Inter Faith Week 2017 has started!
Find all the events taking place in your borough on the Inter Faith Week website map.
There are quizes, visits, discussions on hot topics, meals and gatherings across the capital all week, some hosted by borough councils. If you haven’t added your event to the IFW website, there’s still time.
Above: two members of the Christian-Muslim women’s group in Wandsworth.
Faith representatives in Barnet have united in welcoming a proposal to convert the Hippodrome in Golders Green to an Islamic centre.
An open letter from thirty local leaders commented on the planning application by Markaz El Tathgheef El Eslami.
“We are a group of clergy and faith representatives in Barnet that meet in each other’s centres to foster good inter-religious relations and promote community cohesion. Our interfaith forum is convened under the auspices of Interfaith Matters, a local registered charity, and meetings have been held regularly for almost three years.
All members of the interfaith forum look forward to welcoming the clerics of Markaz El Tathgheef El Eslami, the new Islamic Centre at Golders Green Hippodrome, to our interfaith meetings.
At our last meeting, hosted by the Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Golders Green, members expressed every confidence that Barnet Council would address and resolve all legitimate concerns relating to additional traffic, less parking and the Centre’s use.
However, as clergy and faith representatives we unanimously deplored and condemned the hostile and, at times, racist response to the new Islamic Centre’s opening. It is our firm conviction that those that attend the Centre are as entitled to suitable and sufficient facilities as are enjoyed by all other faiths in Barnet, including Golders Green.
Indeed, we are sure the new Islamic community will contribute, with us, to the neighbourhood’s character, harmony and safety. We are also grateful to the Centre’s clerics who have already offered to host our next interfaith forum meeting and we look forward to this in the New Year.”
The full list of signatories can be found here.
Barnet Multi Faith Forum has issued a statement supporting the local leaders.
Today: follow #HOBV9 to keep in touch with Wandsworth Community Empowerment Network‘s annual Black Mental Health event, Healing Our Broken Village, at New Testament Assembly Church in Tooting, SW17.
If you’re able to join the conference, which includes the CEO of South West London & St George’s Mental Health Trust and Royal Holloway’s Dr Frank Keating, all the details are here.
Saturday 28 October: Kingston Study Day – Understanding Islam with Dr Chris Hewer, an 
exploration from predominantly Christian and Muslim perspectives, at the Milaap Centre, Acre Rd, Kingston, KT2 6EE. For beginners and the knowledgeable alike – all welcome.
Download details here and contact Diana if you would like to participate.
Thursday 2 November: opening of a new venue for Greenwich Peninsula’s Multi Faith Prayer Space at the Aperture Building on Greenwich Peninsula, 42 Chandlers Avenue, SE10 0GE. The Prayer Space provides a venue for faith groups to meet for prayer and worship and is available for booking by faith groups for their own prayer or worship activities. The Prayer Space is also open every day for people to drop in for prayer and reflection.
The Community Room provides a facility for activities or events which build up the local community and is available for booking by individuals or groups for such activities or events. Find the details here.
Saturday 4 November – Sunday 5 November: With God on Our Side… Religion and War, with talks, panels and debates including Holy Wars, Is Religion Inherently Violent (with Karen Armstrong) and War and Peace in the Middle East, at the Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, SE1 8XX.
Monday 6 November: St Martin-in-the-Fields, Trafalgar Square – Reforming Attitudes to Islam, with Prof Mona Siddiqui and Joshua Ralston of Edinburgh University.
Monday 6 November: second in LBFN’s safety, security and resilience four-part course for places of worship, hosted by New Scotland Yard and supported by the Corporation of London. Contact LBFN for further details.
Sunday 12 November: Harrow Interfaith‘s Remembrance Service at Harrow Civic Centre War Memorial at 10.30am.
Monday 13 November: Quiz night – A Question of Unity with Faiths Together in Lambeth at the Karibu Education Centre, 7 Gresham Road, SW9 7PH. Details here. 
Tuesday 14 November: Youth debate with Islington Faiths Forum, “How can we have harmony in a multifaith community environment?” at Platform, Hornsey Road Baths, 2 Tiltman Place, N7 7EE.
Saturday 18 November: Hounslow Friends of Faith presents, “The Bundle – an asylum seeker’s story” at Brentford and Isleworth Quaker Meeting House, Quakers Lane, London Road, Isleworth, TW7 5AZ. Details and booking (performance is free but must be booked in advance) here.
12 – 19 November is Inter Faith Week 2017: plenty of events taking place in London this year – find them on the map and add your own.
FTiL took to the streets again on 17 September. Around 40 local people were welcomed at religious centres in Brixton & Kennington. Here are some pictures from the day.
Message from Chief Superintendent David Stringer at the Metropolitan Police:
As you may have seen on the news this morning, police were called at approximately 08:20hrs on Friday, 15 September to Parsons Green Underground Station following reports of a fire on a London tube train.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu, the senior national coordinator for CT policing, has declared it a terrorist incident. Officers from the Metropolitan Police Service and British Transport Police attended the scene, along with colleagues from London Fire Brigade and London Ambulance Service. At present we are aware of a number of people who have suffered injuries.
It is too early to confirm the cause of the fire, which will be subject to the investigation that is now underway by the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command.
The station remains cordoned off and we are advising people to avoid the area.
