Andrew Crowley

Andrew Crowley November 2, 2020 1 Comment

VIRTUAL SHEFFIELD INTERFAITH WALK

SUNDAY 15TH NOVEMBER AT 2PM (With Zoom)

The news at the moment is not very encouraging, and it does feel as if we are being asked to dig deep. Nevertheless life must go on. In just over a week’s time it will be Interfaith Week. Normally we would have arranged for visits to different places of worship, but obviously this year that idea has been firmly kicked into touch.

What we have decided to do is to have a virtual Interfaith walk on Sunday, 15 November at 2 o’clock, using zoom.

If you want to join us then please email me at sheffieldinterfaith@hotmail.co.uk and I will send you the zoom invitation.

Instead of visiting different places of worship and finding out a little about the community there, we have decided that this year we will ask you to submit one photograph to Sheffield interfaith – sheffieldinterfaith@hotmail.co.uk. The photograph should be a place you have found significant during this pandemic. Our virtual walk will be a showing of your picture with you saying a few words about it.

We are also planning an online presentation in the evening during the week leading up to 15th November of some work undertaken by the Minhaj sisters, a group of Muslim women. We will send details to you as soon as we have them. Again this will be on zoom.

We are planning our AGM, which will be later in November, and which will be an opportunity for us to meet together, over a virtual cuppa and piece of cake. It will be an opportunity to spend a bit of time just sharing our Covid lockdown stories, as well as undertaking some small bits of business which we need to do. I will be sending out details of the AGM, as well as asking you to pay your membership fees.

Kind regards to you all

Andrew Crowley

Chair

Andrew Crowley February 10, 2020 1 Comment

Food and Friendship

We would like to welcome you to our bring and share dinners. A relaxed opportunity to meet others from different faiths, and to deepen friendships.

Bring some vegetarian food to share if you can, but come anyway.

Tuesday Feb 25th 12.00 at Upper Chapel – Norfolk Street, Sheffield, S1 2JD
Tuesday March 24^th 6pm at Shirley House
Wednesday April 22^nd 6pm at Shirley House
Wednesday May 27^th 6pm at Shirley House

Shirley House, 31 Psalter Lane, Sheffield S11 8YL (Buses 218 leave interchange: 17.35 & 17.55)

Andrew Crowley January 13, 2020 Leave a Comment

Our visit to Laxton

Our-visit-to-Laxton Download

Andrew Crowley January 10, 2020 2 Comments

Living with respect and confidence with people of other faiths – an exploration for Christians.

An increasing number of us live and work in settings where we are in contact with people of other faiths – in the canteen, at the school gate, as team colleagues. Through these experiences and friendships, we may find ourselves reflecting on our understanding of our own faith. Our own certainties or understandings may well be challenged, and we may find that questions arise for us about the nature of God or the person of Jesus.

We may sometimes therefore want to explore the following thoughts:

How can we live and talk with our neighbours of other faiths with sensitivity, respect and confidence?

What are the commonalities and differences between faiths?

How can my own faith be enriched by engaging with my neighbour’s faith? Can it sometimes also feel challenged?

These are some of the questions we shall be considering together during the three one and half hour evening sessions from 7.30-9.00pm at UTU, led by Rev Gareth Jones.
Dates are Tues 11^th Feb, Tues 3rd March, Tues 31st March

As we will be sharing together we ask that people come for the whole series, and there will be a fixed number in the group.

Booking: Cost £36 and £25 for low waged and members for all three sessions
Details in the New Year, but please reply to office@utusheffield.org.uk to reserve a place

http://sheffieldinterfaith.org.uk/2020/01/1543/

Andrew Crowley November 27, 2019 Leave a Comment

The Dialogue Society and Minhaj sisters cordially invite you……

…………to join us for an afternoon where we form friendships and build bridges through conversations.

Venue : The Dialogue Society. 5 Birch Road, S9 3XL – Sheffield

Date : 15th December 2019

Time : 1 – 3pm

Female ONLY event with boys aged 10 and under welcome.

Refreshments provided.

Any Queries –
sheffield@dialoguesociety.org

See poster Download

Andrew Crowley October 30, 2019 Leave a Comment

Multifaith Gardening Time!

Forest Garden November 2019 FLYER Download

November 9th 11 – 2pm.

