Author Archive: Barbara McIntivey

Celebrating 14 years of service

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Smiles round the cake A well attended meeting celebrated 14 years of joint working for the community at Hounslow Civic Centre this week. A specially made cake was cut to mark the occasion.

Hounslow Friends of Faith held the meeting, one of two events being held for Inter Faith Week, to look at what members of faith communities can do for peace both globally and locally.

Millius Palawiya, Director of the Fellowship of Reconciliation gave a stimulating talk. He encouraged participants to be truthful to their own scriptures and to speak truth to power. The aims of modern war are now unobtainable. We should highlight alternatives to armed intervention to our members of parliament.  People should be willing to create friendships with those of other faiths to avoid conflicts and misunderstanding.

Achievements so far of Hounslow Friends of Faith were reviewed.  Activities include service projects, consultation, liaison and bridge building between communities and education about faiths.  Together these are a valuable contribution to society.

 

 

End of Life Care training

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The training course for volunteers interested in supporting people at home at the end of their lives has now come to an end.  Five students completed the course.  They are being registered as volunteers with the chaplaincy based at West Middlesex Hospital and expect to start work soon.

Two events for Inter Faith Week

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Hounslow Friends of Faith is running two events for Inter Faith Week which runs from 16th to 22nd November.  The first is a talk ‘Faith involvement in peacemaking today’ and the second is a Women’s Group celebration of culture in dress and food.

All faiths hold peace highly in their worship and teaching.  In the present international situation, how can faiths live out these ideals?  Millius Palayiwa, director of the Fellowship of Reconciliation (FOR) will discuss this on Tuesday 18th November in a talk at 6.30pm in Committee Room 1, Hounslow Civic Centre, Lampton Road TW3 4DN.

Millius has direct experience of work in conflict zones, having helped facilitate peace talks in Sierra Leone. FOR celebrates its centenary this year.

The talk will be followed by a celebration of 14 years of Hounslow Friends of Faith’s work for peace and friendship.

For our second event, Hounslow Friends of Faith’s Women’s Group invites all women to share the diversity of culture in traditional dress and food.  Join them at Heston Community Centre, Vicarage Farm Road, TW5 0EE on Saturday 22nd November from 4 – 7pm.  Come and dazzle in your best clothes!

Please bring food to share. Admission is £1 per adult to contribute to the hire of the hall.  Let us know you are coming so we know numbers by ringing our usual number 020 8560 5887 or email info@hounslowfriendsoffaith.org

Joint work to improve church garden

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Volunteers worked together on 19th October to bring a garden in a Hounslow church back to life.  Weeds were removed and pots and tubs replanted.  Litter blown in from the High Street was removed.  The patio at Holy Trinity Church on Hounslow High Street now provides a warm welcome to visitors to the church, including the weekly Olive Branch project for homeless people every Saturday. Support for the project came from Muslim, Sikh, Hindu, Jewish, Sai Baba, Catholic and Quaker communities and was Hounslow Friends of Faith’s contribution to the annual Sewa Day, the International Day of Volunteering. Vicar Stu Wright thanked all who contributed.  ‘It was a great project involving young and old. Holy Trinity is right at the heart of Hounslow and we’re so grateful for joint support for our work in the community.’

See photos of the event in our Gallery.

Marking UN Day of Peace

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Events took place across Hounslow to mark the United Nations Day of Peace 19th – 21st September. Worshippers at Friday prayers at the Hussaini Mission in Isleworth heard a denouncement of extremists such as Islamic State.  Leaders of local churches and other parts of the Muslim community joined representatives of the Sikh, Hindu, Buddhist and Jewish faiths, local Humanists and Hounslow Council in signing the statement  ‘United we say YES to peace’.  Guests also viewed an exhibition of art prepared by Westbrook, Nishkam and Tarbiyya primary schools and the Mission’s own children on the theme of peace.  The event was featured on the ITN Regional News at 6.

Saturday 20th at St Dunstan’s Church in Feltham, open as part of Ride and Stride fundraising event for historic church buildings, launched their ‘peace tree’ which remained up until the following harvest weekend for messages of peace to be added.

Hounslow Methodist Church in Bell Road held an open tea on Sunday, with peace as the theme for their evening service on Sunday.  See photos of the weekend in our Gallery.

 

Volunteer training for End of Life Care

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Could you support a patient during the last days of their life?

Currently the preference for the place of care or death at the end of life could be either in hospital, a nursing home, hospice or at home. More and more people are choosing the place of care to be at home. Families or carers are often willing to meet the preferences of the loved one but may not always realise the demand it might place on them emotionally, socially, spiritually and otherwise. Volunteers are being recruited by West Middlesex Hospital Chaplaincy to provide the support or backup that may be needed at that crucial time.

This kind of work is rewarding, but also demanding. Before taking on the work, volunteers will be trained to offer that support to the family. The training offered will cover among others the following:

• Death and dying
• Communication
• Suffering and Hope
• Well–being and illness
• Spiritual needs of the dying, carers/families
• Cultures and dying
• Supporting the bereaved

After training, volunteers will be supported by a member of the Chaplaincy staff based at West Middlesex University Hospital.

The Training Course

This training course will run on Tuesdays from 5 – 7 pm from 14th October – 16th December 2014. It will take place in the Education Centre, West Middlesex University Hospital.

Please complete the application form and return it by post to The Chaplaincy Office, West Middlesex University Hospital, Twickenham Road, Isleworth TW7 6AF or by email to: Michael.Sserunkuma@wmuh.nhs.uk .  To download the application form click here.

If you would like further information please contact: Michael Sserunkuma by email or Hounslow Friends of Faith, details on this website.

