Interfaith Ministries
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Diane John was commissioned Minister of Inter-Faith Relations in 2007. She is currently on the Board of the Inter-Religious Council and travels to various communities of faith to explore their traditions and develop relationships. |
The Hindu Temple |
I had a delightful visit Sunday, July 8 at the Hindu Temple Association of Eastern Iowa in Cedar Rapids. I was greeted outside the modest and charming southwest side building by Gangadhar Rao Vemuganti (Chair Person of the temple) , who served as host for the community. Prior to the service, as Hindu chant music played, he greeted worshipers and visitors. I was quite pleased to notice two couples who were there for the first time. Gangadhar showed me where to put my shoes, as no shoes are permitted in the worship area. He then assisted me to a seat along the outer wall of the worship space in order to observe the prayer service. The Temple’s worship area is beautifully appointed, with a draped statue of Lord Ganesha, goddess Durga and paintings of the Hindu Gods and Goddesses. In addition, the ceiling is draped with flowers and burning incense creates a true flavor of worship. The altar is on the elevated section of the worship space, where priest and leaders sit to conduct the service. Worshipers sit close to the altar but on ground floor where white sheets are spread on the carpet. The second Sunday each month is a Puja prayer service led by families in the community, followed by an Annadata meal, at a cost of $3:00 held in a fellowship area. The meals are also hosted by families in the community. I was very pleased to see how children were involved in the prayer service. A young man about 14 years old and his brother, about eight years old, helped to lead the service, as instructed by their parents. They performed the various offerings of flowers and milk to Ganesha Deity. These offerings were explained in English, helpful for one like me who understands only one word in Hindi: Namaste (the God in me greets the God in you). Following Puja, hymns and sacred songs were sung by the community, first led by children in the assembly and then by women. Song sheets were passed out so that everyone could join in. The music was delightfully joyous, accompanied by clapping and finger cymbals. Although this is a relatively small space, a marvelous sound system makes the prayer service and the song leadership clear and bright, easy for everyone to hear. The schedule for worship and a handy map and driving directions are posted on the Temple’s website, http://www.iowahindutemple.org. Questions about the Temple can be directed to Gangadhar through the website.
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Mother Mosque of America
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On June 11, 2007, about 25 members of Christ Episcopal Church toured the Mother Mosque of America, led by Imam Taha Tawil. Visitors from a Malaysian television station were on hand taping part of the lecture, so that was a real treat. The lecture was geared toward Christians and Imam Taha left ample time for questions and answers. We began with the reminder that Ishmael, first-born son of Abraham, was the father of the Islamic faith. Thus, Abraham is the father held in common among Muslims, Jews and Christians. There was considerable discussion about the difference between culture and religion where various customs are concerned here in the United States and around and world. For instance, the fact that women can drive cars in Kuwait but not in Saudi Arabia is a cultural, not religious custom. Following some lovely refreshments we went up to the prayer room and were allowed to observe one of the five daily prayers in which all Muslims participate. Prayers are all done facing Mecca, and all done in Arabic, using the same language and wording, making Islam a truly global faith. I was very pleased for Imam Taha in that he had a visitor at evening prayers, a young man who had just moved to Cedar Rapids from Chicago, looking for a simpler and more peaceful lifestyle. Those of us who were so inclined removed our shoes to observe the prayers. Others were allowed to observe from the non-carpeted area. Imam Taha asked us why we thought the carpet was a beige color. Of course, it made sense that this was the color of sand. In fact, the Mother Mosque has beige carpet because it was on sale at the time. This got a hearty laugh from everyone! The two hours went by so quickly, given Imam Taha's wit and ability to communicate in a clear and gentle way. The Mother Mosque is the oldest standing mosque in the United States and a testament to the faithfulness of immigrants four generations ago who founded it. Today, it is a cultural and heritage center as well as a mosque and soon to be registered as an historic site. Imam Taha Tawil spends a lot of his time in prison ministry, serving Muslim inmates at Anamosa and Fort Madison in addition to county jails. He and his family live in Cedar Rapids. He is originally from Jerusalem.
