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Spero News – April 24, 2006
Methodists, Muslims, form pact in Illinois
By Linda S. Rhodes
United Methodists and Muslims in Northern Illinois have officially created a covenant relationship between the two faith groups.
More than 100 leaders of the greater Chicago Islamic community and the United Methodist Northern Illinois Conference celebrated that covenant at an April 6 interfaith banquet at the Islamic Foundation in Villa Park.
United Methodist Bishop Hee-Soo Jung and Abdul Malik Mujahid, chairman of the Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago, signed a "Declaration of Relationship" committing the two groups to "a relationship grounded in our mutual love for God and dedication to the ethical core of our faiths."
The covenant includes an agreement that the two groups will continue in dialogue with each other and expand the dialogue to include local faith communities; work together on issues of social justice; inform one another of situations that may affect each other's faith community; and gather annually to celebrate, reflect on the relationship and reaffirm the commitment.
Also attending the banquet was the Rev. Larry Pickens, a Northern Illinois clergy member who serves as chief executive of the United Methodist Commission on Christian Unity and Interreligious Concerns.
The covenant was the result of a dialogue that began a year ago as an introduction between Jung, who started serving as the episocopal leader in September 2004, and Malik Mujahid…..
http://www.speroforum.com/site/article.asp?idCategory=33&idsub=134&id=3339
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