The two were working on equal recognition of each other's ordained clergy and had discussed their relationship at an annual meeting between the two churches, in Auckland in September.

John Wesley founded Methodism, with parishioners from the Anglican church, in the 18th century.

Reverend Bob Sidal minister of the Woodlands Rd parish, had already worked at St John's Anglican church in Wai-iti Rd by leading a funeral there. Continue reading

The invitation is to mark the 50th Anniversary of the historical document Nostra Aetate - the Declaration on the Relation of the Catholic Church to Non-Christian Religions published in 1965.

He will speak first on 9 September at Otago University's Annual Peace Lecture, and then on 10 September present his Nostra Aetate reflection at Kavanagh College, Dunedin.

Morgan will then speak in Wellington and Auckland on the relationship today between Christians and Jews.

Morgan is a Senior Rabbi of Temple Beth Israel, Melbourne, and has been active in interfaith relations for most of his working life.

He is currently a Professorial Fellow at the Australian Catholic University in the area of Jewish-Christian relations.

Morgan is also an Hon. President and Coordinator of the innovative "Grass Roots Dialogue Project" for the Victorian branch of the Council of Christians and Jews (CCJ).

In 2014 Morgan was made a Member in the Order of Australia for services to the Jewish community and interfaith relations.

Source

• NZCBC
• Image: abc.net.au

The purpose of the Centre is also to attract members of other communities to come and to get to know Islam better.

It is hoped it will to promote friendship and understanding between the communities through interaction.

The centre will be the biggest in New Zealand with living area, auditorium, outdoor sports ground, offices, a two storey school building with 13 classrooms, two specialised teaching rooms, 6 traveller accommodation units, a multipurpose sports hall with indoor swimming pools, conference rooms, and three different parking spaces to accommodate 150+ cars.

The estimated cost of the project is an excess of $15 million with funding coming from within New Zealand and from overseas.

The idea to build the Islamic Centre was conceptualised more than 5 years ago and the land was purchased 3 and half years ago.

The Islamic Centre will be built on 4.5 ha (10 acres) of land which is around 48000 square metres.

Source

• The Indian Weekender
• Image fianz.co.nz

In his address he said there needs to be room for inter-religious dialogue so that religious faiths and traditions are shared and learning takes place.

Chong said God was universal and meditation was a universal practice among the different faiths.

"One thing that is common to human existence is the search for wholeness because of the universal experience of human brokenness."

He said people needed to acknowledge that faith was a part of our culture and traditions.

"There should be room for respect for diversity but also allow room for dialogue.

"That's the way all religions can contribute to sharing their faiths and truths to a nation."

The Ramakrishna Mission built the $2million universal meditation centre in Nadi.

The centre was inaugurated by leaders of the Christian, Hindu and Muslim faiths last week and will serve as a meditation spot for people of all faiths.

A lack of spiritual learning in schools prompted the mission to build the centre.

Ramakrishna Mission secretary Swami Tadananda Maharaj said the planning started in 2010 and the building was designed by 2011.

"Construction started in August 2012 and it has taken about two years and three months to complete the project."

A number of businesses in the Western Division helped finance the construction of the Meditation Centre.

Vinod Patel and Company Limited and Arvind Raniga of Raniga Jewellers both contributed $100,000 towards the project.

Nitin Hiralal of Grand Melanesian Hotel donated $50,000.

"We saw that the Ramakrishna Mission was doing excellent work as they have been running the Ramakrishna Health Centre very nicely and for the first time in Fiji, such a meditation centre was built," Mr Vinod Patel said.

"It is for all races and we thought that we should give something towards it."

Source

• Fiji Times
• Fiji Times
• Fiji Times
• Image: fijiSun.co.fj

But local Muslims are making it plain that they have no sympathy with what is happening in the Middle East.

"In Islamic prophecy, a woman tied up a cat and did not feed it until it died and she went to hell, so I don't think the same religion will be inviting people in that kill people in this crazy way," Tauranga Muslim Association president Ahmed Ghoneim says.

"What they are doing is just not right," he said.

He said he loved Tauranga, had lived in the city for 11 years and had not experienced any fallout over the unfolding events overseas.

Another Tauranga Muslim, Ibrahim Hassan, said Muslims should not be judged on ISIS, because the extremist group did not represent their religion or beliefs.

"They don't belong to Islam in any way."

"They are trying to build an Islamic state by killing and threatening people and making them migrate from their cities. It's very sad and scary. They are just like 'join us or we will kill you'."

Tauranga Regional Multicultural Council immediate past president Ewa Fenn said its members had not received any adverse comments about the situation in the Middle East. But they were worried about the on-going conflict and repercussions.

"It's very concerning because of the implications and the backlash for the Muslims around the world."

Prime Minster John Key has confirmed New Zealand was assessing its security alert following recent reports of a terrorist plot in Australia and that he was seeking advice about New Zealanders fighting for groups like Isis who want to return home.

The US has not asked New Zealand for support in the air strikes against Isis. New Zealand's air force no longer has a combat arm.

New Zealand has been named by the US State Department as one of more than 60 countries in the coalition supporting its efforts to counter Islamic State, according to a report in the Washington Post.

It cited New Zealand among 13 allies providing humanitarian aid - New Zealand has given $1 million to the United Nations refugee agency for Iraq since June

Key won't rule out sending New Zealand's elite SAS personnel to assist US efforts to counter Islamic State militants in Iraq or even Syria but says that would be done reluctantly as a last resort, if at all.

New Zealand has two options for responding to the growing terror threat posed by the ISIS militants according to a Massy University academic.

" First, if New Zealand supports the attacks on ISIS, then we ourselves start to fertilise the ground for becoming a target for ISIS sponsored third generation extremists."

"Second, if we maintain peaceful, prosperous and trust based quid pro quo relations with our migrant communities then we are pursuing the best course towards maintaining a harmonious and safe society," says Dr William Hoverd a senior lecturer at Massey University's Centre for Defence and Security Studies.

Source

• The New Zealand Herald
• massey.ac.nz
• The New Zealand Herald
• Bay of Plenty Times
• Telesurtv.net
• Image: Bay of Plenty Times

"The national forum will celebrate the different ways the Muslim community contributes positively to New Zealand society and the global community," says Ms Collins.

"Holding a forum is one more opportunity for our nation to embrace and see the potential benefits of diversity." Continue reading