Celebrating Together

This year we had a multifaith dimension to our anniversary celebrations. For Muslim communities around the world, June 25 was the Festival of Eid, the great family and community celebration that ends the fasting period of Ramadhan. On that morning, a woman named Aysha, who was born in Pakistan and belongs to what is known as the Worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, came with her nephew to bring festive gifts of nuts and chocolates to share with the people of Scots Church whom she considers as her neighbours. The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community seeks to express its central belief in love for all and hatred for none by reaching out in positive ways to interact with people of other faiths and cultures. Aysha is a Ph D student completing research in mathematics education at the University of Adelaide and she lives in the block of student apartments on the corner of Pulteney Street and Rundle Mall.  She talked with several people in McGregor Hall before the service and noticed that preparations were being made to celebrate the 40^th Anniversary of the Uniting Church on the same day as the Muslim Eid Festival. As a reciprocal gesture of goodwill and gratitude, we invited Aysha to join us for morning tea on Scots own Anniversary day. She asked if she could come to the service of worship beforehand and we assured her that she would be very welcome. She was most impressed with the building and the service of worship, most grateful to share in the service and the morning tea after, and most appreciative of the opportunity to talk with members of the congregation over birthday cake and Eid chocolates and nuts.  

Dr Margaret Secombe, Chairperson of Church Council