Upcoming Events

5th Annual Loudoun Interfaith BRIDGES
Day of Thanks

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Sunday, November 17, 2013
3:00 - 5:30 pm.

Northern Virginia Baha'i Center
21415 Cardinal Glen Circle
Sterling, VA 20164

An Interfaith Musical Journey for All Ages

FREE: Refreshments, exceptional musicians from diverse musical and faith backgrounds.

Everyone is invited.

Past Events

2012 Interfaith Day of Thanks and Service

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Sunday, November 4
3:00 - 7:00 pm.

Location: 3 Congregations, within walking distance: one Jewish - Beth Chaverim, one Muslim - ADAMS (All Dulles Area Muslim Society in Ashburn) and one Christian - Christian Fellowship Church. We will gather at:

Christian Fellowship Church
21673 Beaumeade Circle
Ashburn, VA 20147

Loudoun Interfaith BRIDGES is currently accepting applications for the Community Youth Award for Multicultural and Interfaith Leadership, to be presented at the Day of Thanks and Service. Loudoun County residents in grades 9-12 are eligible. To learn more and to download an application, click here.

At "The Day of Thanks and Service" participants will engage the theme of hunger in creative and meaningful ways. All ages, across our diversity, will work together in preparing food for our local food pantry, Loudoun Interfaith Relief, helping to construct a "Quilt of Hope," and learning from a panel of local experts about local hunger. A self selected group will also have the opportunity to join in the project of preparing our meal, which we have titled "Multicultural Soup." At the close of the day we will share our Vegetarian "Multicultural Soup," as well as bread donated by and representative of the many faith communities of Loudoun Interfaith BRIDGES. All ages are encouraged to attend. This is a chance to give back, while gaining new friends.


Seven Voices, Seven Faiths

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Cascades Library
21030 Whitfield Place, Potomac Falls, VA 20165

Wednesdays, September 12, 19 & 26 and October 3, 10, 17 & 24. All sessions begin at 7:00 pm.

This program is part of the Building Common Ground: Discussions of Community, Civility and Compassion initiative sponsored by the American Library Association and the Fetzer Institute.

The series is dedicated to building bridges of understanding and respect between diverse religious and ethnic entities. The “common ground” of these faiths will be explored in an effort to foster better understanding and relationships with one another without intent to convert or condemn. This series is presented in partnership with BRIDGES and the Loudoun County Public Library.

Presenters:

September 12: Baha’i Faith. Mitchell Jacobson, vice chairman of the Local Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’i’s of Loudoun County in Sterling

September 19: Islam. Chaplain Farhanahz Ellis, outreach director of All Dulles Area Muslim Society in Sterling and spokesperson for the Islamic Society of North America

September 26: Unitarian Universalism. Reverend Anya Sammler-Michael, Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Sterling, Reverend Phyllis Hubbel and Reverend John Manwell, Unitarian Universalist Church of Loudoun

October 3: Christianity. Reverend Kate Bryant, St. James’ Episcopal Church in Leesburg

October 10: Quakers. Sheila Kryston, Goose Creek Friends Meeting in Lincoln

October 17: Sikhism. Mandeep Singh Bawa, education director of Guru Angad Institute of Sikh Studies in Leesburg

October 24: Judaism. Rabbi Michael Ragozin, Congregation Sha’are Shalom in Leesburg

For more information call 703-444-3228 or visit library.loudoun.gov.

6th Annual Interfaith Picnic

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Prayer & Performances to inspire & celebrate interfaith awareness & understanding in beautiful Loudoun County

Sunday, July 15th 2012, 3-6pm, Rain or shine
Claude Moore Park
21544 Old Vestals Gap Rd, Sterling VA 20164 (When you enter the park, look for signs directing you to the Loudoun Interfaith BRIDGES picnic.)

Program:

All families from Loudoun Interfaith BRIDGES faith communities are invited * Please bring a dish for the potluck dinner * We will be accepting donations to the BRIDGES Multicultural Grant program.

Sponsored by BRIDGES’ Baha’i, Buddhist, Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Quaker, Sikh & Unitarian congregations and BRIDGES associates.

For more information, contact Sheila 540-822-5607 or Priscilla 703-622-8984 or email


Third Interfaith Day of Thanks

Sunday, November 13, 2011


5:00 - 8:30 PM

Baha'i Center, 21415 Cardinal Glen Circle
Sterling VA 20164

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The community is invited to join the congregations of Loudoun Interfaith BRIDGES for an Interfaith Day of Thanks. We acknowledge and celebrate the cultural and religious diversity in Loudoun County. We are thankful for the openness and acceptance of our religious and cultural diversity. We come together in thanks to highlight successful interfaith and multicultural programs and leaders in Loudoun County.

