Newsletter - 2015 Fall Edition

GHBIC Meets the

last Tuesday, at 8:00 am

Huntington Beach City Hall Complex, 2000

GREATER HUNTINGTON BEACH INTERFAITH COUNCIL

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

President:

Charles Niederman

Temple Beth David

Vice President:

Mark Currie

Bhai community

Past President:

Maneck Bhujwala

Zoroastrian Community

Treasurer:

Charles "Bud" Lung

First Church of Christ, Scientist, Huntington Beach

Secretary:

Maha Rahab Muslim community

Directors:

Dave Garofalo

St. Bonaventure Catholic Church

Jynene A. Johnson

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Rev. Dr. Peggy Price

Center for Spiritual Living

Past Presidents GHBIC

Rev. Kerry Beaulieu

Brian Clendenon

Rabbi Stephen Einstein

Rabbi Michael Mayersohn

Rev. Christian Mondor

Rev. Bruce Patterson

Rev. Dr. Peggy Price

Rev. Jan Wiley

Mark Currie

Rabbi Steve Einstein

Maneck Bhujwala

“THANKSGIVING ACROSS FAITH,

FAMILIES AND GENERATIONS”

Sunday, November 22, 2015

7:00—8:00 pm at King of Glory Lutheran Church

10280 Slater ave. Fountain Valley, CA

Speakers, of all ages representing many faith groups

Choirs, Various breads served.

Come and celebrate the original purpose of coming together in gratitude.

Water lovers get spiritual at Blessing of the Waves in Huntington Beach

HUNTINGTON BEACH – Water lovers of all convictions gathered at Pier Plaza early Sunday morning to thank the waves for health, life and joy.

“It’s you, and the surfboard, and nature,” Australian surfer and first World Surfing Champion Pete “PT” Townend said. “You’re connected to something God created. There’s very few activities that you do that you’re directly connected to God.”

Sunday was Townend’s first time at the Blessing of the Waves, created eight years ago by the Diocese of Or-ange and now hosted by the Greater Huntington Beach Interfaith Council. Townend said the original intent of the event – which drew members of the surfing community as well as professionals from the surfing and swim-ming worlds – and its host change three years ago was to unite people of all faiths, from Catholicism to surfing itself.

“Whatever higher power we look to, the waves all come from somewhere,” Townend said.

According to the Surfing Museum website, surfing goes back as far as 2000 B.C., when it became integral to Polynesians after they migrated to what are now the Hawaiian Islands. Capt. James Cook wrote about surfing during his travels in Hawaii, and in 1885 it appeared in California. The sport became popular in Huntington Beach with the help of legends Delbert “Bud” Higgins and Gene Belshe and their hand-carved redwood surf-boards in 1927. The City Council adopted the name “Surf City USA” in 1991.

Over eight years the event has attracted thousands of visitors. Former Huntington Beach Mayor Don MacAllis-ter said that during the event’s first two years, only about 100 to 200 people attended – mainly members of the religious and watersport communities. This year, more than 1,500 people filled the plaza overlooking 6-foot waves speckled with the morning’s surfers.

MacAllister, a daily patron of the Sugar Shack restaurant a block from the beach, said the entire beach area has been more crowded than ever this summer. He thinks the warm weather had a part, but he also recogniz-es a growing appreciation for surf culture and the beach.

“It was a natural thing to put together from my end,” MacAllister said. “[I’ve been] trying to help the surf commu-nity become a more accepted and romantic sport than how the public sees it.”

The event usually concludes with an organized paddleout, starting with the Huntington Beach junior lifeguards forming a funnel to direct surfers young and old into the water. This year, however, the waves were too big for comfort.

“We need to respect the power of the ocean,” Lt. Mike Beuerlein of the Marine Safety Division said before dis-appointing the crowd with the news of strong currents that would pull novice surfers dangerously close to the pier.

Scored by surf tunes from Dusty Watson and The Slacktone Band and ukulele ballads from Rock-A-Lay-Lee, the event’s speakers delivered important messages about respecting the ocean and acknoweldging the life force within the waves.

“This is an issue of stewardship,” the Rev. Tim Phillips of the Evangelical Lutheran Church said from the podi-um. “How do we care for the creation that was entrusted to us?”

Huntington Beach City Council members, athletes such as Townend and speakers from the plethora of faiths represented agreed in their individual reflections that water has a spiritual nature, whether or not it is appreciat-ed through a religious lens.

