Interfaith Worship Service at the Al Mahdi Institute, Birmingham, UK

Interfaith Worship Service “Becoming One Family Under God” The Al Mahdi Institute, Birmingham, UK, January 18, 2015

Jean Douglas - Yasmin Fazal - Bert Gedin

By David Earle service with our Unificationist family, each year since 2012, and participated under the theme of ‘Becoming One in the Blessing with his wife in 2013.

C oming so soon after the tragic Family Under God’. All who hear him speak testify to the events which occurred in France universal wisdom which emanates We were privileged to be able to hold recently, the Interfaith Service from a place deep inside his heart. our service in the prayer room of the Al we had planned for January 18th was Mahdi Institute, with the full blessing We began with two songs, one of extremely poignant. A fusion of of the Institute’s Founder, and its which - ‘Morning has Broken’ - was Anglican, Catholic and Pentecostal current Director and Senior Lecturer, made famous by the singer Yusuf Christians came together with Muslim Sheikh Arif abdul Hussain. Sheikh Islam, formerly Cat Stevens. This was brothers and sisters, and people of Arif, truly an enlightened being, has followed by interfaith prayers from the Jewish descent to share in a joint spoken at our Interfaith Peace Blessing Christian, Muslim and Jewish

traditions. (The very appropriate Times They Are A Changing’, a Feed off my countless hidden fears, Jewish prayer is printed at the end of modification of Bob Dylan’s original promising protection and salvation. this article.) song. And then a concluding prayer, Yet in You, and You alone, do I find We then stood and said Family offering up our collective devotion to sufficient strength to live my life Pledge No 4 from the Unificationist God. unafraid. tradition, promising to try and “build Thanks to our members for their I firmly believe that You love me, with the Universal Family” together. This help with music and technical support, all my faults and failings, was followed by a Christian and a Sunday School, welcoming and And if I am in Your embrace, whom or Muslim song, from Maureen and refreshments, and for the more than what should I fear? Sabira, and then extracts from World 40 guests who had the courage to join Teach me the wisdom of caution, to Scripture from the section on ‘Unity together with us in such a humble and live with a watchful eye, and liberate and Community’. respectful way. me from all fear. After another devotional song, ‘Be O Blessed One, You are my insurance Thou My Vision’, containing deep and my pledge. Prayer from the Hasidic You are my defense and security, my words from the Christian tradition, tradition, Mystics of Judaism. David Earle spoke on the theme of ground. (quoted from ‘Prayers for a Planetary In Your love is my sole safety; of Becoming One Family Under God, Pilgrim’ by Edward Hays) whom shall I be afraid? quoting from Father Moon’s words contained in the beautiful new Holy My Beloved One, how easily do I allow Do not think that the words of prayer, Book, the Cheon Seong Gyeong. This is fear to be the soil of my life. as you say them, go up to God. really a work of art, and such a Ten thousand fears cluster at my It is not the words themselves that precious resource, along with World door: fears of death and of life, ascend; rather it is the burning desire Scripture, particularly for occasions Fears of thieves and evil, fears of of your heart such as these. sickness and old age, That rises like smoke to Heaven. Fears of unemployment and war, If your prayer consists only of words We concluded our worship with the fears of being shamed and injured. and letters, but does not contain your song ‘Make Me a Channel of Your How easily do politicians and heart’s desire, Peace’, often associated with the preachers, merchants, militants and How can it rise up to God? Prayer of St Francis of Assisi, and ‘The advertisers,

Rev Maureen Foxall - Symbols of our faiths - Shazeen Iqbal