This is last minute, I know. But if you’re looking for something to do tonight, there’s a lecture at the University of Mary Washington. It will feature Martin Marty and Seyyed Hossein Nasr. And they’ll talk about Thomas Jefferson’s Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom. Specifically, they’ll talk about how the statute relates to the Christian and Muslim faiths.

Annually, the university’s department of classics, philosophy and religion celebrates the anniversary of the statute with a talk on religious freedom. This year, professors wanted speakers to focus on the statute itself.

The lecture will be at the Dodd Auditorium in George Washington Hall at UMW. It will be at 7:30 p.m.

An interfaith service will  be held tomorrow (Dec. 1) to mark  World AIDS Day.
The service will held at  St. George’s Episcopal  Church in Fredericksburg and is  open to anyone who wants to  pray for anyone who  has AIDS or who has been  affected by the disease.
Some churches participating in the service include  the Metropolitan Community Church of Fredericksburg, St.  George’s and United Church  of Christ of Fredericksburg.

Earlier this month, I wrote a story about a lost boy from Sudan. Youth from Tabernacle United Methodist Church in Spotsylvania County paid for Joseph Awol to see his mother 22 years after they were separated by war. While talking with Awol, he told me how worried he and the other Sudanese refugees are about the upcoming referendum. Some feel that the vote for possible separation between the north and the south could lead to more violence. Many people in the faith community are also worried, and today I received this invitation to prayer from the Evangelical Lutheran Church:

A referendum on self-determination for the people of South Sudan is scheduled for January 9. On that same day, a referendum is also scheduled for the Abyei region where the people will vote on the question of whether to retain Abyei’s special administrative status in the north or become part of Southern Sudan.

What Can You Do?

Our sisters and brothers in Sudan are in prayer now and will continue in prayer until, through, and after the referendum. We have a number of opportunities to join them. One is through the Season of Prayer with the People of Sudan. In this initiative, a number of faith communities will come together in prayer in Sudan and in the United States in the month before the election.

Specifically, we are invited to pray for thirty minutes on:

Friday, December 3
Friday, December 10
Friday, December 17
Friday, December 24
Friday, December 31
Friday, January 7
Saturday, January 8
Sunday, January 9
Monday, January 10

Our sisters and brothers in Sudan will pray at 6:00 p.m. in their country. In the United States, we would join them by praying at Noon (EST); 11:00 a.m. (CST); 10:00 a.m. (MST); 9:00 a.m. (PST). Many in Sudan plan to engage in the spiritual discipline of fasting on January 7 through 9. If this is a spiritual discipline that speaks to you, consider joining them.

This season of prayer is open to all people. Pray wherever you are; pray individually or gather with your community or an ecumenical community or an interfaith community; pray in a manner you feel comfortable praying.

Please feel free to share this invitation widely.

An upcoming concert will raise money for the Fredericksburg Area Food Bank. Spotswood Community Orchestra will perform Nov. 23, 7:30 p.m. at Spotswood Baptist Church. The concert will be free, but donations will be accepted for the Fredericksburg Area Food Bank.

The program will include works by Verdi, Rimsky-Korsakov, Mozart and Mendelssohn. Guest soloists will be: Kevin Perry, Tina Kerchner and Kevin Crowder.

Free tickets will be available at: Roberson’s Music, Forte Music Studios, Wegmans, Fredericksburg Area Food Bank and Spotswood Baptist Church.

For details, call 540/898-0757.

The food bank is also collecting turkeys this Thanksgiving season. Staff members hope to collect 4,000 birds. Want to help? You can drop off turkeys at the agency’s warehouse on Lee Hill Drive, Monday – Thursday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Wednesday until 6 p.m. For details, call the food bank at 540/371-7666.

Today is Eid al-Adha, the day when Muslims remember Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son. The holy day ends the season of Hajj or pilgrimage. About 3 million Muslims went to Mecca for this year’s pilgrimage. The Washington Post’s BlogPost has some stunning photos of this year’s Hajj.

In October, I wrote about musician David Bailey, whose songs inspired people to live life to the fullest. Bailey died from cancer, after a 14 year battle. Presbyterian News Service reports that efforts are underway to create one last CD of Bailey’s music:

Shortly before he died of brain cancer on Oct. 2, Presbyterian singer/songwriter David M. Bailey recorded five new songs for what was to be his 22nd album.

Some friends of David’s led by the Rev. Bob Langston, pastor of Onondaga Hill (N.Y.) Presbyterian Church  are seeking to produce a memorial CD “to keep David’s legacy alive and to help out Leslie, Cameron and Kelcey (david’s wife and children) at the same time.”

The planned 14-track disc will include david’s five last songs. Proceeds from sales of the CD will be put in an education fund for the kids.

“I’m excited about the possibilities that even in the midst of our painful loss, there is still, and indeed, always will be hope,” Langston wrote in an email to friends, “and even joy that many others can learn from david and love his music and message, and above all, ‘the time!’” a reference to one of david’s better-known lyrics.

Those interested in helping produce the CD may send contributions payable to Onondaga Hill Presbyterian Church 4797 Makyes Rd., Syracuse, NY 13215. The memo line should read: “DMB memorial CD.” All gifts are tax-deductible.

Though production won’t begin until enough contributions are received, Langson said he hopes the disc will be released by the end of January 2011.

Today for Veterans Day, a story from the United Methodist Church. The UMC news feed reports that a popular program for military is ending this year. Since 2003, the UMC has raised money to distribute phone cards to soldiers overseas.  Organizers report that with Skype and other high-tech communication methods, soldiers no longer need the cards. But for the past seven years, they’ve been grateful to receive the cards. One chaplain wrote:

Thank you for the supply of phone cards. They save lives, save marriages, keep children in touch with parents, bring hope to the lonely and support to the frightened. They connect us with the people we love. We can’t thank you and the donors enough. God bless you.

