wfn.org | WSC-AR Participates in Service Honoring Dr. King

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

WSC-AR Participates in National Interfaith Prayer Service Honoring Dr. 
King's Legacy of "Building the Beloved Community" at Riverside Church in 
New York

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 18, 2005

Contact: Dr. Tarunjit Singh, Secretary General, 614-210-0591, 
contact@worldsikhcouncil.org

World Sikh Council - America Region (WSC-AR)
P.O. Box 3635, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA
Phone: 614-210-0591, Fax: 419-535-6794
E-mail: contact@worldsikhcouncil.org
Website: www.worldsikhcouncil.org

The World Sikh Council - America Region (WSC-AR) represented the Sikh faith 
at a National Interfaith Prayer Service held on the evening of April 4, 
2005 at Riverside Church in New York. The service was titled "Beyond Iraq: 
Building the Beloved Community."

The prayer service was organized to observe the 37th death anniversary of 
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and his historic speech at Riverside Church 38 
years ago on the Vietnam War. Dr. King had delivered a speech "Beyond 
Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence" at this church on April 4, 1967.

During the worship service, the church sanctuary was packed with about 
2,000 persons of many faiths.

Drs. Gurcharan Singh and Tarunjit Singh, Members of the WSC-AR's Regional 
Committee, participated in the interfaith worship service. Dr. Gurcharan 
Singh shared a Sikh prayer for peace along with Buddhist, Jewish, and 
Christian prayers by other participants. Dr. Tarunjit Singh participated in 
the formal procession into the church sanctuary carrying a banner of WSC-AR.

The worship service was led by Rev. Dr. James A. Forbes, Jr., Senior Pastor 
of Riverside Church. He is known to be one of the top Christian preachers 
in America and is a giant among the progressive Christian community of the
US.

Following the Sikh prayer for peace, Ms. Celeste Zappalla and Ms. Cindy 
Sheehan, of Gold Start Families for Peace (a group of parents of soldiers 
killed in Iraq) shared their grief with the worshippers. Cindy Sheehan's 
son, SPC Casey Austin Sheehan, had been killed in Iraq exactly a year ago. 
Ms. Sheehan's emotional call for peace and sharing of the memories of her 
son brought tears to nearly the entire congregation.

Sister Joan Chittister, OSB, author and well-known advocate for Justice and 
Peace, highlighted Dr. King's commitment to peace and justice for all, and 
delivered a resounding sermon highlighting the "ugly truths and beautiful 
lies" with regard to the war in Iraq.

Rabbi Arthur Waskow (of Shalom Center in Philadelphia), Imam Feisal Rauf 
(of Masjid al Farah Tribebbca, NY), Rev. Dr. William Sinkford (President, 
Unitarian Universalist Association), and Honorable Jane L. Campbell (Mayor 
of Cleveland) expressed the hopes and desires of Dr. King to build the 
"beloved community."

Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Jr., Founder and President of the Rainbow Push 
Coalition, presented a sermon in which he called upon the nation to break 
the silence on the war on Iraq and follow in the steps of Dr. King.

Dr. Rita Nakashima Brock, Founding Co-Director of Faith Voices for the 
Common Good, shared a consensus document titled "Peace Not Poverty" 
developed by about 13,000 persons of faith and conscience who participated 
in an internet write-in March 30 - April 2.

At the end of the worship service, a national bus tour "Break the Silence - 
Building the Beloved Community" left from the steps of the church for 27 
cities across the nation, including Washington and Philadelphia. Mr. 
Kavneet Singh, a member of the WSC-AR's Regional Committee, joined with 
other area Sikhs in welcoming the bus tour stop at Project Home in 
Philadelphia on the morning of April 5.

The interfaith prayer service was organized by a large and diverse 
coalition of over 50 religious and peace groups including the Clergy and 
Laity Network, National Council of Churches in the USA, Fellowship of 
Reconciliation, Baptist Peace Fellowship, Buddhist Peace Fellowship, World 
Sikh Council - America Region, Episcopal Peace Fellowship, Gold Star 
Families for Peace, Jewish Voice for Peace, Pax Christi USA, Presbyterian 
Peace Fellowship, Sojourners, and the Unitarian Universalist Association.

A 9-minute edited clip of the Beyond Iraq Riverside event is available for 
download at http://www.drivedemocracy.org/breakthesilence/

The WSC-AR is a representative and elected body of Sikh Gurdwaras and 
institutions in the United States. Its members include 36 Gurdwaras (Sikh 
places of worship) and other Sikh institutions across the nation.

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A photo in jpeg format, suitable for publication, can be obtained by 
e-mailing <contact@worldsikhcouncil.org>.
CAPTION: Dr. Gurcharan Singh, Member of Regional Committee of World Sikh 
Council - America Region, joins with Buddhist, Jewish, and Christian 
leaders in prayer at "Beyond Iraq: Building the Beloved Community" 
interfaith prayer service at Riverside Church in New York on April 4, 2005 
(Photo courtesy of Virginia Wilber)

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Member Gurdwaras of WSC-AR:
1. Gurdwara Sahib Fremont, Fremont, CA
2. Guru Nanak Sikh Mission, Livingston, CA
3. Sikh Gurdwara of LA, North Hollywood, CA
4. Sikh Gurdwara Riverside, Riverside, CA
5. Colorado Singh Sabha, Denver, CO
6. Guru Singh Sabha of Augusta, Augusta, GA
7. Sikh Study Circle of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA
8. Sikh Religious Society of Chicago, Palatine, IL
9. Sikh Society of South, New Orleans, LA
10. Sikh Gurdwara of Michigan, Rochester Hills, MI
11. Sikh Society of Michigan, Madison Heights, MI
12. Guru Nanak Foundation of Jackson, MS
13. Sikh Gurdwara of North Carolina, Durham, NC
14. Garden State Sikh Association, Bridgewater, NJ
15. Guru Nanak Sikh Society of Delaware Valley, Sewell, NJ
16. Siri Guru Singh Sabha, Glenrock, NJ
17. Sikh Cultural Society Inc., Richmond Hills, NY
18. Sikh Cultural & Edu. Society of Western NY, Buffalo, NY
19. Sikh Religious Society of Dayton, Dayton, OH
20. Guru Nanak Found. of Greater Cleveland, Richfield, OH
21. Guru Gobind Singh Sikh Society, Bedford, OH
22. Guru Nanak Religious Soc. of Central Ohio, Columbus, OH
23. Tristate Sikh Cultural Society, Monroeville, PA
24. Mid South Sikh Sabha, Memphis, TN
25. Sikh Center of Gulf Coast, Houston, TX
26. Siri Guru Singh Sabha, Richardson, TX
27. Sikh Gurdwara of North Texas, Garland, TX
28. Singh Sabha Gurdwara, Fairfax, VA
29. Sikh Association of Central Virginia, VA
30. Sikh Religious Society of Wisconsin, Brookfield, WI

Other Sikh Institution Members of WSC-AR:
1. Siri Guru Granth Sahib Found., Anaheim, CA
2. Sikhs Serving America, Topeka, KS
3. Sikh Youth Federation of North America, White Plains, NY
4. Sikh Educational & Religious Foundation, Dublin, OH
5. Sikh Youth Federation of USA, Toledo, OH
6. Academy of Guru Granth Studies, Arlington, TX

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