INTERFAITH EXPLORERS
February 2023 NEWSLETTER
Interfaith Connection Podcast
"INTERFAITH ON UC DAVIS CAMPUS"

Interview by Rev. Dave with Reverend Lauren Jewett, Campus Minister and CA House Director of Spiritual Engagement at UC Davis
CA House was formed at UC Davis. In the last 100 years, it has provided programs and events bringing together diverse faith tradition students in different ways.

Join us as we interview Rev. Lauren Jewett, the Minister at CA House at UC Davis, as she talks about her organization and their living program.
In addition, we look at the Interfaith Campus Council, an organization consisting of over 10 faith groups on campus, coming together in different ways to make a difference. Listen as we learn about speed- faithing and Interfaith Harmony Week.
Interfaith Campus Council (ICC)
February Interfaith Connection Podcast Topic

Our Interfaith Connection February podcast consisted of an interview with Reverend Lauren Jewett of the CA House at UC, Davis. In our exploration of interfaith programs in the region, we found a very long-term interfaith group at UC Davis. This group consists of many different faith traditions coming together, and they are known as the Interfaith Campus Council (ICC).

The Interfaith Campus Council has been an active part of the UC Davis campus landscape since the mid-1990’s. They consist of the following members (and we believe there are more not listed on their website): Baha’i Club at UC Davis, The Belfry (Lutheran Episcopal Ministry), CA House (Progressive Christian active since 1916), Hillel at Davis, Multicultural Church of Davis, Muslim Student Association, Newman Center, Unitarian Universalist Campus Ministry, and the Hindu Club.

Each year the ICC has a number of events on campus. Events include a progressive dinner which is widely attended; activities and events during Interfaith Harmony Week; and activities during Martin Luther King Peace/Justice week. These ICC sponsored events give students an opportunity to discover and be curious about who they are, what they think, and teach them to share authentically.

Interfaith Council of Greater Sacramento Board members recently participated in an event during Interfaith Harmony Week called speed-faithing. The event was sponsored by the CA House and was loosely based on the concept of speed-dating. Each participant was teamed up with someone they did not know. They were then asked a question and had two minutes to answer. An example question was; “Share a wow moment that you experienced in your faith.” What profound sharing!

Interfaith on the UC, Davis campus is alive and strong. The various organizations on campus are led by ministers dedicated to holding sacred space as students find their way through spiritual growth. Thanks to all that make this happen!
HAPPENINGS
Interfaith Explorers Field Trip to the CVHEN Holocaust Library at Mosaic Law Congregation


On the afternoon of Sunday, February 12, 2023, twelve of us found our way onto the Mosaic Law campus located at 2300 Sierra Boulevard and entered the CVHEN – Central Valley Holocaust Educators’ Network Library. There to greet us was our host and presenter, Liz Igra, along with CVHEN Fellow;
Technical Assistant Kaye Schwartz.

Liz Igra is the President and founder of CVHEN. She is a retired veteran educator for the Elk Grove Unified School District. She helped create Sacramento’s Shalom School and has taught every grade level – from preschool to graduate school. Liz has given presentations for many years
about the Holocaust to future teachers at Sac State, students of all ages, Rabbis, congregations, and professional and civic organizations.

At 3 pm Liz began the presentation by relating personal stories about how she and her mother survived the Holocaust. They avoided Nazi persecution by escaping from a Poland ghetto and walking from Poland through Czechoslovakia to Hungary, where they hid until the end of the war. She enhanced each story with a video presentation – images of which gave details about the complicated historical, political, and humanitarian aspects of the Holocaust. Liz provided us with a cart full of “free” library books to take so that we could do our own reading about the Holocaust. All who attended were moved and grateful.

Liz said her life’s work is to keep telling the Holocaust story. She ended her presentation by quoting from a CVHEN statement.

“Let us dedicate the 2023 Remembrance to our individual
commitment to learn, understand and remember the Holocaust with our hearts and minds, because only a deep knowledge and understanding will make the promise of “Never Again” a reality.”