All welcome

Andrew Crowley October 24, 2019 2 Comments

Understanding Islam: First Steps

Study Day with Dr Chris Hewer

If you have not yet been able to attend one of these days but would like to do so, Chris Hewer is back in Sheffield in November and will be repeating his introductory day on Islam in 3 different venues:

Saturday 9^th November at Bents Green Methodist Church, Ringinglow Road, Sheffield, S11 7PU

Wednesday 13^th November at Dore and Totley URC, Totley Brook Rd, Sheffield S17 3QS

Saturday 16^th November at Blessed Trinity Catholic Church, Northfield Lane, Wickersley, Rotherham S66 2HL

These days run from 10.00 am – 3.30 pm (coffee from 9.30) . There is no charge, although donations will be welcome on the day. Please bring a packed lunch. For further details and to book a place please contact Rev Liz Wills, e-mail: johnandlizwills@gmail.com

These days help us begin to explore what Muslims believe, a journey into understanding Islam from its own perspective. They cover the following areas:

Islam before the time of Muhammad.
Standing before God.
Building a Just Society.
‘Open House’ – when Chris will respond to your questions.

Dr Chris Hewer comes from a background in Christian theology, education, Islamic studies and inter-faith studies and has worked in the field of Muslims in Great Britain and Christian-Muslim relations since 1986, first at the Centre for the Study of Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations at Selly Oak in Birmingham and as the Advisor on Inter-Faith Relations to the Bishop of Birmingham. His current work is to teach study days and residential courses, to develop written and electronic resources and to be available for consultation. He is an excellent communicator.

To learn more about Chris, his experience and work in the field of Understanding Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations, go to www.chrishewer.org

Andrew Crowley October 11, 2019 2 Comments

Building Bridges

The Islamic Society of Britain are hosting this event on Saturday 16th November from 1-3pm.

Andrew Crowley October 11, 2019 1 Comment

Standing up to hate: A statement from the Co-Chairs of the Inter Faith Network for the UK and Moderators of the IFN Faith Communities Forum following the attack in Halle, Germany

The Co-Chairs of the Inter Faith Network for the UK and the Moderators of its Faith Communities Forum condemn in the strongest possible terms attacks such as that in Halle, Germany.

We repeat the message of the Co-Chairs issued shortly after the attack: “Our thoughts and prayers are with those killed in, and all affected by, the brutal gun attack in Halle, Germany”. That also noted the reported location of the attack near a synagogue and Jewish cemetery on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar. At least one other attack also took place, at a Turkish café.

The full context for the attacks in Halle is not yet known but the early evidence from livestreaming by the gunman subsequently arrested (described as a white German citizen) points to the extreme right wing, and to motivations characterised by poisonous views about Jews and about a number of other groups within society.

We also condemn in the strongest possible terms forms of hatred such as Antisemitism, Islamophobia, and hatred directed at other groups such as Christians, Hindus and Sikhs – whether intentionally or due to illiterate misidentification of one group as another by perpetrators.

In the UK, we have a history of generally good relations and that has helped us withstand the impact of terror attacks such as those in London and Manchester. However these good relations have been increasingly punctuated by spikes in hate crime and suffering erosion from often bunkered and brutal public and online discourse.

The Inter Faith Network for the UK links in membership many national faith community representative bodies, inter faith organisations, and educational and academic bodies with a commitment to building good inter faith relations. It is important that we – alongside all others of good will – work to address these problems; that we stand up to prejudice and extremism and work, on the basis of values held in common, for a society where there is no place for hatred, where there is respectful and safe discussion of different views, and which is diverse but united, harmonious, just, and thriving.

The Inter Faith Network Co-Chairs and Faith Communities Forum Moderators

Andrew Crowley October 2, 2019 Leave a Comment

Update on Visit to the National Holocaust and Museum. 20th October. 12- 5pm.

We are planning a visit to this centre at Laxton in Nottinghamshire – see website – https://www.holocaust.org.uk/

Cost – £7.50 (free for members of Sheffield Interfaith)

We are no longer arranging a coach. If you would like to come then please advise us by email at sheffieldinterfaith(at)hotmail.co.uk. so that we will look out for you at the entrance at 1pm.

Thank you.

Andrew – on behalf of Sheffield Interfaith Committee