This is a text-only version of an article first published on Tuesday, 2 June 2020. Information shown on this page may no longer be current.
CHRISTIANS attended Muslim Friday prayers and Muslims attended a Sunday church service to stand in solidarity together and to pray for greater understanding and peace in the world.
Muslims, Christians and Quakers get together to demonstrate solidarity in Newbury.
The Revd Paul Cowan of St George's Church in Newbury and Howard Grace, a member of Newbury Quakers, attended Friday Prayers in Thatcham last week as guests of the Muslim community and then Mohammad Tahir, Shahzad Nadeem along with other Muslims joined the congregation of St George's for their Sunday service. Paul said: "There are many events happening across the world that can too easily generate fear, distrust and division between people of different faiths and cultures.
After the tragic murder of the Roman Catholic priest, Fr.
Jacques Hamel in northern France back in July, I was struck by the positive power of photographs the following week showing Muslims attending Christian services of worship as an act of solidarity.
What a perfect response to those who wish to sow division and hate.
This has been our own small act of that same solidarity locally.
My grateful thanks to our Muslim friends for their warmth of welcome."Mohammad Tahir said: "There are striking similarities between people of all religions, which becomes apparent when we attend each other's religious ceremonies.
And on a deeper level, we are all humans, we are all from the same race.
There has always been more that unites us than what divides, but attempts of instilling hate and distance between people of varying cultures, ethnicities and religions can sometimes fog those elements of commonality.
We do have our differences, but this continuum of personalities, background, cultures and beliefs makes the human race beautiful.
Unity does not mean uniformity.
Attending the church, was an enlightening, delightful and spiritual experience.
I loved the 'sharing of peace' which was a powerful reminder that we all belong to one human family.
Sitting in an Anglican church, there was a contrast between my belief, ethnicity and background with that of the other participants, but I did not feel distant, I felt that I am with my human family."The Week of Prayer for World Peace 2016 took place from Sunday 16 October to Sunday 23 October.
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