Hackney communities to come together for virtual day of prayer
Hackney residents will join faith and community leaders virtually for the borough’s inaugural Day of Prayer this Sunday (May 3), which will be broadcast live on YouTube.
The virtual prayer session will see members of various beliefs come together in support and solidarity for our communities, including leaders of Muslim, Jewish and Christian faiths, as well as a reverend from the New Unity non-religious church. It has been organised by Hackney’s Faith Forum, which regularly brings together faith leaders and community groups to work collaboratively on initiatives of common interest, such as reducing food poverty and homelessness, better coordinating social action and increasing community cohesion.
Hackney’s Faith Forum Chair and No Place for Hate Champion, Cllr Sade Etti, will welcome everyone to the session, and Deputy Mayor Cllr Anntoinette Bramble will deliver the closing speech. The Speaker of Hackney Cllr Kam Adams will also be joining in.
Prayers will be delivered by Imam Zakariya Saed of the North London Muslim Community; Rabbi Gluck OBE, Chairman of the Arab-Jewish Forum and President of Shomrim Stamford Hill, Reverend Andrew Letby of the Methodist Church in Hackney and Stoke Newington; Reverend Rosemia Brown of St James The Great Clapton Church; Cllr Ian Rathbone, Group Conveyner of Hackney Ecumenical Borough Deans; and Athiest Unitarian Minister, Reverand Dr. Andrew Pakula.
Whilst we can’t come together physically at this time, it’s more important than ever that we maintain our strong sense of community spirit and the inclusivity that makes our borough such a wonderful place to live in.
This event will bring together people of all faiths and no faiths, to share time together in unity during these unprecedented circumstances. We hope that you are able to join us for this special event.
We recognise that this will be a difficult time for our faith communities, who have been unable to physically join each other for prayers and important religious holidays. Despite these challenges, our faith communities have shown incredible resilience, finding new ways of joining one another for worship.
This is a wonderful opportunity for residents from both faith backgrounds and non-religious communities to join one another during what will be a difficult time for many, particularly those who have lost loved ones, are self-isolating and vulnerable, and struggling with economic hardship.
Residents can join the broadcast via Youtube on 3 May (3-4pm): https://youtu.be/nrG2miI35Go