Interfaith News from

St. Joseph County, IN

Website | Advocacy Center

Thursday, March 6, 7:30 p.m. ET

JOIN US FOR THE OBSERVANCE OF THE NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER

United Religious Community of St. Joseph County (URC)

Islamic Society of Michiana, South Bend, Indiana

(and via Zoom/Streaming)

7:20      REGISTER HERE AHEAD!!

7:30      Call to Order and Welcome:  Chuck Lamphier, URC Board President

            Invocation:  Imam Mohammad Sirajuddin, Islamic Society of Michiana

             Welcome from Local Leader in St. Joseph County Communities

Welcome:  Dr. Mahan Mirza, URC Vice President and Member, ISM/

                              Executive Director,

Ansari Institute for Global Engagement with Religion

Interfaith Prayer Procession with Local Congregations

7:50      “Building Beloved Community”

Rev Dr. Michael Nabors, Sr. Pastor

2^nd Baptist Church and NAACP President, Evanston, Illinois

             Responses and Questions from Live and Remote Audiences

~ 8:45   Closing Prayer:  Yasmin Rabia Shariff:

 Invitation to Maghrib Call to Prayer at Masjid

Iftar and Enjoyment!

National Day of Prayer: Thursday, May 6

"Building Beloved Community." 

Join the URC on May 6 for the local interfaith observance of the National Day of Prayer, set aside by Congress for the first Thursday of May. This year, our event will be in the evening, as we 'break fast' with the local Muslim community celebrating the Holy Month of Ramadan.

The guest speaker this year is Rev. Dr. Michael Nabors, Senior Pastor at 2nd Baptist Church, Evanston, and President of the Evanston NAACP. Rev. Nabor's talk will be:

"Building Beloved Community" 

Where we were; where we are; where we are going

Register by Clicking Here

The City of Evanston, Illinois, has begun the first program of reparations in the country, and he has been a local leader in the efforts.

The event will be available live via Zoom, and will be streamed via Facebook. A limited number of in-person seats will be available at the Islamic Society of Michiana for an Iftar, or 'breaking fast', Celebration. The participation limits will be known close to the event, depending upon local Health Department restrictions, but we anticipate being allowed approximately 50 spaces in the socially distanced and open space of the ISM's Community Hall.

Those used to the URC events will note a 'flip' of the event this year; instead of starting early in the morning with a meal and then the talk, this year will end with the meal!

7:30 p.m.: Welcome and Opening Prayer

Greetings from local leaders

Prayer Rituals from Michiana Congregations

Honored Guest Speaker: Rev. Dr. Michael Nabors

~ 8:45 Closing Prayer and Maghrib Prayer, followed by Iftar

If you will be participating remotely, we invite you to follow along with the Iftar celebration by doing your own version at home; the Torch will provide a suggestion in the next issue.

BIOGRAPHY:



Reverend Dr. Michael C. R. Nabors Pastor, Second Baptist Church

Reverend Dr. Michael C. R. Nabors is senior pastor of the historic Second Baptist Church in Evanston, Illinois. The 139 year-old Church is one of the oldest African American congregations on the North Shore. Since arriving at Second Baptist, Dr. Nabors has sought to continue leading the church in its historical role as a trumpeter for Christ and as a social justice advocate in Evanston and Metro Chicago. Recently, Second Baptist Church has become a leading faith center in America in facilitating Race Talk Solidarity Circles in local communities.

Dr. Nabors teaches Homiletics and Qualitative Research and Theological Writing at Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary in Evanston, IL. He served as Director of the Master of Divinity and Student Life Programs at Ecumenical Theological Seminary in Detroit where he was professor of Homiletics and African American Religious History. He has taught at Ashland Theological Seminary, Calvin Theological Seminary, and Marygrove College.

Dr. Nabors earned an undergraduate degree in English and Creative Writing at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Michigan, the Master of Divinity with an emphasis in Systematic Theology and the Master of Theology with an emphasis in Ethics at Princeton Theological Seminary in Princeton, New Jersey and the Doctor of Ministry focusing on African American Preaching at United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio. He has been both a Samuel DeWitt Proctor and Benjamin E. Mays Fellow. He was also a Fellow in the Sustaining Pastoral Excellence- Lily Endowment Program as well as a Fellow in the Pastor-Theologian Lily Endowment Program.

Since 2019, Dr. Nabors has been part of the Steering Committee for Evanston Reparations, the first municipal reparations program in the United States, allocating 10 million dollars to Black Evanstonians to repair historical damages due to racism. He has received over 100 community, church and ministry awards for leadership and service in New Jersey, Michigan and Illinois. Before leaving Princeton, New Jersey, the Mayor and City Council commemorated his leadership by naming October 12th, “Dr. Michael Nabors Day.” He also served as president of the Princeton and Trenton, New Jersey branches of the NAACP and is currently in his third term as president of the Evanston-North Shore Branch of the NAACP. A regarded speaker, preacher and lecturer, he has been invited to address universities, seminaries, high schools, community organizations, churches, religious conventions and symposiums throughout the United States.

RFPUSA will offer a National Observance for the Day of Prayer

Thursday, May 6, 2021, 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM ET

Join Live via Zoom or Facebook

Zoom registration is required but complimentary. 

Please click here to register.

Link to RFP-USA