Interfaith Week 2016

Interfaith-Week-Poster-Web

WATCH HIGHLIGHTS FROM OUR THIRD ANNUAL INTERFAITH WEEK EVENT:

or the third year in a row, The St. Petersburg Interfaith Association will host Interfaith Week, and this year, it will include events all over Tampa Bay.

Interfaith Week is a chance to see how the rest of your community celebrates the sacred in a casual, open, educational setting. During Interfaith Week, individuals and families are encouraged to visit the many churches, temples, mosques, meditation centers and spiritual communities across Tampa Bay to gain a better understanding of the people, values, beliefs, practices and cultures that make up our dynamic and beautiful city.

This year, the event will run from September 18-25 and include free panel and roundtable discussions at various campuses and venues including such topics as: the purpose of life, non-violent communication, universal values, creating accommodating academic environments, fostering welcoming spaces for the LGBT community, eastern philosophies, theater workshops, musical performances and more.

This year’s Interfaith Week will include:

An official Interfaith Week proclamation by St. Pete Mayor Rick Kriseman.
An Opening Ceremony and reception at St. Mary Our Lady of Grace featuring music, interfaith prayers and opening remarks by the mayor.
Panel discussions, workshops, film screenings, dance, music, food and more
Open houses and involvement from various faith communities including those of the Baha’i, Buddhist, Catholic, Christian, Christian Science, Episcopal, Interspiritual, Jewish, Muslim, Quaker, Taoist, Unitarian Universalist, Unity, Vedanta and more.

Tampa Bay Interfaith Week continues to promote a message of conversation, compassion, peace and pluralism and holds our city up as an example of a community based on mutual respect, cooperation and collaboration.

TAMPA BAY INTERFAITH WEEK
SPONSORED BY:

OFFICIAL INTERFAITH WEEK CALENDAR

All official Interfaith Week events are free of charge and open to the public unless otherwise noted.

Thursday, September 15

Official Interfaith Week Proclamation: 3-5 p.m.
St Petersburg City Hall
175 5th St N, St Pete, FL 33701

Sunday, September 18

Bahá’í Center of St. Petersburg (Bahá’í)
676 2nd Avenue S, St. Pete, FL 33701
Devotions and discussion: 10:30 a.m.

First Church of Christ, Scientist (Christian Science/Christian)
6333 First Street NE, St. Pete, FL 33703
Service: 10:30 a.m.

First Unity at Unity Campus (New Thought/Christian)
460 46th Ave. N, St. Pete, FL 33703
Service(s): 9:30 and 11:30 a.m.

Good Samaritan Church (UCC/Presbyterian)
6085 Park Blvd., Pinellas Park, FL 33781
Service: 10:30-11:30 a.m. Join us for a special worship service to celebrate and pray for world peace, including special music, prayer, and many hands-on activities and prayer stations.

Integral Church (Interfaith/Interspiritual)
Crisp Park, 37th Ave. NE. and Poplar St. NE, St. Pete, Florida 33704
Outdoor, interfaith service: 10 a.m.
Featuring open discussion, music and meditation

Shambhala St. Pete (Buddhist)
1045 9th Ave N, St. Pete, FL 33705
Sunday Community Practice: 9 a.m.-12 p.m. – Extended sitting and walking meditation, meditation instruction at 11 a.m., followed by soup and salad in the Community Room.

Saint Augustine Episcopal (Christian)
2920 26th Ave S, St. Pete, FL 33712 (adjacent to Boyd Hill Nature Center)
Service: 9 a.m. – A Spirit-filled multi-cultural Liturgical Christian worship service with jazz musicians, followed by a full breakfast and roundtable conversations.

Saint Mary Our Lady of Grace (Catholic)
515 4th St. S, St. Pete, FL 33701
Regular Mass: 8 and 11 a.m.

