Prayer and worship

Prayer is included in the activities of many inter faith groups and councils – but not usually joint spoken prayer. More common is:

	shared silent prayer or meditation
	a pattern of sequential offerings of spoken prayers and reading from members of different faiths to which others listen, but in which they do not actively participate; rather, prayer is offered individually by members of the gathering in a way which respects the integrity of each tradition.

When spoken joint prayers are used, there can be a danger that people find themselves voluntarily or involuntarily joining in what appears to be worship of a divinity who is not recognisably as they understand the divine and feeling pressed to do so even though they would prefer not to be. Also, nontheists (such as Buddhists) can be put into an awkward situation by assumptions that all religions acknowledge a Divine Being. Likewise, for traditions where the Divine is understood wholly or partly in feminine or in impersonal terms, the constant use of masculine or personal terms may prove alienating. Given these possibilities for misunderstanding and offence, it is important to sound out carefully how individual members feel about shared spoken prayer, before it becomes part of a group’s life.

We organise an evening of prayer and food annually and invite representatives from our different faith communities to lead a section of prayer. We also include the possibility for other people to contribute a reading or a prayer. Last October we made a special effort to involve the Mosque Committee in the planning, along with our Sharing of Faiths Committee .. and the publicity went out in our joint name. This was a first and very encouraging.
Wycombe Sharing of Faiths

Joint acts of reflection or commitment

Generally, local inter faith bodies do not hold events which would be described as ‘worship’ because, for reasons akin to those described in the previous section, members of many of the faith traditions would find it inappropriate to join in such acts.

It is more common to hold events during the course of which religious readings or reflections may be included but on the kind of basis discussed under ‘sequential prayer’ in the section above. The Act of Reflection by the Faith Communities of the United Kingdom is an example of this. The word ‘service’ tends to be avoided for such events to avoid the impression that a worship service is intended.

Helpful advice on faith community perspectives on participation in joint events with a prayer or worship dimension can be found in pages 45-60 of the Home Office Document Working Together:Cooperation Between Government and Faith Communities

Multi faith civic ceremonies

In multi faith areas it is increasingly common for civic religious events to reflect this religious diversity and for local inter faith bodies to be invited to advise on events and to provide participants. Sometimes they play an even more extensive role where there are regular civic events designed especially to highlight inter faith cooperation and community.

People of all ages from nine world religions came together to worship under one roof, taking Peace as the main theme of the one hour service. Bedford Borough Council (especially Speaker Councillor Khan and Deputy Mayor Cllr Shan Hunt) working with Bedford Council of Faiths arranged the occasion at Biddenham Upper School, which included music, prayers and readings from all the faiths.
Bedford Council of Faiths

There has been an annual civic inter faith celebration since 1993. It is run jointly by the Lord Mayor's Office and Bristol Inter Faith Group. Faith communities offer readings, music, drama and prayers on a theme suggested by BIFG. The event takes place at the Council House and includes a buffet meal. Hospitality, printing, and publicity costs are met by the Lord Mayor.
Bristol Inter Faith Group

Many local inter faith bodies play an important role in assisting on the local civic marking of Holocaust Memorial Day.

Members of all faiths and cultures came together to remember victims of oppression and torture across the world at a short ceremony on the steps of Blackburn Town Hall on King William Street in the town centre. This was arranged by Blackburn with Darwen Council and the Interfaith Council for Blackburn with Darwen whose chair led the ceremony. The Minister of Heaton Park Synagogue in Manchester gave the main address. Following the Mayor’s closing address there was a lighting of candles ceremony.
Blackburn with Darwen Interfaith Council

Shared Act of Reflection and Commitment by the Faith Communities

In this section

Find a local inter faith body
Getting started
    Checklist
    Aims and names
    Venues for meetings
Practical matters
   Membership patterns
   Groundrules
   Constitutions
   Calendar matters
   Catering for events
   Times for meetings
   Media
   Statements
   Web sites
   Financial issues
   Charitable status
   Volunteers and staff
   Premises
   Local Authorities
   Local Strategic Partnerships
Activities
   Awareness raising
   Charity fundraising
   Discussion meetings
   Diversity training
   Environmental projects
   Health and emergency services
   Joint events
   Special events
   Multi faith civic ceremonies
   Pilgrimages
   Prayer and worship
   Responding to tensions
   Social gatherings
   Trips and exchanges
   Visiting places of worship
   Women
   Working with schools
   Young people
Local Inter Faith Survey