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Cedar Rapids Zen Center |
I had the privilege recently of spending one-on-one time with Zuiko Redding, the Teacher at the Cedar Rapids Zen Center. The Center is housed in a lovely home on Bever Avenue, and is only six years old. The community comprises between 30 and 35 people. And, while Zuiko and I were together, a call came in from someone who wanted information on zazen (meditation) times, a welcome call any time, in any faith community! Most of our time was spent with Zuiko telling me about Buddhism and the Buddha. We shared tea as the afternoon sun cast long shadows through the discussion room. The large, sturdy wooden table was a hospitable place to share our tea and conversation. And throughout the room were plants of every type and size, all of them thriving on the energy of the Zen community and their Teacher. Upon entering the center, I was asked to remove my shoes and place them in the shoe rack and then slide my feet into the softest blue slippers I had ever enjoyed. The coat rack is ample for the center’s community and Zuiko first led me into the kitchen to put on water for tea, and then into the discussion room for our conversation. Zuiko’s knowledge and wisdom really came through as I listened to her. Her love for Buddhism was apparent. I learned, for instance, that Zen Buddhism is a branch of Buddhism which focuses on the meditation portion of the Eightfold Noble Path. The Eightfold Noble Path is the last of the Four Noble Truths taught by the Buddha, and it describes the way in which his followers should lead their lives. Zen Buddhism began in India, spread to China Korea, Viet Nam and then to Japan and now into the West. Other Buddhist traditions also spread to these countries as well as the rest of Southeast Asia and Tibet. Zuiko left her career as a college professor to study for six years in Japan, and spends a lot of her time being there with parishioners: listening, sharing and interpreting the teachings and precepts, helping them deal with the problems every one of us experience from time to time – depression, parenting, marriage issues, and the like – in accordance with the Buddha’s teachings. She also leads morning and evening zazen during the week and gives dharma talks (sermons) on Sundays. She also leads special ceremonies from time to time. Buddhism focuses on the teachings of the Buddha, who lived and taught in India 2,500 years ago and who, as a young boy named Siddartha Gautama, sat under a tree watching his father plow the fields. What he experienced in that place was peace – no longing for something more, no sense that something was missing. As a young adult Siddartha had questions about our relationship to life and existence that trouble us all. At the age of twenty-nine, he left his family and his inheritance to seek answers as a mendicant religious wanderer. After six years of religious practice, he understood that, just as he had experienced as a child watching his father plow, the answers to our questions come when we drop our agendas and our self-centered thoughts and are truly present with our lives just as they are. At this time he became the “Buddha,” the “Awakened One.” To a Buddhist, “God” does not exist as a conscious being, but as the ongoing processes of change and interdependence, of elements and energies coming together and drifting apart, which create the reality of life in each moment. Buddhists call this “Emptiness” or “The Ground of Being.” Buddhists feel that our problems arise when we compare our ideas about how we want our lives to be with the reality of existence. Since reality is about the whole universe, it often does not go according to our ideas. Problems and dissatisfactions arise when we cling to our ideas rather than putting them aside and doing what reality is asking of us. For the Buddhist, salvation lies in meeting Reality fully and completely. The mind’s ego games are set aside so that the individual can focus on the fact that every one of us is connected to everything on the earth – plants, rocks, trees, other people – and that everything is in a constant state of change from one moment to the next as energy and matter are received and dispersed, received and dispersed. When we die, for instance, our lives continue in those whose lives we have touched, as our bodies change to become part of something new. This is only touching the surface of an understanding of Buddhism, to be sure, an understanding of someone who knew very, very little about the faith and needs much further study. On Sundays, Zuiko does a sermon for the community to help them grow in their knowledge and understanding of their faith and practice. An example would be a talk “the Middle Way.” This is not about finding the middle point between two extremes. Rather, it is a process of negotiation which allows for graciousness and tact in all things. If, as a vegetarian, for example, a Buddhist were invited to another’s home and roast beef was served, the guest would take a small portion, eat it and thank the host for the offering, being flexible in order to honor hospitality of the other. After our conversation, Zuiko took me to the meditation hall, called the “zendo.” She showed me the proper way to enter and greet the room; how to move about in the room; she even had a chair set up for me so that with my bad knees I didn’t have to sit on the floor! She explained the greeting of others at the beginning of zazen and then how to sit and how to hold my hands. When she asked if I would like to do a short meditation time with her, I was ready! It began with her ringing a bell, the tone of which was spiritual ecstasy in itself. As my own meditation practice isn’t what it ought to be, I spent most of my time noticing the thoughts that would pass through my mind, as if I were to somehow keep a journal of them. But I soon let that idea go, as I let the thoughts go, and focused on my breath in order to enjoy the peace. Ten minutes was much too short a time, but Zuiko and I needed to bring our time together to an end. I will be back for longer zazen periods and take advantage of the center’s regular meditation times for improving my own practice. The New Year’s Eve festivities sound inviting: a sitting from 7:30 to 10 p.m. and then sharing noodles while greeting the New Year. The Greater Cedar Rapids area is truly enriched by the center and the dedicated Teacher who serves there. To discover more about the Center, you can go to http://www.avalon.net/~crzc. People of all faiths are welcome. Those who have not done zazen before should attend an introductory evening before coming to their first zazen. Introductory evenings are held on the third Wednesday evening of each month.
