“The theme really was faith across belief to understand that there is common ground. It was really getting together across faiths and getting a better understanding of Islam.”
Source/Credit: The Record-Journal
By Scott Hayes | January 25, 2016
MERIDEN — Two congregations joined for an interfaith service Sunday at the Unitarian Universalist Church on Paddock Avenue in a show of solidarity and support of the Baitul Aman Mosque of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in South Meriden and its members.
With a theme of peace, love and togetherness, the two denominations shared a joint worship service that featured a reading from the Holy Quran — a recitation of the opening chapter known as “Mother of the Quran,” a universal prayer of seven short verses that Muslims recite daily multiple times.
Zahir Muhammad Mannan, participated in the service on behalf of the statewide Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, delivering the reading and a sermon message — speaking about the Ahmadiyya Muslim belief system and common ground with other faiths, reflected in its motto of “Love for All, Hatred for None.”
Host minister Rev. Jan Carlsson-Bull also delivered a sermon, a brief reflection on gratitude. “The theme really was faith across belief,” Carlsson-Bull said, “to understand that there is common ground. It was really getting together across faiths and getting a better understanding of Islam.”
About a dozen and a half members of the Baitul Aman Mosque (“House of Peace) attended the service and Mannan’s two sons took part in the service along with a youth member of the Unitarian Universalist congregation for the lighting of the chalice, an opening ritual and symbol of enlightenment for the church’s service.
“There was a lot of warmth and joy in the sanctuary,” Carlsson-Buss said on a brisk but sunny Sunday.
Carlsson-Bull said the idea for the joint worship service came from Peg Kilpatrick, co-cordinator of the Worship Associates Program at Unitarian Universalist Church. Kilpatrick had attended the Open House held at Baitul Aman Mosque in South Meriden after gunshots were fired at the unoccupied mosque in November.
“That was the initial connection, and this was the connection continued,” Carlsson-Bull said. “We hope this is the beginning of a long-standing relationship. I think we bothrepresent Universalist values, that we all stand together.”
Manaan agreed. “We want to do more things like this to commonly serve other people.” Manaan stressed in his sermon that the Ahmadiyya Muslim community recognizes the Messiah, “as Muslims we honor all the prophets, all the books.”
Manaan said he felt “the message was very well received with open hearts. It was very comfortable. I believe the love was evident. Everybody was comfortable,” he said of the large gathering that filled the small sanctuary.
“I felt like I was home,” Manaan said. “It was unifying.”
Read original post here: USA: Mosque, church hold interfaith service
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