The “One Spirit” devotional and supper held at the Hindu temple on 16 Sept. 2017 was a truly joyful event! The hall was filled to capacity with a community of communities of all ages, faiths, and cultural backgrounds. Devotions were offered from many beautiful traditions, in song, chant, poetry and prayer, with drums and guitars, with the audience often singing along or clapping with the music. The wonderful Indian meal offered by the Hindu community afterwards was delicious and plentiful. VMS gratefully thanks all the multi-faith presenters and the many volunteers (cooks, sponsors and dish washers) at the Hindu Parishad & Cultural Centre – as well as the wonderful multi-faith audience who demonstrated such unity of spirit and diversity of praise!

You’re invited to join us on Saturday, 16 September 2017, at 6:30 p.m. All welcome! The VMS Travel the World’s Religions series will feature the One Spirit Hindu Devotional Evening, at the Victoria Hindu Parishad And Cultural Center, 1934 Cultra Avenue. The devotional nature and inclusiveness of One Spirit has made it one of the most inspiring and uplifting events of the year. As with last year’s program, various faiths will participate in offering devotions from their own traditions.

Poster TWR-3 Hindu visit

The 2nd in our Travel the World’s Religion Series will be a visit to a Buddhist Centre here in Victoria: Poster TWR-2

“Meditation with a Whiff of Zen”
2033 Belmont St., Victoria
This event has occurred.

Wayne Codling, a former Zen monastic and a lineage holder in the Soto Zen tradition, will provide a short talk and opportunity for Discussion and Q&A. There will be short seated and walking meditation followed by tea, light refreshments and socializing/sharing time.

Travel the World’s Religions

All welcome!

First stop:

Chabad Centre for Jewish Life and Learning

2955 Glasgow St., Victoria

Thursday, June 8^th

4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.

Visit the Chabad Centre for Jewish Life and Learning www.ChabadVI.org for an inside view of the beautiful new synagogue, the first to be built in Victoria in 153 years. Learn the basics about Judaism from Rabbi Meir Kaplan, followed by light refreshments.

Parking is available at the synagogue or at Topaz Park across the street. Or walk from the #6 bus which runs every 10 minutes on nearby Quadra Street. Men can wear the head covering (kippah) provided or their own hat in the synagogue’s sanctuary. Chabad looks forward to welcoming VMS and members of the public who would like to attend.

Poster TWR

The VMS board sends heartfelt thanks to all who contributed to this wonderful event, in honour of UN World Interfaith Harmony Week! Healing the World: Appreciating Diversity, Creating Community was a huge success, with 180 attending (in the rain, on Superbowl Sunday…) The panel and presenters were inspired, insightful and articulate, and the response of the audience was lively and enthusiastic.

Kudos to our MC, coordinators, to Gettin’ Higher Choir, all who manned the colourful and well stocked displays and refreshment tables, and to those who acted as ushers and security.

The spirit of the event was amazing! From the message from the Muslim community presented by Ali Hemani, to the beautiful story by Shoshana Litman, wisdom of the panelists, the poignant questions of the audience, the songs of oneness and unity by Siobhan Robinsong and the choir and the closing song of Shana Lynngood, the event had an enchantment all its own.

Special thanks to MC Elaine McCreary and also to Jim Flood for the video below and Linda Coyne for the photos.

VMS Board at WIHW 5 Feb

Video link, Healing the World, WIHW, 5 Feb. 2017 View all or any segment individually.

Link to photos, Healing the World, 5 Feb. 2017 Panelists, displays, etc.

We have a wonderfully diverse group of intelligent and articulate panelists for this Sunday’s event. Each will speak for a few minutes and all will be present for the Q&A at the end of the program (see schedule below).

PROGRAMME, in honour of UN World Interfaith Harmony Week

David Lam auditorium, Maclaurin Building, UVic (Free parking Lot E) 

(See below for details)

1:00 p.m.         Displays; refreshments

1:30 p.m.         Welcome by MC, Dr. Elaine McCreary, MFS

Storyteller Shoshana Litman, VMS

“What tools & teachings in your tradition are needed for humanity to heal & flourish?”

1:45 p.m.        Panel #1:

• Aboriginal Spirituality  Alex Nelson
• Buddhism                   Soshin McMurchy
• Bahá’í                         Gita Badiyan
• Unitarian                    Shana Lynngood

2:30 p.m.         Getting’ Higher Choir

2:40 p.m.         Panel #2:

• Islam                        Dr Farouk Mitha
• Judaism                   Sharon Kobrinsky
• Christianity               Michelle Slater
• Hinduism                  Sridevi Ganti

3:30 p.m.         Questions & Answers with all Panelists

3:50 p.m.         Closing, Shana Lynngood

Facebook Event page with poster

Every Thursday between 19 Jan – 16 Feb, presenters will give an overview of their faiths and answer questions, in the Chapter Room of Christ Church Cathedral (rear of ground floor). Bring a bagged lunch; coffee and tea provided. The Chapter Room is easily accessed from the car park on Burdett Ave., between Quadra and Vancouver streets.

Overview elements:
• The essence of my faith
• A VERY BRIEF history
• Core beliefs / key concepts
• Principal practices / customs
• Holy books / texts

In honour of the United Nations’ World Interfaith Harmony Week, the event “Healing the World: Appreciating Diversity, Creating Community” will be held

1:00 PM – 5:00 PM, Sunday, 5 February, 2017                 

David Lam Auditorium, MacLaurin Building A144, UVic

Recognizing the many enormous challenges that the world currently faces, our greatest need may be for wisdom, sanity and social discourse. A panel of local leaders from 8 world faiths will discuss the tools & spiritual teachings that are most needed for humanity to heal and flourish.

The program will run from 1:30 – 4:00 p.m. including short artistic performances, and will open with displays and refreshments at 1:00 p.m.

Sponsored by the Victoria Multifaith Society and UVic’s Multi-faith Services

VMS is planning a special event to celebrate World Interfaith Harmony Week, declared by the United Nations in 2010, and held the first week of February each year. We’ll also continue our Lunch & Learn series at Christ Church Cathedral in the new year. Stay tuned!