nd ‘Exploring the Sacred’ Panel Discussion on Spirituality vs. Religion. We had 4 diverse panelists presenting their views, with a discussion afterward and questions and comments from the audience. These are the types of events the Interfaith Council is creating and promoting. These events bring diverse people together to discuss a topic that we all get a deeper understanding of, with an opportunity to learn and grow within ourselves.
May God bless us all, may we all work for peace.
Serene Erby
President, Interfaith Council of Greater Sacramento