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Islamic Center of Cedar Rapids
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The Islamic Center of Cedar Rapids (ICCR) is a very welcoming community. Visitors are invited anytime to watch and listen to prayer room activities (lectures, the 5 daily prayers) from an observatory room. I chose, however, to participate in prayers as an Episcopalian visitor. And now I have made Friday jummah a part of my weekly schedule. The first lesson I learned was from the ICCR website, in that a modest Muslim woman participates in prayer with only her face and hands showing. Among the women, however, there is actually a wide diversity of dress when it comes to head scarves and clothing, ranging from black to pastels with shimmering light. Everyone, women and men alike, removes their shoes. One thing I particularly enjoy about sitting with the women is that children of all ages, from babies to toddlers to youngsters, are cared for by the Sisters during jummah. It is a great joy for me to see children worshiping Allah in their own, innocent way. Many members arrive at 1 p.m. on Fridays to prepare themselves for prayers. Brother Mohamed Soliman told me this quiet time was good to prepare oneself for prayers. I have found using my prayer beads (which are also common among Muslims) is helpful for me. The call to worship begins at 1:15 p.m. It is recited in Arabic, a beautiful language. Then comes the lecture (or sermon), which is based on teachings of the Quran, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) or other beloved prophets e.g. Moses, Abraham, Jesus. Quotes are first delivered in Arabic then translated to English. Community prayers follow the lecture. This is a very intimate part of the jummah, for within the darkened room, the people stand shoulder-to-shoulder to pray. Yes, shoulder-to-shoulder. I was corrected on that once. The Sister standing next to me motioned to come closer to her so that our shoulders did indeed touch. And after each recitation of the Fatiha (which precedes recited verses from the Quran), everyone says Amen (Ahmeen) on the same pitch. It is a true testament to the unity of the assembled that there is no searching for the common pitch. Everyone has that pitch from the beginning. I am even learning what the pitch is, for sometimes during the week I hear the pitch. If I would get out my pitch pipe I could tell you what the note is. You’ll just have to come and experience it for yourself. My arthritic knees do not allow me to make the reverent bow to the floor. But this bothers no one. I simply bow my head, either while sitting or standing. I am beginning to feel more comfortable standing and bowing my head at the appropriate times, as other Sisters and Brothers do the same. The Friday service ends at 2 p.m. and the Brothers greet each other, and the Sisters greet each other. I have made several friends among the Sisters. They know I am a visitor only, with no intent to convert, and yet they love me and shower me with hugs and holy kisses. The fellowship continues all the way to the car, with people chatting in the atrium, in the hallways, at the front entrance to the center. Deep reverence for Allah and valuing one another, gentleness, kindness. These are the words that best describe my experiences at the ICCR.