Interfaith Week Opening Ceremony
St. Mary Our Lady of Grace; 4-5 p.m.
The 2016 opening ceremony with be a combination of musical meditations, spoken and chanted prayers, a choral anthem, and a congregational singing of the “Song at the Center.” Our theme this year will be The Four Directions, and we will have cantors from several religious affiliations, a small interfaith choir, and musical accompaniment. Featuring opening remarks by St. Petersburg mayor, Rick Kriseman.

Opening Reception and Interfaith Panel Discussion: “What is the Purpose of Life?”
St. Mary Our Lady of Grace (Parish Hall), 5-6:30 p.m.
Immediately following the opening ceremony, we hope you join us for an interactive panel discussion about “The Purpose of Life” with representatives from various faith communities in Tampa Bay. Light refreshments will be served.

St. Petersburg Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)
130 19th Avenue SE, St. Pete, FL 33705
Traditional silent Quaker worship. Adult Discussion Group: 9:30 a.m.; Meeting for Worship: 10:30 a.m, First Day School for Children: 10:40 a.m.

Trinity UCC Campus Center (Christian)
1150 49th Street N, St. Pete, FL 33710
Lao Ministry of St. Petersburg: 10 a.m.-12 p.m. (Laotian)
Anointed Word Fellowship: 10-11:30 a.m.
Trinity United Church of Christ (Contemporary): 10:30-11:45 a.m.
Iglesia Pentecostal Cielos Abiertos: 1:30-4:30 p.m. (Spanish)

Unitarian Universalist Church of St. Petersburg (Unitarian/Universalist)
719 Arlington Ave. N, St. Pete, FL 33701
Discussion Group: 9:30 a.m.
All Faiths Inclusive Service: 10:30 a.m.; Theme: Do You See?

Unitarian Universalists of Clearwater
2470 Nursery Rd., Clearwater, FL 33764
Open Issues Discussion Group: 9:30 a.m.
Interfaith Service: 10:30 a.m.

Caravan of Hope: Unity in the Community Prayer Circle
Unity of Palm Harbor, 1-2 p.m.
1960 Tampa Rd., Palm Harbor, FL 34683
An interfaith ceremony highlighting prayer and meditation from various faiths and spiritual systems. Featuring bilingual portions in Spanish celebrating Latino heritage and world connections. Afterwards, all are invited to caravan to Tampa Bay spiritual centers on our way to the Opening Ceremony.

Vedanta Center of St. Petersburg
216 19th Ave. SE, St. Pete, FL 33705
Service: 11 a.m.

Monday, September 19

An Interfaith Vision of the Sunshine City
Trinity Lutheran Church, 12-4 p.m.
401 5th St N, St. Pete, FL 33701
Rev. Dr. Russell L. Meyer, Florida Council of Churches, will convene a collaborative conversation intended for those engaged in a faith community or spiritual practice and who can bring to the table how their practices and convictions enrich an interfaith vision for the city. Lunch will be served and small groups will craft a common vision for St. Pete. RSVP required: http://bit.ly/919stpete.

Tuesday, September 20

Bahá’í Center of St. Petersburg (Bahá’í)
Spiritual Conversations: 7:30 p.m. (Bahá’í concepts like Divine unity, progressive revelation, history of the Faith, equality and more.)

First Unity Spiritual Campus
A Course In Miracles: Room 301, 1-3 p.m.
Train your mind to perceive the world through eyes of love and forgiveness, rather than eyes of fear and guilt. Learn how the “Course” has changed people’s lives in powerful and wonderful ways. Led by Mary Barbara and Jennifer-Rose Soyke.

Neighbor to Neighbor: Interfaith Dialogue Workshop
Lakewood United Church of Christ (Fellowship Hall), 7-8:30 p.m.
2601 54th Ave. S., St. Pete, FL
Learn how to talk to your friends, family and co-workers about religion, in a way that is respectful and illuminating. Using a process for listening and interaction developed by Rev. Kim Wells and Dr. Roy Kaplan, participants will engage in small, diverse group discussions about faith topics such as prayer, death, holidays, and more. Refreshments provided.

