serving the faith communities of the Goulburn Valley
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The 8th Parliament of the World’s Religions, hosted for the first time virtually, will bring together people of faith from around the world in an instant. The virtual Parliament is a safe way to gather the world’s global interfaith movement and celebrate the enduring spirit and work of religious and spiritual communities striving toward a more just, peaceful, and sustainable world.
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The proposals for an Indigenous Voice would provide a way for Indigenous Australians to provide advice and input on matters that are important to improve their lives.
It could be made up of two parts – Local and Regional Voices and a National Voice.
Indigenous voice consultations will be held in Shepparton at 12:00 and 5pm on Wednesday 7 April at the Department of Rural Health, Graham Street, Shepparton.
The Full Moon after the Autumnal Equinox brings many religious festivals in its wake, as these festivals mostly follow a lunar Calendar. This time brings the Jewish Passover (Pesach), the Christian Easter, the Holi festival on Monday 29th, the Lailat al Bara’ah of Islam, and Monday, 29th March to Wednesday, 31st March is the Sikh festival of Hola Mohalla. For many children, the Easter Egg hunt!
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The Prime Minister of Australia, The Hon. Scott Morrison, gives a message to all on occasion of the Christian Observance of Easter, 2021.
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As part of the Interfaith Call to Action auspiced by United Nations Environment Program and other multifaith organisations, we will, each month, present the view of one religion on the Environment and Care for the Environment. Religions to be covered include Indigenous Traditions, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Zoroastrianism, the Bahá’í Faith, Hinduism, the Jain Religion, Buddhism, the Sikh Religion, Confucianism, Daoism, Shinto, and in summary, Environmental Ethics: Points of Agreement among the World’s Religions. This month, Care for the Environment features the teachings of Christianity.
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Covid-19 has prevented many religious communities from coming together. This year, the Union for Reform Judaism has collaborated with Reform leaders from North America and the UK along with our partners at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, the Central Conference of American Rabbis, and the American Conference of Cantors to provide a set of videos to accompany the Passover observances. Each video is 2-6 minutes long and contains blessings, songs, and insights that perfectly supplement any seder.
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Palm Sunday on 28 March 2021 is an important opportunity to raise awareness of the continuing injustice and cruelty experienced by refugees and people who are seeking asylum.
This year, organisers of the Palm Sunday events are aware of the need for COVID-safety. We recommend the wearing of masks and social distancing at all Palm Sunday actions and events.
There will be events and rallies in all states, and in many rural and regional areas on Sunday March 28th.
Racism won’t end without work. We must #FightRacism daily. Read the UN High Commissioner’s statement on the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination and how the United Nations are working to end the scourge of racism.
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The Australian National Imams Council – a peak leadership body of Australian Muslims, attests that Before 1770, Muslims engaged with the Aboriginal people of this land. The Council supports the Uluru Statement from the Heart.
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A fatwa pronounces both the Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines as halal for Muslims.
Ibrahim Dadoun, director of public relations at the Australian National Imams Council, says while the government had been working with the council, “we issued a verdict without any directives from the Department of Health or from the government in general.”
“We do work closely with the government, but our work to address these issues has been done independently of the government.”
Near-death experiences are not a new phenomenon. Socrates had one, according to Plato; Pliny the Elder recorded another (in the first century); history is filled with examples of mountaineers falling from cliffs and experiencing bliss rather than terror. But we seem as enthralled now by their meaning as ever, and they continue to be sprinkled liberally across popular culture. Now read on as Dr Bruce Greyson talks about NDE and his book, After.
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When your mind is prey to what the Buddha called “unwholesome states” like fear and despair and you feel like you’re losing heart. Trust in the Buddha’s axiomatic teaching that “Everything that arises passes away.” The next time a powerful negative emotion arises in your mind, you’ll be more prepared to remember that “This storm is here now. I’m not afraid of it. I can move forward through the middle of it. It will pass.”
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The Greater Shepparton City Council in collaboration with the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission have come together to run an online information session to educate and empower multicultural and multifaith communities about racism, understanding your rights and taking action on Monday 22nd March 2021. This will be an online event.
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Are you bogged mate? is all about helping country blokes talk about mental health and suicide while spreading awareness about depression in the bush. Are You Bogged Mate is holding several events on Saturday 20th March in Cobram.
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Pope Francis’s historic trip to Iraq, including visits to the war-torn north, has been deeply significant. It is one that needs to be seen in the context of peace rather than politics. The pope, as a de facto religious “father” recognised around the world, offers consolation for all people, not just Christians. His visit brought the triple significance of hope, courage and peace to those in need.
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Australian’s say, “she’ll be right” to dismiss problems we think will fix themselves with time. It’s a cultural complacency that issues will sort themselves out, at some point. But for global gender equality, at the current pace of change, that point is still 100 years away. On International Day of Women, we present the UN Women Australia video, “When will she be right?“.
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Pathways to prison are paved with economic deficits such as food insecurity, inadequate education, poor housing and insufficient social services. Women are being jailed simply because they are poor, can’t pay the bills and struggle to get their children a home, security, love of family and education. Women in Service Everywhere (WISE) explores issues fuelling an increase in the mass incarceration of women and girls globally, and invites you to join in their 31 days Prayer for Incarcerated Women.
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Pope Francis toured an area that was occupied by Islamic State from 2014 to 2017.
Many of Mosul’s churches and mosques have been destroyed by war.
The Pope stressed the need for religious tolerance on his first trip to Iraq.
We’ve now been living amid a pandemic for nearly a year, and an estimated 2.5 million people worldwide have died of the virus. Say this prayer alone or with your family or community, as together we continue to pray for a swift end to this pandemic.
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The World Day of Prayer is a global ecumenical movement led by Christian women who welcome you to join in prayer and action for peace and justice. It is run under the motto “Informed Prayer and Prayerful Action,” and is celebrated annually in over 170 countries on the first Friday in March. The movement aims to bring together people of various races, cultures and traditions in a yearly common Day of Prayer, as well as in closer fellowship, understanding and action throughout the year.
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