Let’s Orient

Informative interview with J Street head honcho Jeremy ben Ami.

Give it a read. Digest. Comment.

@adamhayden

J Street Blog Takeover

Friends- This blog has gone unnoticed for several months. Apologies, and thanks to those who have interacted thru dialogue, email, twitter, etc.

What better opportunity to return to regular blogging than today, as I’m en route to DC for the J Street national conference, Making History.

Check here for updates the next few days as I hear speakers, attend discussions, and advocate to congress.

I hope you’ll stay engaged upon my return; coming up we have Interfaith Seder, ongoing conversation & community, and the launch of an ancient worship experience in modern terms.

Your partner in peace-
@adamhayden

Blogroll with Us.

Director, facilitator & conversation partner Adam Hayden is contributing to a new blog series for Lockerbie Central United Methodist.  Check out the first post: Being present. Being balanced.

The series is based on the Rule of Life for Lockberbie.

Thanks for staying tuned.

Our First Conversation with Lockerbie/Earth House

As I left our time together Sunday evening I couldn’t be more excited about the relationships we started to build that will only be strengthened in the coming weeks, months, and even years. I couldn’t agree more with the words Jordan wrote Monday:

Here’s a community genuinely trying to figure out how to live lives in the way of this Jewish rabbi whose words often sound more like a Buddhist monk than the type of Christians you see on CNN or Fox News. A community continually checking whether it is following the words of Micah by acting justly, loving mercy and walking humbly. A community who – though quite small – has taken this mission seriously and partnered with locals of diverse beliefs and backgrounds to create a safe space and an incredible community partnership through Earth House

As the representative and chief conversation partner of the Indianapolis Interfaith Conversation Network I warmly welcome you to a community of relationship, dialogue and peace.  I also invite you to join our group on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

In the next few days I look forward to connecting with you through email and our social media channels. I’ll be sending out an invite and Facebook event later in the week to announce our first “official” conversation.

In the meantime please reach out to me individually if you have any thoughts, ideas, questions, or would like to grab coffee one-on-one. I’m always up for it.

I encourage you to share your enthusiasm for our group with others. #FF us on Twitter. Like our Facebook fan page. Repost links to our site through your sphere of influence.

Shalom. Salaam. Peace.
ah

adam hayden
director, Indianapolis Interfaith Conversation Network
@adamhayden | @IndyInterfaith

Breaking News: Interfaith Conversation Network, Lockerbie Central UMC, Earth House Collective Partnership!

September 18th, 2011, 6:00pm

Lockerbie Central United Methodist | Earth House Collective

237 N East St Indianapolis, 46204

Download the flyer and tell your friends!

On September 18th all are welcome to join us at Lockerbie Central’s Sunday evening service, a progressive approach to Christian worship, to hear more about the Interfaith Conversation Network, engage with leaders, and shape the future of our next community to join the Interfaith Network to be housed at Lockerbie Central | Earth House Collective.

This will be our second group plant and offers an accessible option for downtown dwellers.  This partnership reflects the peace, relationship, and community that are the cornerstones of these organizations.

Let us know if you can make it.

September 11th: Interfaith Prayer Service & Volunteering at Gleaners

The Indianapolis Interfaith Conversation Network is proud to be one of many sponsors supporting the September 11th Interfaith Prayer Service & Volunteer Opportunity to be held at Gleaners Food Bank the afternoon of 9.11.2011, beginning with a reception at 2:30pm, followed by prayer service and story telling from many faith traditions, and closing with a volunteer opportunity.

The experience is brought to life by the special efforts of Gleaners Food Bank, Interfaith Hunger Initiative, and The Worship Studio.  From the Interfaith Hunger Initiative release:

The experience will give all participants the opportunity to explore the themes of Enormity and Abundance . . . the enormity of the 9/11 tragedy and the abundance of humanity and selflessness we witnessed in its aftermath . . .  the enormity of the problem of hunger in contrast to our abundance of food, resources and generosity . . . and the enormity of ignorance and intolerance countered by the abundance of people from different traditions or no faith tradition willing to work together to make a difference and live in peace.

We look forward to seeing you there.

Please visit our How to Get Involved page if you would like to specifically support the Indy Interfaith Conversation Network on this important day.

Follow-Up: J Street Two State Summer Day of Action: 8.23.11

Reinforcing yesterday’s statement of support for J Street’s Two State Summer Day of Action, we bring you the following multiple choice test.

Please choose the answer that best completes the sentence: Bringing a peaceful resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict...

1. Is within reach
2. Requires interfaith cooperation, and is not an exclusive Jewish, Christian, Muslim, or secular issue
3. Must be framed not as a partisan party stance, but as a platform for peace, progress, and pluralism
4. All of the above

But don’t take my word for it.  The following represents Jews from J Street and Christians from Christians for Peace and Justice in the Middle East, meeting outside the offices of a certain muslim elected official.

Facebook: J Street Indianapolis

Twitter: @JStreetIndy

J Street Day of Action, August 23rd, 2011

We call ourselves the Indianapolis Interfaith Conversation Network, and this name implies a few defining points: We are interfaith advocates, we engage in conversation, implying dialogue, and we affirm there is more we can achieve in partnership, i.e. network, than we can within isolation.

Today is the culmination of a J Street campaign, Two State Summer, manifest in a Day of Action.  A network of J Street local chapters across the country will engage in conversation with elected officials, Jewish clergy, and community members across the country.  The J Street position is simple to articulate but challenging to implement:  A secure, democratic Israel peacefully existing alongside a sovereign Palestinian state.

J Street represents Americans, primarily but not exclusively Jewish, who are committed to relationships across cultures, peaceful dialogue, and grassroots cooperation with state and federal officials to achieve its objectives.  These tactics are clearly aligned with the Indianapolis Interfaith Conversation Network.  Our members represent a spectrum of faiths.  Although there is not an official partnership forged between our organizations, we encourage our community to explore the Israeli-Palestinian conflict:  For our Jewish members, this is a confrontation of our faith and identity; for our non-Jewish members this is an opportunity to support broader regional peace within the Mid East.

Resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is not a partisan political issue, it is a human rights issue.  The two-state solution proposed by J Street is in keeping with plans proposed by Presidents Clinton, Bush, and Obama.

Please take a moment today to learn about the issue and explore opportunities to get involved.

J Street, Indianapolis.