On Monday evening, January 31, a group of us from All Nations CRC and friends from my inter-church small group (it’s a wacky, mixed group) attended a vigil in downtown Halifax to honour the victims of the shooting at the Centre Culturel Islamique de Québec (CCIQ) in Sainte-Foy, a suburb of Quebec City.
Why? Well, I preached on Micah 6:1-8 last Sunday and will preach on Isaiah 58 this coming Sunday (both from the lectionary) and both of these passages are teaching me and my friends that we’ve gotta keep our worship and actions lined up. Worship and justice belong together. (Actually, I’m pretty sure my friends knew this already.)
Plus, Muslims are my neighbours. Not just because many Muslims immigrate to Halifax, but because I live beside a majid (what many of us non-Muslims often call a mosque).
It was a privilege. I have never done anything like this before. I’m not a political activist type of person; I was even a little nervous. But grieving with Muslim neighbours, as well as taking a stand for peace and justice, was important for me in living out my faith and in being a witness for Jesus.
You can see in the photo that I held up a sign. A number of Muslims said “thank you” to me, and talked with me.
Thank you, Jesus, that through your cross and resurrection you give us all hope when events around the world and in our neighbourhoods are frightening and depressing. Please come back. Maranatha.
Comments
Thanks, Dave. I don't know how many others participated in similar events, but in St. Catharines I know both Jubilee Fellowship and Covenant CRCs sent email invitations to all on their lists, inviting people to participate in a vigil downtown. We gathered in front of city hall, the imam led prayers for Muslims, who bowed on the ground facing east. The prayers were followed by brief, fitting speeches/comments by several political leaders. From city hall we moved, many carrying candles, with police traffic patrol to the mosque about one kilometre away. There the imam welcomed the marchers, led recited passages from the Quran in Arabic, then translated them to English. Those he recited shared Christian and Jewish moral and spiritual values and principles. As well, three Christian clergypersons made brief speeches, ending with a prayer or blessing. The mosque congregation had several large containers of Tim Hortons coffee and boxes and boxes of Timbits, but there were far too many people--and there was no multiplying of coffee and Timbits, though that would have been a really nice touch. The next day the St. Catharines Standard said about 500 people attended, though I think that was well under, because the column of walkers stretched three blocks, occupying one land of Church Street--with about 10 persons in each row. During and after the ceremony at the mosque, members of the congregation walked through the crowd thanking attendees for showing up. It was a blessed occasion caused by a great wickedeness and hatred. I was very pleased to see at least 15 folks from local CRCs and I might not have seen anywhere near all.
Stay Strong David ! Muslims are my friends also !....Dean Koldenhoven Palos Heights, IL
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