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Temple Judah
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I was privileged to attend a Sabbath service at Temple Judah one Friday night. The services begin at 7:30 p.m. While ascending the two flights of stairs to the worship space, I felt a great sense of awe and wonder at coming into the presence of God. But don’t walk right in. Everyone needs to stop before entering the worship space to pick up an order of service (printed on white paper) and a prayer book (blue books in the book case). One of the things that so struck me about the particular service I attended was the family and community atmosphere. There is a level of intimacy that comes through from the leadership which helps everyone, even a visitor like me, settle in and feel comfortable so that the time just flies by. Another thing that I really enjoyed was the emphasis given to the ministries of children. The particular evening I was there, a young man played several pieces on the organ and did a super job. Then a young woman was chosen to assist with drawing the curtains back to reveal the Torah. A young man took the Torah to each worshiper in order for them to kiss the back of their prayer book and touch the prayer book to the Torah, a very meaningful ritual. Much of the service is conducted in Hebrew, of which I know nothing. But there are several times in worship in which the English is translated on a line under the Hebrew so that the full meaning of the text is clear. That was very helpful to me as we went along. Music is a special joy at Temple Judah. The music leaders are well rehearsed and highly talented. Their leadership for the great amount of singing during the service is excellent. Everyone in the community seems to enjoy the singing, as the sound resonates throughout the worship space and the joy in each heart seems to increase. During the service a cantor chants a portion of the Torah which was truly a high point for me. The great scroll is opened and the cantor begins, reading directly from the Torah. This took this old Episcopalian back to memories of the tales of synagogue worship where Torah was used in teaching and preaching. Rabbi Aaron Sherman delivered a fine message. Of course, he has a way of making theological points sound so practical that taking home a resolution or two is very easy. His wisdom enlightens rather than confounds, which is a true joy for the visitor to whom everything is a new experience, a new stimulation. Following the service it is customary to wish those around you a peaceful Sabbath by saying, “Shabbat Shalom.” Several people in the congregation, even though they’d never seen me before, made it a point to welcome me with the greeting. In essence, here I was, knowing no Hebrew, having no knowledge of the music they were singing, not understanding the chanting of the section of Torah for the evening, and yet I felt very comfortable and comforted by the worship experience. After the service is a coffee hour where worshipers socialize, greet visitors and catch up on the needs of members of the community, in as loving a way as I’ve ever seen. This community is truly a family alive in love and fully dedicated to serving God in their daily lives. It was an honor to be among them. I look forward to returning.
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Muslim American Society Iowa Chapter
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There are two experiences I need to share with you about the Muslim American Society Iowa Chapter (MAS Iowa). First is a peace rally I attended last summer during the fighting in Gaza, sponsored by the MAS Iowa Freedom Foundation Justice for Palestine effort. This was the first peace rally I’d ever been to (yes, much of my youth was spent in complacency) so I had no clue what to do. But someone put signs down on the lawn and others were choosing theirs, so I chose mine. It said, “For God’s sake, when?” I liked holding that sign. It was one of the hottest days of the year, yet it didn’t seem to bother me as I was focused on praying while holding the sign for passing traffic on the First Avenue bridge to see. I knew none of the other sign-holders, yet we seemed to bond in the silence, each bringing their own desire for peace to the rally. People did different things. Some sat in the shade. I put one foot in the street and the entire group was promptly reprimanded to stay on the curb so as to not get hit by a passing car. Two police cruisers were on hand to protect protesters. Something about rallying for peace, though, helps keep a crowd pretty quiet. About an hour into the rally, Imam Ahmed Elkhaldy began on the speaker-phone, talking about the need to respect the dignity of every human soul, of literally every living being and every living thing. There was no longer a division of Jew or Muslim or Christian. All of us are one, all Children of Abraham. Others spoke as well, including an inspiring message from Rabbi Aaron Sherman of Temple Judah, calling for peace in the Middle East and an end to fighting, an end to war. This experience was a powerful one for me. I truly hope I never forget just how powerful demonstrating for peace can be. The second thing I need to share with you about MAS Iowa is how during the most holy month of Ramadan, I was sick. I missed two Iftar (breaking of the daily fast) dinners. Both of those nights two sisters from MAS Iowa, Sister Angela and Sister Tracy, traveled all the way from Third Avenue and 10th Street SE in Cedar Rapids to the East edge of Marion to bring me food from the dinner. They stayed with me a while, talking and being ever so patient, knowing I was lonely from being sick and in bed all day. And when I began to get tired, they graciously left. They weren’t afraid of my germs. They were there only to comfort me and show me dignity and love. At this point I am healing well, thanks first of all to prayer, and second of all to medicine, and I am looking forward to sharing an Iftar dinner with MAS Iowa before Ramadan ends. If you would like to be notified about upcoming MAS Iowa events, email info@mas.org
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| Links of Interest | |
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Inter-Religious Council of Linn County |
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Muslim-American Society Iowa Chapter |
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Churches United, Inc. |
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Cedar Rapids Zen Center |
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Hindu Temple Association of Eastern Iowa |
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Islamic Center of Cedar Rapids |
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People's Church Unitarian Universalist |
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Baha'i World Faith |
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Temple Judah |
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Unity Center of Cedar Rapids |
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