We would encourage anyone who has information that would assist detectives is urged to contact the hotline 0800 789 321; if it’s an emergency always call 999.
Anyone with images from the scene is asked to upload them to www.ukpoliceimageappeal.co.uk
We urge the public to remain calm but alert and if you have any concerns, see or hear anything suspicious then contact police.
More updates will be available at 11:30hrs today, Friday, 15 September, when Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley will brief the press at New Scotland Yard.
The Archdeacon of London, chair of the Faith Sector Panel of London Resilience said, “S Dionis Church was open for the public to go in for tea, coffee, spaces & rest, but is now inside the cordon and is closed. The clergy there are seeking to help as they can.”
Cllr Sue Fenimore, Deputy Leader of the Council and a key person in bringing religious communities together in Hammersmith & Fulham, is at Parsons Green and said that it’s wonderful that people come together in such horrendous circumstances.
Brixton Business Improvement District and Faiths Together in Lambeth invite you to a
LAMBETH SHOW OF UNITY
Monday 3rd July, 7pm – 8pm
in the Forecourt at Black Cultural Archives
Windrush Square
Brixton SW2 1EF
This event is intended to show religious and community unity in face of recent events.
Open to all: attendees are welcome to invite others to accompany them.
All are welcome tomorrow to join local people as they remember those who have suffered in the Grenfell Tower fire.
Communities of Faith in Support of Grenfell
A Multi-Faith Gathering
in solidarity with the victims and survivors of Grenfell Tower
Thursday 22nd June
3pm in front of the Maxilla Social Club
under the Westway beside Latymer Christian Centre
116 Bramley Rd, London W10 6SU2 Minutes Silence
Followed by reflections from local faith leaders
St Peter’s Notting Hill Church, Kensington Park Road, W11 2P, invites people of all faiths and none to a special service this evening at 6.30pm. They write:
A special service for all those affected by the Grenfell Tower Fire in North Kensington and anyone who wishes to come and stand with the local community.
It will be a time to remember those who have lost their lives and to pray for those still worried about loved ones or homes.
It will also be an opportunity to give thanks for the courage of the emergency services and to pray for all those involved in the aftermath of this tragic event.
Everyone is welcome. If you have any questions about this service, then please do contact the Bishop of Kensington’s office on 020 7932 1180.
Local places of worship which are involved in supporting those affected include:
Chief Superintendent Dave Stringer is a longstanding friend of LBFN’s and is currently Head of Community Engagement for the Metropolitan Police. He has sent this message so that it can be passed on to congregations, colleagues and networks this weekend.
“Over the next few days, communities of different faiths will congregate across London to celebrate their holy days. We know many will reflect on the terrible events of last Saturday evening in their readings and prayers but also that some will feel worried and vulnerable about their safety as they gather in their places of worship.
“To help support these communities, we have increased the number of officers on the streets to reassure local people that they are able to go about their daily lives in peace and without fear of harassment or intimidation.
“Dedicated Ward Officers are making contact with their local places of worship to encourage them to report hate crimes and to reassure those who congregate there that the police will take these crimes seriously.
“The Metropolitan Police has made more than 25 arrests for hate crime offences since Saturday.
“We have long since recognised the impact of hate crime on communities and the hidden nature of this crime, which remains largely under-reported. The MPS stands together with policing partners, colleagues and groups to investigate all hate crime allegations, support victims and their families, and bring perpetrators to justice.
“We would appeal to anyone who witnesses or suffers any hate of any type to immediately report it so that action can quickly be taken and catch those responsible.”
Hate crime can be reported through 999 in an emergency, by dialling 101 in a non-emergency, directly at a police station, through the MOPAC Hate Crime app or through community reporting methods such as Tell MAMA, Galop, or the CST.
Total Policing is the Met’s commitment to be on the streets and in your communities to catch offenders, prevent crime and support victims. We are here for London, working with you to make our capital safer.
Message from City Hall
Dear Catriona
Please see below invitation from the Mayor of London for a vigil tomorrow evening. I do hope you can join and please share widely.
Kind regards,
Nadeem
I am getting in touch following last night’s tragic events at London Bridge. I am in close contact with the Met Police Commissioner and senior officers and have attended the government’s COBRA security meeting this morning. Our emergency services acted swiftly and bravely in tackling the terrorists and helping the injured.
There are no words to describe the grief and anger that our city is feeling today. Tragically, seven people have been killed in this sickening attack, and more than 40 injured, some of them critically.
I am appalled and furious that these twisted and cowardly terrorists deliberately targeted innocent Londoners and visitors to our city who were just enjoying their Saturday night.
There will be a vigil taking place on Monday 5 June, 6pm at Potters Fields, SE1.
I would like to invite you to join us in solidarity to remember those who have lost their lives, to express sympathy with their families and loved ones and to show the world that we stand united in the face of those who seek to harm us and our way of life. As well as Londoners and visitors, we will be joined by senior representatives of our police, security and emergency services, as well as civic, faith and community leaders. There will be a space set aside to lay tributes and flowers to the victims.
I’m urging all Londoners to remain calm and vigilant today and over the days ahead. We are all shocked and angry today but this is our city – we will never let these cowards win and we will never be cowed by terrorism.
Best wishes,
Sadiq
#LondonIsOpen
London Boroughs Faiths Network 