top of page
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.
Search
June 2026 Newsletter
If you missed our June 2026 newsletter, you can check it out at the link below:
Jun 24
World Religions Conference Call for Speakers
Call for Speakers 44th World Religions Conference Peace and Greetings, Continuing a proud Canadian tradition spanning 44 years, we are pleased to announce that the 44th World Religions Conference will be held on: Sunday, November 22, 2026 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. (tentative) Venue Lazaridis Hall Auditorium Wilfrid Laurier University Waterloo, Ontario, Canada Conference Theme From Battlegrounds to Common Ground Resolving the Conflicts Before the End This year's theme calls upon f
Jun 23
Thinking in Lyrics (June)
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. You Have Loved Enough (Leonard Cohen) Two lines jump out at me from this song. The first is “I am not the one who loves, it’s love that seizes me.” I love the sense t
Jun 23
IGR at the 2026 KW Multicultural Festival
by Michael Clifton IGR was thrilled to participate again in the annual KW Multicultural Festival, held in Kitchener’s Victoria Park on June 20 and 21, 2026. Our display this year recognized IGR’s 25th anniversary by advertising many of the activities and contributions of our members to the Region over the years; and we invited festival-goers to test their knowledge of religion-related history of the Region and across Canada in a fun quiz game with questions for kids and adu
Jun 23
May 2026 Newsletter
If you missed our May 2026 newsletter, you can check it out at the link below:
May 17
Brian Carwana: Why Religious Literacy Matters in Canada
Our friend, Brian Carwana from Encounter World Religions, has an excellent article in his recent blog about the value of educating students to increase "religious literacy" in society. Religious literacy is a big part of the goals of Interfaith Grand River and we're happy to support Encounter World Religions in their parallel efforts. Here's the link: https://religionsgeek.com/index.php/2026/05/13/why-religious-literacy-matters-in-canada/
May 17
“We All Belong Here” Campaign in Waterloo Region
by Jay Moore At our Members’ Meeting on 14 May 2026, held at the Waterloo Wellington Buddhist Monastery and Meditation Centre, (a.k.a. The Lake Monastery) our guests, Fauzia Baig and Cheryl Grove, are leaders in the Waterloo Region anti-hate campaign called “We All Belong Here.” Brice Balmer led us in some discussions where we shared our own thoughts and feelings about belonging, about the campaign and about our community. It was beneficial to hear about our many experiences
May 17
Promoting Spiritual Renewal
by John McLaughlin "The vitality of men's belief in God is dying out in every land," observed Baha'u'llah in the latter part of the 19th century - an early symptom of a decline in faith that has since then continued, particularly in the West, and has spread far beyond belief in God. In a recent article in the New York Times, journalist David Brooks reflected on the decline of faith in the United States, “not only religious faith but many other kinds”, and diagnosed American c
May 17
All Nations Grand River Water Walk
Support All Nations Grand River Water Walk. An invitation to a fundraiser and education event with Water Walk leader Mary Anne Caibaiosai. The event is a spaghetti dinner on Saturday May 23 at Stirling Ave Mennonite Church at 6 pm. Join us for an evening of good food, stories, singing, drumming, and dancing on Saturday, May 23 from 6:00 to 9:00 pm at Stirling Avenue Mennonite Church in Kitchener. Everyone is invited to share memories of the Grand River and ideas for action
May 17
Thinking In Lyrics (May)
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. Rainy Day People (Gordon Lightfoot) There are so many points in common between various faiths, practices and philosophies. One of them is how we are invited to treat
May 17
Annual Interfaith Service at Grand River Unitarian Congregation
by Jay Moore 12 April, 2026 Grand River Unitarian Congregation held their fourth annual Interfaith service recently. When considering a topic to focus on, the prominent issues surrounding the active war in the Middle East were at the top of the list. We also considered who among us would have a helpful message about this current conflict. The Mennonite tradition has a long history of pacifism and working for peace in the world and our very own Brice Balmer is a respected spok
Apr 23
Thinking In Lyrics (April)
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. One Tin Soldier (Dennis Lambert and Brian Potter) This song has always made me angry. As a kid, I didn’t realize that it was an anti-war song. I took it literally as
Apr 23
Faith and Nature: IGR Winter Campus Event 2026 Report
By Jeff Wilson On March 26, 2026 we held the first annual IGR Winter campus event: “Faith and Nature: Respecting our Reciprocal Relations,” which featured a diverse panel of six students from UW and Wilfrid Laurier University. Represented traditions included Baha’i Faith, Roman Catholicism, Hinduism, Indigenous spirituality, Pentecostalism, and Sufi Islam. Jeff Wilson was the emcee (and is also a grad student), and provided some further remarks from a Buddhist perspective. St
Apr 23
bottom of page