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Women
Women contribute strongly to all local inter faith initiatives. Some
inter faith bodies hold special events for women or have linked
women’s forums. Oldham Inter Faith Forum, for example, involves women
as well as men in the main forum but has supported the formation of
the Oldham Women’s Inter Faith Network which meets separately but
gives input to the overall Forum. In a few areas there are
freestanding local inter faith initiatives run by and for women.
Examples are Thames Gateway Women's Multifaith Forum, St Albans
Interfaith Women's Group, Bradford Interfaith Women for Peace and
Leicester Christian-Muslim Women’s Group.
It started with a friendship
between a woman priest, Diane Johnson, and a Muslim woman, Habibe
Yesilova. The friendship spread to others, and in May 2002, a
meeting was convened, attended by members of the Islamic Society
of Britain women’s group in Highfields, and members of the Monday
Break Group (part of the Mothers’ Union) from Great Bowden, near
Market Harborough, Further meetings were planned, and the group
decide to explore together various aspects of our respective
faiths and cultures, including revelation in the Qu’ran and in the
Bible, Muslim prayers and the Christian Eucharist, the Hajj,
marriage, and media perceptions of faith communities. The group
has grown to include Christians of several denominations, who live
in Leicester, and Muslims from Loughborough and Markfield. We have
discovered that we can pray together, taking care that we pray
with integrity and without compromise. The most important part of
our time together is the informal chatting that happens after the
business, over the coffee cups. The group has decided that, as
well as meeting, talking and praying together, we should work
together on a practical issue.
Leicester Christian-Muslim Women’s Group |
In July we visited the Amaravati
Buddhist Temple and Monastery, Great Gaddesden. We arrived at
about 6.pm and were met by two nuns who showed us around the
monastery. It is a very tranquil, beautiful place. Many of the
buildings are modern and well constructed using wood and brick.
The temple was airy with a lofty ceiling. As we walked silently
around there were a few people already at prayer kneeling on small
cushions. We were invited to Evening prayers. The formal part of
the prayer time lasted for about 15 minutes and we were given
books to help us follow the various chants. There followed a time
of meditation. We were assured we were welcome to stay for as
long, or as short, as we liked.
By experiencing another faith and learning from those of that
faith we are beginning to understand each other, respecting our
differences and celebrating our similarities.
St Albans Interfaith Women’s Group visit to Amaravati |
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In this section
Find a local inter faith
body
Getting started
Checklist
Aims and names
Venues for meetings
Practical matters
Membership patterns
Groundrules
Constitutions
Calendar matters
Catering for events
Times for meetings
Media
Statements
Web sites
Financial issues
Charitable status
Volunteers and staff
Premises
Local Authorities
Local Strategic Partnerships
Activities
Awareness raising
Charity fundraising
Discussion meetings
Diversity training
Environmental
projects
Health and emergency services
Joint events
Special events
Multi faith civic ceremonies
Pilgrimages
Prayer and worship
Responding to tensions
Social gatherings
Trips and exchanges
Visiting places of worship
Women
Working with schools
Young people
Local Inter Faith Survey
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