Music will be provided by Unity of Loudoun, Congregation Sha’are Shalom - Laurie Mangold, song with guitar, Unitarian Universalists of Sterling, ADAMS Center - Naeem Muhammad, drumming, song with guitar, Baha’is of Loudoun County - Lory Darnell-Gustafson, song with keyboard, Sikh Community -- musical presentation, Beth Chaverim Reform Congregation. BRIDGES will also present an Adult Award to a citizen of Loudoun County who has put forth exemplary effort to promote peace and understanding among diverse faiths.


Registration is required:

Send check or money order payable to BRIDGES to PO Box 6165, Leesburg, VA 20178, or purchase tickets with Paypal:

Choose tickets

Ticket prices: 15.00/adult, 10.00/child under 12, 40.00/family of four or more.


5th Annual Interfaith Picnic

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Prayer & Performances to inspire & celebrate interfaith awareness & understanding in beautiful Loudoun County

Sunday, June 26th 2011, 2-6pm, Rain or shine
Franklin Park Pavilion
17501 Franklin Park Dr, Purcellville, VA 20132 (When you turn in to the park, drive to the stop sign at the end of the road. Our picnic shelter will be directly in front of you. Turn left to head into the parking lot.)

Program:

All families from Loudoun Interfaith BRIDGES faith communities are invited * Please bring a dish for the potluck dinner * Please bring non-perishable food items and back-to-school supplies which BRIDGES will donate to Loudoun Interfaith Relief.

Sponsored by BRIDGES’ Baha’i, Buddhist, Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Quaker, Sikh & Unitarian congregations and BRIDGES associates.

For more information, contact Sheila 540-822-5607 or Priscilla 703-622-8984 or email


Beyond Our Differences

Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Lovettsville Library, 7:30 pm

Viewing and discussion of award winning PBS documentary which explores the common threads that unify the world's religious traditions. Religious leaders, politicians and luminaries in their fields gove voice to the positive effects of spiritality and morality focusing on commonalities spanning all faiths. In partnership with Loudoun County Public Libraries.

This highly acclaimed film is directed by Peter Bisanz: "With all of the problems facing the world today -- war, poverty, weapons, environmental degradation, starvation, overpopulation and severe desperation among millions -- people are longing for meaning. Many find answers in religion or spirituality, but as a result faith and religion are often hijacked by those seeking to enhance their own power at the expense of others, often all in the name of God.

With this dichotomy in mind, we call upon key religious leaders, politicians, and luminaries in their fields to tackle the toughest and most complex issues in the modern age, and we ask what inspires them to affect positive change. We hope that by sharing their personal experiences, each person will provide a unique perspective on how to support and strengthen compassionate and non-violent activism when resolving difficult disputes."

Read more at www.beyondourdifferences.com


Second Interfaith Day of Thanks

Sunday, November 7, 2010 5:00 – 9:00 pm
Baha'i Center, 21415 Cardinal Glen Circle
Sterling VA 20164

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The community is invited to join the congregations of Loudoun Interfaith BRIDGES for an Interfaith Day of Thanks to acknowledge and celebrate cultural and religious diversity in Loudoun County.

The event features a performance by the youth group Pulse: song, dialogue and dance to captivate hearts, educate minds and motivate action. Recipients of Interfaith BRIDGES adult and youth awards will also be honored.

Adult Award Nomination Form | Youth Award Application
Download pdf | Download pdf

Registration is required:
1) Register online | Download form (pdf)
2) Send check or money order payable to BRIDGES to PO Box 6165, Leesburg, VA 20178, or purchase tickets with Paypal:

Choose tickets

Ticket prices: 15.00/adult, 10.00/child under 12, 40.00/family of four or more.


4th Annual Interfaith Picnic

Sunday July 18th, 2010, 2-6pm
Pavilion #2 | Claude Moore Park, Sterling,

A celebration through Prayer and Performances to inspire interfaith awareness and understanding in beautiful Loudoun County, sponsored by the Baha'i, Buddhist, Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Quaker, Sikh and Unitarian congregations and BRIDGES associates.

Program:

Come rain or shine, families from faith communities participating in Loudoun Interfaith Bridges are invited to attend. Others are welcome upon calling one of the below contacts to request participation, as space is limited. Please bring a dish for the potluck dinner and donations for food items and back-to-school supplies.

