We did so many things in 2025… and the year is not even over! Some were new, like the creation of the Multifaith Youth Council (page 8), some were collaborative and some were of our own invention, such as the Listening Circles that have been wonderful in creating closer relationships between individuals and communities. A milestone for VMS at this AGM was the passing of new bylaws that include the E.D. position created in 2021.

Please click on the image to see our Annual Report for 2025.

One event that is upcoming but found in the report is a collaborative project called The Giving Machine, a very special vending machine that will be at Tillicum Mall from 15 November to 3 December. See page 10 of the report for details!

Around 90 people attended the One Spirit event on 21 September at the Hindu Temple. It was a great success, with uplifting, touching, sometimes funny presentations: chanting, singing, guitar, dance, and drumming.

The program went about 90 minutes, starting with a First Nations blessing by Patrick Leon, ending with a Sufi Dance of Universal Peace, and in between presentations from many communities: Muslim, Christian, Jewish, Sikh, Hindu, Buddhist and Baha’i. For those who weren’t (or were!) at the event, here’s a little video clip: https://youtu.be/kkNBxRNQ6ac

The vegetarian Indian meal afterwards was also wonderful, offered free of charge by Praveen and Deepika Pottumutu of the Urban Rebar restaurant in Bastion Square. Conversations were lively and people were joyful and complimentary. A number of volunteers assisted with cleanup around 7PM.

VMS is happy to announce that we will collaborate again this year with the Hindu Parishad & Cultural Centre to present the always wonderful multifaith arts devotional, One Spirit: Celebrating our Faiths Together. This unique event is a joyful celebration of religion and culture through song, music, chant, poetry, dance from many different traditions. The program will begin at 4:00 PM Sunday, 21 September 2025 at 1934 Cultra Ave in Saanichton, followed around 6:00 PM by a vegetarian Indian meal generously provided by The Urban Rebar.  Please register here as soon as possible, or RSVP at victoriamultifaith at gmail.com. Payment is by donation. This is one of our most popular events, so space is limited. We look forward to seeing you there!

VMS is pleased to introduce Claire Grant as the newest addition to the board of the Victoria Multifaith Society, in the Buddhist seat. Claire started practicing mindfulness meditation in the tradition of Venerable Thich Nhat Hanh in 2010 while living in France, and has been practicing and facilitating as Bell Master with the Victoria Mindfulness Community since 2012.  

Claire was ordained a member of the Order of Interbeing in 2017 and was given the dharma name Chân Đức Dung meaning True Virtue of Inclusiveness.  She has attended many mindfulness retreats in Plum Village, France and has supported her local mindfulness community with retreats and Days of Mindfulness. Claire lives in Victoria with her partner Stephane and has two adult children.

Would you be open to meeting a person from another faith for coffee and conversation, one on one? Just a relaxed conversation with someone new whose beliefs and personal experience you might like to know more about? No pressure, just connection, curiosity, and maybe a new friend. Connection starts with one conversation.

People are encouraged to be open and ask questions, but where the chat goes is totally up to you. No speeches, no proselytizing – just real talk with someone who respects your beliefs.

We will match you up with someone according to the preferences you express on this questionnaire, Google Form, Let’s Talk (Multifaith) We’ll then send you both an introductory email to connect you so that you can follow up with each other to make arrangements for coffee, wherever and whenever you choose.

Let’s Talk — and build a better, closer, safer community one conversation at a time.

This is a personal initiative of a member of the VMS Listening Circles, who collaborated with VMS to create the above multifaith version of the original Let’s Talk Tuesdays at Spinnakers. For those who would also like to participate in that project please follow the link or sign up on Eventbrite. NOTE: These are 2 separate projects, with the project at Spinnakers running 12 to 2 p.m. on select Tuesdays.

On four Tuesday evenings of May and June of this year, around 30 people gathered at Christ Church Cathedral for a series of bi-weekly Listening Circles that brought together people from the Abrahamic faiths (Jewish, Muslim, Christian and Baha’i) to learn, listen and share about the heartrending conflict in Israel/Gaza. Presenters from the Jewish and Muslim communities presented their perspectives, followed by Q&A and mixed discussion groups of 6 to 8. Although questions and conversations were sometimes difficult, participants often expressed gratitude for the opportunity to contribute to the dialogue and to form personal bonds with one another. 

We’d like to warmly thank Christ Church Cathedral for providing an incredible venue to bring our communities together; Yasser Yousef of Fig Deli (pictured here with Grace Khalifa) for his support by more than once catering dinners for the entire group; Jennie Keeran of the Christian community for providing refreshments for each of the sessions; and to Hanan Abousaleh, Dahlia Beck, Rabbi Harry Brechner, and Mustafa Abousaleh for their informative and insightful presentations. 

This year is a significant anniversary: the 80th Anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the event that motivates us more than any other to seek peace and nuclear disarmament. Join us on the beautiful grounds of Gorge Park Pavilion, 1070 Tillicum Road on the evening of Wednesday, 6 August for a wonderful, free community event for all ages. A donation bottle will be passed for contributions. Please register here for more information, and bring a lawn chair and/or blanket if possible.

When:   Wednesday, 6 August 2025

Where:   Gorge Park Pavilion, 1070 Tillicum Road

Lantern-making will begin at 6:00 pm indoors on the ground floor of the Pavilion, with all materials provided. The program will begin outdoors at 7:30 pm and end with the launching of the lanterns in the Pavilion reflecting pools at 9 pm. All welcome!

A new series of four Listening Circles will take place in May and June this year: In Search of Common Ground on Palestine-Israel.  The series will again be held at Christ Church Cathedral, with speakers, small discussion groups and refreshments. All who participated last year are being invited to return, to deepen our knowledge and the bonds of friendship between our communities.

All are warmly invited to the 2^nd in our new series, Spiritual Perspectives on Hot Topics, an opportunity for people of various backgrounds and faiths to come together and discuss complex and/or challenging issues from a faith perspective. “How Will You Measure Your Life?” will take place: 

Sunday, Feb. 23^rd, 2:00 – 4:00 pm
2990 Quadra St., Victoria 

Most of us would say that the most important things in life are our families and relationships. We’d probably also admit that getting it right is more difficult than ever these days. Yet it’s essential to our health and happiness. Clayton Christenson, a professor at Harvard University, regularly spoke to his business students on the importance of relationships, sometimes moving them to tears. Our speaker Richard Rush will share that profoundly helpful philosophy of life with us, followed by discussion in small groups.

The event is free, sponsored by VMS and hosted in the spacious Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints on Quadra St, with thanks in advance for their kind hospitality. Light refreshments will be provided.

The parking lot can be accessed from both Quadra St. and the Spruce Ave. side street.

Resources:

• Clayton Christenson video “How Will You Measure Your Life”, from the public library system (Kanopy)
• Do you Have a Strategy for your Life?, TEDx BYU, Karen Dillon. We think of success in terms of work, money and esteem, but our greatest values are around family and relationships.
• Women are Not Winning, YouTube interview with British author Louise Perry on some of challenges of modern-day relationships.