INDIANAPOLIS: More than 200 persons from different cultures and faith, including Mayor and Mrs Greg Ballard, attended and participated in the solemn Interfaith Memorial Service to commemorate the first anniversary of the massacre of innocent Sikhs at the Sikh Temple in Oak Creek, Wisconsin. Prayers were offered for the victims and their families, for the communities of faith and the entire humanity. Sikh Satsang of Indianapolis organized the special Interfaith Memorial Service at Gurdwara Sahib Indianapolis, Acton Road last Thursday evening.
All those who were present felt the incredible interfaith energy, an amazing spirit of solidarity, kinship and friendship with the Sikh community of so many faith leaders, law-enforcement representatives, Mayor and Mrs. Greg Ballard.
After welcome and greetings by Sikh Satsang of Indianapolis President Maninder Walia, Master of Ceremonies KP Singh explained the purpose and spirit of the gathering. At the end of the Prayer Service, Benedication and vote of thanks was offered by Mr KP Singh.
Mr KP Singh said The honored guests have testified and affirmed in music, chants, sacred reflections, and in many faith traditions about God s mercy, assurance, and myriad blessings.
The solemn Memorial Service has reminded us that God and our faiths command us to walk in the Light; embrace a spirit of hope, faith, love, and service; dispel the darkness of prejudice, malice, indifference, and violence toward others and those that God places at our crossroads.
God’s Messengers remind us and we should faithfully acknowledge that we are One Family, One Race, One Brotherhood united in Him with our common Origin; God as the one Source of Divine Knowledge; and our many sacred pathways converge and offer familiar lessons.
In this new-found spirit of unity and shared spiritual heritage, we welcome you and thank you for being with us and for reminding us of this abiding temporal bond and divine connection.
The programme commenced with Sikh sacred hymns by Giani Pritam Singh, followed by Invocation by Rev. Dr. Richard Hamilton, United Methodist Church.
Messages were from Charmayne Champion-Shaw, Cheyenne Arapaho Tribe of Oklahoma, Rev. Mac Hamon, Senior Pastor, Acton United Methodist Church, Charlie Wiles, Executive Director, Center for Interfaith Cooperation, Rev. Wyatt Watkins, Senior Pastor, First Baptist Church, Cumberland, Rev. Dr. Angelique Walker-Smith, Executive Director, Church Federation of Greater Indianapolis, KP Singh and Rabbi Dr. Nadia Siritsky, Associate Rabbi, Indianapolis Hebrew Congregation. Messages of Sanctity and Safety of sacred spaces and community places from Mayor Greg Ballard, Bob Jones, Special Agent, Indianapolis FBI and Gary Coons, Chief, Indianapolis Homeland Security.