For more information about the CVHEN and to make a donation to help continue this important work, click here to visit their page.
REGIONAL EVENTS
WOW Wednesday: Interfaith Connection Presents "The Ramadan Challenge"
with Rev. Dave Lyman and Muslim Guest

Wednesday, March 8th, 2023
Soup served at 6 p.m.
Program begins at 7 p.m.

Join us In-Person and via Livestream

Rev. Dave Lyman and Rachel Lyman will host this WOW Wednesday event. We will also host very special guests from the Muslim community who will share the Ramadan experience.

This is an opportunity to join our Muslim Brothers and sisters in the holy month of Ramadan. There is a spiritual closeness achieved during this month – we offer the Challenge to participate in your own way.

During this event, you will learn what Ramadan – the month-long Muslim period of fasting is all about.

Join us to set intention for the start of Ramadan, March 8th where you will have the opportunity to sign a Pledge to join us in our Ramadan Challenge where, among other things, we will participate in the Community Iftar at SALAM mosque in Sacramento.

Can't join us in person? Watch the Livestream here.
DID YOU KNOW?
RAMADAN – Islam 30-days of Fasting
One of the most amazing acts of personal worship to Allah (God) for a Muslim is a yearly 30-day fast called Ramadan. During the fast, Muslims seek to raise their level of God consciousness.

We are highlighting information about Ramadan in our February newsletter because I will be presenting a WOW Wednesday program on March 8th at Spiritual Life Center in-person and livestreamed entitled, “The Ramadan Challenge.” Rachel and I are hosting a deeper personal participation in Ramadan this year. Our March 8th Wednesday night program will review the history of Ramadan. We will take a look at the detail logistics of Ramadan (for instance, pregnant women and nursing mothers may postpone the fast). We will also interview a Muslim and explore his experience with Ramadan. We then will set personal intention to join our Muslim brothers and sisters. A personal pledge card for fasting during Ramadan will be provided. Making a pledge will help move us toward the spiritual deepening that fasting can bring. Please plan to join us as we take a look at a profound way to honor Allah and deepen our personal spiritual growth.

Ramadan occurs during the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar. This year Ramadan begins at dusk on March 22nd and ends April 20, 2023. All physically mature and healthy Muslims are obliged to fast for 30 days. Each day between dawn and sunset, Muslims abstain from all food, drink and sexual contact.

The focus of Ramadan is to strengthen one’s spiritual relationship with the creator. Those who are fasting are encouraged to focus on the teachings of the Qur’an during the month. The spiritual aspect of the fast puts added emphasis on refraining from gossip, lies, obscenity, and in general, any sinful act. Fasting is the third of the Five Pillars of Islam. It is a means of gaining self-discipline, closeness to God, purity of thought, and purity of action.

Each day of Ramadan begins with a subhoor which is a beginning meal before sunrise and finishes with an iftar - the meal after sunset. In addition, iftar meals are gatherings to promote friendship among neighbors, families, and friends. The breaking of the fast at sunset begins with the eating of dates. Iftars are also held at a community level at a mosque. Each year the SALAM Center Mosque holds a special community iftar and invites people of all faiths to celebrate this spiritual ritual of breaking the fast together. Interfaith Explorer groups have attended community iftars at SALAM in past years. This year we have been invited to bring a group so we will announce sign-ups for this event when an April date is determined by SALAM.


Rev. Dave Lyman, Senior Minister, Interfaith Explorers 
UPCOMING EVENTS
2023 Interfaith Explorers
Wednesday Night Programs – Live-streamed and in-person at Spiritual Life Center

  • March 8 “Ramadan Challenge” with Rev Dave Lyman
  • July 26 “POWR – Attending Effectively” - Rev Dave Lyman

Saturday – In-person Only at Spiritual Life Center
  • November 11 “Personal Rangoli Making Experience” - Rachel Lyman

