2025 | InterfaithGrandRiver 2/5

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.

Sharing Our Deep Thoughts

By Jan Hansen Do we talk enough about what is important to us? I have just filmed the 36th episode of an interfaith podcast on YouTube. In it, a guest sits with our host for a fifteen minute to half hour conversation. Questions include “What is most important to you about your faith?” “How does your faith impact your life?” and “Have there been times when you have struggled with your faith, or when your faith supported you through a struggle?”. We have spoken with bishops (wh

IGR Members

Nov 15, 2025

Combatting Hate: The 43rd World Religions Conference

Sunday, November 23, 2025 (12:00 pm ~ 5:30 pm) Lazaridis Hall Auditorium at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo Theme: Combatting Hate The 43rd World Religions Conference will be held this fall on Sunday, November 23, 2025 at Lazaridis Hall at Wilfrid Laurier University. The conference has been organized in Canada since 1981. It has a long tradition for bringing together renowned scholars for a deep and thought-provoking exchange of ideas. The event aims to explore the tea

Community

Oct 15, 2025

Waterloo CSWP launch the "We all belong here" campaign

You’re invited to the official launch of the We all belong here campaign— a community campaign designed in partnership with the Combatting Hate Action Table (CHAT) of the Community Safety Wellbeing Plan (CSWP). The campaign was developed in response to the ongoing rise in hate crimes and identity-based harm occurring in Waterloo region. It’s designed to raise awareness and encourage community members to take action to reduce hate and build belonging. The launch of

Community

Oct 15, 2025

Flowers in the grounds of the Five Oaks Retreat Centre

A multi-faith retreat centre

The Five Oaks Retreat Centre (near Paris, ON) is run by the United Church and welcomes all faiths.

Community

Oct 15, 2025

Steering Committee Report from AGM - Oct 9, 2025

by Jay Moore, on behalf of the Steering Committee Since our last AGM in 2024, the Steering Committee has continued in the pattern established for a number of years, planning the monthly Members’ Meetings and offering our vocal support from an interfaith perspective to efforts to improve circumstances in the community. Highlights of Activities Participated as co-hosts for the Film Forum led by Laurier Wellbeing (WLU) at The Princess Cinema. Submitted a letter to the provin

IGR Business

Oct 15, 2025

Books that Shaped Us

In October, we discussed books that shaped our spiritual journey (excluding holy texts). Below, you'll find reflections from some of our members on their books, and also a list of the books that were shared during the October meeting. Want to share about a book that shaped you? Send your reflections and reviews to interfaithgrandriver@gmail.com We Need to Build - Field Notes for Diverse Democracy by Eboo Patel, 2022 Recommended by: Jay Moore The question he attempts to addre

IGR Members

Oct 15, 2025

A message of thanks from Duaa

Duaa, bottom centre, with her Award of Appreciation Dear Jay and IGR Members, I want to sincerely thank you for the beautiful recognition and the thoughtful Award of Appreciation. It truly means a lot to me and I am deeply honored to be acknowledged by such an inspiring and dedicated group. Your kind gesture and warm words remind me how meaningful our collective efforts are in fostering inclusion, understanding, and collaboration across our community. It was truly heartwarmin

IGR Members

Oct 15, 2025

Reflections on War and Violence – “Let Us Beat Swords Into Ploughshares”

by John McLaughlin Let Us Beat Swords Into Ploughshares As I share these thoughts, it seems appropriate as today, September 21, is the International Day of Peace. The theme of the discussion at last month’s IGR meeting was “War and Violence”. By co-incidence our monthly meeting fell on September 11, the anniversary of the horrendous attacks on the World Trade Center towers in New York that killed thousands of people and shocked the world. The effects of this tragedy have ripp

IGR Members

Oct 15, 2025

Thinking in Lyrics (October)

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. Beautiful (Gordon Lightfoot) This is a love song directed at a romantic partner, but it takes on a different meaning when one looks at it as a song about a higher pow

IGR Members

Oct 15, 2025