Read the whole story here.

The Rev. Paul-Gordon  Chandler, author and Episcopal priest, will speak Sunday evening at St. George’s Epis copal Church in Fredericks burg. Chandler, who lives in  Cairo, will present a lecture  called “Salaam on Islam:  Waging Peace on Muslims in  the Spirit of Christ.”
St. George’s will present  the lecture with the Islamic  Center of Fredericksburg.  The event will start at 6:45  p.m. at Sydnor Hall on the  church grounds on Princess  Anne Street. For details, call  540/373-4133 or visit St. George’s website.

Chandler serves as the rector of the Church of St. John the Baptist/Maadi in Cairo, Egypt. He grew up in Senegal and has also served in Tunisia.

Look for a story previewing the talk in this week’s religion section.

Ever feel overwhelmed? I do. Quite often. And usually over pretty trivial things. For example, living with three guys (my husband and two adolescent sons), I have to clean the bathrooms all the time. This morning, I was feeling very overwhelmed by that constant chore. But then I remembered what you see above. This used to be the home of Se Tata, who welcomed mission trips from Grace Church of Fredericksburg. Se Tata (a Creole nickname meaning “Sister Auntie”) was killed in the Jan. 12 earthquake. Her house was ruined. This was the condition of her home when we visited Port au Prince in May. A group of  Haitian workers cleared the rubble, often one piece at a time. The work was painstaking and very slow. Perhaps the workers felt overwhelmed looking at the totality of the damage. But they focused on their task one piece of rubble at a time.

Two months later, the land of Se Tata’s home now held a small church:

Near Se Tata’s home was an apartment building. The Haitian women rented out the apartments to earn her living. When we saw the building, it seemed beyond repair. Part of the mission team investigated the building, looking to see what could be savaged. They saw potential where I saw disaster. Here is the house in May:

Last week, a mission team from Grace Church of Fredericksburg stayed at the home. It looked like this:

These pictures are from Grace Church member Don Jennings. He was the mission leader on our trip, and kept everything running smoothly for us. I will be forever grateful. And now, six months after my trip, these pictures remind me of some of the lessons I learned in Haiti. Don’t get overwhelmed. And always see that things can get better.

And, yes, I realize this is pretty wordy for a “wordless Wednesday.”

A story in today’s paper told the story of a Lost Boy of Sudan and a local youth group which paid for Joseph Awol to reunite with his mother after 22 years. Sudan has had a peace agreement since 2005. Under the terms of that agreement, a referendum has been set for Jan. 9. Then, southern Sudan will decide whether or not to secede from northern Sudan. Many fear this vote will be met with violence. Many faiths have called for a season of prayer leading up to the referendum. Want to pray along? Here are a few prayers:

From Solidarity with Sudan, Catholic Relief Services and the Sudan Catholic Bishops’ Conference:

Prayer for PEACE in Sudan

Lord Jesus, you who said to us;
“I leave you peace. My peace I give you.”
Look upon us your sisters and brothers
in Sudan as we face this moment
of referendum.
Send us your Spirit
to guide us.
Give us the wisdom we need to choose
our future where we will know
your true peace.
You call us out of slavery, oppression,
and persecution so that we may
have life in abundance.
Grant us peace with one another.
Give peace among ethnic groups.
Help us to work together for the good of all.
We ask this in your name,
Jesus our Lord.
Amen.
Mary, Queen of Peace, pray for us.

Adapted from a prayer by Bishop Desmond Tutu:

A Prayer for Sudan

We pray for the people of Sudan who worry if the peace will hold;

We pray for the people who have been terrorized and forced from their homes; for those who have fled to refugee camps, and who still live in fear;

We pray for those who have died, and for their families;

We pray for the women who face danger every day as they leave their camps for firewood – may You watch over Your daughters;

We pray for the children, especially those who face a frightening world without one or both of their parents – may they be protected and comforted;

We pray for the safety of the humanitarian aid workers as they feed and care for the people;

We pray for the safety of the African Union’s Mission as they work in difficult circumstances;

We pray for the safety of the United Nations’ personnel working in Sudan;

We pray for mission workers who seek to teach skills and tools for seeking peace and striving for reconciliation;

We pray that the world’s leaders will be guided by You in their quest for justice and safety for the people of Sudan – may they be inspired by Your humanity;

Remind us that we are all your children, and teach us to listen;

We pray that those who are causing death and misery in Sudan will turn from violence – and turn to You for guidance instead;

Teach us to rejoice in all the things we have in common and respect each others’ differences;

We pray that people everywhere will strive to live in peace, tolerance, and respect, no matter what their faith or race – may we gain the wisdom, grace, and generosity of spirit to overcome our differences and live as one.

Amen

From the Presbyterian Peacemaking Program:

Gracious God, watch over those who journey to Sudan to keep the peace. Guide them in their work. Bless the efforts of the peacekeepers. Hold them in your care. Speed the day when violence ends and all the people live in safety. May peace reign and justice roll down like waters across Sudan. We pray in Jesus’ name.  Amen.

From Universalist United Nations Office:

Merciful and compassionate God,
Open the people of Sudan to your presence and leading.

Protect those who endure violence.

Turn the hearts of those who resort to violence.

Shelter the widows and the children.
Comfort all who grieve and who are weary and afraid.
Bring relief to all who hunger and thirst.
Open the people of the world to your presence and leading.

Open us.

Center our thoughts with all who suffer in silence.
Move us to recall our shared humanity.
Unite us in our determination to respond to injustice.
Guide the nations of the world to respond.

Make our action swift.

Hear our prayer.  Amen.