Dearborn Heights — Muslim community members in addition to members of the Christian and Jewish communities gathered at the Islamic House of Wisdom in Dearborn Heights for a unity dinner that included attendance from the interfaith community last Friday.

Imam Elahi of the Islamic House of Wisdom and Rev. Bill Gepford of Littlefield Presbyterian Church began the dinner with opening prayers. Following dinner, the program moved into the auditorium for a special Interfaith Service that featured encouraging words of unity from Interfaith Clergy Leaders and participants.

Hajj Khalil Hachem gave welcoming words on behalf of the Islamic House of Wisdom and invited to the podium the MC of the evening, Dr. Robert Bruttell, Chair of the Interfaith Leadership Council of Metro Detroit to MC the event. Following a brief overview of the evening, emcee Robert Bruttell invited Imam Elahi to the podium.

Mentioning the end of the elections in the U.S., Imam Elahi hoped that the president’s slogan of change starts from within the minds and hearts of all people, replacing selfishness with sacrifice, greed with giving and the culture of “Me” with the culture of “We.”

Imam Elahi asked other mosques and churches to continue with this type of interfaith dialogue in setting a good example for those in the Middle East who are choosing the direction of death and destruction in the name of God and religion.

The second speaker was Rev. Amy Kienzl, the Pastor at Christus Victor Lutheran Church of Dearborn Heights reflected of the some stories from the Bible noting to “Love your neighbors” and asked for the continuity of this outreach.

The Islamic House of Wisdom will also begin their Ashura services this week with English speaker Sayed Jafar Al-Qazweeni  and Arabic speaker Sayed Najah Al-Husseini. The lectures will take place every night during the ten days of Ashura beginning at 7:30 p.m. g