ICIA Community Thanksgiving Celebration November 21
"We Are All Ohana"

Interfaith Communities in Action's annual Community Thanksgiving Celebration returns to an in-person gathering this coming Tuesday, November 21st, at 7:00 pm at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 1373 Kilauea Ave. in Hilo. ICIA member and friend congregations will prepare family and neighbor friendly musical and spoken offerings to lift the hearts of all present. There will be time to relax and talk story with one another over goodies when the concert is over. Attendees will have the opportunity to bring non-perishable food items that will go to the Food Basket.

In addition, audience members can contribute cash gifts that will support the relief efforts to recover from the wildfires on Maui, and the general work of ICIA.

We ask congregations who plan to participate to write to Rev. Eric Anderson at esanderson.ucc@gmail.com with the title and author/composer of the piece they will perform so they can be included in the evening's printed program. If they plan to contribute snacks for the fellowship time afterward, please write to Maureen Begas at Maureenc@hawaii.rr.com so the host church can plan.

The Community Thanksgiving Celebration has been one of ICIA's most attended events for many years. We are very grateful to the congregations who extended themselves to film musical performances and reflections in 2020, 2021, and 2022, and we are overjoyed to come together again this year. 

In the gathering, we celebrate that we are one ohana.

Click here to download the 2023 Community Thanksgiving Flyer (PDF)

Mahalo to our sponsor, Island Naturals!
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At Interfaith Communities in Action's next General Meeting on Wednesday, March 1, ICIA will launch its Interfaith Virtual Pilgrimage. Members and friends of ICIA and its member congregations are invited to obtain sponsors and walk forty miles between March 1 and April 9 wherever and whenever they choose. The money raised will support the signature fund, Hale Na Po'e Keiki (Homes for Children), part of the organization's efforts to end family homelessness on Hawai'i Island.

The meeting will be held at Church of the Holy Apostles, 1407 Kapiolani St. in Hilo, starting at 7:00 PM.

The forty miles represents the rough distance between ICIA's southernmost congregations in Pahoa and its northernmost congregations in Honomu (see the incomplete map below). While it is theoretically possible to walk that route, event planners do not advise it. Long stretches run along busy roadways with no sidewalks. Instead, participants can walk or bike on routes of their choice, which would include home exercise machines.

At the March 1 meeting, they can get started on the walking on Church of the Holy Apostles' labyrinth. Participating congregations will provide a brief introduction to their faith tradition, history, and activities. Elections for the 2023 officers and Steering Committee will be held as well.

Click here to download the Virtual Pilgrimage Pledge Form.

Click here to download the Virtual Pilgrimage Flyer.

January is designated as National Poverty Awareness Month and National Human Trafficking Prevention Month. To bring light to work that goes on addressing poverty and violence,  the Interfaith Communities in Action is fortunate to host a talk Martha Hennessy, granddaughter of Blessed Dorothy Day on Tuesday, January 24, 2023 at 7:00 pm at Church of the Holy Cross in Hilo. Martha Hennessy will share with us  life and work in community, Catholic Social Teaching, and peacemaking efforts in the tradition of the Catholic Worker Movement.

The Catholic Worker Movement began on May 1, 1933,  when journalist Dorothy Day and philosopher Peter Maurin teamed up to publish and distribute a newspaper called The Catholic Worker, promoting the biblical promise of justice and mercy.

Grounded in a firm belief in the God-given dignity of every human person, their movement was committed to nonviolence, voluntary poverty, and the Works of Mercy as a way of life. It wasn’t long before Dorothy and Peter were putting their beliefs into action, opening a “house of hospitality” where the homeless, the hungry, and the forsaken would always be welcome. Over many decades the movement has established communal farms, and protested injustice, war, and violence of all forms.

Today there are some 228 Catholic Worker communities in the United States and in countries around the world.  And Dorothy Day is designed as Blessed by the Catholic church on a path toward Sainthood.

​For more information email Rev. Eric Anderson at esanderson.ucc@gmail.com.

Photo by Susan Ruggles from Milwaukee, USA - 0002, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=101323198.
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The Interfaith Pilgrimage will raise funds for Hale Ka Po'e Keiki (Homes for Children), ICIA's signature annual fund to end family homelessness on Hawai'i Island. Participants will respond to the challenge to walk, cycle, or otherwise cover the distance between participating congregations. At this point we anticipate the total to amount to over 35 miles. We do not expect people to follow the route "on the ground," as there are a lot of miles along busy roads, but we do want to share more about our faith community with them as they support the houseless families of this island.

We encourage your congregation to sign up as a participating church or temple. Complete the online form and plan to be at the Kick-Off Event on Wednesday, March 1, at 7:00 PM at Church of the Holy Apostles, 1407 Kapiolani St., Hilo. Bring a table display and be prepared to share a few words about your faith community. 

