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IGR Community News
Announcements, Newsletters & Activities
IGR members are connected to many different religious, spiritual, ethnic, and cultural groups, and love to share what’s happening in their communities. Check out our new Community News section to see events and activities shared by IGR members!
Please note that while all events and activities posted on the Community Events blog are submitted by Interfaith Grand River members, they are not necessarily endorsed, supported by, or vetted by Interfaith Grand River as an organization.
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Interfaith at the American Academy of Religion
By Jeff Wilson In November I went to Boston to attend the annual combined meeting of the American Academy of Religion and the Society for Biblical Literature. Together they constitute the largest gathering of Religious Studies scholars in the world, with more than 10,000 professors and researchers meeting to present papers, learn about developments in our subfields, and catch up with colleagues. It’s a heady time, with scholars studying every kind of religion
Dec 15, 2025
Walking Together in Reconciliation Quilt Project
This Reconciliation Quilt Project is a collaborative effort that will bring together community members who are both indigenous and allies to create quilt squares that reflect our shared journey toward reconciliation and healing. The completed quilt will be assembled and displayed as a lasting symbol of community connection, learning, and commitment to this ongoing work. It will then be auctioned off to raise funds toward Crow Shield Lodges work ( https://www.crowshieldlodge.c
Dec 15, 2025
Yule
by Yvonne Aburrow At our recent Interfaith Grand River members’ meeting, we were invited to speak about our favourite festivals. My favourite festival is usually the one that’s just about to happen, but if I had to pick just one, it would be Yule. Yule is an ancient festival marking the winter solstice and was historically celebrated in England, Scotland, Norway, Sweden, and Denmark. It’s celebrated by many Pagans today as one of our eight festivals (Imbolc on 2 February, Spr
Dec 15, 2025
Thinking in Lyrics (December)
by Jan Hansen I often find myself thinking in song lyrics. This is one in a series of short articles about some songs and a few of the thoughts that they prompt in me. None of these songs were written for a faith-based setting, but all of them have some elements that relate to faith, philosophy, or world view. Anchor Me (written by Don McGlashan, sung by The Three Tenors) Sometimes life wears us down, to the point where we don’t know what to do. As the song says, “My heart
Dec 15, 2025
Launch of "We Belong WR"
by Sandy Milne On Thursday, November 27, a small group of IGR members + friends gathered to sing as part of a mini-launch of Waterloo Region's " We all belong" campaign which asks the community to care for each other at a human level, and to celebrate the differences and similarities that unite everyone. You can find the announcement of the campaign launch here . Thursday's event was one of many mini-launch events being held across the Region. Go to We Belong WR to l
Dec 15, 2025
Spirituality and Aging Webinars
You are invited to register for each of our upcoming webinars. These webinars are free of charge and open to everyone interested in spirituality and aging! You can find more information and register for any and all of these webinars by going to this link: Encore Webinar Series Registration Web Page
Dec 15, 2025
Recording of Presentation: The Challenge of Lasting Peace in the Middle East
The Challenge of Lasting Peace in the Middle East is the title of a presentation and Q&A by Jon Allen on Thursday, November 13, 2025, at Forest Hill United Church in Kitchener. You can watch the event here . Jon Allen is currently a Senior Fellow at the Bill Graham Centre for Contemporary International History at the University of Toronto. From 2006 to 2010, he was Canada’s Ambassador to Israel. Jon is also Chair of Rozana Canada, the Canadian branch of an international n
Dec 15, 2025
Meditation at Lake Monastery
18th December 7-8pm The Sikh community is invited to a meditation session at Lake Monastery
Dec 15, 2025
Some Changes We Envision for 2026
by Jay Moore I want to share some new developments about the progress we are making in interfaith action in Waterloo Region and beyond. The Steering Committee of IGR recently took some time for long range planning and a new vision of our future is emerging. In recent years, let’s call it the “parent” group of IGR, has been focussed on the monthly meetings which usually are themed on a topic the Steering Committee has chosen and led as a discussion in one of three possible f
Nov 19, 2025
Thinking in Lyrics (November)
by Jan Hansen I often find myself thinking in song lyrics. This is one in a series of short articles about some songs and a few of the thoughts that they prompt in me. None of these songs were written for a faith-based setting, but all of them have some elements that relate to faith, philosophy, or world view. This is Me (Words and Music by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, from The Greatest Showman) This song is about people who are very conscious that they stand on the margin
Nov 19, 2025
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