Closing date for applications 30th September 2014

Inter Faith Network statement on maintaining friendship and trust

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Hounslow Friends of Faith is a member of the Inter Faith Network for the UK (IFN).  We post below a message from the officers of IFN following the current situation in the Middle East.  It was issued on 4 August 2014

A message from the Co-Chairs and Vice-Chairs to member bodies of the Inter Faith Network for the UK

The work of most of your organisations, like that of the Inter Faith Network for the UK, focuses on this country. There are, however, times when events in other countries with which we have links or about which we have concern have an impact on our relationships here.

These may be events, past or present, about which a community or communities have strong feelings:  particular attacks or periods of persecution or even genocide; ‘one off’ but deeply disturbing episodes; or ongoing actions – military or civilian – affecting the lives of many, within and across borders.  The roll call of such actions in recent times is long and the impact reverberates.

Today our thoughts and our prayers are with all those affected by the present crisis in Gaza and Israel, and in other countries in the Middle East and elsewhere where communities are under sometimes terrifying pressures.

Such situations give rise to strong differences of view about what is just and right and they bring with them anxiety, pain – and anger.  At these times, our bonds of friendship and trust – long in the making – are tested.  It is hard to keep communication open and to continue to be willing to be in dialogue but it is vital to do so and to continue to support each other’s right to differ in opinion and to be willing to make our case with courtesy and respect for the other.

Likewise, continued care for the safety and security of our different faith communities in the UK must surely be a concern for all of us. We acknowledge fears of those in the Jewish community with the recent sharp rise in anti-Semitic attacks, mirroring fears in the Muslim community following the increase in attacks on Muslims after the murder of Lee Rigby in Woolwich last year.

We note also the helpful statements from a range of faith community leaders and organisations.

Vital work is happening at local and national level to keep channels of ommunication open and relationships strong. Our thoughts and prayers are also with all seeking to encourage and support this.

The Rt Revd Richard Atkinson OBE, Co-Chair

Mr Vivian Wineman, Co-Chair

Mr Mohinder Singh Chana, Vice-Chair

Dr Kishan Manocha, Vice-Chair

Maulana M Shahid Raza OBE, Vice-Chair

Dr Jagdish Sharma, Vice-Chair

 

Inter Faith Network for the UK

2 Grosvenor Gardens

London SW1W 0DH

Tel: 020 7730 0410

Fax: 020 7730 0414

Email: ifnet@interfaith.org.uk

Web: www.interfaith.org.uk

Remaining true to your own faith – the value of interfaith encounter

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AGM 2014 presenting speaker with gift 1 web

Not many would have thought a few years ago that the London School of Economics, a university of the social sciences, would have a purpose built interfaith centre.  Rev Dr James Walters, the Director explained the background and the benefits in a talk at HFOF’s AGM on 16th July. Drawing a parallel with residents in some parts of Hounslow, Dr Walters highlighted how many students come originally from overseas and that for many their faith is part of their identity. Faith and belief are now a strand in the Equality Act which organisations must provide for.  The centre has developed as a place where students can practise their faith, meet and learn from others and take part in discussions and dialogue on issues of interest and common concern, particularly justice and peace. Many return to their home country and use what they have learnt through understanding better people of other faith traditions. Each year a group visit local primary schools.  The children learn that university could be a possible choice for them and see people of different faiths working positively together. Dr Walters recognised how faiths have different emphases.  However the search for truth is universal and we should look beyond ourselves and be open to the wisdom of others.  Challenge is good he felt and can make us look at our own faith with fresh eyes.  People may be drawn to the more fundamentalist form of any faith because it offers simple answers.  This may be because we do not feel knowledgeable enough to provide the answers people are seeking. There is a need to speak more clearly about our own faiths and to support religion which is life affirming he said.

The photo shows HFOF committee member Anne van Staveren presenting Dr Walters with a thank you gift.

 

Eric Pickles praises Muslims

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The Rt Hon Eric Pickles MP Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government attended a Big Iftar event in Hounslow this month and used the occasion to praise the contribution Muslims make to British Society.  Iftar is the breaking of the fast each evening during Ramadan when Muslims fast during daylight hours.  The Ismaili Muslim Community in Hounslow opened their doors for good fellowship and good food and to show non Muslims what the holy month is all about. Ramadan is a time when members of the community give generously to charity. The group have been busy packing boxes of items to donate to homeless charities as part of the Share a Smile initiative.  During the evening Mr Pickles lent a hand to complete the last box.

Guests present included representatives of the different strands of Islam and Baha’i, Christian, Hindu, Jewish, and Sikh faiths.  Also present were the Yemeni Ambassador, His Excellency Mr Abdulla Ali Al-Rahdi, Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, the newly appointed Under Secretary of State at the Department of Communities and Local Government and Seema Malhotra, the MP for Feltham and Heston.

Living in Britain, Muslims are encouraged to reach out, to build bridges and to work with colleagues and neighbours around them who are not Muslim, to share their faith and build on their shared values.  The Big Iftar is a national initiative, started a year ago as a way of doing this.

Representatives of HFOF were pleased to accept generous invitations to two other iftar events this Ramadan, the Centre of Spirituality and Cultural Advancement in Feltham and the Darussalam Centre in Heston.

NATIONS – A celebration of Music and Dance

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As part of Multicultural Month Saturday 25th October is to be day of music and dance.  It will take place in the Treaty Centre in Hounslow.

Carillion who run Hounslow Library Services are inviting Music and/or Dance groups who would like to take part to get in touch.

In addition, groups representing cultural organisations are welcome to run a stall to share information, make or sell crafts or other merchandise or run workshops.

African Drummers and Brazilian Capoeira Dance are already booked to take part.

To find out more contact Kieran Nagi as soon as possible and before 15th August on 0845 456 2800 or kieran.nagi@carillionservices.co.uk