No Peace Without God

  • Day: Monday, January 22, 2024
  • Time: 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM
  • Tel: 604-767-1965
  • Toll Free: 1-877-767-1965
  • Email: info.bc@ahmadiyya.ca

Moderator

Mr. Andrew Victor

Mr. Victor is the elected Chief of Cheam First Nation. Before being elected as
Chief, he served two terms as Councillor. Since 2002, he has served as a Pastor at
Chilliwack Native Pentecostal Church. For the past 7 years, he has served on the
Indigenous Partnership Council at Trinity Western University. He has previously
served on the Aboriginal Ministries executive committee of the BC & Yukon
Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada. He has been married to Melanie for 22 years
and they have four children.

Speakers

Baha`i Perspective
Mrs. Kiara La Fond

Kiara La Fond is a relatively new, but devout, member of the Baha’i faith. She currently resides in the beautiful city of Mission, BC, and is an active member of the Baha’i community there. She grew up in the Fraser Valley, in the small town of Harrison Mills. She was raised in a loving Christian family, and often befriended people with different faiths and beliefs. She first encountered the Baha’i faith in 2013, through a friend. She was immediately attracted to the warmth, vibrance and diversity of the Baha’i community, and started attending events and study classes. She spent a few years studying the faith, meeting Baha’is from different communities, reading the scriptures, applying the teachings to her own life, and sincerely considering Baha’u’llah’s claims to fulfill prophesy, and to be the promised return of the Word of God for this day and age. And in 2017 she officially declared and became a full member of the Baha’i Faith. She now tries to find ways she can serve the faith and the wider community, while also being a loving mother and devoted wife.

Christian Anglican Church Perspective
The Rev. Mirnada Sutherland

As we begin this new journey together, I want to extend a warm invitation to all of you to join
me in setting the pace for this period of time, and to work with me on this path of spiritual
renewal and growth, in a spirit of openness, compassion, and curiosity.  Let us work to discern
what is truly important, to set meaningful goals, and to make plans that will lead us towards
that bright and hopeful future that is already in your bellies. Let us be willing to explore new
ideas, to challenge ourselves, and to support one another as we grow and change. 
As your Interim Priest, I am here to work with you, providing guidance and support as is
necessary on this journey.  My encouragement is that each of you take an active role in shaping
the future of this faith community.  And as we do this, let us also prepare ourselves for the
arrival of a new priest.
Above all that, I am here to listen to you, to learn from you, and to grow with you. I am here to
support you in your spiritual journey, to hear what matters to you most, to walk with you and
your love-ones in challenging times that might come upon you.  I am here to celebrate with you
as you experience all the beautiful things of life.  And, I am here to help you and to find deeper
meaning in the Word and Sacrament, and to help you find the peace, hope, and love that can
only be found through a deeper connection with God.

Islam Perspective
Maulana Umran ul Haq Bhatti

Umran ul-Haq Bhatti is a Missionary of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at. Umran acquired his degree in Islamic Theology and Comparative Religions in 2013, Canada. He has served in Ghana, Atlantic Canada, and Toronto. During his 4 yrs in Atlantic Canada he was a monthly columnist writing for the local newspaper in removing misconception about the peaceful teachings of Islam and building bridges in the community. Currently he is the Imam of the Baitur Rehman Mosque in Delta, BC. He served as an Imam and Missionary for the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in the Calgary  branch at Baitun Noor Mosque from 2013- 2015. For the last 4 years he was serving Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Jamaica, West Indies, in the capacity of Missionary in Charge. He was recently appointed to serve the British Columbia chapters and the community based around Baitur Rahman Mosque in Delta, & Surrey BC. He is currently living in Delta with family (wife and 2 children)

Ms. Tejpreet Kaur
Sikh Faith Perspective

Tejpreet Kaur is a student and volunteer at the Gurmat Center, a Sikh youth-focused, non-profit school. Tejpreet Kaur has been learning Sikh scriptures, philosophy and history for over ten years. She aims to use what she has learned to speak about and share the beautiful message of the Sikh Gurus with others.

Christian LDS Perspective
Mr. Harald Desch

Harald Desch Currently serving as a High Councillor to the Stake Presidency in the Abbotsford Stake for
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He has served in various church callings during the past
30 years. Harald also volunteer for the Archway Food Bank Starfish Pack program which provides weekly food donations to children in need that are in Middle Schools. He is a local business owner and have
been married to my lovely wife, Yoshie Desch for 31 years and we have two wonderful daughters.

Myoshin Kate McCandless
Buddhist Perspective

Myoshin Kate McCandless and Shinmon Michael Newton began Zen practice in 1983 as university students in Japan, with a Rinzai priest at an ancient temple on Mount Tsukuba, later moving to Kyoto and practicing Soto Zen with Shohaku Okumura. Since returning to Vancouver in 1987 they have practiced with Zoketsu Norman Fischer. They received priest ordination from him in in 2003 and dharma transmission in 2011. They were installed as guiding teachers of Mountain Rain Zen Community in May, 2017.

Judaism Perspective
Ms. Sophei Morin

Sophie Morin is an educator and an active member of the Vancouver Jewish community. She currently teaches science communication at UBC Vancouver and is teaching an upcoming course on mathematics and Jewish spirituality at Or Shalom Synagogue.

Originally from Ontario, she has made a home in the Vancouver Jewish community. She is the vice-chair of JQT Vancouver, a nonprofit dedicated to making both queer spaces and Jewish spaces safer for queer Jews. She enjoys cooking, dancing, playing guitar, and obeying the Duolingo owl. 

Hindu Faith Perspective
Dr. Rajnish Dhawan PhD

Rajnish Dhawan [PhD] is an Associate Professor with the Department of English at the University of the Fraser Valley, Abbotsford, BC, Canada. He teaches Creative Writing, Classical Literature, and South Asian Literature. He has been involved with South Asian Studies Institute since the day he joined UFV in September 2009.  Rajnish is also a playwright who has written and produced two full length plays and two one act plays since joining UFV. Before moving to Canada, Rajnish used to teach at the DAV College, Amritsar. As a freelance writer in Amritsar, he wrote consistently for television, stage, and newspapers.

Program

  • 6.25 PM Announcement
  • 6:30 PM Recitation of the Holy Qur’an& Translation
  • 6:35 PM Welcome remarks by Dignitaries
  • President of The Church of Jesus Christ Latter day-Saints, Mr. Jammie Vermeern
  • Executive Director, Abbotsford Community Foundation, Mrs. Areni Kelleppan
  • Message from Mayor by Councilor Dave Sandu
  • 6:45 PM Introductory Remarks By Rizwan Peerzada, Regional President BC
  • 6:52 PM Introduction to moderator
  • 6:55 PM Speakers Panel (Time Allocated 10 minutes)
  • 6:55 PM Baha’I Mrs. Kiara La Fond
  • 7:05 PM Christianity Rev. Miranda Sutherland
  • 7:15 PM Islam Maulana Umran ul Haq Bhatti
  • 7:25 PM Sikh Faith Ms. Tejpreet Kaur
  • 7:35 PM Christianity Mr. Harald Desch
  • 7:45 PM Buddhist Faith Myoshin Kate McCandless
  • 7:55 PM Hindu Faith Dr. Rajnish Dhawan
  • 8:05 PM Question & Answer Session
  • 8:25 PM Concluding Remarks by moderator
  • 8:30 PM Vote of Thanks by President AMJ Abbotsford Fahim Channa
  • 8:35 PM Dinner

Map

Registration