London Religious Leaders Celebrate Inter Faith Week

LONDON, Jan. 18, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The Church of Scientology London held a special Interfaith Sunday Service January 17 in honor of U.K. Inter Faith Week 2016, to a packed audience of interfaith guests, Church parishioners and guests.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160118/322991

The week, which is celebrated this year from January 13 – 20, was created in 2009 by John Denham, then Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government for the U.K., to "bring people of faith and no faith together" as "a starting point for building consensus for a stronger, fairer society."

This year's Inter Faith Week comes at a crucial crossroads, with Home Office figures showing hate crimes in England and Wales rose 18 percent last year and the Metropolitan Police reporting  dramatic increase in Islamophobic hate crimes over the past two years.

Guest speakers included Reverend Ena from Unity organisation, Reverend Halden Bennett from Streatham Church of God 7th Day, Sister Viola X from Nation of Islam European Head Quarters, Brixton, and Sheikh Rahman from the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community of Morden, England.

Scientology minister Mrs. Alison Hidalgo led the service and began with the Scientology Prayer for Total Freedom:

May the author of the universe enable all men to reach an understanding of their spiritual nature.

May awareness and understanding of life expand, so that all may come to know the author of the universe.

And may others also reach this understanding which brings Total Freedom.

At this time, we think of those whose liberty is threatened; of those who have suffered imprisonment for their beliefs; of those who are enslaved or martyred, and for all those who are brutalized, trapped or attacked.

We pray that human rights will be preserved so that all people may believe and worship freely, so that freedom will once again be seen in our land.

Freedom from war, and poverty, and want; freedom to be; freedom to do and freedom to have.

Freedom to use and understand Man's potential—apotential that is God-given and Godlike.

And freedom to achieve that understanding and awareness that is Total Freedom.

May God let it be so.

In his presentation, Sheikh Rahman pointed out that programs such as this one "help promote interfaith accord and harmonious relations and at the same time encourage understanding between different faiths and communities, thereby removing some pre-conceived fears and apprehensions."

The Church of Scientology London is an Ideal Scientology Organization (Org). Its facilities are configured to service Scientologists in their ascent to spiritual freedom and serve as a home for the entire community—a meeting ground of cooperative effort to uplift citizens of all denominations.

SOURCE Church of Scientology