Pasadena Church to Host Muslim Group's Convention

PASADENA (CNS) - The Muslim Public Affairs Council's 12th annual convention will be held today at All Saints Church in Pasadena, the first time an American Muslim organization will hold a convention in a church, organizers said.

The decision to hold the convention at the Pasadena church prompted "some of the most vile, mean-spirited email I've read in my life, talking about All Saints participating in terrorism by being hospitable to Muslims," the Rev. Edwin J. Bacon Jr., the senior pastor of All Saints Church, said in his Dec. 2 sermon.

"There are so many people out there who think they know about being religious and all the information they get is from fundamentalists who sell fear and intolerance,'' Bacon said. ``We have to end this toxic narrative."

The emails followed an article posted Nov. 30 on the website of the Washington, D.C.-based Institute on Religion & Democracy, which bills itself as an ecumenical alliance of U.S. Christians working to reform their churches' social witness, in accord with biblical and historic Christian teachings and to contribute to the renewal of democratic society at home and abroad.

The article by Ryan Mauro claimed "the Islamists are taking advantage of naive Christians with a desire to show off their tolerance" and claimed the council has ties to the Pan-Islamic movement the Muslim Brotherhood and supports Hamas and Hezbollah, which have both been labeled by the U.S. as terrorist organizations.

Bacon called the council "one of our integral partners in interfaith peacemaking."

The council was founded in 1988 and describes itself as "an American institution which informs and shapes public opinion and policy by serving as a trusted resource to decision makers in government, media and policy institutions."

The convention's theme is "Our Future in the Making."

"The truth is, the future is now,'' council President Salam al-Marayati said.

"Holding our convention at a church and inviting a multi-faith audience should be a source of hope and encouragement to the world as we come together to glimpse what is possible and experience what a future of peace could look like."

The convention will have sessions on ideas shaping the future and faith, authority and freedom.

It will be followed by a banquet at the Pasadena Convention Center beginning at 6:30 p.m. Rep. Judy Chu, D-Monterey Park, will present the Community Leadership Service Award, and Rep. Michael Honda, D-San Jose, will deliver the keynote address.

The convention will be held from 11:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. at All Saints Church, 132 N. Euclid Ave. A fundraising banquet will be held from 6:30-9:30 p.m. at the Pasadena Convention Center, 300 E. Green St.