On the sign-in table was the Focolare’s Living City magazine edition proclaiming “Building blocks for world peace.” In the room, that’s what was happening. I’m not sure which was more inspiring: the enlightening DVD and discussion, or the wonderful human spirit with which folks connected after.

As we plan what’s next, while encouraging you and yours to do the same where you are (and/or join us next time), here are more scenes as Christian members of the Focolare in South Florida, Muslim members of New Africa of the Palm Beaches, and folks from other spiritual traditions joined for an examination of the late Blessed Lady Chiara Lubich’s historic 1997 address at Harlem’s Malcolm Shabazz Mosque, at the invitation of the late eminent Imam Warith Deen Mohammed:

Thanks to the gracious United Methodist Church of the Palm Beaches congregation for again hosting this excellent manifestation of model community life that UMCPB, and the other spiritual communities represented, embody and foster.

(And thanks to my sweetie, Aneesha, for all the photo work.)

— 30 —

Great daybreak class this morning at the Lake Worth Municipal Beach led by Tee Jackson, a wonderful teacher sharing universal principles from her Christian perspective:

“Some of us lift weights, watch our diets religiously and spend countless hours in the gym. Do we display that same determination in our spiritual lives? Do we have that same zeal for exercising our minds, soul and spirit? Since none of us can become godly by osmosis, we need to learn to exercise our faith. It takes exercise and effort to achieve spiritual faith.”

It is from her dedicated work helping ladies on behalf of the Women’s Circle (see here, here and here) that I know “Miss Tee,” as we call her.  When she told me about her 6:00 to 7:30 a.m. gathering, I was determined to support her effort. (Of course, the beach setting didn’t hurt.)

Tee, joined by her friends Gilda, Janice and Carolyn, started off with physical stretching exercises, and ended with a walk along the beach. In between, during her brief session on “How is your Faith exercised?”,  Tee cited scriptural passages and plainspoken wisdom while working through concepts of “Warming Up” (Matt. 7.7), “Stretching” (Luke 5:4) and “Walking” (Matt. 4:4).

“Stretch out on faith,” Tee Jackson counseled in that segment of her presentation. “As I prepared for this first ‘Bible on the Beach’ I had no idea who would come out or if anyone would come but, because of my past experiences of seeing God’s blessings for my faithfulness, I said, ‘Yes Lord I’ll go if I have to go alone.’ In Luke 5:4 we read the story of the disciples who had fished all night long and had no catch. Then Jesus came along and said to them to launch out into the deep and drop your net.”

I left the ocean sounds and breeze energized and inspired. More scenes:

— 30 —

Join Us As We Again Spotlight

“Model Interfaith Dialogue & Unity”

Featuring an examination of Focolare founder Chiara Lubich’s historic 1997 address to a gathering of 3,000 at Harlem’s Malcolm Shabazz Mosque. The event sparked a continuing upsurge in interfaith collaboration.

Sunday, July 25, 2-4 p.m.

United Methodist Church of the Palm Beaches

900 Brandywine Road, West Palm Beach 33409

Former Palm Beach Post writer/editor C.B. Hanif moderates a video and discussion with Mercedes Mont and Martin Alfaro, Christian members of the Focolare Movement.

The Focolare’s “Spirituality of Unity” has resonated with members of other faiths and spiritual traditions in more than 180 countries. Particularly among our Muslim community here in the U.S., the dialogue has sparked a dynamic and devoted relationship and initiatives of collaboration.

This program follows on the heels of such activities as the Interfaith Clergy Committee’s annual Institute Day program (“Promoting Civil Discourse in a Polarized Nation: People of Faith Respond”); the Delray Beach Interfaith Clergy Association’s Interfaith First Harvest Dinner; the 9^th Annual Family Interfaith Picnic hosted by New Africa of the Palm Beaches; and last month’s “Muslims & Christians in Model Dialogue and Friendship” forum at the same location.

Journey with us as we again seek to learn about each other rather than define or convert each other, learn to be the first to love the other, and develop this exemplary model for Interreligious interaction and cooperation.

“Religions, with all their differences, are being called on to come together as never before.” — Cardinal Francis Arinze, president of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue

“The Principle of Love, taken from the message of Jesus Christ, is an idea we embrace totally, and anybody can embrace totally.” — Imam W. Deen Mohammed

No admission fee; donations accepted.

Organized by New Africa of the Palm Beaches and the Focolare of South Florida.

DIRECTIONS FROM I-95: Take Exit #71 west onto Palm Beach Lakes Blvd. Turn right at third traffic light and left at three-way stop sign. UMCPB is on left. For more information call 561-309-5476.

Also, from Notre Dame D’Haiti church in Miami, “the living room” of the Haitian-American community in South Florida, more sounds of “Faith in the Aftermath.” Just over four minutes, well invested. ”When we are singing we are praying.”

Or, hear the entire detailed, hourlong “Under the Sun” special on Haiti. Way to go, WLRN.

“The Unitarian Universalist Association resulted from unification in 1961 of two of the country’s oldest radical/liberal religious denominations, both of which have roots in the Radical Reformation…Like other socially engaged religious movements, it has continuously faced the task of renewing itself in changing social, political, and spiritual conditions. This was especially evident at this General Assembly.”

Addresses by Winona LaDuke, Rep. Keith Ellison, Sen. Al Franken. More here and here.

With appreciation  to my dear friend Imam Bilal Saleem and his wife, of Jacksonville, who invited us to join them for the weekend, my wife and I enjoyed our most beautiful U.S. Independence Day in memory. Imam Saleem, whose deceased father was from New Providence island, home of the Bahama islands’ capital and commercial center, Nassau, provided a reminder of how much more one can enjoy a new and different place with someone who knows it intimately, as he showed us all around.

From the Friday congregational prayer, or Salatul Jummah, at the Jamaa’ Ahlus Sunnah Bahamas Mosque; to the Atlantis resort, an engineering marvel; to the fresh seafood and other local specialties; to the distinctive architechture, particularly the church architecture; to the warm, multi-talented and resourceful Bahamian people, including his relatives, I’m grateful for the visit. It was a feast for body, mind and spirit. Here are more scenes:

— 30 —

The gracious United Methodist Church of the Palm Beaches was the scene of Sunday’s inspirational gathering that highlighted the exemplary interfaith unity among members of the international Focolare lay Catholic movement, founded by the late Lady Chiara Lubich, and students of the late Imam W. Deen Mohammed, internationally recognized leader of two million Muslim Americans organized locally as New Africa of the Palm Beaches.

The program continued these Christians’ and Muslims’ longstanding and dynamic involvement in building bridges across religious, ethic and cultural lines.

Friends and guests who helped expand the circle of what the Focolare call “the Spirituality of Unity” included active members of the Interfaith Clergy Committee of the Jewish Community Relations Council, the Delray Beach Interfaith Clergy Association, Vitas, Pax Christi, the Caribbean-American for Community Involvement, the First Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Palm Beaches and several others.

Next up in the ongoing effort: tentatively scheduled for July 25, an examination of the historic May 18,1997 meeting during which Chiara Lubich spoke at the Malcolm Shabazz Mosque in Harlem. The event helped spark a surge of interfaith collaboration here in the U.S. that deserves more attention. Details to come.

— 30 —