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Since October 7, many well-intentioned statements have undercut progressive Christians’ moral high ground by invoking antisemitic tropes. It’s an avoidable problem. by Olivia Brodsky and Joshua Stanton. This article appears in the May 2024 issue. Published on February 15, 2024 Article provided by Dave Edwards (GVIN) with the notation: Both [articles- this and the one below] are highly relevant to… Continue reading Ten ways Christians can criticize Israel that aren’t antisemitic

When my spouse’s church became more affirming, the major givers left. by Brian Bantum in the April 2024 issue of The Christian Century Published on March 15, 2024 Article and links provided by Dave Edwards (GVIN) with notation: Both are highly relevant to current issues that we all face:  One is the Israel/Gaza conflict; the other is on the… Continue reading Can inclusive churches grow and thrive?

April Foods Day is April 27 – UPDATED 6/10/24 Over two tons of food were collected during the April Foods Day drive this past Spring. The five participating charities expressed their gratitude to GVIN for coordinating the event. Many thanks to the Downtown Vineyard Church for the use of their parking lot. We are looking… Continue reading April Foods Day

How religions have responded to total solar eclipses over the centuries BY DEEPA BHARATH, DAVID CRARY AND MARIAM FAM Associated Press Updated 6:16 AM MDT, April 4, 2024 Throughout history, solar eclipses have had profound impact on adherents of various religions around the world. They were viewed as messages from God or spiritual forces, inducing emotions ranging from dread… Continue reading Awe and dread:

BY MARIAM FAM with the Associated Press Updated 11:36 PM MDT, March 7, 2024 CAIRO (AP) — Observant Muslims the world over will soon be united in a ritual of daily fasting from dawn to sunset as the Islamic holy month of Ramadan starts. For Muslims, it’s a time of increased worship, charity and good deeds.… Continue reading What is Ramadan and how do Muslims observe the Islamic holy month?

Naomi Shihab Nye (1952 –     ) Palestinian Poet https://poets.org/poem/kindness Photo credit: Michael Nye. Naomi Shihab Nye gives voice to her experience as an Arab-American through poems about heritage and peace that overflow with a humanitarian spirit. Before you know what kindness really is you must lose things, feel the future dissolve in a moment like… Continue reading Kindness

(from Sojourners magazine, January 2024, by Jim Rice) ‘MY GOAL IS NOT TO HAVE A DIALOGUE; MY GOAL IS TO SOLVE THIS MADNESS’ An interview with Palestinian peace activist Ali Abu Awwad on nonviolent resistance. A CORE PRINCIPLE of nonviolence is recognizing the humanity of your opponent. In time of war, that principle does not become… Continue reading Peace through Love

RELIGION BRIEF:: SENTINEL STAFF REPORTS – ThanksGVIN gathering on Tuesday, November 21, 20232 PRESS RELEASE (11/18/23): The Grand Valley Interfaith Network designated Nov. 15–21, 2023 as Interfaith Awareness Week in the Grand Valley. This week-long observance culminates in the annual ThanksGVIN Interfaith gathering at 7 p.m. Tuesday, at Episcopal Church of the Nativity, 2175 Broadway.… Continue reading IAW 2023

This Prayer was provided by the One Spirit Learning Alliance (212-931-6840 | [email protected]) on October 9, 2023 “Together with so much of the world, we have watched with horror and heartbreak the explosion of violence and war in Israel and Gaza. This kind of slaughter only makes people feel justified in their hatred of each other… Continue reading A Prayer for Peace

Presented by Dave Edwards, President of Grand Valley Interfaith Network (GVIN) at the Religious Freedom Conference held at the CMU campus on Oct. 7, 2023 In the United States, we entered into a sacred compact, in 1776 and again in 1787. We created what Martin Luther King Jr later named our Beloved Community. Our founding… Continue reading Religious Freedom Conference 2023