Click for directions to the park. Parking for Pavillion #2 is in the Heritage Farm Museum lot. Park in the area of the Museum Parking Lot closest to the Windmill. Walk along the pathway at the left end of the museum (near the Windmill), straight into the historic area. Pavilion #2 is straight ahead, past the log cabin and the Lanesville home (a large white historic house).

For more information, call: Sheila 540-822-5607 or Priscilla 703-622-8984 | Download flyer


Beyond Our Differences

Sunday, March 7, 2010
Ashburn Library, 2:00 pm

We are pleased to present this film screening in partnership with Loudoun County Public Libraries, with a discussion to follow.

This highly acclaimed film is directed by Peter Bisanz: "With all of the problems facing the world today -- war, poverty, weapons, environmental degradation, starvation, overpopulation and severe desperation among millions -- people are longing for meaning. Many find answers in religion or spirituality, but as a result faith and religion are often hijacked by those seeking to enhance their own power at the expense of others, often all in the name of God.

With this dichotomy in mind, we call upon key religious leaders, politicians, and luminaries in their fields to tackle the toughest and most complex issues in the modern age, and we ask what inspires them to affect positive change. We hope that by sharing their personal experiences, each person will provide a unique perspective on how to support and strengthen compassionate and non-violent activism when resolving difficult disputes."

Read more at www.beyondourdifferences.com


Interfaith Day of Thanks

Sunday, November 8, 2009
Ida Lee Recreation Center in Leesburg, 5:00 – 8:00 pm.

The community is invited to join the congregations of Loudoun Interfaith BRIDGES for an Interfaith Day of Thanks to acknowledge and celebrate cultural and religious diversity in Loudoun County.

The event features keynote speaker Ben O’Dell, Deputy Director at the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, which builds partnerships between government, faith-based and neighborhood organizations to better serve individuals, families and communities. The program also includes a multicultural buffet dinner, musical performances, including world renowned percussionist Tom Teasley, among others, and the honoring of Interfaith BRIDGES adult and youth award recipients (see below).

Registration is required; please contact dayofthanks@loudouninterfaithbridges.org to RSVP and purchase tickets.

Ticket prices are as follows: 15.00/adult, 10.00/child age 6-12, 40.00/family of four or more, children under 6 free. Payment may be sent to: Day of Thanks Tickets, PO Box 6165, Leesburg, VA 20178. Please make checks out to "Unity of Loudoun."

Download event poster (PDF) | See press release

Loudoun Interfaith BRIDGES is seeking to honor a citizen of Loudoun who has put forth exemplary effort to promote peace and understanding among diverse faiths. This citizen is to be honored at the Interfaith Day of Thanks on Sunday, November 8, 2009. Nominations are welcome; please review the criteria and download an Award Nomination form here.

BRIDGES is also seeking applications for our first Community Youth Award. Award recipients will be honored at the Interfaith Day of Thanks, and will be selected based on the student’s involvement in a community service activity that fosters interfaith or multicultural understanding. Download an application here.


3rd Annual Interfaith Picnic

Sunday, August 2nd 2009, 2-6pm | Pavilion #2
Claude Moore Park, Sterling,

(This event was cancelled due to extreme weather conditions.)
A celebration through Prayer and Performances to inspire interfaith awareness and understanding in beautiful Loudoun County, sponsored by the Baha'i, Buddhist, Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Quaker, Sikh and Unitarian congregations and BRIDGES associates.

Program:

Come rain or shine, families from faith communities participating in Loudoun Interfaith Bridges are invited to attend. Others are welcome upon calling one of the below contacts to request participation, as space is limited. Please bring a dish for the potluck dinner and donations for food items and back-to-school supplies. See list of acceptable items here.

Click for directions to the park. Parking for Pavillion #2 is in the Heritage Farm Museum lot. Park in the area of the Museum Parking Lot closest to the Windmill. Walk along the pathway at the left end of the museum (near the Windmill), straight into the historic area. Pavilion #2 is straight ahead, past the log cabin and the Lanesville home (a large white historic house).

For more Info: Sher 703-626-6119, Sheila 540-822-5607, Catherine 571-258-3282


Love & Forgiveness

Can we have love but not forgiveness?

Or true forgiveness without love?

Join the Loudoun County Public Library for an Interfaith Panel Discussion with members of Loudoun Interfaith BRIDGES

Religious leaders will discuss the theme of love and forgiveness within their particular faith. Question and answer sessions will follow. Participants will include:

Video coming soon.

Loudoun County Public Library is proud to have been selected to present the Love & Forgiveness series funded by the American Library Association and the Fetzer Institute's Campaign for Love & Forgiveness. The Fetzer Institute's mission, to foster awareness of the power of love and forgiveness in the emerging global community, rests on its conviction that efforts to address the critical issues facing the world must go beyond political, social and economic strategies to their psychological and spiritual roots.

