People of different faiths meet in Poway to share messages of peace, love

Poway Interfaith Team’s “One Table, Many Faiths: Stories of Peace and Thanksgiving” event was a place where different faiths could get together to celebrate peace and provide a message of hope.

Organized by the Rev. Abigail Albert, a founder of the Poway Interfaith Team, the Nov. 18 service was held at St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church in Poway.

“At the core of all our traditions, we believe in the same thing,” said Albert, executive director of Poway Interfaith, who coordinates the annual event. “We believe in love, compassion, kindness, charity and doing good for one another. How we worship God may be different in our actions and rituals, but ultimately love is at the core of our wheel.”

Representatives from several faith traditions spoke throughout the night, telling stories and celebrating common ground. 

The Rev. Michelle Ingalls, vice president of Poway Interfaith, shared the evening’s opening prayer. 

“I love the idea of the Poway Interfaith Team. We focus on commonalities and bringing people together,” Ingalls said.

Judi Brown, a Rancho Bernardo resident and five-year member of Temple Adat Shalom in Poway, talked about how she moved to San Diego from New York five years ago to be closer to her grandchildren. 

“In this fractured world, we can find the spirit of cooperation and understanding,” Brown said. “This is a wonderful opportunity to get to know people — a lot of wonderful people who are working for peace and understanding.”

Jasmine Santoro, who lives in La Mesa and is a member of the Family Church of San Diego, was at the event to support friends who were speaking.

‘“There are so many faith groups represented tonight, and it’s a reminder that we are not so different,” Santoro said.

The Rev. Walter Frank, pastor of the Heavenly Parent Holy Community, spoke about the Indigenous Peoples’ Land Acknowledgement, which states the Indigenous People are the traditional stewards of the land and recognizes the history of their forced removal due to colonization.

Frank also shared personal stories about how the hurtful treatment he has received as a person of color prompted him to seek interfaith groups and connection. Frank said he was drawn to figures like Malcom X and Martin Luther King, Jr.

“Martin Luther King, Jr. is a hero of mine. He had a powerful effect on me because he taught that all men are children of God,” he said.

Albert helped create the Poway Interfaith Team in 2006 with her husband, the Rev. Stephen Albert, and others from different faith communities to increase awareness and understanding of people’s faith traditions.

“We want to provide understanding that everyone has the right to practice their own religion in their own way,” she said. “Love and respect each other, learn from each other, and you realize you are not so different after all.”

Shortly after moving to San Diego from Newport Beach in 2005, the Alberts became involved in a World Religion Day organized by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is. Abigail Albert was invited to speak at this interfaith holiday, held on the third Sunday of January, where leaders from various faiths are invited to discuss their traditions.

It was the following World Religion Day gathering in 2006 that provided the spark for the Alberts and others, who went on to create the Poway Interfaith Team.

Other founders of Poway Interfaith include leaders from the Baha’is of Poway, the Community Church of Poway, the Sikh Foundation of San Diego and Chinmaya Mission San Diego.

Aside from the speakers, the Nov. 18 event included music. The children’s choir from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Rancho Bernardo sang “This Little Light of Mine.” Susan Lipson and Beth Farber Jacobs from Temple Adat Shalom sang the “Happiness Song,” while Cantor Ben Rosner from the temple played guitar and sang “Oseh Shalom.” The Interfaith Choir also performed.

Additional speakers included Mehran Erfani from Baha’is of Poway, the Rev. Dale Suggs from BELOVED Way Church and Imam Taha Hassane from the Islamic Center of San Diego.

Attendees were encouraged to bring monetary donations, nonperishable food and hygiene items. All financial proceeds, food and hygiene donations collected will be donated to Interfaith Community Services in Escondido, who said.

Members of the Poway Interfaith Team meet once a month and have four to five additional community events throughout the year. Events include collaborations with the Poway Sheriff’s Department and the Poway Fire Department, as well as an Interfaith Awareness Week in August.

Their next event is the Gift of Love Day on Jan. 5. Members will collaborate with Palomar Hospitals in Escondido and Poway to bring teddy bears and other stuffed animals to patients. For more information on the group, visit powayinterfaithteam.com