As I prepare this report, am thinking of our last week’s Bible Study at St John’s Uniting Church in Wahroonga when we were discussing on Abraham’s burial, when his two most prominent sons, Ishmael and Isaac, estranged since childhood, scions of rival nations, came together for the first time since they were separated nearly three-quarters of a century earlier. The text simply reports, “His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron son of Zohar the Hittite, facing Mamre, in the field that Abraham had bought from the Hittites.”

One member of the study group commented, “Abraham achieved in death what he could never achieve in life, a moment of reconciliation between his two sons.” I guess their meeting was peaceful as at moment they were not rivals, scions, warriors, adversaries, Jews, Christians, or Muslims, but just brothers united in grief. 

I guess in a sense they represent us weeping for the loss of our common heritage, shuffling through our bitter memories, reclaiming our childlike expectations, laughing, sobbing, furious and at the same time dreaming and working for a future, where we can once again live peacefully as brothers and sisters, children of the same God.  

• COVID19 is not yet over but better than last year. So, we continued our activities both online and in person. The IF Commission kept in touch with the members and also the members of different faith groups through ZOOM providing mutual support to one another and keeping the bond between people of different faiths strong.

• • International Day of Peace Interfaith Prayer service was held on 21 September via ZOOM. The occasional address “When Peace is Not Peace” was given by Rev Simon Hansford, the Moderator of Uniting Church in Australia NSW and ACT Synod. Prayers were offered by leaders of fifteen religions including Dr Ibrahim Abu Mohammed, The Grand Mufti of Australia and Rev Sharon Hollis, President of the National Assembly of the Uniting Church in Australia. Number of schools took part in the service. It was attended by people from interstate and overseas, namely USA, Canada, NZ and Indonesia.
  • Abraham Conference was held in person on Sunday, 14 August at Amity College, Auburn. The topic was Religion for the 21st Century: Recovering faith in Faith. It was moderated by John Cleary, Veteran ABC Broadcaster, and he was in conversation with Geraldine Doogue, Journalist & Radio and Television Presenter. The panellists were Rabbi Moshe Givental of North Shore Temple Emanuel, Rev Dr Rob McFarlane, Presbytery Relations Minister, Uniting Church in Australia, and Associated Prof Salim Farrar of Sydney University Law school. It was well attended.
  • Attended Iftar Dinners hosted by the Grand Mufti of Australia, Affinity Intercultural Foundation, the Premier of NSW, the Catholic Bishop of Parramatta, Amity College, Preston and Uniting Church in Australia. Every occasion was a wonderful opportunity to building interfaith relations, sharing the work of the NSW Ecumenical Commission in general and the IF Commission in particular.
  •  Attended several ZOOM meetings hosted by Multicultural NSW Religious Leaders’ Forum and the Minister of Multiculturalism and Health officials. All these meetings were helpful as updates on COVID19 restrictions were discussed and shared.

• Glad to report that we have a new member, Professor Anthony Maher, a Catholic, Executive Officer of the Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture. Ms Lena Nazarian from the Armenian Apostolic Church has also expressed her willingness to join the IF Commission. 

• On 6 March attended the memorial service for Archbishop Desmond Tutu. At the request of the IF Commission leaders from Buddhist and Islamic religions also attended the service. 

• • Joined the Ecumenical Service for Peace in Ukraine and Ethiopia on 24 March via zoom and prepared the prayer for peace for the service. 
  • Attended a Sikh Festival on 20 March where I shared with Sikh friends the works of the Interfaith Commission. 

• Pleased to report that a friend from the Hindu community donated boxes of brand new jackets and other woollen clothes which were given to the homeless people in Hornsby area.

• I attended a Quaker Meeting in Wahroonga and spoke about the importance of Interfaith work. Thanks to Weis for organising it.  

 

Upcoming Events

• • The 19th International Day of Peace Interfaith Prayer Service will be held in person on Wednesday 21 September at 11am at the Knox Cultural Centre, Knox Grammar school, Wahroonga. The occasional address would be given by Dr Jan Fizzell, Senior Adviser, NSW Health and sixteen religions would be represented. School children would also take part in the service. 

• I’m in conversation with Fr Justin McDonnell of St Andrew’s Ukrainian Catholic Church at Lidcombe. In October we will organise an Interfaith Pilgrimage to his church to express our solidarity and love to Ukrainians in their struggle to main the freedom and sovereignty of their country. 

 

I thank God for all that we have been able to do in and through the Interfaith Commission of the NSW Ecumenical Council. I thank the members of the Council, Rev Myung Hwa Park and Rev Dr Fr Shenouda Mansour for their leadership. It had been a privilege and a pleasure for me to serve the NSW Ecumenical Commission in this capacity and would be happy to continue in this position if that is the will of the AGM.

Glory be to God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit forever.

 

Rev. Dr. Manas Ghosh

Chair 

Interfaith Commission of the NSW Ecumenical Council

17 September 2022