Temple Beth-El (Jewish)
400 Pasadena Ave. S, St. Pete, FL 33707
Jewish Meditation in our Youth Lounge: 6:30-7:30 p.m.

Wednesday, September 21

Catholicism Open House and Interfaith Discussion
Saint Mary Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church, Parish Hall, 2-3:30 p.m.
Join host and moderator Claudia McIvor along with Kathy Brasseur, Elaine Clark and Jim Prior as we learn about the different Catholic spiritual traditions (Franciscan, Jesuit, Salesian, Carmelite and more) and tell us about yours! If you wish, come prepared to share a five minute talk about your faith tradition.

Creating Accommodating Spaces for Diverse Religious Identities: An Interfaith Conversation
Eckerd College (Wireman Chapel), 4-5:15 p.m.
4200 54th Ave. S, St. Pete, FL 33711
Attendees are invited to participate in a conversation about how to create a culture of welcome and inclusion for people of various religious and non-religious identities in our academic institutions and faith communities. The conversation will address specifically how educational institutions can create accomodating spaces for Muslim students, faculty, staff, and guests. Moderated by Imam Abdul Karim Ali, Vice President of the St. Petersburg Interfaith Association and Rev. Doug McMahon, M.A., M.Div., Director of the Center for Spiritual Life and Chaplain at Eckerd College. An RSVP is requested. http://goo.gl/forms/mO4H5tJdjYyn6luL2

First Church of Christ, Scientist (Christian Science/Christian)
Testimony Service: Noon and 7:30 p.m.

First Unity Spiritual Campus (New Thought/Christian)
Meditation and Healing Service: Sanctuary, 6-7 p.m.
Energy workers and reiki practitioners are invited to participate in this powerful hands-on healing event featuring music and meditation.

A Course In Miracles: Room 301, 7-9 p.m.
Train your mind to perceive the world through eyes of love and forgiveness, rather than eyes of fear and guilt. Learn how the “Course” has changed people’s lives in powerful and wonderful ways. Led by Mary Barbara and Jennifer-Rose Soyke.

Learning How to Learn: Study Help
St. Petersburg Life Improvement Center, 7-8 p.m.
336 1st Ave. N, St. Pete, FL 33701
Rev. Deborah Deane, Scientology Minister, Counselor and Community Services Director will give a summary of why Study Technology is so important in this day and age. Deane will offer an open discussion of issues such as crime, education and drug abuse. Includes an audio-visual presentation and DVD copies of the materials. Refreshments will be served and a tour of the center will follow.

Trinity UCC Campus (Christian)
Kids Art Nite: 6-8 p.m.
Resident artist, Morgan Wright, offers art classes to community children each Wednesday. A fun and supervised event for all!

Unitarian Universalist Church of St. Petersburg (Unitarian/Universalist)
“The Mythic Narratives With Which Humankind Lives,” an on-going discussion of comparative faiths: 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. (in the Religious Education wing)

International Day of Peace: Prayer and Meditation Service
Unity Church of Clearwater, 7-7:30 p.m.
In the Peace Chapel (Bookstore Doors on East Side of Bldg.)
2465 Nursery Road, Clearwater, FL 33764
Guided meditation led by Reverend Grace DeBella.

Thursday, September 22

Mosque Open House
Islamic Society of New Tampa, 1:30-3 p.m.
15830 Morris Bridge Rd, Thonotosassa, FL 33592
This will be the first Islamic center to open its doors for Tampa Bay Interfaith Week. The community is welcome inside the mosque to share their thoughts, ask questions and learn about Islam and their Muslim neighbors. Hosted by Imam Azhar Subedar and Imam Junaid Khan.

