By: Dana Allen Walsh
Hi Interfaith Gardeners,
What beautiful day it is! I walked over to the Garden today with some co-workers and it’s looking so beautiful and abundant!
*Mark your calendars – May 23rd, 2:30 – 3:30pm at the Garden
Here is a rough outline for the Interfaith Blessing at the Garden.
2:30 – 2:40 Welcome & Introductions – Dana
2:40 – 3:00 Clergy Blessings – Rabbi Jaffe (Temple Isaiah), Arline Sutherland (First Parish), Paul Shupe (Hancock Church), Dilip Mathur (Hindu Tradition), Beverly Good (Lex. Catholic), Kate Ekrem (Church of our
Redeemer), David Lerner (Temple Emunah)
3:00 – 3:10 What’s growing in our Garden? – Carla Fortmann
3:10 – 3:30 What have we learned in the Garden? Amy Swanson, Joyce Greif, Meg Muckenrupt, Tahir Chaundhry
3:30 Closing Words & Refreshments
Interfaith Garden Blessing – Announcement
Interfaith Garden Blessing Press Release
PRESS RELEASE*
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Rev. Dana Allen Walsh 781.862.4220
*For Immediate Release:*
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* Blessing of the Interfaith Garden in Lexington on May 23rd
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The Blessing of the Lexington Interfaith Garden will take place on Sunday, May 23rd, from 2:30 – 3:30 PM, at 5 Harrington Road in Lexingon. Carla Fortmann has generously offered the use her garden plot for the first year of the interfaith garden. The Interfaith Garden grows with the support of many religious institutions in the Lexington area, including churches, temples, mosques and meetinghouses. Produce from the Garden goes to the Lexington Food Pantry.
The Interfaith Garden is an offshoot of the efforts of Reverend Dana Allen Walsh, co-president of Lexington Interfaith Clergy Association (LICA) and Associate Minister of the Hancock United Church of Christ. “The Lexington Interfaith Garden is a place for people for all faiths tocome together, get our hands dirty and feed our hungry neighbors,” said Reverend Walsh. “It’s easier for those in need to find cookies than fruit and vegetables for their children. This effort helps fill that gap and unites so many of us in the process.”
Reverend Allen Walsh had begun a project at Hancock Church called Feeding 5,000. Through the LICA, she asked other faith communities to participate. Participating organizations include Church of Our Redeemer, First Parish Unitarian Universalist, Follen Church Society, Grace Chapel, Hancock United Church of Christ, Islamic Center of Boston in Wayland, Pilgrim United Church of Christ, Religious Society of Friends, Sacred Heart Parish, Saint Brigid Parish, Temple Isaiah, Temple Emunah and the Trinity Covenant Church.
“Working in the garden achieves two vital goals – feeding those in need and bringing the diverse faith communities of Lexington closer together,” says Rabbi David Lerner of Temple Emunah and co-president of the LICA.
LICA comprises clergy and religious leaders from most of the faith communities in the Lexington area, including Christianity, Hinduism, Judaism, Islam and Unitarian Universalism. The group’s main focus is promoting fellowship, interfaith cooperation and tolerance among the religious leaders. LICA has led the fight against hate groups and takes an active role in helping those in need.