2008 Program Highlights
Greetings in the name of Joy and Oneness.
May your day be blessed.
Saturday Oct. 18th will begin at sunrise with a Native American Pipe Ceremony dedicated to the well-being of our Earth. The sacred fire will be lit and the heartbeat drum begins the Vigil. This year is truly going to be a multicultural year with active participation from many faith groups and cultural groups including:
Native American representatives (drumming, tipis, Sacred Pipe and other ceremonies)
Yoruba Tradition (African drumming, water ceremonies, African Ancestors Altar)
Shumei International Institute (a Shinto-based tradition from Japan...Taiko drums, jyorei healing, and chanting)
Sufi Community from New York (evening chanting, prayer, and healing)
Amkolel Community (Sukkah--Jewish harvest structure, dancing together before midnight)
Christian Community (a variety of people who express Christian devotion, Christian Altar)
Buddhist - Kungzang Playul Choling and Soka Gakki International
United Religions Initiative and Interfaith Conference of Washington, DC
World Peace Prayer Society (bringing of flags of the world)
There will be so much going on throughout the weekend! You can also spend time in the Prayer Grove, a beautiful place for people to pray during the Vigil. You can wander in meditation through the Labyrinth, an African/Christian designed walking meditation.
And kids (and some adults) will love the Children's Program, run by the amazing Bill Jenkins with music and devotion.
We are inviting people from all over the world to join us in prayer and send us prayers which will be continually read throughout the Vigil.
During the weekend, please join us in expressions of prayers and ceremonies with Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Muslim, Jewish and many other faiths. Ceremonies of drumming and dancing will be led by the Native American, African, Asian and Celtic drums.
Saturday night, be prepared to get very little sleep when there will be opportunities to dance and sing and meditate and pray around the Sacred Fire Storytellers from many cultures will enthrall us with their wisdom.
At dawn on Sunday, a call to prayer from the Sufi tradition will be followed by prayers and a sharing of the bread ceremony from the Jewish tradition. Also, join in with a Cherokee family blessing ceremony and Christian song.
If you wish to participate in the Prayer Vigil for the Earth, please contact Sharon at Sfranque@aol.com.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST AND JOIN US FOR A MAGICAL WEEKEND!