Shambhala St. Pete (Buddhist)
Interfaith Recovery Night with Eric Rainbeau: 6-8 p.m. – How do we bridge the two separate paths of Recovery and Buddhism? The spiritual principles of Twelve Step programs transcend any one religion or belief structure. The Shambhala teachings help us to understand our own basic goodness, so that we can face the world free from addiction and negative habits. Anonymous and confidential.

Strategies for Non-Violent Communication
Unitarian Universalist Church of St. Pete, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
100 Mirror Lake Dr N, St. Pete, FL 33701
Using the universal principles common to all faiths, this engaging and interactive workshop will show you how to improve communication and understanding between people. You will learn through interactive exercises how to honor the best in others and yourself, listen from a place of compassionate curiosity, and what boundaries are needed for peaceful communication. Led by Cathy Burns, Master Facilitator for The Virtues Project™ International.

Varieties of Dharmic Experience: A Buddhist Perspective
Unitarian Universalists of Clearwater, 7-8:30 p.m.
(in the Social Hall Patio Room)
2470 Nursery Road, Clearwater, FL 33764
Frank M. Tedesco, M.A. Religious Studies, Ph.D. Buddhist Studies provides an overview of the main Indian traditions (Buddhist, Hindu, Jain, Sikh), their history and tenets and where they can be experienced in Tampa Bay. Followed by open discussion and Q&A.

Friday, September 23

Temple Beth-El (Jewish)
Erev Shabbat Service & Oneg: 7:30-9 p.m.

Theater Workshop for Peace
Octagon Arts Center Campus (Social Hall), 2-4 p.m.
2470 Nursery Rd, Clearwater, FL 33764
Designed to bring you closer to peace with yourself and your surroundings, this workshop for non-actors will ask participants to create a short tableau performance from the perceptions of different faiths. There will be a performance at the conclusion of the workshop. No theater experience necessary. Dress comfortably; Please no use of fragrances. There will be a love offering of $5. Limited to 10 adults, register via email to Soledad Loba at soledad.loba1@gmail.com.

PULSE: A Celebration of the Autumn Equinox Through Drumming and Dance
Body Electric Yoga Co., 8-10 p.m.
685 30th Ave N, St. Pete, FL 33704
Integral Church celebrates the Autumn Equinox (Mabon) through drumming and dance. Honor the seasons and the turning of the cosmic clock as Fall begins — bringing with it the first attempts at letting go, and preparing to enter the Void of Winter. Bring a drum and/or sacred item for the altar. This event gets loud and sweaty. No photography is permitted; Dancers and drummers of all skill levels (ages 8+) are welcome. *Suggested donation $10-15.

Saturday, September 24

How to Make Faith Communities More Welcoming to the LGBT Community
St. Petersburg Quaker Meeting House, 2-4 p.m.
130 19th Avenue SE, St. Pete, FL 33705 (in the Old SE neighborhood)
Join representatives from the St. Pete Quakers, Unitarian Universalists of St. Pete, Good Samaritan Church, St. Francis Ecumenical Catholic Church and the Metropolitan Community Church as they build on the momentum and success of the second annual Interfaith Pride Worship Service at the St. Pete Pride celebration in June. Come hear how we can make all of our faith communities more open and accepting to this underserved and important group!

Journey of Faith with Wayne Galley
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 4 p.m. and 7 p.m.
570 62nd Ave N, St. Pete, FL 33703
Wayne Galley has performed throughout the world as a Christian/Contemporary singer songwriter and has worked with Michael Jackson, The Lettermen, Del Shannon, Little River Band, Joe Walsh, Olivia Newton John, AC/DC, Andy Williams, and more. Galley will interpret expressions of faith in a blend of folk and electronic music. Two one-hour performances. Light refreshments will be served.

Rally for Peace
Lykes Park, 4-7 p.m.
263 E. Madison St, Tampa, FL 33602
Speeches, music, and free popsicles! Join us in taking a stand for peace. All are welcome. Guest speaker Imam Azhar Subhedar will talk about non-violence and peaceful co-existence.

