Church of Scientology Nashville Hosts Virtual Gathering for World Interfaith Harmony Week

 

The Church of Scientology Nashville is hosting a special virtual meeting in observance of World Interfaith Harmony Week with a multi-religious group on February 5^th at 11 am CST.

 

Hate graffiti, death threats, and violence toward people of religion have become recurrent mainstream news. FBI hate crime statistics show that in 2019 alone, 15,588 law enforcement agencies reported 7,314 hate crime incidents involving 8,559 offenses.

 

“In order to truly combat religious discrimination in this day and age, we have to come together and learn about the religious other,” says Rev. Brian Fesler, Pastor of the Church of Scientology, who has called together people of many different faiths and cultures to take part in a virtual meeting for World Interfaith Harmony Week, the first week each February.

 

The event has been titled: “Discourse Over Discord: What Does Interfaith Harmony Sound Like?” and plays to the fact that the hosting city is Music City, but will include conversation between many people of different faiths and how we can come together in harmony.

 

The event will feature a virtual panel discussion with a Muslim woman, a Jewish man, and a Baha’i woman, moderated by Rev. Fesler of the Church of Scientology.

 

Rev. Fesler is passionate about bringing together all peoples and has reached out to many different faith leaders for this special service. “Everyone, regardless of their race, religion, culture—everyone deserves to have a voice, to live in peace, and to practice their religion in harmony with the rest of mankind,” he says.

 

The Church of Scientology’s creed begins with the words: “We of the Church believe that all men of whatever race, color or creed were created with equal rights; that all men have inalienable rights to their own religious practices and their performance…”   

 

“It is part of our very fabric to support others’ rights and abilities to practice their religion in peace, so that is what we are lifting up through this service,” says Rev. Fesler.

 

The World Interfaith Harmony Service will take place on February 5, 2020 at 11:00am CST virtually. To anyone who wishes to participate, contact rccnashville@gmail.com.

 

For more information about Scientology, its practices or beliefs, visit scientology.org.

Nashville Religion Communicators Connects with the Community

 

The Nashville Chapter of the Religion Communicators Council (RCC) meets monthly to talk about topics of interest and hear from professionals in religious communications.  

 

The Religion Communicators Council (RCC) is an interfaith association of religion communicators at work in print and electronic communication, marketing and public relations. The Nashville Chapter meets monthly at rotating locations to learn about other faith traditions, learn from fellow communicators and gain professional development opportunities.

 

The February meeting will take place virtually, as has been the common meeting ground for nearly all events since April 2020.

 

RCC members will hear from a Deaconess from the Church for All People (C4AP) in Columbus Ohio. This church is an example of an urban church partnering with their surrounding community to offer services. For more info: https://www.4allpeople.org/Church

 

She will share how the church has adapted to COVID-19, specifically how programs have been modified from in person to virtual; how they are communicating with hard-to-reach folks; and the services offered for the surrounding community.

 

“We’re so glad to hear about how people are staying connected with their communities during this time,” says Julie Brinker, Communications Coordinator for the Nashville RCC and Director of Community Affairs for the Church of Scientology Nashville.

 

The RCC has members from every faith group and walk of life including Baha’is, Christians, Jews, Muslims, Scientologists, Sikhs, Hindus and more. The RCC, founded in 1929, is an association of communications professionals who work for and with a diverse group of faith-based organizations in the areas of communications, public relations, advertising and development.

 

The RCC provides opportunities for communicators to learn from each other. Together, RCC members promote excellence in the communication of faith and values in the public arena. For more information about the Religion Communicators Council, visit religioncommunicators.org/nashville-chapter.

 

MLK 2021 Virtual Event Stays the Course for Human Rights

 

Human Rights group forwards the dream of Martin Luther King Jr. through its award-winning education campaign

 

On the King Center website, Coretta Scott King describes the significance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a day to honor the legacy of "a man who brought hope and healing to America ... The King Holiday honors the life and contributions of America's greatest champion of racial justice and equality, the leader who not only dreamed of a color-blind society but who also led a movement that achieved historic reforms to help make it a reality." In Nashville, Tennessee United for Human Rights (TnUHR) is joining the MLK Day virtual event in Nashville to honor Dr. King's legacy.