Interfaith Events for Group Participation (dates TBD)
  • Community Iftar meal during Ramadan– SALAM Islam Center
  • Community Sedar – ritual meal during Passover – B’Nai Israel
  • Sept 9, 2023 – Elk Grove Multicultural Faire

Possible Interfaith Field Trips (TBD)
  • SALAM – Sacramento Area League of Associated Muslims Mosque
  • Jain Temple
  • Buddhist Temple

Watch for Announcements for programs, events, and field trips at Spiritual Life Center:
Go to SLC – Click CONNECT - select Interfaith Explorers page
MINISTER’S MUSINGS 
Hey,

One of my blessings is that with all the challenges in my childhood, I ended up with what I call a ‘tigger’ default. This means I have a strange belief that the universe/spirit is always taking care of me, no matter what it looks like.
So I find myself (this is from Maria Shriver) “treating the world as if I am a benevolent alien.” For me, everything is beautiful, people are so cool, the food is delicious, and helping other people is fun. I live knowing all challenges are turbo-charged chances for spiritual growth.

This means that every day we live is a day when the world is new. In junior college, I had a Philosophy professor who looked to be a cross between Albert Einstein and Curly from the Three Stooges. When you said to him ‘good morning’ he would gaze around at me and say, ‘yes, Mr. Lyman, it is a
very good morning.’

It meant that when he went to the supermarket he experienced it without the goggles of habit or routine categories. His days were filled with a sense and joy. His wife found him once after a rainstorm sitting in the gutter with
the neighborhood children making boats out of leaves and giving bugs rides down the water.

It means this is the greatest adventure we’ve ever experienced. It means something new and grand is right around the corner. It may not be pretty; in fact, it might be quite ugly and not make sense. But in the end, it is part of the spiritual journey. How can we see God in the process?

This week my uncle passed away. A solid Midwest farmer whose joy was selling raffle tickets at the annual chicken festival where the first prize was $500. I actually won one year! His other joy was strawberry milkshakes. I know he’s got a strawberry milkshake in one hand and he’s working on getting some of the angels to buy a book of raffle tickets. We’ll miss you, Don! Connect with someone in your life you haven’t talked to for a bit. Now’s the time!


Rev. Dave Lyman, Senior Minister, Interfaith Explorers 
RACHEL'S CORNER
Dear Friends,

February is here so I wish each of you a Happy Valentine’s Day. This is the month of “love.” The love of which I speak, however, isn’t the shallow commercialized “love” found in “things purchased” such as flowers, candy, Valentine cards, and special dinners. Although those gifts are pleasant and
sweet, the love of which I speak is a deeper love; a love that comes from within your Spiritual center – a love for all of humanity.

This month our field trip took us to the CVHEN Holocaust Library - a place where we heard about the Holocaust – a horrific genocide of the Jewish race that brought out the worst in humanity over the course of several years. (see the section on Happenings) In the stories we heard that afternoon, however, there were people promoting a deeper love by helping the Jews escape to safety. The love that they showed by their actions came from a deep Spiritual love that emanates from the Divine. They saw no separation between races but only people that deserved respect and
honoring.

May your February be a beautiful one, filled with loving connections – some expected, and some unexpected. Generously share your deep spiritual love with those in your world. Promote bridges of understanding and connection as you send out your spiritual love, and by doing so you will
keep peace alive and well.


Namaste


Rachel Lyman, COO, Interfaith Explorers
NUTS AND BOLTS
Sign up for the Interfaith Explorers Newsletter:
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Click here to view the latest Interfaith Explorers Newsletter.

Newsletter Contributions Welcome
If you have a story for our “HAPPENINGS” section - connecting with people of other faiths, please submit your story by the second week of the month to Rachel Lyman at: rachel24@surewest.net.

If you have a story for our “GOD MOMENTS” section, please send your story to Dave Lyman at: tigger1@surewest.net.


Mission Statement for Interfaith Explorers
“Interfaith Explorers builds bridges by providing interfaith education and events of different faith traditions in the greater Sacramento region.”
 Spiritual Life Center | Interfaith Explorers