REPRESENTATIVE OF FUTURE GROTON HINDU TEMPLE TALKS OF SOCIAL JUSTICE AT ANNUAL GROTON INTERFAITH COUNCIL POTLUCK BREAKFAST

In honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, the Groton Interfaith Council is once again hosting the Annual Community Pot-luck Breakfast. This year will feature an enlightening presentation by Neelkanth Mishra of the New England Shirdi Sai Parviaar Temple and its approach to social justice and community service. There will be ample time for discussion following his presentation.

The event will begin with breakfast at 10:00 AM at the First Parish Church (UU) in Groton on Monday, January 19, and the speaker will follow.

The event is free. Please bring a vegetarian dish to share.

This annual breakfast is one of many community events sponsored during the year by the Groton Interfaith Council. The Council was begun in Groton in 2009 with the mission of fostering understanding, respect, justice and peace among people of differing religious and faith traditions through education, fellowship, service and worship.

Each year, Groton Interfaith Council hosts an annual potluck breakfast in memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Traditionally, this event is held in close proximity to the civil rights leader’s birthday, and the theme of the breakfast focuses on community service as a way to honor Dr. King’s legacy of service.

This annual breakfast is one of many community events sponsored during the year by the Groton Interfaith Council. The Council was begun in Groton in 2009 with the mission of fostering understanding, respect, justice and peace among people of differing religious and faith traditions through education, fellowship, service and worship.

This year’s breakfast will take place on Monday, January 20, 2014. The Potluck Breakfast will begin at 9:00 am and will be held at First Parish Church of Groton. Bring your favorite breakfast treat and join the discussion. This event is free and open to the public.

This year’s speaker will be Maggie Monroe­-Cassel, Executive Director for Habitat for Humanity North Central Massachusetts. Habitat for Humanity is a global nonprofit organization dedicated to providing affordable quality housing through construction, rehabilitation and preserving of homes and communities. Since its founding in 1976, Habitat for Humanity has built, renovated and repaired more than 600,000 decent, affordable homes sheltering more than 3 million people world­wide.

Originally from New York State, Maggie Monroe­-Cassel is an ordained American Baptist clergywoman. While serving churches in New York for 25 years, Maggie founded a Habitat affiliate and a local credit union, to pursue her belief in economic justice. Maggie will speak about the work of Habitat for Humanity locally but also about the roots of this organization which sprang up from amidst the American Civil Rights Movement.

For additional information contact Steve Boczenowski, President, Groton Interfaith Council (978-­448-­5013 or boczeno@gmail.com); or Judy Nauman, Secretary, Groton Interfaith Council (978-­808-­4881 or judy.g.nauman@gmail.com).

On Saturday, January 12, at 4:00 PM, the Groton Interfaith Council will sponsor a gospel concert featuring the Boston Community Choir in the sanctuary of the First Parish Church.  The Boston Community Choir has become well-known throughout the Boston area for its inspired and uplifting performances.  In its special way, this choir is adding to the very rich and exciting history of gospel music.  This event is free and open to the public.

This program is supported in part by a grant from the Groton Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.  This program is also supported in part by the Groton Trust Funds.