A Short History of Interfaith

Interfaith of Topeka had its roots in the old Topeka Council of Churches and grew into its own in the fall of 1978.
We strive to serve the Creator by bringing together people of various religious faiths and backgrounds in an effort to enrich commun- ications and dialogue among people of faith and, in so doing, have a positive effect on the overall quality of life in Topeka.
All religious faiths, individuals, and organizations of the Greater Topeka area that agree with our stated purpose and goals and are willing to make appropriate financial commitment to our work are invited to join.
Interfaith Thanksgiving Service Committee was chaired by Rev. Janet Crowl, Chaplain at Midland Care Connection, member First Baptist Church.

Translation for Hindu Peace Mantras

1. Auspiciousness (swasti) be unto all; peace (shanti) be unto all; fullness (poornam) be unto all; prosperity (mangalam) be unto all.
May all be happy! (sukhinah) May all be free from disabilities! (niraamayaah) May all look (pashyantu)to the good of others! May none suffer from sorrow! (duhkha)
2. Lead us from the unreal to the Real…From darkness to Light… From death to Immortality.
3. That (pure consciousness) is full (perfect); this (the manifest universe of matter; of names and forms being maya) is full. This fullness has been project-ed from that fullness. When this fullness merges in that fullness, all that re-mains is fullness. – Peace invocation -Isa Upanishad
4. May Mitra, Varuna and Aryama be good to us! May Indra and Brihaspati and Vishnu of great strides be good to us! Prostrations unto Brahman! (Supreme Reality). Prostrations to Thee, O Vayu! Thou art the visible Brah-man. I shall proclaim Thee as the visible Brahman. I shall call Thee the just and the True. May He protect the teacher and me! May he protect the teacher! Om peace, peace, peace!
5. May He protect us both (teacher and the taught)! May He cause us both to enjoy the bliss of Mukti (liberation)! May we both exert to discover the true meaning of the sacred scriptures! May our studies be fruitful! May we never quarrel with each other! Let there be threefold peace.
6. O Supreme Lord, Thy celestial regions are full of peace and harmony; peace reigns on Thy earth and Thy waters. Thy herbs and trees are full of peace. All Thy forces of nature are full of peace and harmony. There is peace and perfec-tion in Thy eternal knowledge; everything in the universe is peaceful, and peace pervades everywhere. O Lord, may that peace come to me!
May peace radiate there in the whole sky as well as in the vast ethereal space everywhere. May peace reign all over this earth, in water and in all herbs, trees and creepers. May peace flow over the whole universe. May peace be in the Su-preme Being Brahman. And may there always exist in all peace and peace alone.—Swami Abhedananda, Ramakrishna Vedanta Math, India)
Om peace, peace and peace to us and all beings!

Program template

The Annual Community Thanksgiving Service will be held at 7:00 PM on Sunday, November 22 at Highland Park United Methodist Church (2914 SE Michigan Ave.).

The theme is “Grasping the Common Thread.” Instead of a single main speaker, the planning committee asked Rev. Lisa Schwartz (Unitarian Universalist Fellowship) to moderate a panel reflecting on the theme from the Pagan/Wiccan, Hindu, and Christian traditions.

The wonderful music of past years will return, as well as the many thoughtful prayers and devotional thoughts about thanksgiving.

Here is the link to the prayer that Rabbie Stiel will be using:

http://ajws.org/hunger/ftgu_thanksgiving_prayer.pdf?utm_source=ftgu&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=thanksgiving_rabbi_resources

On the March 24 Board Meeting Topekans in Support of Public Transit visited and asked for support. They have asked their petition be posted on our website. Those moved to do so are asked to sign the petition and return it to the City for evaluation. The petition is as follows:

Topekans in Support of Public Transit

Resolution in support of public transit services; opposing reductions to services

We, the undersigned, advocate the following:

Whereas Topeka is unique in being one of the smallest cities in the nation to have a fixed route, mainline public transit service and

Whereas public transit services are good for the economy, good for economic development, good for employment and good for the environment and

