Tuesday Tabletalk - An Interfaith Dialogue

In celebration of Interfaith 2012, the second Tuesday Tabletalk will be held on February 21 from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. at Dominican Center (DCM). DCM is located at 2025 Fulton Street East, Grand Rapids, MI, 49503. Parking is free and the DCM area is barrier free. (Click on map image at right for larger view.)

Participants will dine at round tables of eight, comprised of persons from varying faith traditions. The evening will include a brief presentation on themes common to most faith traditions, followed by discussion among dinner companions as well as large group Q&A.

The February discussion will focus on “Forgiveness" and the following people will represent their faith traditions: 

Muaz Redzic, Imam at Bosnian Cultural Center: Muaz Redzic has been serving as Imam at the Bosnian Cultural Center in Grand Rapids, Michigan since 2009. He attended Islamic high school in Sarajevo, earned a BA in Islamic Studies at Kuwait University, an MA in Religion at Vanderbilt University, and a PhD in Islamic Studies from the Graduate Theological Foundation, South Bend, Indiana. At the Bosnian Cultural Center, Imam Redzic sustains religious activities and prayers, and also supports the Bosnian cultural identity of many of the Center's members. Prayers are offered and sacred texts are read in Arabic and then translated into Bosnian for his congregation, many of whom came to the area during the war in their homeland in the 1990's. Imam Redzic also aspires to host open houses and educational classes for non-Muslims. "People tend to fear the unknown. Islam is still very much unknown ground for many Americans," he said.

Michael Schadick, Rabbi at Temple Emanuel: Rabbi Michael Schadick has been the Rabbi of Temple Emanuel since July 2000. He was ordained by the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in 1994. He has served congregations in Orlando, Florida and Plantation, Florida. Rabbi Schadick speaks about Judaism throughout West Michigan. 

Chandler Stokes, Pastor of Westminster Presbyterian: Reverend Chandler Stokes serves as Senior Pastor and Head of Staff of Westminster Presbyterian Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He graduated in Religious Studies from the University of California at Santa Cruz, received his MDiv from San Francisco Theological Seminary (SFTS), and did doctoral work at the Graduate Theological Union (GTU) and the University of California, Berkeley. He was ordained to the Ministry of Word and Sacrament in the Presbyterian Church (USA) in 1983, served churches in Northern California from 1983-2008, and taught Biblical Studies and Homiletics for many years at SFTS and the GTU. He also serves on the Committee on Theological Education for the Presbyterian Church (USA).

Mary Vaccaro, Director of Dominican Center at Marywood: Mary Vaccaro serves as Director of Dominican Center at Marywood. She holds a BA in Religious Studies from Aquinas College, an MA in Pastoral Ministry from Boston College and a certificate in Spiritual Direction from Dominican Center. She has served in lay ecclesial ministry for more than twenty five years in a variety of settings, including the Cathedral of St. Andrew in Grand Rapids, the University of Notre Dame, the Archdiocese of Milwaukee and the Catholic Information Center in Grand Rapids.  She is a member of the speakers bureau for the Interfaith Dialogue Association and the Kaufman Interfaith Institute Congregations Council for 2012, the Year of Interfaith Understanding. She offers courses on spirituality, scripture, biographical presentations on saints,  ecumenical/interfaith studies and social justice issues.

If you are unable to attend the February Tuesday Tabletalk, consider registering for one or more of our upcoming programs, which will run the third Tuesday of each month. The cost for each Tuesday Tabletalk is $10.00 and includes all fees for the program and dinner. With respect to all religious dietary customs, vegetarian meals will be served.

Upcoming Tuesday Tabletalk topics that will occur March through May of 2012 are:

March 20, 2012:         The Role of Ritual
April 17, 2012:           Mystics and Mystical Traditions
May 15, 2012:            Origin of Life

Pre-registration is strongly encouraged, as seating is limited. To register, call (616) 454-1241, (Option 5); or for online registration for the February program, visit http://dominicancenter.com/program?id=100 .