“That connection between humans and ocean is that we are all looking for the next wave, and that’s very spir-itual,” Townend said.

What you may have missed!

GHBIC Events

Monthly Speakers at GHBIC Meetings!

Dave Bishop, the founder, gave a stirring presentation

of the mission and accomplishments of his group. He

is the founder and has given his time and money to

helping young women.

He brought a beautiful young lady who shared her life's experience and how she has suc-

ceeded in the Pathway's program. Everyone in the meeting was impressed with the service

and sacrifice that this group is making.

They are currently supporting 51 girls and one of their apartment buildings is in Huntington

Beach. Truly a worthy organization!

Their mission: Pathways to Independence’s mission is to assist young women in getting an education and becoming

independent self-sufficient members of society. This occurs by providing the love, support and resources they require to

heal emotionally and live productively. Many of our clients come from alcoholic families. Many have experienced years

of incest or other forms of abuse. Some spent years in foster care or even became indigent.

Pathways commits to helping our clients with:

Weekly interactions with a mentor and weekly counseling with a licensed therapist

A monthly stipend to help cover housing expenses

Assistance with costs of tuition and books

Access to over 100 health care professionals who provide their services for free

Access to 4 mechanics, who donate all of their labor while the foundation reimburses for parts

Access to a wide variety of local professionals (lawyers, accountants, cosmetologists, etc. who donate their services)

You can contact them at: Pathways to Independence

P.O. Box 43 Los Alamitos, Ca 90720 562 493 9048 Www.pathwaystoindependence.org

Not one or two but FIVE MEMBERS OF GHBIC , attended the parliament of World Religions, in Salt Lake City.

They reported that it was an overwhelming success. Understanding, friendships, tours, meals, musical events etc.

Two of our members were selected to give presentations . More reports on that to come!

STAY CONNECTED!

Join us on Facebook for information on upcoming events and connect with others in the community!

Post your Faith group event!

https://www.facebook.com/ groups/103456889718435/

Greater Huntington Beach Interfaith Council

Calendar of Interfaith Events:

Nov 22 Thanksgiving event—King of Glory Church, FV 7:00 pm

Nov 24 Greater Huntington Beach Interfaith Council meeting 8:00 am , City Hall B-7

December NO GHBIC MEETING! HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Jan 29 Greater Huntington Beach Interfaith Council meeting 8:00 am , City Hall B-7

Advertise your faith groups’ event.

Keep up to date on other church activities and how we can work together.

Be a part of the solution to make Huntington Beach and Fountain Valley a safe,

compassionate place to live.

Work with the city on a solution for the homeless

Did You Know?

Breakfast is served at each Council meeting! Come at 8:00 am to get it!

A member of interfaith gives the Invocation at each HB City Council meeting!

The GHBIC sponsors a garden plot at the Community Garden and the food is given to homeless support centers in Huntington Beach.

Last Meeting notes:

1. A few t-shirts are available from THE BLESSING OF THE WAVES. Contact Dave Garofalo is you want one. $7.00 each (sale price) HBnews1@aol.com

2. Soon we will have a WEBSITE! Look for it!

GHBIC.ORG It is under con- struction but will be up

and live very soon!!

3. The Open Doors is a program to increase understanding of all faith groups. If

your Faith group would like to host an evening discussion, contact Maria Khani, mariakhani@aol.com

4. Save the Date: COMMUNITY SERVICE 2016 is April 23 & 24th.

There will be large group projects in Huntington Beach and Fountain Valley. Sign up on Justserve.org. This is sponsored by GHBIC and we invite all faith, civic and community members to come serve together.

SIGN UP to Volunteer @JustServe.org

The Greater Huntington Beach Interfaith Council meets on the last Tuesday of every month at 8:00 a.m. at the

Huntington Beach City Hall Complex, 2000 Main Street, Council Building, Room B-7. The next meeting will be on

February 24, 2015.

Please join our Facebook Page for regular updates on upcoming GHBIC events.

Facebook.com/Greater Huntington Beach Interfaith Council

Join the Greater Huntington Beach Interfaith Council

We invite all who want to work toward a vision of respect and

harmony in our community. If you are member of a faith group please join with us to

promote understanding and celebrate diversity.

We are better together.

Would you like to become a member of the Greater Huntington Beach Interfaith Council? Send the attached

membership form.