Dear Friends, Colleagues, Neighbors, and Community Leaders,
We are humbled by the outpouring of national support for the congregation in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, and the Sikh American community. Your support reminds us that we are all part of a common American fabric.
On Sunday, August 12, we ask you and your congregation and community to join us in a National Moment of Reflection as we honor the memory of the victims.
At the end of every Sikh service, the congregation makes a request of the Divine in a prayer called ardas. This last request is for “sarbat da bhalla“, “May everyone in the world be blessed and may good come to all”. We hope that this National Moment of Reflection at churches, mosques, synagogues, temples, gurdwaras, and community centers across America will send the message of blessings for all, and that we stand united against hate and intolerance and as part of a common humanity.
While the official time of the shootings was at 10:20am CST, we encourage you to choose a time and reflection that will have the most meaning in your community, such as a moment of silence or a prayer during a worship service.
Please share this message with your friends, family, and other communities and congregations. And let us know that your congregation will be participating by leaving your organization”s name and location at this website or send an email to info@saldef.org. Individuals can also sign up to participate on Facebook.
Thank you,
The Sikh American Community
You can download a copy to print and share with your neighbors here.
Organizations standing in solidarity with the Sikh American community include (this list will be updated)
Anti-Defamation League (ADL)
The Baha”i House of Worship for North America
Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty
Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR)
Grace Communion International
Hindu American Foundation
The Interfaith Alliance
Islamic Society of North America (ISNA)
Japanese American Citizen”s League (JACL)
Metropolitan Community Churches
Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC)
OCA
The Orthodox Church in America
South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT)
Southeast Asia Resource Action Center (SEARAC)
Temple Emanuel, Pueblo, CO
Zen Buddhist Congregation, Chicago, IL
Congregation Sha”are Shalom, Leesburg, VA
All Dulles Area Muslim Society (ADAMS), Sterling, VA
Olympia Zen Center (A Soto Zen Buddhist Community), Olympia, WA
First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Selma, CA
Bodhi Spiritual Center, Chicago, IL
Temple Solel, Paradise Valley, AZ
Treeleaf Zendo (A Soto Zen Sangha)
Christ Church, Uniting Disciples and Presbyterians, Kailua, HI
St Edmund”s Episcopal Church, Pacifica, CA
St Stephen”s Episcopal Cathedral
St Paul””s Episcopal Church, Bellingham, WA
Church of the Holy Communion, Hawthorne, FL
Episcopal Church of the Mediator, Micanopy, FL
Holy Trinity Episcopal
Council on American-Islamic Relations, San Francisco Bay Area
Lakeside Baptist Church in Rocky Mount, NC
St. John”s Metropolitan Community Church, Raleigh, NC
Mount Equity Zendo, Pennsdale, PA
St. Matthew”s Episcopal Church, Paramus, NJ
Isabella Freedman Jewish Retreat Center, Falls Village, CT