Colorado faith leaders reach out to Muslim Community Members

As Muslims across the United States continue to hear discriminatory statements about Islam and Muslims through the news-media and otherwise, the Muslims in Colorado have received a strong message of solidarity and support from leaders of Christian, Jewish, Buddhist and other faith traditions in the state.

Over ninety ministers, pastors, rabbis, and priests have signed a joint letter of solidarity penned, "To our dear Muslim brothers and sisters". The letter that was published on Thursday, December 10, 2015, reads:

"Our dear Muslim brothers and sisters in Colorado,

We wish for your safety and for the well-being of your families.

In the light of recent violent events in the US and elsewhere, messages of hate against Muslims are spreading. Misguided people will continue to seek opportunities to destroy peace and inflict pain and suffering. We abhor the criticism and disrespectful rhetoric that is being misguidedly directed towards Islam and Muslims.

Our own voices echo the prayer of the Denver Islamic Society and Imam ShemsAdeen Ben-Masaud, member of the Colorado Imam Council, written on November 14, 2015, that, “We pray for an end to all destructive forces that try to separate us from each other and from our humanity”.

We stand by you and your families and believe that, by the will of God, together we can help turn this atmosphere of fear to an atmosphere of love."

End Quote

Imam Shakir, Coordinator of the Colorado Imam Council and Imam at the Islamic Center of Fort Collins, said, "We are honored to receive this letter and we look forward to working with these leaders and others who wish to help build bridges between different faith groups and between their congregations so that together we can build a better nation based on the ideals of trust, cooperation and mutual benefit."

Patty Lawless, Lead Statewide Organizer for Together Colorado, helped spread word of this letter within her network. She worked with Aamer Trambu, Treasurer for Islamic Circle of North America, to put this statement together. Together Colorado is a multi-faith multi-racial organization founded in 1978 that seeks to unlock the power of people in transforming their communities.

Denver Islamic Society will be holding an Open House from 2:30 to 5pm every third Saturday of the month. The next open house will be held on Saturday, December 19, 2015.

An additional letter of support from the Longmont Buddhist Temple is below:

You can download the PDF version of the file here:

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12-04-15_letter_from_buddhist_leaders_to_colorado_muslims.pdf
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Signatories to the letters include:

