FAITH HOUSE Manhattan

Flashback to January 2009: Reflection by Bill Ashlock, Founding Board Member

In the course of the recent past, I have found myself inspired and filled with hope. Instead of the usual sources of inspiration, I have caught a clearer glimpse of Hope as I learned about the history and dance for the black Madonna, experienced the renewed feeling of joy that is only found in a caring community, and came face to face with someone that knew the heart of how to dialogue. The sources of inspiration came from places just beyond my imagination. It was a pleasant reminder of how God is often found in the Other.

 

As I walked away changed for the experience, I found myself wondering how others before me dealt with this discovery. Did they even have one? It is interesting to note how one writer captured his experience. The notation was simple, yet filled with an interesting insight. "The congregation in Antioch was blessed with a number of prophet-preachers and teachers: Barnabas, Simon, nicknamed Niger, Lucius the Cyrenian, Manaen, an advisor to the ruler Herod, Saul." (Acts 13.1)

 

We live in a world with unlimited views of God. I was tugged into experiencing and learning from Another. Everyone involved knew that we had differing views. There was no attempt to change my perspective. I found myself saying yes to an invitation to walk with someone. Even in the short time we had together, I found myself walking away with more than before. My view of the God in my life has a greater focus because of their gift. My understanding of God's family, where you and I have great roles to play, increased. My awareness of the Presence that is available to all, heightened.

 

We have many perspectives. We live in a place where we are family. We can learn and help each other. We can respect and honor those who confuse us as well as those that agree with us. The invitation to participate, nurture, and contribute is open to everyone. The unknown is our response; today we can let others touch our lives and in turn make a difference.

 

This post was written for Bill Ashlock's website abcGod.com  after attending a January 2009 Faith House Living Room:

Mother, Prophet, Mystic: Mary In New Testament, Holy Quran, and Beyond: Please join us for a contemplative session where we will learn about and experience the various Marian traditions through the centuries and Abrahamic religions... From pre-Christian concepts to mainline Christian notions, to Holy Quran, we will explore the re-making of Mary through the ages. With international singer/percussionist and dancer, Alessandra Belloni, facilitated by Rabia Gentile. January 24, 2009

Living Room Hosts on Huffington Post

If you missed our last two Living Room gatherings... you're in luck!  Our two most recent Living Room hosts are both Huffington Post authors (Stedman for a long time and Pandit was invited as a result of leading our Living Room!).  Their most recent articles are related to the Living Rooms they led for us... and you can read them now beyond NYC!  

"The Yoga of Cooking and Eating"
By Gadadhara Pandit Dasa 
Hindu Chaplain, Columbia University and NYU

 

"Do Atheists Belong in the Interfaith Movement?" 

By Chris Stedman, Humanist Chaplaincy at Harvard /
Managing Director of State of Formation

 

Did you know? Faith House was included in the
Huffington Post's recent list of
"The Interfaith Movement on Twitter"

Quick Stats & Huffington Post

Did you know...

... we got more than 30,000 website hits in the past year?

...opened a Faceook Page this year that now has more than 300 fans?

...that we have over 300 Tweets on  @FaithHouseNOW?

And...

... Faith House's twitter stream was included in the Huffington Post's list of "The Interfaith Movement on Twitter" along with many of our friends, e.g. World Faith, The Journal of Inter-Religious Dialogue, Chris Stedman, The Tanenbaum Center, Interfaith Center of New York, Interfaith Youth Core, Intersections, Council for a Parliament of World Religions, Eboo Patel, and others?!