A Special Luncheon
by Tim McDonell
We recently had the pleasure of putting on a “Quick to Listen” luncheon with friends from three local churches in Ventura County and friends from the Islamic Center in Oxnard. We met at an Indian restaurant in Ventura that is owned by a member of the center, a setting that provided an opportunity for us to meet and to ask questions about each other’s faith.
We have more in common than we know, dating back to Abraham, and this meeting gave us the opportunity to discuss misconceptions about Christianity and Islam in a non-threatening environment. By taking the time to meet our neighbors, new friendships can be formed. There may be many things we don't agree on, but there is one thing that we do agree upon: God is great and He is our creator. He desires that His children love and care for one another. Our aim is to learn to love our neighbors as God loves us and to develop lasting friendships that will foster an atmosphere of trust.
Have you ever dropped a pebble in a calm pool of water and watched the ripples roll outward until the entire pool of water seemed to be pulsating with activity? That’s a good way to describe the peacemaking movement in Louisville. Read the story.
Before the Bosnian War in the early 90’s, Bosnia and Herzegovina enjoyed a long-held tradition of Christians hosting Muslims for Iftar during Ramadan, and Muslims hosting Christians during Lent and around Christmas or Easter. Before the war, it was very normal for neighbors to celebrate one another’s religious holidays with them through hospitality in one another’s homes, especially in Sarajevo where there was such diversity and even intermarriage between people of different faiths. Things like this happened all the time. But that was before the war. Now, in 2019, when our pastor suggested not only inviting members of the congregation to show up to an Iftar somewhere, but to actively host one on our own turf – well, that was a little unusual.
Jason, a pastor from California, shared an example of the very thing that’s happening at tables and gatherings across the U.S. because of you and your partnership in this work.
So, what do Muslims believe about Jesus? That was one question on the minds of representatives of the Valley Vineyard Christian Fellowship in Reseda, CA, on a recent evening at a local mosque. It is indeed possible to have productive and respectful conversation with those who differ from us, and these two Reseda communities are showing us the way.
We’re not just peacemakers; we’re Jesus-centered peacemakers. Here’s how we do it and how you can get started.
During Ramadan you’ll hear a lot of talk about “Iftar.” But what exactly is Iftar? Here’s a short explainer.
Muslims eating Halal food in the church fellowship hall. People making friends across cultural and religious lines. Christians and Muslims openly discussing our common ground and differences about Jesus. This is a snapshot of our most recent Love Your Neighbor Dinner at the Valley Vineyard in Reseda, California.
You’ve already taken the steps to plan your Peace Dinner and you’re equipped with our 5 tips for hosting successfully, but you may still find yourself feeling nervous or unsure about any number of elements of your peace dinner. Here are answers to a few questions you might have.
So you’ve got your peace dinner planned, and people will be at your house in a few hours. What will make you a good cross-cultural host? The following 5 tips will give you a good start.
You can help us set the table for peace in 2018! By bringing Christians, Muslims, and others to the table, you help create peace in our world by dissolving stereotypes, bridging divides, and turning fear into friendship. Here's how...