Welcome to the first issue of In the Spirit, a monthly newsletter created to share news of the Charleston Interreligious Council (CIC) and other interfaith events held in Charleston, SC.
June 2019 : Issue 1
Upcoming Events
June 4 or 5
Eid AlFitr celebrating the ending of Ramadan will be held on the 4th or 5th of June (based on the sighting of the new moon) at the Central Mosque of Charleston
June 6 at 6pm
A Special Interfaith Event at the Hindu Temple of Charleston. Click here for details
June 8 at 9:30am
The annual Remembrance Ceremony to remember the souls of the enslaved Africans who lost their lives on the way over to the Americas in the Middle Passage. Sullivans Island, Fort Moultrie, 9:30 to 12:30.
November 7-9
Save the Date for the 3rd Annual James Sawers, Jr. Interfaith Speaker Series!
Check our website for a list of all CIC events, past and future:
Programs and Events
Coptic Christians: A Story of Faith, Suffering and Hope
The Charleston Interreligious Council presents informative programs highlighting religious denominations throughout the world. On April 2, 2019, CIC presented “Coptic Christians, A Story of Faith, Suffering and Hope Among the Christians of the Middle East.”
Fr. Antony Zaki, Priest of St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church in Myrtle Beach, SC and Deacon Georges Guirgius, Ph.D. explained the history and theology of the Coptic Christian Church as well as its growing presence in South Carolina.
The Coptic Orthodox Church of Egypt is one of the oldest Christian churches in the world and the largest Christian community in the Middle East. It was founded by St. Mark the Evangelist in 43 A.D. in Alexandria, Egypt. Coptic Christians also trace their roots to the visit to Egypt by Jesus and the Holy Family as they sought refuge from King Herod.
His Holiness Pope Tawadros II is the leader of the Coptic Orthodox Church worldwide. He became the 118th Pope of Alexandria, Egypt in 2012. There is a growing community of Coptic Christians in the United States and in South Carolina. St Mark Coptic Orthodox Church in Myrtle Beach is one of four Coptic churches in the state. Coptic worship is held once a month in Charleston.
Many thanks to Dr. Lester Pittman for organizing this excellent program, and to Grace Church Cathedral for hosting the event. For pictures from the event, click here.
CIC elects new Board Member representing the Hindu Temple of Charleston
The Charleston Interreligious Council has elected Shaila Shroff as a new Board Member. Shaila is a member of the Hindu Temple of Charleston, was born in India and immigrated to the US as an Engineer in 1968. She believes passionately in Interfaith activity as a survival for future world culture and tries to attend as many religious activities as possible, where people get together in good faith. We welcome Shaila to our board!
Charleston’s 2nd annual Interfaith Iftar
On May 14, communities that participated in the Spirited Brunch were invited to attend a special Iftar gathering, hosted by
Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim (KKBE) synagogue.
Iftar is one of the religious observances of Ramadan where Muslim people gather to break their fast together. The meal is taken just after the call to prayer Maghrib, which is around sunset.Participants heard remarks about importance of fasting and Ramadan in the Muslim faith, offered by Imam Shamudeen, observed the call to prayer, then took part in an amazing meal prepared by the Muslim community.
The fast is broken nightly at iftars, gatherings where the feasting and socializing are as important as the fasting that precedes them. The event was sponsored by the
Charleston Interreligious Council, Post & Courier, Atlantic Institute. Click here to see pictures from the event.
The Charleston Interrelgious Council's
3rd annual James Sawer Jr. Interfaith Speaker Series will be held
November 7-9, 2019. Our speaker will be Dr. Wendy Cadge, Professor in the Department of Sociology at Brandeis University. She will be offering presentations and workshops on contemporary American religion, especially related to religion in public institutions, chaplaincy, religion and immigration, and religious and moral aspects of healthcare.
More news and events from the community
Piccolo Spoleto is featuring a number of events at various faith communities around Charleston. Don't miss the
Festival of Churches and Synagogues and
A World of Jewish Culture going on this week!
Click here for more information and to register for the special Spoleto events centered on religion in the Holy City!
Special Interfaith Event at the Hindu Temple of Charleston
Yo and your friend
s are invited to attend a special interfaith event at the Hindu Temple of Charleston on June 6 at 6pm.Christianity, Islam, Sikhism, Buddhism, Judaism, Hinduism will be represented to talk about God and answer questions. Click here for details.
Peace among religions is a precondition for world peace.--- Swami Agnivesh
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The Charleston Interreligious Council (formerly the Christian Jewish Council of Greater Charleston) is an organization that seeks to build bridges of understanding to promote sensitivity, tolerance, respect, and fellowship among religious groups.