Saint Mary Our Lady of Grace (Catholic)
Vigil Mass: 4 p.m.

Taoist Tai Chi Society / Fung Loy Kok Institute for Taoism (Taoist/Buddhist/Confucian)
1811 Dr MLK Jr St N. St Petersburg, FL 33704.
Taoist chanting every Saturday morning: 8:30-9:30 a.m.

Temple Beth-El (Jewish)
Shabbat Morning Worship & Torah Study: 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
Selichot: Movie & Discussion at 7 p.m. – Big Fish (Tim Burton, 2003); A discussion after the film will explore the role of truth in our daily lives, in our world, in our classrooms and our community institutions.
Havdalah & Selichot Service: 10:30 pm (led by Rabbi Michael Torop & Barbara Mazer Gross)

Theater Workshop for Peace
Octagon Arts Center Campus (Social Hall), 2-4 p.m.
Designed to bring you closer to peace with yourself and your surroundings, this workshop for non-actors will ask participants to create a short tableau performance from the perceptions of different faiths. There will be a performance at the conclusion of the workshop. No theater experience necessary. Dress comfortably; Please no use of fragrances. There will be a love offering of $5. Limited to 10 adults, register via email to Soledad Loba at soledad.loba1@gmail.com.

Sunday, September 25

Bahá’í Center of St. Petersburg (Bahá’í)
Devotions and discussion: 10:30 a.m.

First Church of Christ, Scientist (Christian Science/Christian)
Service: 10:30 a.m.

First Unity at Unity Campus (New Thought/Christian)
Service(s): 9:30 and 11:30 a.m.

Shambhala St. Pete (Buddhist)
Sunday Community Practice: 9 a.m.-12 p.m.
Sadhana (Advanced) Practice: 9 a.m.-10:30 a.m.

Saint Augustine Episcopal (Christian)
Service: 9 a.m. – A Spirit-filled multi-cultural Liturgical Christian worship service with jazz musicians, followed by a full breakfast and roundtable conversations.

Saint Mary Our Lady of Grace (Catholic)
Regular Mass: 8 and 11 a.m.

St. Petersburg Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)
Traditional silent Quaker worship. Adult Discussion Group: 9:30 a.m.; Meeting for Worship: 10:30 a.m, First Day School for Children: 10:40 a.m.

Trinity UCC Campus (Christian)
Lao Ministry of St. Petersburg: 10 a.m.-12 p.m. (Laotian)
Anointed Word Fellowship: 10-11:30 a.m.
Trinity United Church of Christ (Contemporary): 10:30-11:45 a.m.
Iglesia Pentecostal Cielos Abiertos: 1-4 p.m. (Spanish)

Unitarian Universalist Church of St. Petersburg (Unitarian/Universalist)
Discussion Group: 10 a.m.
All Faiths Inclusive Service: 10:30 a.m.; Theme: “Is The Right Choice Obvious?”

Unitarian Universalists of Clearwater
Open Issues Discussion Group: 9:30 a.m.
Interfaith Service: 10:30 a.m.; Theme: “We Are All Newcomers!”

Interfaith Week Closing Ceremony
Unity of Midtown, 4 p.m.
511 Prescott St S, St. Petersburg, FL 33712
Refreshments provided.

Vedanta Center of St. Petersburg
Service: 11 a.m.

More events are being added, keep checking back.
Time, dates, locations and programming subject to change.

WATCH HIGHLIGHTS FROM LAST YEAR!

BECOME A SPONSOR OF INTERFAITH WEEK

Sponsors of Interfaith Week receive exposure on our publicity, promotions and social media through the months of August and September. If you’re interested in supporting Interfaith Week with a donation, please contact joranslane@gmail.com.

GET INVOLVED

Program submissions have closed. If you (or your community) are interested in volunteering or being involved with Interfaith Week, please contact us.