St. Margaret's Presents: Civility In The Abrahamic Tradition

From St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church: On Tuesday, April 3, the Building Bridges ministry of St. Margaret's Episcopal Church will present an interfaith community forum entitled, "Civility in the Abrahamic Tradition." Three outstanding speakers, Rabbi David Lazar, the Rev. Lane Hensley and Jihad Turk, are scheduled to appear at this forum and engage in dialogue with the participants, and The Rev. Cherry Remboldt, Deacon of St. Margaret's, will serve as the moderator.

Rabbi David Lazar came to Temple Isaiah in Palm Springs in 2015. Prior to his arrival in the desert, he served for more than two decades as a congregational rabbi and educator in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and Stockholm. He lived in Israel for most of his adult life, from 1975 until moving to Sweden in 2010 where he served as Rabbi of the Stockholm Jewish Community. He traversed the world of Orthodoxy and returned to his liberal Jewish roots, becoming a Conservative Rabbi in 1993.

A native of Shreveport, Louisiana. and a lifelong Episcopalian, Lane Hensley was ordained in 2001. Before coming to St. Margaret’s in 2010, he was rector of the Church of the Transfiguration in Palos Park, Illinois, and curate at Christ Church in Winnetka. He is a graduate of Duke University and Seabury-Western Theological Seminary and served for 11 years as a Seabury Trustee, member of the strategic planning committee, president of the Alumni/ae Association, and chair of the Development Committee.

Jihad Turk has been instrumental in the establishment of Bayan Claremont, a graduate school designed to educate Muslim scholars and religious leaders. He previously served as the Director of Religious Affairs at the Islamic Center of Southern California, the oldest and largest mosque in the Los Angeles area. His current interests include identity formation in the American-Muslim community, interfaith relations, Islamic reform movements, and community leadership and development with a focus on youth. He was also recognized as one of the 500 Most Influential people in Los Angeles by the LA Business Journal.

This event is dedicated to the memory of Mary DeJarnett, a founding member of the Steering Committee of The Forum at St. Margaret's. She led the Forum through five seasons, bringing a venue for valley residents and visitors to be challenged and in dialog with thinkers and leaders – to learn and gain new insights about religion, faith and issues of the day.

The program will begin at 7 p.m. in the St. Margaret's Episcopal Church Sanctuary. When the forum concludes, a reception will follow in Karns Hall. Admission is free.

The mission of Building Bridges is to promote peace through understanding, initially among religions rooted in the Abrahamic Traditions: Jewish, Christian and Muslim.

For more information, contact Ruth Mitchell at ruthmitchell823@gmail.com.
— By, Jim Duke, Public Information Volunteer for St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church

Image credit: adison pangchai, Shutterstock.com