Whereas most recently during the economic crisis, more people relied on public transit services and ridership increased significantly

Whereas many people rely on public transit services to get to work, school, church, recreation, medical care, etc. and

Whereas people with disabilities, senior citizens, poor people and other minorities, in particular, rely on public transit, are known as “captive riders”, and will suffer a disparate impact resultant from reduction or elimination of public transit services and

Whereas fuel will certainly become scarcer and more expensive over time necessitating increased utilization of public transit

Whereas environmental degradation and the need to lessen the “carbon footprint” will necessitate increased utilization of public transit and

Whereas Topeka Metropolitan Transit Authority has been given a special franchise under color of state and local law to operate Topeka’s public transit services as a monopoly and

Whereas the special franchise creates a quasi-governmental entity with authority to condemn and acquire property, sell bonds and certificates and to receive a special mill levy and

Whereas the special franchise also creates certain  obligations and duties including the duty to “as promptly as possible, to rehabilitate, reconstruct and modernize all portions of any transportation…and to maintain at all times an adequate and modern transportation system…and for safe, comfortable and convenient service .” and

Whereas planned public transit services reductions are in contravention to these duties outlined in state and municipal law and

Whereas the public and its diverse communities of affected individuals have been afforded neither the knowledge, nor the opportunity to provide input into any proposed reductions in public transit services and

Whereas less drastic alterations to public transit services such as route and time changes have already caused significant hardship to some individuals especially given the method and short timeframe used to enact the alterations and

Whereas there appears to have been insufficient community outreach to, and involvement in, the decision to reduce services and

Whereas the disability advisory committee was not afforded any opportunity to provide input into any of the proposed service reductions and

Whereas conflicting and contrary statements were made to advisory committee members as to the type and scope of any reductions or alterations to services and

Whereas advance planning, budgeting and financing aimed at mitigating or forestalling any service reductions do not appear to have been undertaken and

Whereas Topeka does not have a long range plan or vision for the future of public transit

Whereas planned reductions in public transit services will hurt many people in our community and will hurt the corporate community, itself and

Now therefore be it resolved:

That any reductions or alterations to public transit services including evening Saturday, Sunday, fixed route and paratransit services, be postponed until comprehensive community outreach and input occurs and

Be it further resolved that long range planning and visioning occur forthwith and such effort must include employers, members of the City Council, drivers, riders including people with disabilities, seniors and other minorities and

Be it further resolved that the city council undertake increased oversight into the planning, financing, public relations and community outreach and community involvement activities of the public transit authority and

Be it further resolved that public hearings be held as to any findings resultant from increased city council oversight and

Now be it resolved that a mill levy increase, or other local revenue source, be immediately provided for continuing operation of public transit services in order to forestall any reductions to services and that any alterations to services made after July 1, 2008 be restored.

The March Board Meeting will be held at :

 World Church Service Office

5833 SW 29th Street

6:00 pm Thanksgiving Planning Group

7:00 pm Board Meeting

Dr. Ingrid Mattson, President

Islamic Society of North America

 Dr. Ingrid Mattson is the Director of Islamic Chaplaincy and Professor at the Macdonald Center for Islamic Studies & Christian-Muslim Relations at Hartford Seminary in Hartford, CT. 

Dr. Mattson was born in Canada, where she studied Philosophy at the University of Waterloo, Ontario (B.A. ’87). From 1987-1988 she lived in Pakistan where she worked with Afghan refugee women. In 1995 she served as advisor to the Afghan delegation to the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women.

Dr. Mattson earned her Ph.D. in Islamic Studies from the University of Chicago in 1999.

Her research is focused on Islamic law and society; among her articles are studies on slavery, poverty and Islamic legal theory.

In 2001 she was elected Vice-President of ISNA and in 2006 she was elected President of the organization.

Islamic Center of Topeka

Interfaith of Topeka

President of Islamic Society of North America

Banquet 6:00 to 9:00 pm, Memorial Union, Washburn Rm A&B

Imam Omar Hazim – 785-271-0703