Come to a Picnic!

The Brookings Interfaith Council invites you to a picnic on Wednesday, June 18, in Shelter C at Hillcrest Park. We will begin with a potluck meal around 5pm. The shelter is reserved until dark, so we'll have plenty of time for fellowship. There will be no formal program. Drop by or stay for the entire event.

Bring a dish to share if you can. You might also wish to bring outdoor toys or games for the children and a comfortable lawn chair.

Join us if you can!

Next BIC Potluck to Feature "Years of Living Dangerously," Discussion

The public is invited to attend the next Brookings Interfaith Council gathering at 6:30 pm on Thursday, May 1, at the Brookings Public Library.

Our evening will begin with a potluck. Please bring a dish to share, if able, or just show up.

Around 7:00 pm we will screen the series premiere of Years of Living Dangerously, a nine-part series just launched by Showtime about climate change and its effects on the human family. Produced by Oscar-winning James Cameron and other Hollywood icons, the ground-breaking series is being heralded as "perhaps the most important climate change multimedia communication endeavor in history." You may view the trailer below.

In this first of nine episodes, Don Cheadle reports on the severe droughts in the Southwest United States, following scientist and devout Christian, Katharine Hayhoe, as she tries to communicate to religious audiences the connection between extreme weather and climate change. Harrison Ford also visits Indonesia to learn about deforestation and the struggle to resist it. And Thomas Friedman investigates how drought contributed to the civil war in Syria.

Following the hour-long screening, we will discuss the film and some of the issues it raises from the vantage points of our various faith perspectives.

We hope to see you on May 1st!

Note: If you can't see the viewer above, click here to watch the trailer. You may also watch the first episode in its entirety here.

A Lovely Celebration of the Hindu New Year & Lord Rama's Birthday

Last night the Brookings Interfaith Council gathered at the Brookings Islamic Center to celebrate with members of the Hindu community their New Year (Vikram Samvat 2017) and Lord Rama's birthday. After a splendid meal prepared by our Hindu friends, the significance of these holidays was explained briefly by Dr. Chandradhar Dwivedi. Then Dr. Sanjeev Anand delivered a short Powerpoint presentation that offered additional insight into Vikram Samat and the Hindu calendar.

You may view the Powerpoint presentation here.

Following some discussion of the presentation, the gathering adjourned so that individuals might either participate in or observe the Muslim community's evening prayers, being held at the Center. The invitation to non-Muslims to attend was received with gratitude by the Council, and many members were heard to say afterwards how moved they had been, witnessing the prayers.

It isn't often that a Muslim community hosts a Hindu celebration, especially with Jews, Christians, Baha'is, Buddhists and agnostics also present. The evening was a remarkable time of sharing across religious and cultural divides. BIC warmly thanks the Brookings Islamic Center for its hospitality and the Hindu community for both the incredible feast and the informative presentations it prepared for the gathering.

Happy Vikram Samvat, everyone! And may the blessings of Lord Rama be upon us all.

Celebration with Hindu Community Rescheduled for 4/8

Our celebration with the local Hindu community of Lord Rama's birthday as well as New Year 2071, postponed tonight due to a winter storm, has been rescheduled. It will take place at 6:30 pm next Tuesday, April 8th, at the Brookings Islamic Center. The Brookings Interfaith Council is very grateful to the Muslim community for this expression of good will and hospitality.

The Brookings Islamic Center is located at 724 11th Avenue. We hope to see you there Tuesday night!

April 3rd Celebration with Hindu Community Postponed

We regret that tomorrow night's celebration with the local Hindu community of Lord Rama's birthday as well as New Year 2071 must be postponed due to a winter storm. We hope to reschedule soon. Details will be announced as soon as we have them. Be warm and safe, everyone!

April Dialogue: Celebrating with the Hindu Community (4/3)

The next BIC dialogue will be held at 6:30 pm on Thursday, April 3, in the Cooper Room of the Brookings Public Library. It will be hosted by the Hindu community, whose members invite the public to celebrate with them the birthday of Lord Rama as well as New Year 2071, both of which fall around this time.

Members of the Hindu community will describe the significance of these holidays and also answer questions about their faith. The discussion will take place after a vegetarian meal they have prepared.

Dr. Chandradhar Dwivedi, priest of the local Hindu community and member of the BIC planning team, explains that "Lord Rama was the seventh incarnation (or avatar) of Lord Vishnu, the God for preservation in the Hindu Trinity. Lord Vishnu incarnated as Rama to destroy the demon Ravan and his evil forces at that time."

Hindus worship for eight days leading up to Lord Rama's birthday, known as Ramanavami. They then celebrate Ramanavami with special festivities "on the ninth day of the bright fortnight of the Hindu month Chaitra" (March-April).

On April 3 BIC will also help celebrate the Hindu New Year, which is based on the lunar calendar Vikram Samvat. That calendar was established in 57 BCE by King Vikramaditya of Ujjain. Though there are regional differences within India, many Hindus mark the start of the New Year "on the first day of the bright fortnight of the Hindu month Chaitra" (March-April).

Vikram Samvat 2071 will be March 31, 2014, on the Western calendar.

Both of these celebrations--Ramanavami and the Hindu New Year--are usually observed with special prayers and feasting with family, relatives and friends.

Please share in this auspicious celebration and learn more about the Hindu faith. Once again, a vegetarian meal will be provided by the Hindu community. Bring your good will, kindly heart, listening ears, and questions!

February 19: "Interfaith Dialogue in Our Campus Community"

Our next event, co-sponsored by the Brookings Interfaith Council, SDSU Interfaith Council, and the Office of the Dean of Students, will be held February 19, 2014, at South Dakota State University. Details are in the poster below. This will be an important opportunity for students to share their perspectives and experiences as persons either of faith or non-faith on campus.

Despite our usual custom, this event will not include a potluck meal, due to factors beyond our control. Please eat dinner before you come.