United Nations: Interfaith Harmony Week

The United Nations has asked religious communities to dedicate the first week of February to learning about other religious traditions to promote awareness and understanding, tolerance and respect, cooperation and support. In light of the recent rise of intolerance and hatred and discrimination towards Muslims, many people are uncritically accepting the false claims of Islamophobia. On Monday, February 1st and Tuesday, February 2nd, Rev. Sanderson will be showing a film with a Q&A guided discussion and teaching some of the foundations of Islam. Both Monday and Tuesday night classes will be in the downstairs Community Room of the church and will begin at 6:00 PM. On Friday, February 5th, Rev. Sanderson will be leading a group to the mosque in West Springfield for the Friday noon prayer service and then staying for lunch and meeting with the Imam. If you are interested in the Friday field trip to the mosque, please RSVP by Wednesday, February 3rd so they can plan for food and we can make sure to wait for you. On Thursday, February 4th Dr. Mohammad Saleem Bajwa, member of the Board of Directors at the Islamic Center of Western Massachusetts, will be speaking at Second Congregational Church of Greenfield about Islam’s long tradition of peace and social justice, interfaith harmony, and what it is like to a Muslim today.