Faith Network Manchester April Newsletter

Faith Network for Manchester - April Newsletter

Dear Members and Friends,

We are pleased to be able to send you the April 2020 Faith Network for
Manchester Newsletter. It contains details of our online interfaith
dialogue for faith communities today, looking at how we are affected by
Covid-19, and the information session next Wednesday on Loneliness. Both
are from 5.00 to 6.30 p.m. and the login details will be the same each week.

These are the first of regular online interfaith dialogues and sessions
on a range of relevant topics. Details of the others planned are in the
newsletter. The way to join all of them is by logging into the Zoom
meeting at
https://zoom.us/j/95734414086?pwd=aXFsWGdpOXJtMGZ1bTNXbjAyMWRyZz09and
you will need to enter the password: 866435.

The newsletter also contains details of the Covid-19 hotline for Faith
Communities set up by SFI (Strengthening Faith Institutions) and of
Feedline’s service to provide hot meals, operating in Manchester every
day. It also contains a feature on Ramadan and an article on bereavement
and other issues that have arisen due to the Covid-19 virus.

You will be aware that the Nightingale Field Hospital Manchester opened
last week.FN4M have been involved in setting up the chaplaincy service
at the hospital. They were looking to recruit Cleaners, Porters and
Auxiliary staff as well. 4C Training is working with Blue Arrow to
staffing the temporary Nightingale Field Hospital Manchester (GMEX);
they have an urgent need for 200 Cleaners, Porters and auxiliary staff.
This figure will grow in the coming weeks to 600.Hours will be 6am to
2pm, and 2pm to 10pm; on a seven day rotation, with salary: £10 per hour
weekdays, £15.00 per hour Saturdays and £20.00 per hour Sundays.4C
training will support you to get you through the application process,
and to complete some online training with them. If you are interested
contact 4CrTraining by emailing: duncan@4ctrainingandplacements.com

Smile Mediation, Listening Serviceare working with Manchester City
Council helping local residents deal with anxieties due to #COVID19.
Testimonies include “Thank you for your time, you really helped me a
great deal” – #listening is a key skill for #mediators and we’re putting
it to good use #MentalhealthduringCovid19. They been be reached on 01282
436989 or at www.smilemediation.co.uk

Please make sure you are following the latest Government advice
www.gov.uk/coronavirusand NHS guidance to best protect yourself, your
families, your communities and each other. For guidance on mental
health, which is of vital importance during this time, please visit
Every Mind Matters at https://www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters/. Do
take time to read and follow the advice and share with communities and
networks alike.
Importantly, please always check that any information you receive from
elsewhere (including platforms such as whatsapp) is credible before you
share it. This can be done simply by checking the source of the
information. If it’s someone you don’t recognise or from a source you
cannot verify, please avoid forwarding.

There is now a free GOV.UK Coronavirus Information Service on WhatsApp.
Simply add 07860 064422 into your phone contacts and then message the
word ‘Hi’ in a WhatsApp message to get started.

Monday was the first day of the Baha’i Festival of Ridván. The First Day
of Ridván (meaning “Paradise” in Arabic) is the most important of the
Bahá’í holy days. It is the day on which Bahá’u’lláh declared His
mission as a Messenger of God. The Ninth Day of Ridván, the day on which
Bahá’u’lláh’s family joined Him in the Garden of Ridván is on 28 April
and the Twelfth Day of Ridván, the day on which Bahá’u’lláh and His
family left the garden to travel to Constantinople is on 1st May. We
wish all of our Baha’i friends a happy festival.

Yesterday (and Monday night) wasYom Ha-Shoah (the Jewish Holocaust
Memorial Day). It is a day of remembrance when Jewish people remember
the six million Jews, including one and a half million children, who
were victims of the Nazi Holocaust. Memorial candles are lit and special
services are held. The date is chosen as the closest date (in the Jewish
calendar) to the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. Our thoughts are with our
Jewish friends as they remember this tragedy and the atrocities. May
these horrors never happen again – to anyone!

Thurs 23rd April is St George’s Day,for Christians especially. Saint
George is the patron saint of England – but actually, he was not English
at all. According to legend, born in Turkey in the 3rd century AD, he
was a soldier in the Roman army who later became venerated as a
Christian martyr.He protested against Rome’s persecution of Christians
so was imprisoned and tortured, but stayed true to his faith. Emperor
Diocletian had him beheaded for failing to recant his Christian faith.
The story of the dragon is probably completely mythical as it only began
to be circulated 1000 years or so after his death. 23rd April was named
as Saint George’s day in 1222. Happy St. George’s Day to everyone.

 From this Thursday 23rd April through to Sunday 24th May is the month
of Ramadan– the holy month for Muslims. Ramadan begins with the sighting
of the new moon that marks the start of the ninth month in the Islamic
calendar; it is a time of fasting and spiritual renewal.According to the
Koran, the Prophet Muhammad received the first revelations of the Koran
during Ramadan. Therefore, it is considered the most sacred month of the
Islamic calendar.
Fasting during Ramadan was instituted early in Islamic history when the
first Muslim community migrated from Mecca to Medina. Every day from
sunrise to sunset, Muslims are required to refrain from consuming food
and liquids, smoking, and engaging in sexual relations.

Each evening the fast ends with a festive meal, normally with family,
friends and communities coming together. These Iftar meals and prayer
times will seem very different this year with us not being able to meet
as usual. We wish all of our Muslim brothers and sisters a holy and
blessed month and Ramadan Kareem.

We are very pleased that our Co-Chair, Rev FujoMalaika has been
nominated for the Diversity Awards. She is a wonderful person who brings
so much light, joy and goodness to the world and cares about everyone.
We encourage you to vote for her at
https://nationaldiversityawards.co.uk/nominate/26967/ Thank you in advance.

At present, FN4M are having some financial difficulties (I know, who
isn’t at present!), so we have set up a crowdfunding page at
https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/faithnetwork4manchester and we
would be very grateful if you could support us at this difficult time
and encourage other to support us as well. Any amount will be gratefully
received.

Finally, we do hope that you and your loved ones are keeping safe and
well. Please do take care and look after yourselves and encourage those
around you to do the same. Our deepest gratitude goes to all the key
workers, NHS staff, carers, drivers, shop staff and all the others
mentioned in last month’s newsletter, for everything they are doing to
keep us all safe and well.

With best wishes for health, strength and fortitude,

Warren

Rabbi Warren Elf MBE
Director
Faith Network for Manchester
07879 454292