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HomeBeliefsChurch celebrates season through interfaith peace prayer display

Church celebrates season through interfaith peace prayer display

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By Tracy Simmons

Prayers for peace, goodwill and joy aren’t uncommon during the Christmas season. Members of Unity Church of Truth, however, want the community to know that Christians aren’t the only ones praying for peace this time of year. On Sunday the church, 2900 S. Bernard, will unveil “Joy to the World,” an art display that features peace poems from 12 of the world’s religions. Patti Godwin, who helps run the church’s Seva Center said that each scene will “offer unique meditative experience for the viewer.” Various families and church groups, including the choir, kitchen crew, barristas and Outrageous Wild Women of Unity, were given a poem to create a niche for. The 12 odes are based on prose written byJames Twyman, an international author known as “The Peace Troubadour.” The prayers represent theHindu, Buddhist, Jain, Zoroastrian, Jewish, Native African, Native American, Muslim, Bahai, Sikh and Christian religions, as well as a universal poem for Mother Teresa. “Peoplecan walk through and experience the poem and get a sense of what these religions are,” Godwin said. “This isso that people can come and have a chance to see something a little different. The scene is joy to the world because there isn’t whole lot of difference between each of the religions; we all want peace on earth. And Ithink when we boil it down we have a lot more common ground than we realize.” She added that during the exhibit multiple renditions of the song “Joy to the World” will be playing, so that the experience can be enhanced musically. She said she’s expecting the scenes to be powerful and encourages people to make more than one visit, taking in only a few poems at a time, “so that you don’t get overwhelmed and so that you can relish each one.” “Joy to the World” viewings will be each Sunday until Christmas from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and during the Christmas Eve services on Dec. 24 at 6, 8 and 10 p.m.

Tracy Simmons
Tracy Simmons
Tracy Simmons is an award-winning journalist specializing in religion reporting and digital entrepreneurship. In her approximate 20 years on the religion beat, Simmons has tucked a notepad in her pocket and found some of her favorite stories aboard cargo ships in New Jersey, on a police chase in Albuquerque, in dusty Texas church bell towers, on the streets of New York and in tent cities in Haiti. Simmons has worked as a multimedia journalist for newspapers across New Mexico, Texas, Connecticut and Washington. She is the executive director of FāVS.News, a digital journalism start-up covering religion news and commentary in Spokane, Washington. She also writes for The Spokesman-Review and national publications. She is a Scholarly Assistant Professor of Journalism at Washington State University.

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Judy Merrill-Smith, Communications Coordinator, Un
Judy Merrill-Smith, Communications Coordinator, Un
12 years ago

Thank you for featuring this Unity event! Everyone is welcome to stop by and see the display, and to come to one of our celebration services at 9 and 11 am on Sundays. (In addition to the Christmas eve services mentioned above, we’ll also have a 10 am service on Christmas day.) Peace and blessings to all!

Tracy
Tracy
12 years ago

Thanks Judy!

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