Common Grounds

BUILDING BRIDGES

September 26, 2016

 

Contributed by Libby and Len Traubman

 

The Traubman family resides in San Mateo, California. Len, is a retired pediatric dentist, retired after 35 years in San Francisco, CA. Libby, a retired clinical social worker, was a trustee of the Foundation for Global Community - formerly Beyond War - which Libby and Len helped launch in 1982. Libby and Len shepherd the Jewish-Palestinian Living Room Dialogue, established in July 1992, whose principles of living together apply universally to relationships between diverse citizens and with Earth herself. Their children, Eleanor and Adam, in their early 40s, have left the nest and married, and now there are three dear grandchildren.

 

A Mosque and Church  
Living We

 

A Michigan Unitarian Universalist congregation found itself homeless as their church underwent construction.
A local mosque came to the rescue, offering them a space free of charge.

 

“This has been the Muslim tradition for over 1,400 years — to be hospitable, to take care of your guest,” said Imam Sohail Chaudhry of The Islamic Center of East Lansing.
Many of the UUA congregants had never been inside a mosque before, said Rev. Kathryn Bert, senior minister of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Greater Lansing.



"Getting comfortable with difference involves building relationships with people,” said Rev. Kathryn Bert.
“You can’t just do it from a book.”
“People were so excited the very first day."



Before the church’s first service at the mosque, Bert fielded questions from her congregation about etiquette, including whether women should cover their heads, as is traditional in Muslim places of worship. 
When Bert posed the question to Chaudhry the imam said it would be polite, but not necessary.



About 30 to 40 percent of the church women chose to wear scarves during services out of respect to the Islamic center.
“This should be part of our vision, that we are together,” Chaudhry said.

 

Why A Mosque Invited A Church To Use Its Space For Worship

This is interfaith at its best.

Huffington Post - 16 June 2016

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/why-a-mosque-invited-a-church-to-use-its-space-for-worship_us_57630310e4b05e4be86141fa



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