Pilgrimage: a journey of a pilgrim or wayfarer, especially : one to a shrine or a sacred place. (Merriam-Webster.com)
 
Purpose: To foster an interfaith exchange while raising funds to combat family homelessness in East Hawaiʻi and encouraging our community to exercise.
 
Join the interfaith community on Wednesday, March 1, 7-8:30 pm as we kick off our Virtual Interfaith Pilgrimage at Church of the Holy Apostles in Hilo. There will be brief presentations on each faith community, as well as displays to help us get to know our faith community.
 
Then join us from March 1-April 9, 2023, as we log our walking/running/biking mileage while “following along” on a virtual route connecting participating places of worship in an overall pilgrimage route.
 
Participants can gather donations by encouraging their supporters to pledge either a fixed amount for each mile they walk or a fixed amount for completing the mileage for the overall virtual route.
 
All donations and funds will go directly to Hale Ka Po’e Keiki (Homes for Children), ICIA’s signature fund that provides support for local nonprofits working to end family homelessness in Hawai’i County. 

Interfaith Communities in Action (ICIA), with member congregations representing a good portion of the religious traditions of East Hawai’i, will hold a special Interfaith Service Toward Hope at 7:00 PM on Tuesday, December 13, at Community of Christ in Hilo.
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“One of the tasks of religious traditions has been to foster compassionate and caring societies,” said the Rev. Eric S. Anderson, Pastor of Church of the Holy Cross UCC and President of ICIA. “In these days of significant social divides and amidst many stresses, we seek to recommit ourselves to that goal.”

The service will center on local religious leaders from Buddhist, Christian, and Jewish traditions who will speak about the ways that their traditions have understood and nurtured civil society. Attendees will also be asked to consider the things they have learned in their households of faith and to comment on those disciplines. Musicians from various faith communities will participate as well.

Community of Christ is located at 1842 Kinoole St. in Hilo.

About Interfaith Communities in Action: ICIA has engaged in interfaith networking, education, fundraising, and service in East Hawai’i since 1999. In 2022 they launched their first Walk to End Family Homelessness. Member communities include Buddhist, Jewish, Muslim, and Christian communities of a variety of denominations.

Interfaith Communities in Action (ICIA) will be holding a FUNdraising walk Saturday morning, August 6, 7:30 am at Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium (323 Manono St, Hilo) to support our signature fund "Hale ka Po`e Keiki" (Homes for Children).  
 
This fund was established in January 2022 to support local non-profit organizations helping our East Hawaii community end family homelessness. The 2022 recipient of the ICIA "Hale ka Po`e Keiki" fund is Habitat for Humanity Hawai`i Island.
 
Registration Form: See below for online form or ask for a paper copy from your church office.

Register online through EventBrite
 
Adults (18+): $25, 
Ages 6-17: $10
Ages 5 and under: Free
 
Walkers are encouraged to seek out donors for their registration fee; and additional donations, such as by pledging to do a silly dance and/or wear a silly costume during the walk. Prizes will be awarded for the top three walkers who have collected the most donations. Decorated baby strollers and wheelchairs are welcome as walkers.
 
Registration Deadline:  The regular deadline for walkers to register is Friday, July 22, 2022. This ensures the walker receives a goody bag. 
 
Late registration will be accepted until Sat. August 6 (the day of the walk). Goody bag not guaranteed.
 
Route: The perimeter of the Civic Auditorium and the parking area between the Civic and Wong Stadium.  Participants will have an hour to walk multiple laps around the route, with fun music and group dance-alongs to participate in along the route. Check-in for the walk is at 7 am on the day of the walk. 
 
Walkers are welcome to bring along “cheerleaders” to support them at points along the route! 
 
At the conclusion of the walk at 8:30 am, the Civic Auditorium will be open for free live entertainment and food available for purchase. The entertainment program includes Taishoji Taiko, Te Rangatahi, Java Jive, and Puna Taiko. The event finishes at 11:30 am.
 
Sponsors:  We are still accepting sponsorships for the walk. Businesses, churches, nonprofits, and/or generous individuals are all welcome to donate to help offset the costs of the event.  Sponsors donating over $500 will be able to display publicity materials at the event and receive acknowledgment during the live entertainment.

Forms:

ICIA's annual evening of music, joy, and fellowship will be held at 7:00 pm on Tuesday, November 26, at First United Protestant Church UCC. The choirs are eagerly rehearsing to share this night of spirited song with you!

Please remember as well to bring a non-perishable item to contribute to the Food Basket.

Thanksgiving Celebration
Tuesday, November 26, 7:00 PM
First United Protestant Church UCC
1350 Waianuenue Ave., Hilo, HI 96720

​Click here to download the flyer!