For more information call 703.777.0368 or visit: library.loudoun.gov.


Six Voices, Six Faiths

This spring, St. James' Episcopal Church, with Loudoun Interfaith Bridges as cosponsor, will host a six-week series, "Six Voices, Six Faiths," which we hope will stimulate interfaith dialogue and advance interfaith understanding. This series is an outgrowth of conversations among LIB members which began last September, and is our first such effort. Loudoun Interfaith Bridges brings together communities of different faiths to collectively address common challenges, and build bridges of understanding and respect between diverse religious and ethnic entities.

The series will be held in the Fellowship Hall at St. James' Episcopal Church (14 Cornwall Street, NW, Leesburg) on six consecutive Thursdays from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. The dates and discussion leaders are:

This series is designed for adults from high school age and above, and will be open to members of our respective faith communities, as well as the general public. Registration will be required, and participants will be able to register either via snail mail or eregistration on the St. James' website (www.stjamesleesburg.org). While there is no cost to register, a $25 contribution per person is suggested to help defray program costs. In registering, participants are signing up for all six sessions; registering for individual sessions will be discouraged. The registration deadline is Thursday, April 16.

The format of the evening is: From 7:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., attendees will gather for food and fellowship. The food will be prepared by members of the community whose faith is being discussed. Discussion will begin at 7:30 p.m. and conclude at 9:00 p.m. They are in the process of finalizing but St. James' should be able to offer childcare.

Among the issues that might be discussed at each session are: the history of the development of your religion, your faith tradition's core beliefs and practices, the sacred texts for your faith and how they are applied to corporate worship and daily living, the process of initiation into your faith, and your faith's understanding of what happens at death. However, each discussion leader need not be limited to these issues, and will shape his/her respective content.


Interfaith Holiday Display and Invocation

December 21, 2008, Leesburg

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For the first time in Leesburg, four faiths joined together on a cold windy day to celebrate winter holidays on the grounds of the Loudoun County Courthouse. About 25 adults and children were in attendance from 8 - 9 Loudoun congregations including: the Sikh Community, All Dulles Area Muslim Society, Beth Chaverim Reform Congregation, St. James Episcopal Church, Unity Church of Loudoun, St. Gabriel's Episcopal Church, St. James United Church of Christ, Unitarian Universalist Church of Sterling, and others. Four speakers, one each from the Muslim, Jewish, Christian, and Sikh communities provided remarks for the Invocation, and Holiday Displays were arranged by Beth Chaverim and the Sikh community to join the creche on the Courthouse grounds.

The Invocations focused on the courage that our religious leaders have shown in the face of adversity, and the faith that brings us together today to work for peace, understanding and community. Special thanks was noted to Circuit Judge Horne who approved the interfaith displays this year, and to the individuals who place the creche each year on the Courthouse grounds, who invited other faiths to join them this year.


2nd Annual Interfaith Picnic

August 17th, 2008, 2:00-6:00 pm
Algonkian Regional Park, Sterling

Loudoun Interfaith Bridges invites you to our second Annual Interfaith Picnic, a celebration through prayers and community activities to inspire interfaith awareness and understanding in Loudoun's various faith communities. Families and representatives from faith communities that are part of Loudoun Interfaith Bridges are invited to attend.

Sponsored by the Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Quaker, Sikh, Baha'i, Buddhist, Hindu congregations and associates part of Loudoun Interfaith Bridges. Last year's picnic was a huge success and brought together people from many faiths in a joyful, uplifting and interactive environment.

See more pictures

The program will include:

Directions from Leesburg: Take Route 7E to the Cascades Pkwy North Exit, and drive 3 miles to the park. For more info, contact: Sher Singh 703-626-6119, Mercedeh Izadi 571-333-1999, Nancy Sutton 703-989-9637, Sheila Kryston 540-822-5607, Reginald Early 703-297-6463, Jack Bluestein 703-723-4401


Interfaith Family Picnic

August 19, 2007, 4:00-6:00 pm
Algonkian Regional Park, Sterling

A celebration through Prayer and Chant to inspire interfaith awareness and spirituality in our children, youth and communities

Sponsored by the Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Quaker, Sikh, Baha'i, Buddhist and Hindu congregations part of Loudoun Interfaith Bridges

"What unites us is much greater than what separates us" -- Pope John Paul II

Program:

Read the Leesburg Today article 'We Are All Neighbors':Religious Leaders Build 'Bridges' Amid Immigration Debate