Notice of solidarity Vigils and BHFA news
March 19, 2019
Dear friends
A number of vigils are being held across the city to remember those killed or injured in the attacks on the two mosques in New Zealand and the incident on Sunday in Stanwell, Surrey. It is also an opportunity to remember all those killed or injured elsewhere in the world in similar violence, e.g. in Nigeria the deaths of over 50 Christians and the destruction of more than 140 homes by Fulani militants earlier this month, and the 20 people killed by two bomb blasts during Sunday Mass in Jolo Cathedral in the Philippines at the end of January. Everyone is invited and welcome to join the vigils.
Wednesday 20th March 2019 6pm to 7pm – Vigil at Hove Methodist Church, Portland Road, Hove: The city’s Interfaith Contact Group invites all communities to join a peace vigil, to demonstrate our shared belief that attacks of terror will not be tolerated in our city, and beyond. All are invited to come together and show our support and unity with the Muslim community.
Thursday 21st March 2019 One Voice gathering 4.30pm – outside Hove Town Hall: All are welcome to join One Voice’s vigil to remember all those killed or injured in Christchurch last Friday, Stanwell over the weekend and elsewhere in the world in acts of similar violence. Our local Imams, executive committee members on the city’s Racial Harassment Forum and local community leaders including the Chair of BHFA, the Archbishop of Selsey, will be speaking briefly. We will also observe a minute’s silence. Please join One Voice to stand together in solidarity and send a clear message that we do not condone violence against innocent people and counter the threat from far right as well as all other forms of terrorism.
Please find recent statements from the BHFA/Faith Council and representative “One Voice” of the City Council’s Community Safety Team regarding the Mosque shootings in Christchurch, New Zealand this week. Please take particular note of the request from our Muslim Community leaders in the latter statement.
Dates for your Diary…
- March 28th, Thursday Third Sector Commission Consultation 0930-1230 – Brighthelm, North Road, Brighton BN1 1YD
- April 4th, Thursday TBC School Assembly Faith Tour Panellists Workshop 0930-1700 – Salvation Army, 1-6 Park Crescent Terrace, BN2 3HD
- April 10th, Wednesday Faith Hate Focus Group 1730-1900- Brighton Town Hall, Bartholomew Rd, Brighton BN1 1JW
- May 2nd, Thursday Faith Council 1000-1200- Salvation Army, 1-6 Park Crescent Terrace, BN2 3HD
- June 6th Thursday Celebrating Faith 1100-1500 – The Open Market, Providence Pl, Brighton BN1 4GE
- July 4th Thursday Faith Council 1000-1200- Salvation Army, 1-6 Park Crescent Terrace, BN2 3HD
Combatting Faith Hate Partnership – School Assembly Faith Tour
This is a fantastic opportunity to present Faith positively in the school environment. The School Assembly Faith Tour is scheduled to run from the end of April through May and involves panellists from the Jewish, Muslim, Coptic, Anglican and Roman Catholic faith communities to both present individually and as a panel, the relevance of their faith in their own lives, discuss issues around religious tolerance and perhaps field questions in order to dispel misperceptions about their Faith from secondary age school pupils. We held a very successful workshop for School Assembly Panellists delivered by The Faith & Belief Forum last month and are intending to run the event again for candidates from the Roman Catholic, Coptic Orthodox and Muslim faith communities at the beginning of April. The workshop will brief panellists on the relevance and effectiveness of personal narrative in presenting Faith positively and equip and prepare panellists to discuss the relevance of Faith in the 21C. For more information or to field candidates as panellists, please contact Fr Jerome via email or phone 07423 074517.
Volunteer Week Celebrating Faith in Action Event 2019 – Thursday, June 6th at The Open Market
11am-3pm an opportunity to come and share with the general public information about the various faith inspired social action projects and initiatives our various faith communities are involved in and running all around the city. If your organisation, project or faith group would like a stall to advertise and give out information about your “faith in action” please let us know! The event occurs during Volunteer Week so a great opportunity to perhaps recruit some prospective volunteers and collaborators! We hope to have cultural activities and live music during the event as well and welcome musicians, singers, performers, artists… anyone creative to be in touch with us and showcase their faith inspired talent! Just reply to this email to express your initial interest to take part!
PLEASE note this new email address now being used for all BHFA/Faith Council communications, infoBHFA@gmail.com and visit our website regularly for information, news and events.We hope to see you at any or all of the events above and please do be in touch if we can help realise your “faith in action”!
Brighton & Hove Faith in Action
Email: infoBHFA@gmail.com
Website: www.bhfa.org.uk
Registered Charity: No.1166257
