Faith Trio Committee

January 1, 2010

The Faith Trio consists of three congregations in Oakland, California, historically linked to each other as representatives of the three Abrahamic faiths of Islam, Judaism and Christianity. They are the Islamic Cultural Center of Northern California (ICCNC), the Kehilla Community Synagogue and Montclair Presbyterian Church.

The Faith Trio’s basic purpose is to encourage:

• Informal and formal interchange about our distinct but
       interrelated traditions. There is currently a class.
• The development of ever-deeper knowledge and understandings
       of each other’s religious and cultural backgrounds.
• The sharing of worship and hospitality at their meeting places.
• The growth of easy and genuine friendships.
• The exploration of joint social justice projects
       for both youth and adults.

Over the five years of its history, the Faith Trio has regularly enjoyed an annual Harvest Dinner that rotates between the three congregations. Other activities include discussions of parallel scriptural texts, original poetry and prose readings, participation in an interfaith protest against our government’s use of torture in San Francisco, and an examination of the global economic meltdown in light of our faith traditions. Each congregation has welcomed the others to their worship services to study the pattern, content and meaning of their rituals and music.

The Faith Trio Committee meets on the second Tuesday of each month at each member’s meeting place in turn.

Current officers for MPC are: Jean Mudge, Chair. Jeanmudge@comcast.net
    John Hadsell.
    Virginia Hadsell
    Tinka Larsen

The acting imam at the ICCNA is: Ali Sheikholeslami. asheikholeslami@yahoo.com

The primary rabbi at Kehilla is: David Cooper. DavidJCoop@aol.com

THE FAITH TRIO WILL CONTINUE ITS CLASS IN JUNE on Sunday mornings at 8:30. Location TBD. We’ll continue to use Lew Mudge’s paperback, The Gift Of Responsibility: The Promise Of Dialogue With Christians, Jews And Muslims (Continuum 2008). Lew suggests a common agenda for the three faiths, based on Abraham’s free acceptance of God’s gift of responsibility to be a blessing rather than a curse. David Siegenthaler, convener. Jean Mudge and John Hadsell, leaders. Anyone who missed sessions in March or wants to begin in June is welcome. Please notify David Siegenthaler to assure an adequate book supply.

Page updated 4/14/10