Author: Timothy Knepper

Please join us on Sunday, April 7th at 9:30 a.m. for a visit to St. Demetrius Serbian Orthodox Church (4655 NE 3rd St, Des Moines). Although the priest is ill and cannot perform the liturgy, lay members of the parish will be there to tell us about Serbain Orthodox Christianity in general and St. Demetrius’ Church in particular. Dress can be casual for this event.

Please join us for our next Meet My Religious Neighbor open house, which is to be hosted by the Iowa Sikh Association on 1115 Walnut Street in West Des Moines. For this “open house,” we will be joining the Sikh community for its regularly scheduled Sunday workshop service. Approximately one hour of hymns (kirtan) will be followed by a short prayer (aardas), an exposition of the passage of the day (hookah nama), and the serving of the “holy pudding” (karah prashad). Following the service, everyone is invited to join the congregation for langar — a free, vegetarian meal.

Guest should dress modestly, avoid pointing outstretched legs at the holy book and altar, and also avoid turning their back to the holy book and altar (at least in close proximity to it). Shoes must be removed to enter the sanctuary. Simple kerchiefs (which are provided) must be worn by men and women.

Meet My Religious Neighbor is a monthly open-house series. Each open house allows the public the opportunity to tour a sacred space, learn how religion is practiced in it, and meet the congregation who worships there.

Meet My Religious Neighbor resumes with a visit to the Shafia Islamic and Cultural Center (1425 University Ave) for their jummah sermon and prayers. The visit will be held on Friday, September 14th from 1:30-2:15 p.m.

Shafia is a relatively new (2014) Somali mosque with Sufi influence. Many of its members are refugees, victims of persecution by Al-Shabaab in Somalia. For more information about the mosque, see the entry by Drake student Runal Patel on the TCP website: http://comparisonproject.wp.drake.edu/religions-of-des-moines/shafia-islamic-and-cultural-center/.

Men should enter through the back side (non-University) of the mosque; women, through the front (University). After the prayers have ended women and men together can learn about the community’s distinctive practice of Islam. To respect the customs and rules of the mosque, women should cover their hair and have arms covered to wrists and legs covered to ankles. Men should not wear shorts. Also, men should avoid touching women and vice versa (handshaking included). If you want more information, please contact Tim Knepper at tim.knepper@drake.edu.

Meet My Religious Neighbor is a monthly open-house series. Each open house allows the public the opportunity to tour a sacred space, learn how religion is practiced in it, and meet the congregation who worships there.

On July 26-29, 2018, The Comparison Project and the Des Moines Area Religious Council will co-host the second annual Interfaith Youth Leadership Camp at Drake University.

20 high school students representing a diverse array of religious traditions and communities will spend four days and three nights at Drake University, learning about each other’s religious beliefs and practices. Participants will create and share a digital story that expresses a personally meaningful faith experience, practice, or belief, visit religious communities in Greater Des Moines, and discuss with each other the principles and practices of interfaith leadership.

The general public is invited to view the campers’ digital stories at a film screening on Sunday, July 29th at 3pm in Meredith 101.

Please join us for our next “Meet My Religious Neighbor” open house, to be held on Saturday, June 2nd from 8:30-9:30 p.m., at Bosniak Islamic and Cultural Center (3805 Lower Beaver Rd, Des Moines). 

Visitors can watch this Bosnian Muslim congregation break the Ramadan fast (with water and dates), then perform their evening (maghrib) prayers. Afterwards, visitors are invited to join the congregation in their iftar feast. Come hungry!

Men should wear long pants, and women should wear a headscarf (that covers hair) and be covered to wrists and ankles.

Meet My Religious Neighbor is a monthly open-house series. Each open house allows the public the opportunity to tour a sacred space, learn how religion is practiced in it, and meet the congregation who worships there.

Please join us for our next “Meet My Religious Neighbor” open house, to be held on Sunday, May 6th from 2:00–4:00 p.m., at Pure Land of Iowa (8364 Hickman Rd, Clive).

Visitors will be able to tour the facilities of this new Buddhist temple, to meet its members, to learn about Buddhist philosophy, and to practice Buddhist meditation. Since the temple is home to different a diverse community, visitors will have the opportunity to experience the unique arts and designs of all three major lineages of Buddhist traditions: Theravada, Mahayana, and Tibetan. Snacks and tea will also be provided.

Meet My Religious Neighbor is a monthly open-house series. Each open house allows the public the opportunity to tour a sacred space, learn how religion is practiced in it, and meet the congregation who worships there.

Please join us for our next “Meet My Religious Neighbor” open house, which will be held on Friday, April 13^th, from 5:30–7 p.m., at Temple B’nai Jeshurun (5101 Grand Ave, Des Moines)

This open house is a Friday night Shabbat (Sabbath) service at Des Moines’ Reform Jewish Temple, Temple B’nai Jeshurun.  The service lasts for approximately one hour, from 6:00-7:00pm.  Prior to that, there will be a wine and cheese reception as well as an orientation session for first-time visitors.  Afterwards, there is an opportunity to linger and meet members of the congregation.

Please dress and behave in a respectful manner. Men and women may wear a kippah/yarmulke (provided by the Temple) if they like.  For more information, contact Tim Knepper at tim.knepper@drake.edu.

Meet My Religious Neighbor is a monthly open-house series. Each open house allows the public the opportunity to tour a sacred space, learn how religion is practiced in it, and meet the congregation who worships there.