Community Outreach
Over the years the Tree of Life Interfaith Temple has engaged in outreach, both locally and globally. We've donated to our local food pantries, sponsored programs through local interfaith groups and supported the Smile Train. Through the Gifts of Grace Foundation, started by our founder Rev. Dr. Stephanie Rutt, we created and donated over 300 quilts to local foster care children. Just in the last five years, we’ve been blessed to serve in the following ways:
Under One Sky: The Interfaith Peace Walk (2016 & 2017)
In late 2015, our founder, inspired by listening to Rev. Ilona Kwiecien, Class of 2013, reporting on her experience at the Parliament of World Religions, was compelled to sponsor an interfaith peace walk. She wrote, “Imagine just for a moment people from many faith traditions walking together in solidarity celebrating our common humanity and desire for peace while respecting religious differences. Imagine that peace could be found in unity, not uniformity. Imagine that religious inclusion, understanding and dialogue could spring from the steps of those willing to walk, demonstrating that peace across all faith traditions is possible. Yes! Imagine that we could come together, for one day, to demonstrate what is possible.”
Rev. Stephanie re-convened the then inactive Souhegan Valley Interfaith Council and with the help of the World Alliance of Interfaith Clergy (now called World Awake!) Board Chair, Fran Bagdasarian, guided the creation of the Walk which included participation and contributions from many local faith communities as well as from the community at large. The next year, Rev. Stephanie presented the organizational process developed at the World Alliance of Interfaith Clergy Conference as a template for other interfaith communities around the country to adopt.
In late 2015, our founder, inspired by listening to Rev. Ilona Kwiecien, Class of 2013, reporting on her experience at the Parliament of World Religions, was compelled to sponsor an interfaith peace walk. She wrote, “Imagine just for a moment people from many faith traditions walking together in solidarity celebrating our common humanity and desire for peace while respecting religious differences. Imagine that peace could be found in unity, not uniformity. Imagine that religious inclusion, understanding and dialogue could spring from the steps of those willing to walk, demonstrating that peace across all faith traditions is possible. Yes! Imagine that we could come together, for one day, to demonstrate what is possible.”
Rev. Stephanie re-convened the then inactive Souhegan Valley Interfaith Council and with the help of the World Alliance of Interfaith Clergy (now called World Awake!) Board Chair, Fran Bagdasarian, guided the creation of the Walk which included participation and contributions from many local faith communities as well as from the community at large. The next year, Rev. Stephanie presented the organizational process developed at the World Alliance of Interfaith Clergy Conference as a template for other interfaith communities around the country to adopt.
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Celene Ibrahim Talk at the Milford Town Hall (2016)
In the midst of growing religious tensions and divisiveness, the Temple was pleased to sponsor Celene Ibrahim, our founder’s then professor of Muslim studies at Andover Newton Theology School (now a part of Yale Divinity). Many participants gathered in the Milford Town Hall representing a variety of faith traditions including people from Muslim faith communities in Nashua, Manchester and Concord. To gather together with our Muslim brothers and sisters, in particular, was a true blessing. |
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Creating Peace: Interfaith Peace Panel (2013)
All faith traditions speak of peace. The Temple thought it would be a great community building opportunity, as well as a way to increase educational awareness, to invite faith leaders from local faith communities to be a part of a panel discussion sharing how their traditions create peace. We gathered at the Milford Town Hall to hear the panel of faith leaders speak and then engaged in a lively discussion in response to questions from the audience. We all came away with our initial belief confirmed: that, while practices differ, all traditions seek to promote individual, communal and global peace. |
