Category Archives: News

2025 Dialogue In Review

On Saturday October 25, the 13th A Common World Alberta Interfaith Dialogue took place at the Al Ameen Masjit in Edmonton. Seventy-six Muslims and Christians gathered to explore together the shared story of Abraham/Ibrahim welcoming the strangers/visitors/angels. Six of the Christians present were Edmonton Mennonites.

We opened with a Quranic reading read by the Sheikh of Al Ameen Masjit. This was followed by a land acknowledgement and an Indigenous teaching offered by Candida Shepherd, one of our teachers at our annual dialogue in 2023 on the topic of the medicine wheel.    

The speakers this year were Imam Jamal from Al Rashid Mosque for the Muslim voice and Pastor Suzanne Gross from Holyrood Mennonite for the Christian voice.

The theme was hospitality, sharing together how we are called through this story to be hospitable in a world full of fear of each other. Christian representation included Catholics, LDS, Anglicans, Mennonites, and non-churchgoers who grew up Christian. Anke Jessen, one of the Mennonite participants who attends Lendrum Mennonite Church had the following to share:

“It was a wonderful  event and I enjoyed it  and learned a lot. At my table I had participants aged mid-teens to at least mid-70s from & 6 co-nationalities (if you count the young Christian woman who joined us after the main program & who grew up in Dubai and is of Chinese descent). One woman had been part of the group from its origins, while two heard about it for the first time from Eventbrite. And before that I met an engaging couple originally from Turkey at my original table. The warmth and variety of people I met was further enhanced by the great programming a delicious food!, of course! I will do what I can to encourage more Christians to participate next time! We were definitely outnumbered 🙂 It was a rich experience and I hope more folks take part in it next time!”

2024 Dialogue: Lessons From Prophet Jonas (Younis)

Saturday, October 26, 2024
1:30 – 4:30 p.m.
Hosted at Al Rashid Mosque

A Common Word Alberta (ACWAB) Annual Interfaith Dialogue is approaching. We warmly invite you to join us again this year to build on the journey of expanding our circle and allow us to find interconnectedness and learn about Lessons from Prophet Jonah (Younis).

Our guests will have four opportunities to discuss what we are learning in small groups. Our time together will conclude with reflections from local guests.

We invite you to share this opportunity with your friends and relations so that we can all learn together what it means to contribute the best of ourselves and our faith traditions. May God guide us in his infinite mercy and peace.

– From ACWAB planning committee

For more information, see the poster below, or visit: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/lessons-from-prophet-jonah-younis-tickets-951714522757

2023 Dialogue: “Help Me Be Teachable Today”

A Common Word Alberta (ACWAB) Annual Interfaith Dialogue is approaching. We warmly invite you to join us again this year to build on the journey of expanding our circle and allow us to find

interconnectedness and reconciliation with the First Peoples of Treaty Six.

During our time together, we will be guided by our special guests Elder Fernie, and Helper Candida. They will teach us about the Cree Medicine Wheel of Life. Cree Medicine is the element that contributes to a holistic philosophy of health and healing where our well-being is at its fullest and emotional, spiritual, physical, and mental experiences are interconnected.

Our guests will integrate this medicine wheel with the Calls to Action from the 2015 Truth and Reconciliation Commission report to help us, as settlers, including newcomer settlers, understand our role in the reconciliation process. We will have four opportunities to have a dialogue in small groups. Our time together will conclude with reflections from Dr. Christina Conroy and Imam Sadique Pathan.

We invite you to share this opportunity with your friends and relations so that we can

all learn together what it means to contribute the best of ourselves and our faith traditions to reconcile with our Indigenous brothers and sisters. May God guide us in his infinite mercy and peace.

Refreshments and a light lunch will be served.

Saturday, October 28, 10 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. at Sacred Heart Church of the First Peoples (10821 96 Street).

Tickets available at Eventbrite.

Invite your friends on Facebook.

2022 Dialogue: “Drawing the Circle Bigger” Coming Up on October 29

For the past nine years, ACWAB has played a quiet but impactful role in our community in getting Christians and Muslims face to face in a non-threatening environment for conversation.  In a time when it has come to our corporate attention that our communities are fragmented and we have a real problem with islamophobia, we have found face to face interactions between Muslims and Christians are effective in building peaceful, respectful and loving relationships between differing faiths.

We invite you and interested community members to join us this year in our annual Dialogue Event on October 29, 2022, 10:00am -2:00pm.  The venue this year will be All Saints Anglican Cathedral.  

You can get tickets at Eventbrite here for both in-person or on Zoom. You can also spread the word by inviting your friends on Facebook.

We look forward to coming together as diverse and harmonious communities on October 29th!

You can also learn about our Past Events.

New Website

Welcome to the new website for A Common Word Alberta. We are currently under construction, but hope to be back and fully functional within the next couple of weeks. Please check back again, and thanks for your patience!