Interfaith Statement In Support of Islamic Community Center of Tempe

(For Background, Click Here)

April 17th, 2015

Amid the horrific and offensive event that happened outside the Tempe Islamic Community Center of Tempe on Friday April 10th, we as the faith community would like to express our complete concern and solidarity with our brothers and sisters in faith.  The incident included men carrying hateful signs yelling at people attending the mosque, ripping the Qur’an, throwing it on the ground and spitting on it.  This incident is against all that we believe in, and we make this statement as followers of different faiths, each lifting up the sacredness of our scriptures and the holiness of our faith communities.

In a world where religious pluralism continues to grow, we call for all people to refrain from hateful speech or acts such as those suffered by our Muslim brothers and sisters last week.  We must promote peace and solidarity with a strength that will weaken any effort meant to bring intimidation or a sense of   insecurity to a community rooted in deep religious principles.

We call not only on the faith communities but on our local community as a whole to stand up to anyone who uses hateful speech to try to provoke violent actions.  We are stronger together and only solidarity will be able to triumph against such a horrific event.  For this reason, we call on each of us to join in voice and in prayer to say that this must stop.  We express our deep concern and also our friendship as we reach out to Imam Ahmad Shqeirat and the Islamic Community Center of Tempe in solidarity.

Sincerely:

Bishop Robert T. Hoshibata- Resident Bishop Desert Southwest Conference- The United Methodist Church

 

Bishop Stephen S. Talmage- Bishop Grand Canyon Synod Evangelical Lutheran Church in America- Board Member Arizona Faith Network

Rev. Dr. John Dorhauer- Conference Minister- Southwest Conference United Church of Christ- Board Member Arizona Faith Network

Dennis Williams- Regional Minister and President Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Arizona

Rev. Dr. Ken Brown- District Executive- Pacific Southwest District- Unitarian Universalist Association

Brad Munroe- Pastor to the Presbytery- Grand Canyon and de Cristo Presbyteries

The Rev. Canon Richard N. Morrison, Canon for Ecumenical and Community Relations, Episcopal Diocese of Arizona- Board Member Arizona Faith Network

Rev. Michael L. Diskin- Director for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs- Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix- Arizona Faith Network Board President

Rev. Dr. Dottie Escobedo-Frank- South District Superintendent- Desert SW Conference- UMC

Rev. Dr. Robert Burns- Central East District Superintendent- Desert SW Conference- UMC

Rev. Dr. Candace J. Lansberry- North District Superintendent- Desert SW Conference- UMC

Rabbi Bonnie Sharfman- Congregation Kehillah

Rev. Erin Tamayo- Executive Director- Arizona Faith Network

Billie K. Fidlin- Director of Outreach- Desert Southwest Conference UMC- Arizona Faith Network Board Vice President

Dr. Tamera Zivic- Executive Director WHEAT- Treasurer and Board Member of Arizona Faith Network

Rev. Doug Bland—Tempe Community Christian Church, Tempe, Arizona- Board Member Arizona Faith Network

Rev. James Pennington- Pastor First Congregational Church UCC

Rev. Eric Ledermann- Pastor University Presbyterian Church

Rev. Susan Frederick- Gray- Lead Minister, Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Phoenix

Rev. Linda Lawrence, Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Phoenix

Rev. Rock Fremont- Lay Academy Coordinator Southwest Conference UCC

Rev. Charles Aurand- Shepherd of the Hills UCC- Phoenix, AZ

Pastor Sarah Stadler- Ammon- Grace in the City ELCA

Dan Sagramoso- Member, Board of the Church & Society- Desert SW Conference of the United Methodist Church

Sarah King- Earth Care Commission Chair and Board Member of Arizona Faith Network

Pastor Charlotte Strayhorne- Casa de Cristo Church

Rev. Stephen Govett- Pastor of Trinity United Methodist Church, Phoenix, Arizona

Mark A. Coryell- Awatukee Baha’i Community

Nancy K. Splain- Attorney at Law (retired)

Jo Vrendenburg- Convener of the Justice and Witness Ministry Team- Desert Palm United Church of Christ- Tempe, AZ

Rev. Patti Aurand- Shepherd of the Hills UCC, Phoenix, AZ

Winifred Keefer- Member of St. Francis of the Foothills, UMC, Tucson, AZ

Dan Abbott- University Presbyterian Church- Tempe, Arizona

 

Gene Hill- Flagstaff Federated Community Church- UMC Board of Church and Society

Rev. Adero C E Allison- Casa de Cristo Church- Phoenix, AZ

Rev. Andy Burnette- Senior Minister- Valley Unitarian Universalist Congregation

Joan Grey- University Presbyterian Church- Tempe, AZ

James Casey- Unity of Phx Ambassador- AZ Interfaith Movement Board Member

Robbie Dick- St. Francis in the Foothills United Methodist Church- Tucson, AZ

Rev. Jody Topping- Pastor Faith United Methodist Church- Phoenix, AZ

Reverend Doctor Donald J Longbottom- Church of the Beatitudes- Phoenix, AZ

Pastor Marc McDonald- St. John’s Episcopal-Lutheran Church- Williams, AZ

Dr. Anthony Kamson- Baha’i Faith

Jeannine Reynolds- United Methodist Deaconess

Ed Casper- SGI Buddhist member Arizona Interfaith Movement Board of Directors

Robert Koth- Retired UCC minister- Member of First Congregational United Church of Christ- Phoenix, AZ

Rev. Dr. Dave Summers- Senior Pastor Paradise Valley United Methodist Church

Joan Butler- Desert Palm United Church of Christ- Tempe, AZ

Tempe Interfaith, TEAM, clergy members and their communities

Rev. Susan Ringler, Guardian Angels Catholic Community, Tempe, Tempe Interfaith Chair

Rev. Stan Martin, Pastor, Mission del Sol Presbyterian Church, Tempe

Ann Hardt, Tempe Friends, Quakers, Tempe

Rev Dr Gil Stafford, St Augustine Episcopal Parish and Episcopal Campus Ministry ASU, Tempe

Rabbi Susan Schanerman, NefeshSoul Community, Chandler

Tom Parker, Pastor – The Spring, Tempe

Rev. Elice Higginbotham, Interim Senior Minister, Desert Palm United Church of Christ, Tempe

Rev. Dorothy Saucedo, Deacon, St Augustine Episcopal Parish

Rev. Jeff Procter-Murphy, Dayspring United Methodist Church, Tempe

Rabbi Dean Shapiro, Temple Emanuel, Tempe

Michael McCaffrey, Interfaith Unity, Mesa

Rev. Kathleen Athey

Diane Wilson- member St. Francis in the Foothills United Methodist Church- Tucson, AZ

Rev. Jessica Goad- Pastor Flagstaff Federated Community Church

Rev. Tina Marie Rees- United Methodist Pastor

John and Amanda Horan- Members of University Presbyterian Church- Tempe, AZ

Kathy Melamed- Unitarian Universalist

Anne Taylor- Christian Science Board member of the AZ Interfaith Movement

Lucia R. Anderson- CPSS

John L. Risseeuw- citizen of Tempe, AZ

Rev. Dr. M. Eugene Barnes

Rev. Karen Spencer- Barnes

Harvey R. Kemp

Dr. David Wilkinson- Retired United Methodist Pastor

Scott Morris- St. Francis in the Foothills United Methodist Church- Tucson, AZ

Rev. Neil Leftwich- Gila Mountain UMC

Rachel Davis- Program Director- Federated Community Church- Flagstaff, AZ

Rev. Elaine Groppenbacher LCSW -Guardian Angels Catholic Community, Ecumenical Catholic Community