 

On the MLKDayNashville.com website, Tennessee United for Human Rights is listed on the sponsors page, with the description: “Tennessee United for Human Rights provides human rights educational resources and activities that inform, assist and unite individuals, educators, organizations and governmental bodies in the area of Human Rights.” There is also a link to the website tnuhr.org and email info@tnuhr.org.

 

TnUHR was formed as a nonprofit public benefit corporation in 2015 to educate Tennesseans on the basic principles and foundations of human rights. It is the local chapter of United for Human Rights, an international, not-for-profit organization dedicated to implementing the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Its membership is comprised of individuals, educators and groups throughout the world who actively forward the knowledge and protection of human rights by and for all mankind.

 

The theme of the 2021 MLK Virtual Event is "Moving the Movement: Honoring Our Past, Present and Future," and took place online this week with the main program on January 18. It aired on MyTV30 and on Facebook Live (facebook.com/MLKDayNashville) with keynote speaker, prominent civil rights activist Rev. James Lawson.

 

Brian Fesler, regional coordinator of TnUHR and pastor of the Church of Scientology Nashville, says, "Dr. King is a human rights legend and we are always going to honor his legacy by working to make his dream a reality."

 

United for Human Rights was founded on the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the first such document ever ratified by the community of nations. Then as now, continued worldwide human rights abuses violate the spirit, intent and articles of this charter. United for Human Rights is committed to advancing human rights through education. An understanding of the 30 rights enshrined in the document is the first step to bringing about their broad implementation.

 

The Church of Scientology and Scientologists support United for Human Rights, the world's largest nongovernmental human rights education campaign, active in 192 countries and partnering with 1,500 groups and organizations. The initiative is inspired by humanitarian and Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard who said: "It is vital that all thinking men urge upon their governments sweeping reforms in the field of human rights."

 

Church of Scientology Nashville to Host Virtual World Interfaith Harmony Week Meeting

 

The Church of Scientology Nashville is hosting a special virtual meeting in observance of World Interfaith Harmony Week with a multi-religious group.

 

Hate graffiti, death threats, and violence toward people of religion have become recurrent mainstream news. FBI hate crime statistics show that in 2019 alone, 15,588 law enforcement agencies reported 7,314 hate crime incidents involving 8,559 offenses.

 

“In order to truly combat religious discrimination in this day and age, we have to come together and learn about the religious other,” says Rev. Brian Fesler, Pastor of the Church of Scientology, who has called together people of many different faiths and cultures to take part in a virtual meeting for World Interfaith Harmony Week, the first week each February.

 

Rev. Fesler is passionate about bringing together all peoples and has reached out to many different faith leaders for this special service. “Everyone, regardless of their race, religion, culture—everyone deserves to have a voice, to live in peace, and to practice their religion in harmony with the rest of mankind,” he says.

 

The Church of Scientology’s creed begins with the words: “We of the Church believe that all men of whatever race, color or creed were created with equal rights; that all men have inalienable rights to their own religious practices and their performance…”   

 

“It is part of our very fabric to support others’ rights and abilities to practice their religion in peace, so that is what we are lifting up through this service,” says Rev. Fesler.

 

The World Interfaith Harmony Service will take place on February 5, 2020 at 11:00am CST virtually. To anyone who wishes to participate, contact rccnashville@gmail.com.

Tennessee United for Human Rights Participates in MLK 2021 Virtual Event

 

On the King Center website, Coretta Scott King describes the significance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a day to honor the legacy of "a man who brought hope and healing to America ... The King Holiday honors the life and contributions of America's greatest champion of racial justice and equality, the leader who not only dreamed of a color-blind society but who also led a movement that achieved historic reforms to help make it a reality." In Nashville, Tennessee United for Human Rights (TnUHR) is joining the MLK Day virtual event in Nashville to honor Dr. King's legacy.

 

On the MLKDayNashville.com website, Tennessee United for Human Rights is listed on the sponsors page, with the description: “Tennessee United for Human Rights provides human rights educational resources and activities that inform, assist and unite individuals, educators, organizations and governmental bodies in the area of Human Rights.” There is also a link to the website tnuhr.org and email info@tnuhr.org.

 

TnUHR was formed as a nonprofit public benefit corporation in 2015 to educate Tennesseans on the basic principles and foundations of human rights. It is the local chapter of United for Human Rights, an international, not-for-profit organization dedicated to implementing the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Its membership is comprised of individuals, educators and groups throughout the world who actively forward the knowledge and protection of human rights by and for all mankind.

