Los Angeles' Oldest Protestant Church Hosts an Historic Interfaith Trilogue Service

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 4, 2010 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The new voice of progressive Christianity, best-selling spiritual author and national pulpit voice, Dr. R. Scott Colglazier, Senior Minister of First Congregational Church of Los Angeles, is curating a new series of workshops and interactive experiences LOS ANGELES entitled "Love, Compassion and the Art of Forgiveness."

The newest in this series is an Interfaith Trilogue service where Dr. Colglazier will welcome Rabbi Joshua Levine Grater of the Pasadena Jewish Temple & Center and Imam Jihad Turk of the Islamic Center of Southern California.  This special event will take place on November 14 at 11:00 a.m. and will be an exploration of how our respective faith traditions contribute to a larger religious experience in America.

Dr. Colglazier says, "I think it's fantastic, as we approach the traditional American holiday of Thanksgiving, that First Congregational Church of Los Angeles would host an interfaith trilogue sermon.

"I am more and more convinced that the new opportunity being presented to us in the 21st century is to forge common understanding and mutual respect, especially in the arena of religion. The peoples of the earth will never find peace until the religions of the world find a way to understand one another better, appreciate differences of viewpoint, and celebrate common goals for the human family.

"Given that our church is undertaking a yearlong exploration on the theme — Love, Compassion and the Art of Forgiveness — I am eager to see how each of us addresses these important values from a faith perspective."     

Dr. Colglazier, whose accessible and optimistic spiritual work has been featured on CNN, The Today Show, and The CBS Morning Show as well as in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and The New York Times, was interviewed on Thursday September 9 by CBS 2 (KCBS, KCAL 9). Dr. Colglazier advocates for a progressive Christianity that embraces the religious diversity of our city and world, using that diversity to make one's faith stronger.  

Rabbi Joshua Levine Grater has a regular blog on The Huffington Post, is a frequent contributor to the Los Angeles Jewish Journal, and has been published widely on many different websites and blogs. He currently serves on several boards, including Jewish World Watch, a synagogue-based consortium that focuses on genocide, primarily in Darfur and Congo; the executive committee of the Board of Rabbis of Southern California; and on the National Advisory Board of J-Street, as well as being a member of the advisory board of Just Vision.   

Imam Jihad Turk, a religious director at the University of Southern California advises and serves the needs of the Muslim students on campus. Jihad has been serving as the Religious Director at the Islamic Center of Southern California since 2005. Together with an Episcopal Priest, Jihad founded and currently sits as co-chair of the Christian-Muslim Consultative Group, a group comprised of major Christian and Muslim denominations and organizations intent on understanding each other and working together on common goals.

First Congregational Church of Los Angeles is a home to progressive values and embraces the diversity of our multi-faith community, the city of Los Angeles. The trilogue sermon scheduled for November 14 at 11:00 a.m. should be engaging, fresh and challenging to anyone who cares about faith in the 21st century.

For more info please visit www.FCCLA.org.

First Congregational Church of Los Angeles is located between Downtown & Hancock Park.  540 S. Commonwealth Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90020.

Director of Communications, Kim-Minh Huberwald, email/ [email protected]  tel/ 213.355.5236.

SOURCE First Congregational Church of Los Angeles