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This title of the article The Rise of Retail Halloween belies the real nugget of wisdom.
Which is this.
"Neighborly interaction...makes Halloween an asset to society."
The author is absolutely right.
Besides Christmas, Halloween seems to be the holiday during which we most comfortably brush shoulders with our neighbors.
I liked Halloween before; I like it even more now.
Trick-or-treat.
Know Your Neighbor.
Source: istockphoto
Three things to highlights about Meridian Magazine's article Finding common ground through uncommon service.
1. When we start to hunt for stories about interfaith collaboration involving Mormons, examples abound; Dr. Fred Woods' research about the people of Kalaupapa, Hawaii, for instance.
2. A professor at Brigham Young University, Dr. Woods is walking his talk. His lectures on the people of Kalaupapa were in partnership with Archdiocese of St. Louis. Further, Dr. Woods is collaborating with Rev. Father Vincent Heier of the St. Louis Archdiocese on a book about what Catholics and Mormons should know about one another.
3. Interfaith collaboration quite often starts with us. Rev. Heier shares in the article, “This book and event would have never come about if the Latter-day Saints had not had an active role with interfaith dialogue. Coming together to learn about each other, and serve, is exactly what we should be doing.”
What are you doing to reach out to people of other faiths?
What is your mission, stake, ward, doing to partner with other faiths?
What good things are you accomplishing that you couldn't otherwise do without this type of partnership
Sara Allen of Pleasant Grove, Utah is the first ever recipient of the Know Your Neighbor Pineapple Award; she was nominated by Bishop John Best.
Though I live in Massachusetts, serendipitously I was in Utah last week and personally presented Sara her award (the framed poster is en route). As we chatted, I learned that Sara and her family give a pineapple to their neighbors every Christmas; their first Christmas in the neighborhood they hand-delivered fifty pineapples with personalized messages.
Below is what Bishop Best wrote in his nomination:
Sara is a member of our ward and has organized many neighborhood get-togethers at her home where more than 80 neighbors have gathered at the Allen's home to visit and get to know each other.
Sara has on her own taken this one step farther by organizing a monthly date night. She organizes activities like theater, bowling, bike riding, dinners, firesides etc. This month's date night is An Amazing Race activity. She emails and calls neighbors, friends, both members and non-members, and is careful not to exclude anyone. Her typical turnout for a date night activity is 30 to 40.
This takes a lot of time and commitment but Sara is committed to helping unify the fabric of our neighborhoods.
Not only does Sara do a wonderful job with groups but she also works one-on-one with individuals building friendships and providing comfort and strength to those who need uplifting. She is currently in the process of helping a neighbor with MS submit applications to Extreme Home Makeover to help make her home more accessible. Sara goes out of her way to make sure all neighbors are included.
Sara makes all these decisions not in response to any ward calling, but because she cares.
She is definitely worthy of the Know Your Neighbor Award.
Who would you like to nominate?
What are you doing to enhance the fabric of your community?
But verily I say unto you, that it is not needful for this whole company of mine elders to be moving swiftly upon the waters, whilst the inhabitants on either side are perishing in unbelief. Doctrine and Covenants 61:3
In August of 1831, Elders of the Church traveling with Joseph Smith were told by the Lord to get off the river and teach the congregations of people on either side of banks. Traveling on the river, while a more expedient way for them to travel, did not afford them the opportunity to meet people.
“Research studies have shown that contact with individual members is by far the best introduction to the Church, whether people are proselyted or not” (The Ensign, February, 1999, p.29)
How have you taken yourself off the river?
How can you alter your activities this week to meet new people?
There are a lot of things that are central to all religions, and we can just focus on those, instead of the differences. 9 year-old Alex on CBS' Kid Nation
There has been some controversy around the the show Kid Nation, but it is certainly thought-provoking; last week the theme was religion.
Watch the below You Tube video for a few minutes to have an idea of the context.
For the week's moral dilemma, the kids had to choose between a miniature golf course and a raft of holy books (Bible, Torah, etc). The decision was put to a town vote. I was absolutely certain they would choose the hole-in-one over a holy book.
Go to Minute 7 in the YouTube vid and see for yourself.
Wow.
What can we learn from these children about reaching across the aisle?
"Muslim Jon Taleb discovered it [a Jewish ark] in an antiques store in Yucca Valley.
Her Jewish friends, Margie and Kevin Akin, bought and transported the ark to Riverside.
Their Jewish friends knew that Rabbi Schmuel Fuss' congregation needed an ark.
Inez and Peter Trupp asked their Mormon neighbors if their son [Andrew Malone] was looking for a service project.
He was.
That's how the mysterious ark came to be restored," writes Laurie Lucas (Press Enterprise) in an article titled Teamwork leads to recovery of holy Jewish cabinet.
"What I find so beautiful is that we're from the same God, the same universe," Rabbi Schmuel Fuss said. "We all came together with total respect."
Photograph courtesy of Amanda Lucidon/The Press Enterprise
How can we come together with faiths of our community?
P.S. Thanks to Jane and LDS Living for sharing this story with us.
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