Spirit and Healing in a Violent World Forum Sunday

Open Spirit: A Place of Hope, Health & Harmony will host a multi-faith, multi-disciplinary conversation about how spiritual practices and spiritual communities help us as we respond to the violent world in which we live today, April 12.

The event, entitled, Spirit and Healing in a Violent World, is from 2 to 5 p.m. at Open Spirit, in the Edwards Hall building of Edwards Church, UCC, 39 Edwards Street in the Saxonville section of Framingham.

There is no charge for the program; donations to Open Spirit are appreciated.

The event will feature two keynote speakers.

• Pat Scanlon is a Vietnam Veteran who has devoted his life to working for peace, through Veterans for Peace and other activist organizations.Pat is an active member of the Unitarian Universalist Church, and a singer-songwriter.
• Rev. Lucy Marshall, Protestant Chaplain at MCI Framingham. In her role, Rev. Marshall offers spiritual counsel to women whose lives have been profoundly affected by violence. She is also on the Board of Directors of Ria House, a nonprofit organization committed to creating a home community in Massachusetts with adult women who have experience sexual slavery, commercial sexual exploitation, and sex trafficking.

These two speakers will be joined by four local spiritual leaders for a panel discussion.

• Rabbi Donald Splansky is the Rabbi Emeritus at Temple Beth Am in Framingham.
• Philip Cantor is an active member of the Framingham Baha’i Community.
• Christine Lee is an acupuncturist, registered nurse and coordinator of the Metrowest Veterans Acupuncture Clinic.She practices at Balance and Healing Center in Framingham.
• Chaplain Mary Lahaj is a member of the Association of Muslim Chaplains and teaches religion at the Islamic Center of Boston in Wayland, where she is on the Family Matters committee.

The panel will reflect on such questions as:

• How do we respond to the violence and the constant threat of violence in our world?
• How do spiritual communities and spiritual practices help us find peace, comfort, and a healthy sense of security?
• How do our spiritual resources help us in our work to heal the violence of our world?

The moderator will invite members of the audience to participate in the conversation, offering questions and reflections.

Open Spirit: A Place of Hope, Health & Harmony is a welcoming, multi-faith center. We provide programs that support healing, wellness, spiritual nourishment, and encourage personal growth and community connectedness.