At an Interfaith Prayer Brunch held on Saturday, June 27, at NOVA Family Church in Manassas, VA, thirty-three people from different faith traditions came together to pray, listen, share a meal, and build peace.
They represented Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, the Baha’i Faith, the Sant Nirankari Mission, Unificationism, and other traditions. The theme was simple but timely: Faith, Family & Peace.
The program was co-hosted by the Women’s Federation for World Peace, the Universal Peace Federation, and the American Clergy Leadership Conference, all members of the Peace Starts With Me Alliance.
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Bishop Tyrone Allen of Christ Star Church of God called the gathering “remarkable” because people came together “not simply to highlight our differences, but to unify our commitment to faith and to prayer.” He reminded everyone that prayer should reach beyond ourselves and our own families to include neighbors, children, prisoners, leaders, and all who need God’s help.
Mrs. Indira Kumar, co-founder of the India International School, greeted participants with the traditional “Namaste,” explaining that it means, “The divine in me bows to the divine in you.” Her words helped set a tone of respect for everyone in the room.
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Chaplain Refia Tonguc, a Muslim, shared a line from Rumi: “I wanted to change the world, but I couldn’t, so I started with myself.” She explained that in Islam, salaam means peace, and one of God’s names is peace. She offered the prayer: “O God, You are peace, and from You comes peace.”
A panel discussion explored two questions: “How can faith communities help heal society today?” and “What gives you hope for humanity?”
Dr. Shashi Chopra, president of Global Seva Fund, said healing begins when we “see the divine in every human being.” Minister Ilyas Masih, president of All Neighbors International, said faith leaders must sit together, listen, and respect one another. Minister Naghmeh Hosseini, a Bahá’í, added that building a better world requires more than good feelings. “Progress cannot be only spiritual or only material,” she said. “It must be both, and it must be systematic.”
Dr. Achille Acolatse, national director of the American Clergy Leadership Conference, congratulated the participants for “coming together to eat, share, and be in each other’s presence — this is what the Lord wants.” He also spoke about the peace-building vision of Rev. Sun Myung Moon and Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon, founders of the Peace Starts With Me Alliance.
The program included personal introductions, a musical offering by Mrs. Arpita Gogoi, and a symbolic Water Ceremony led by Dr. Michael Jenkins, president of UPF North America. Participants poured water from individual cups into one bowl, representing many streams becoming one. It was a simple but meaningful image of what our communities can become when we bring our different backgrounds, prayers, and hopes together for a common purpose.
The event closed with prayer by Minister Reiko Jenkins, national co-chair of ACLC Women in Ministry, and the singing of “Let There Be Peace on Earth,” including the familiar line, “and let it begin with me.”
The gathering ended with a simple reminder: peace begins with each of us, but it grows stronger when we come together in prayer, friendship, and service.
For more information, contact:
ACLC — Mrs. Michiko Yokoyama, michiko.yokoyama@gmail.com
WFWP — Pastor Natascha Phillips, nphillips@unification.org
UPF — Mrs. Barbara Moseley-Marks, moseley-marks@us.upf.org