 

The theme of the MLK Virtual Event is "Moving the Movement: Honoring Our Past, Present and Future," and takes place online throughout this week culminating with the main program on January 18 at 11am CST, airing on MyTV30 with keynote speaker, prominent civil rights activist Rev. James Lawson.

 

Brian Fesler, regional coordinator of TnUHR and pastor of the Church of Scientology Nashville, says, "Dr. King is a human rights legend and we are always going to honor his legacy by working to make his dream a reality."

 

United for Human Rights was founded on the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the first such document ever ratified by the community of nations. Then as now, continued worldwide human rights abuses violate the spirit, intent and articles of this charter. United for Human Rights is committed to advancing human rights through education. An understanding of the 30 rights enshrined in the document is the first step to bringing about their broad implementation.

 

The Church of Scientology and Scientologists support United for Human Rights, the world's largest nongovernmental human rights education campaign, active in 192 countries and partnering with 1,500 groups and organizations. The initiative is inspired by humanitarian and Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard who said: "It is vital that all thinking men urge upon their governments sweeping reforms in the field of human rights."

Nashville Religion Communicators Council Shares How to Enter and Win for an Award

 

The Nashville Chapter of the Religion Communicators Council (RCC) meets monthly to talk about topics of interest and hear from professionals in religious communications.  

 

The Religion Communicators Council (RCC) is an interfaith association of religion communicators at work in print and electronic communication, marketing and public relations. The Nashville Chapter meets monthly to learn about other faith traditions, learn from fellow communicators and gain professional development opportunities.

 

The first meeting of 2021 took place virtually, as has been the common meeting ground for all events since March of last year. RCC Nashville President, Rev. Brian Fesler, moderated a panel discussion about how to enter and win the DeRose-Hinkhouse Memorial Awards. On the panel were fellow members with National Board of Governors for the Religion Communicators Council, Ryan Koch and Cherilyn Crowe.

 

The DeRose-Hinkhouse Memorial Awards are given annually to active members of the Religion Communicators Council who demonstrate excellence in religious communications and public relations. The awards are named to honor the late Victor DeRose and the late Paul M. Hinkhouse, leading lithographers in New York City, and longtime friends of the RCC. Both men shared a strong interest in, and concern for, excellence in communications, according to the RCC website.

 

The virtual meeting was recorded for RCC members through Zoom.

 

The RCC has members from every faith group and walk of life including Baha’is, Christians, Jews, Muslims, Scientologists, Sikhs, Hindus and more. The RCC, founded in 1929, is an association of communications professionals who work for and with a diverse group of faith-based organizations in the areas of communications, public relations, advertising and development.

 

The RCC provides opportunities for communicators to learn from each other. Together, RCC members promote excellence in the communication of faith and values in the public arena. For more information about the Religion Communicators Council, visit religioncommunicators.org/nashville-chapter.

2020 Year in Review: Drug-Free Tennessee

 

2020 saw many changes to the way nonprofit organizations operate, and Drug-Free Tennessee was no different in that regard.

 

While no one could have anticipated all that 2020 brought, Drug-Free Tennessee (DFT) shifted its focus to virtual and on-call help for those in need across the state.

 

Tennessee has seen an increase of drug overdoses every year since 2015, most recent data in 2019 had Tennessee’s overdose rate at 2,089. This number has increased in 2020 in part due to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to health experts.

 

Drug-Free Tennessee hosted virtual resources throughout the year online at drugfreetn.org with audio-visual messages and videos aimed at helping people steer clear of drug abuse and addiction. The organization has also long offered virtual learning resources and free materials to all educators wanting to help people learn the truth about drugs. Resources are available free of charge through drugfreeworld.org.

 

Julie Brinker, Drug-Free Tennessee spokesperson, said, “Now more than ever is the time to help our friends and neighbors learn the truth about drugs. They are deadly, and people have a right to know what they are getting into before it’s too late.”

 

Drug-Free Tennessee distributes the Truth About Drugs booklet, which cover all basic side effects of drugs, common street names, and how to recognize when you are being persuaded by a dealer. DFT also has a range of award winning Public Service Announcements and an award winning feature length documentary detailing the dangers of drugs and addiction. To learn more or to order booklets or view the videos, visit drugfreetn.org and drugfreeworld.org.