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October is Domestic Violence Prevention Awareness month in the USA. 

Brittany McCray is the Adult Advocate for Safe harbors of the Finger Lakes (SHFL),  a  domestic violence counseling not for profit center in several central NYS counties.   The SHFL centers exist to help people whose violent victimization has harmed, wounded, and perhaps  overwhelmed their lives;  because what once was a loving relationship to them has become something fearful and violent, confusing and heart-breaking.  New York state has a coalition of organizations to help victims:
New York State Coalition Against Domestic Violence

Of course, every month is domestic violence prevention month, because this awful thing that happens inside of intimate relationships harms its victims and extends its harm and confusion to friends and families.  Domestic Violence (DV) is not only one partner taking a swipe in anger at another - but it is also spiritual abuse, gaslighting, emotional abuse, controlling the money and inducing fear generally in the household.  Domestic  Violence touches 1 in 3 women. Again, Domestic Violence touches 1 in 3 women, in our country.

This is a matter of faith and justice, healing and education. We must act with love and say Domestic Violence is rejected in the name of grace and love.
Christians, we reject the harming of one another in the name of Christ.

We call upon all communities of faith to pray how to get involved to keep women and children from harm and provide healing; we also pray that abusive men have a path to learning how to respect and love the people with whom they are partnered.

Listen as Rev. Dr. Robin Blair of the Social Holiness Team in the UNY AC UMC, and Brittany McCray from SHFL talk about DV prevention and offer hope to those suffering this spiritual, emotional, physical and psychic abuse at the hands of domestic partners. 

The Common Table Podcast UMC is supported by the Creation Justice Team (part of the UNY AC UMC General Board of Global Ministry) and Peace with Justice for Palestine/Israel (also UNY AC UMC). Our focus is on Creation Justice, Creation Care, and the urgent need for peace with justice—recognizing how climate change and war disrupts the health of the Earth and all living things. We seek to prayerfully respect and love the creation we were born into, caring for all that lives.

We invite you to join us for conversations rooted in justice and compassion. Every episode is produced by volunteers, and we publish as often as we are able.

Our mission is to lift awareness, foster education, and encourage faithful action within the human community—in the name of Christ.

Hosted by Rev. Dr. Robin Blair.

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Common Table Podcast UMC (CPT) is honored to welcome Ralph Singh, Founder, Wisdom Thinkers Network.  He is an educator, speaker, author, and practitioner in the Sikh religious tradition.  Ralph is devoted to finding and naming our shared values in a diverse culture and a pluralistic religious landscape.  Many voices, many ideas, many  religions, and many ways of loving one another through a faith language.

Listen in as Ralph and the Rev. Dr. Robin Blair, host of CTP, discuss these shared values, and how the Sikh's were attacked just after 9/11, outside of Syracuse, NY.  Listen in and hear how mercy was the first thing that came from the hearts of the congregation as the temple burned, and how Ralph spoke forgiveness at the sentencing trial of the arsonists.   

As a matter of justice, the Social Holiness Team of UNY AC UMC offers that as Christians our call from Christ is:  "to love one another as I have loved you", Jn 13:34.   No exceptions! So to set aside people who wear turbans and practice their beloved faith differently that do Christians, is not a loving thing for a Christian to do.  Listen to CTP for ideas on how to see shared values that build bridges,  not differences that build walls between us.  

For more on Sikhism: https://www.sikhnet.com/pages/who-are-sikhs-what-is-sikhism
For more on Ralph Singh and his organization: https://www.wisdomthinkers.org

The Common Table Podcast UMC is supported by the Creation Justice Team (part of the UNY AC UMC General Board of Global Ministry) and Peace with Justice for Palestine/Israel (also UNY AC UMC). Our focus is on Creation Justice, Creation Care, and the urgent need for peace with justice—recognizing how climate change and war disrupts the health of the Earth and all living things. We seek to prayerfully respect and love the creation we were born into, caring for all that lives.

We invite you to join us for conversations rooted in justice and compassion. Every episode is produced by volunteers, and we publish as often as we are able.

Our mission is to lift awareness, foster education, and encourage faithful action within the human community—in the name of Christ.

Hosted by Rev. Dr. Robin Blair.

Send us a text

Peace With Justice in Palestine/Israel, with Rev Alex Awad

Common Table Podcast gives voice to those whose voices are quieted by culture and privilege.  When one is given the dignity of voice, of being heard as invited to the table of grace, leadership in faith is developed in the telling of the stories that awakens and inspires Christ’s purpose in our lives.

The Holy Spirit gives flight to the human spirit that needs a space to be heard. It is our hope that hearing the stories of the marginalized and wounded the church will be continually moved to compassion, inspired by the Holy Spirit to reach out and be a part of the healing and unity for God’s purpose.  Listening to these stories is a call to prayer and  love.
"Love one another as I have loved you."  John 13:34

Please contact our UNY-UM Conference TaskForce on Peace w/ Justice in Palestine/Israel, Linda Bergh <[email protected]> 315-492-8507 or Karen Peterson <[email protected]> 607-739-3141 with your interest in participating in their work, as disciples of Jesus, affirming the dignity and sacredness of all people, standing against oppression and injustice, and working for peace with justice in Palestine and Israel.  Scholarships are available for those wishing to visit Palestine/ Israel to learn what will contribute to peace with justice in the Holy Land.”

Task Force on Peace w/ Justice in Palestine/Israel book suggestions:

  (In addition to Blood Brothers by Elias Chacour and Alex's family story):

The General’s Son (Journey of an Israeli in Palestine) by Miko Peled.

  2016 -Just World Books/Just World Publishing LLC

Faith in the Face of Empire (The Bible Through PalestinianEyes) by Mitri Raheb.

 2014 - Orbis Books, Box 302, Maryknoll, NY 10545-0302

Fatal Embrace (Christians, Jews, and the Search for Peace in the Holy Land) by 

 Mark Braverman.  2010, Synergy Books, P.O. Box 30071, Austin, Tx 78755

A Palestinian Theology of Liberation (The Bible, Justice, & the Palestine-Israel Conflict) by Naim Stifan Ateek.  2017 - Orbis Books, Maryknoll, NY 10545

and for a thorough and accurate historical account by an Israeli Jewish academic:

The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine by Ilan Pappe.  2006 w/ reprints- 2017 -

 Oneworld Publications, 10 Bloomsbury Street, London, WC1B 3SR, England

The Common Table Podcast UMC is supported by the Creation Justice Team (part of the UNY AC UMC General Board of Global Ministry) and Peace with Justice for Palestine/Israel (also UNY AC UMC). Our focus is on Creation Justice, Creation Care, and the urgent need for peace with justice—recognizing how climate change and war disrupts the health of the Earth and all living things. We seek to prayerfully respect and love the creation we were born into, caring for all that lives.

We invite you to join us for conversations rooted in justice and compassion. Every episode is produced by volunteers, and we publish as often as we are able.

Our mission is to lift awareness, foster education, and encourage faithful action within the human community—in the name of Christ.

Hosted by Rev. Dr. Robin Blair.