The NSWAS "Oasis Dove" was created by Palestinian artist Sliman Mansour to represent the Oasis of Peace community in Israel.

Sacred Activism: An Interfaith Pursuit in Calgary, Canada

Something extraordinary happened on September 10, 2006, at the Calgary Community of Christ in Alberta, Canada. In an atmosphere polarized by the Israel-Hezbollah conflict and on the eve of the fifth anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks in the United States, leaders of the Muslim, Jewish, and Christian faiths joined together in “Prayers for Peace.”

Less than a month after the idea struck, and only one week after the invigorating Canada West Mission Centre conference, Pastor Mary Jean Belrose and the Calgary congregation hosted this well-attended multicultural community event. Perhaps the reason it came together so quickly and successfully was because everyone involved approached it with sacred intent, riding a wave of spiritual openness within the congregation.

An Oasis of Peace
The heart and hope of this occasion honored two illustrations of God’s peace in the presence of sorrow and conflict. First was a recollection of the outpouring of grief for lives lost in the September 11 attacks. We recalled the spirit of compassion that swept across boundaries of nation, religion, and culture following this tragedy as the world wept.
Second was a celebration of Neve Sha-lom/Wahat al-Salam (NSWAS), which are Hebrew and Arabic for “Oasis of Peace.” NSWAS is a successful community that was jointly established by Jewish and Palestinian Arab citizens of Israel in the 1970s. Residents continue to serve as a living, realistic example of sharing land and resources they claim equally.

Sheikh Alaa Elsayed

NSWAS was a common bond for the Prayers for Peace presenters. It is also familiar to Community of Christ members who have visited or discovered the village through the church’s Power and Light curriculum. More than $1,300 was raised to support NSWAS during the Prayers for Peace event.

To continue support of this community, event participants have since organized the Canadian Friends of NSWAS. An interfaith board of directors has been selected and it has applied for charitable status. The group is hosted by the Calgary congregation.

Prayers for Peace
The first of five speakers, David Swann—a humanitarian, peace activist, and local politician—set the tone by discussing the impact of war and political conflict. He raised the issue of how disenfranchised and hopeless many youth feel because of the destruction of God’s creation (human and environmental), world events, and unmitigated use of the media to bolster divisiveness. Finally, he urged us to continue in just this sort of “sacred activism.”

Rabbi Howard Voss-Altman

Rabbi Howard Voss-Altman, Sheikh Alaa Elsayed, and Reverend Bill Phipps reinforced the holy work of sacred activism to affect positive change and counteract pervasive cultural messages that pull us apart from one another and away from God’s will. Each acknowledged that we can find enlightenment through our own traditions, yet together—with education and public demonstration of mutual respect and acceptance—move toward peaceful relations with the entirety of God’s creation.

Rabbi Howard pointed out that the true meaning of shalom infers the need to speak out for compassion and peace for all. Sheikh Alaa said, “For us to reach out to one another today and come together in peace is a beautiful stepping stone…we can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Gathering like this today is something we cherish.”
Reverend Bill is a popular speaker and an activist in the worldwide peace movement. He asked us to focus our prayers in absolute silence—to listen beyond any word or human interpretation to the message of God’s boundless love. He talked about “listening to the wisdom of other traditions and saying, ‘You know what? We can work together, and we are.’”

Following the event, there were many wonderful comments. Most significant were compliments about the warm hospitality felt by speakers and their families in our sacred space. There were also expressions of sincere gratitude from a diverse mix of visitors who felt included and more hopeful because of the acceptance they felt.

Reverend Bill Phipps

The Peace of Jesus Christ

On a personal note, as new church members, my husband and I truly stand amazed at the strength of God’s love when it is amplified and multiplied in community. We have been interested in peace and the environment for many years, often enjoying the tremendous feelings of goodwill among strangers with a common goal at peace rallies.

It wasn’t until we joined Community of Christ that we found a consistent source of sacred resonance, intimately connected with divine will and blazing with hope. There is no doubt the timing and effect of this ”activism” was animated by words and encouragement that graced us through Apostle Mary Jacks Dynes and President Steve Veazey during our mission center conference.

When Steve spoke of allowing God to interrupt our intended or scheduled activities to move well beyond passive devotion and routine, perhaps “sacred activism” was what he meant. An exhausted Calgary congregation delayed their well-deserved rest from the long, full, exciting days of its conference to rally around this community event with more food planning, preparation, and serving, set-up, clean-up, technical support, advertising, donations, poster creation, media coordination, community contacts, and organization.

Robert Alden said, “There is not enough darkness in all the world to put out the light of even one small candle.” When we willingly join together, offering our unique gifts and talents and sharing the Spirit of God within us with others in sacred activism, the intensity of that blaze is glorious!—Jan Porter-Hirsche and Keith Hirsche reporting