​Br. Scott Michael Pomerenk, n/BSG, St. Thomas Episcopal Church
Cal Kenper, Northglenn United Church of Christ
Clay Jones, President, Second Glance Ministries
Dr. Rev. Annabel B. Clark, member, Sixth Avenue United Church of Christ
Dustin Adkins, Minister, South Broadway Christian Church
Emily Conger, Interim Minister, Jefferson Unitarian Church, Golden
Fr. Terry Kissell, St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church, Aurora
Jeff Johnsen, Mile High Ministries
Kathy Escobar, Co-pastor, The Refuge, Broomfield
Minister Florence Caplow, Two Rivers Unitarian Universalist, Carbondale
Msgr. Robert L. Amundsen, Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Lafayette
Nancy Kovalcik, Faith Leaders in Action, SE Colorado
Pastor Bert Chilson, St. Stephen Parish & School, Glenwood Springs
Pastor Betsy Headrick McCrae, Glennon Heights Mennonite Church
Pastor Caitlin Trussell, Augustana Lutheran Church
Pastor Daniel Smith, Ascension Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs
Pastor Emily Hagan, First United Methodist Church of Berthoud
Pastor Merv Birky, Beth-El Mennonite Church, Colorado Springs
Pastor Patrick Hurley, First Presbyterian Church, Pueblo
Pastor Paul Howard, Pastor, Montclair Community United Methodist Church
Pastor Sara Wirth, Mount Calvary Lutheran Church, Boulder
Pat Washburn, Chaplain, Good Samaritan Village, Estes Park
Rabbi Bernard Gerson, Congregation Rodef Shalom
Rabbi Brian Field, Judaism Your Way, Denver
Rabbi Deborah Bronstein, Congregation Har Hashem, Boulder
Rabbi Eliot Baskin, DMin, Jewish Family Service
Rabbi Joseph R. Black, President – Rocky Mountain Rabbinical Council
Rabbi Marc Soloway, Congregation Bonai Shalom, Boulder
Rabbi Sarah Bracha Gershuny, Congregation Nevei Kodesh, Boulder
Rabbi Stephen Booth-Nadav
Rev. Allyson Sawtell, United Church of Christ
Rev. Amanda Henderson, Executive Director, Interfaith Alliance of Colorado
Rev. Beth Chronister, Assistant Minister, First Unitarian Society of Denver
Rev. Beth Robey Hyde, United Church of Christ (retired)
Rev. Bill Calhoun, Presbyterian minister
Rev. Bill Kirton, United Methodist Church (retired)
Rev. Bonita Bock, Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA) clergy
Rev. Canon Elizabeth Marie Melchionna, Saint John's Episcopal Cathedral, Denver
Rev. Dana W. Wilbanks, Prof. Emeritus of Christian Ethics, Iliff School of Theology
Rev. Daniel Klawitter, Deacon,Rocky Mountain Conference-United Methodist Church
Rev. Dawn Riley Duval, African Methodist Episcopal Church
Rev. Dr. Barry Bloom, Community Minister, Jefferson Unitarian Church, Golden
Rev. Dr. Charisa Hunter-Crump, Senior Minister, Cairn Christian Church, Boulder
Rev. Dr. Jennifer Morgan, Highlands Church
Rev. Dr. Neema Caughran, Center for Inner Peace, Pueblo
Rev. Dr. Pat Bruns, Senior Pastor, First United Methodist Church of Boulder
Rev. Dr. Vernon Rempel, Beloved Community Mennonite Church, Littleton
Rev. Edward A. Hawley, United Church of Christ (retired)
Rev. Erin Gilmore,  First Congregational Church of Loveland
Rev. Gary Weaver, First Presbyterian Church, Pueblo
Rev. Gregory Garland, Pastor, United Church of Broomfield, UCC
Rev. Ian Cummins, Montview Boulevard Presbyterian Church
Rev. J. Todd Smiedendorf, Senior Minister, Washington Park United Church of Christ
Rev. James Chapman, Broadmoor Community UCC, Colorado Springs
Rev. Jane E. Vennard, United Church of Christ
Rev. Jann Halloran, Prairie Unitarian Universalist Church, Parker
Rev. Jeannie Shero, First Universalist Church of Denver
Rev. Jeff Newuman-Lee, Whittier Community Church (Church of the Brethren)
Rev. John Hild, Metropolitan Community Church of Pueblo
Rev. Kelly Dignan, Unitarian Universalist Church of Boulder
Rev. Kevin Olsen, Interim Minister, First Congregational UCC, Pueblo
Rev. Lee Anderson, Trinity & Lakewood United Methodist Churches
Rev. Loren Richmond, Jr., United Church of Christ
Rev. Lydia Ferrante-Roseberry, Boulder Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship
Rev. Lynn Miller Jackson, Scott United Methodist Church
Rev. Mark Meeks, Capitol Heights Presbyterian Church
Rev. Melissa St. Clair, Heart of the Rockies Christian Church, Fort Collins
Rev. Mike Morran, Senior Minister, First Unitarian Society of Denver
Rev. Nelson Bock, Wartburg College
Rev. Paul J. Kottke, Metro District Superintendent, United Methodist Church
Rev. Sally Brown, St. John’s Cathedral
Rev. Sally Megeath, St. Thomas Episcopal Church
Rev. Sandra Daniel, United Church of Christ (retired)
Rev. Sandra Spahr, United Methodist Church, Pueblo
Rev. Shannon O'Hurley, Associate Minister, Mile Hi Church
Rev. Sharon McCormick, United Methodist
Rev. Stephan Papa, Unitarian Universalist (retired)
Rev. Steve Parke, United Church of Christ, Pueblo
Rev. Sue Artt, Acting Conf. Minister, Rocky Mountain Conf., United Church of Christ
Rev. Susan McKee, Minister for Interfaith Relations, Park Hill Cong. UCC
Rev. Ted Howard, St. John’s Episcopal Church, Boulder
Rev. Thandiwe Dale-Ferguson, Cairn Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Lafayette
Rev. Thomas E. Korson, Unitarian Universalist Community Minister (retired)
Rev. Val Stepien, Eyes of Compassion Sangha, Unified Buddhist Church
Rev. Wayne A. Laws, Mountain View United Church, United Church of Christ, Aurora
Rev. Wendy Williams, Senior Minister, Jefferson Unitarian Church, Golden
Rick Love, President, Peace Catalyst International

Additional signatories include:
Reverend Carol O’Dowd, Longmont Buddhist Temple
Board of Directors, Longmont Buddhist Temple 

For questions about this article please email coimamco@gmail.com or call 720-505-3399. To learn more about Islam please visit www.whyislam.org or call the 24x7 hotline 1-877-WHY-ISLAM (1-877-949-4752).