Multifaith worship

Now operating solely with volunteers, the Interfaith Council of the Inland Northwest is focusing on educating people about its faith constituents.

To do that, it is offering to present multifaith worship services for interested congregations during their worship hour.

In April, Bethany Presbyterian Church held the first multifaith service, and last month the Spokane Center for Creative Living hosted another one.

The service at Bethany arose as an initiative of that congregation’s worship committee. Connecting with the Interfaith Council for resources, they learned the council had a vision of doing something similar.

Aruna and Prakash Bhuta shared a Hindu song and story. Nooshin Aflatooni, a Baha’i formerly of Iran, chanted a Persian prayer. Elliot Fabric of Congregation Ner Tamid and Congregation Beth Haverim shared from the Jewish tradition.

The Rev. Paul Rodkey of Bethany said the church wants to promote dialogue with other faith traditions by doing such a service annually.

“The service provided awareness of how our spiritual traditions touch the holy,” Rodkey said. “Our congregation welcomed the guests with receptive hearts.

“There are so many people. We need to connect with them, valuing, listening to and appreciating the holy each offers.”

Rodkey believes congregations need to set aside competitive concepts that “my God is better than your God” or that “only the way we do it is right, holy and perfect.

“Those approaches are outmoded and dangerous. The faith community is called to higher levels of integrity,” he said.

“We need to stop the wars among churches and faiths. When congregations and faiths continue to fight, they each lose, because they foster a demonic presence of fear that leads them to abdicate their mission, ethics and morality.

“We need to call each other, to remind each other of the big picture, so we do not become reduced to personal piety that divides.”

The Interfaith Council’s hope is to share worship with different faith traditions, to gain insight into the wisdom of those traditions and to understand how each tradition contributes to world community and reconciliation.

“Each service gives a flavor of beliefs through song, chant or story, a short overview, like dipping a tea bag in water for five minutes,” said Joe Urlacher, a Baha’i member of the Interfaith Council board.

Urlacher believes each religion seeks to help believers develop good human relations and become good human beings by finding calmness and peace in themselves, their families and the national and international context.

“Without inner peace, we cannot make real peace,” he said. “World peace cannot be achieved through hate or force.”

Urlacher added that Baha’u’llah, who was the founder of the Baha’i faith, encouraged his followers to “consort with the followers of all religions in a spirit of friendliness and fellowship.”

Joe Niemiec, co-pastor of the Spokane Center for Creative Living, said that by hosting last month’s multifaith service he hoped to help his congregation see, understand and honor what different faiths believe.

His preparation for the ministry involved the study of many religions, including Hinduism, which he practiced for a while.

“Some churches and faiths consider it a sin to visit or participate in worship with other churches or faiths,” said Niemiec, who came to Spokane in February from Redding, Calif.

“We invited faith communities to come in mutual respect, share a little of their teachings, break bread at a potluck and intermingle after worship.”

The Interfaith Council will offer resources and people to help one congregation each month hold such a multifaith service.

Without any paid staff members since its director resigned in April 2006, the council currently has no ministry programs. Instead, it is focusing on education, which includes displays at community events as well as the services.

The board includes 10 members and associates who are members of Baha’i, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Islamic and Jewish faiths.