Welcome the month of March, 2011 with high spirits and wisdom's sounds. Rev. Heng Sure will present his perspective on "Spirituality and Music: Keeping Hope Alive." March 1, 7:30pm at Teance Tea Shop on 1780 Fourth St in Berkeley. 

Music is magic; it purifies the heart, moves the soul, strengthens the will and elevates the vision. Music can strengthen oppressed people to overthrown apartheid; it can calm the fears of those in peril. Music can turn depression to gaiety, and bring courage to men and women who have lost their hope. 

We will look into the power of music to effect such marvelous transformations and enjoy as well the finest tea served in the East Bay, courtesy of Teance Tea Shop. 

Watching the jubilation from Tahrir Square in Cairo, Egypt as caretaker President Suleiman just made a 20-second announcement that Hosni Mubarek has "stepped down" as President of Egypt. Eighteen days of demonstrations across the country have forced him to leave office after 30 years as iron-fisted dictator. The significance of this development for the Arab world and for people worldwide seeking political self-determination cannot be overestimated. The potential for the demonstrations in Cairo to descend into bloody turmoil, reminiscent of Tien An Men Square, did not manifest.

One commentator on Al Jazeera said, "I've seen people happy at weddings, at graduations, at births, but I have never seen happiness on people's faces to match this!"

(pictured from left: Swami Prabhudananda-ji, Heng Sure, Rita Semel, URI Executive Director Charles Gibbs, United Muslims of America Director Iftekhar Hai.)
On Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s holiday in San Francisco the SF Interfaith Council invited Interfaith leaders to march from AT&T Park to Yerba Buena Gardens, and there to convene an Interfaith Prayer Service. The sun shone at midday and thousands of folks showed up, including local and national political luminaries. I got to sing verses of "We Shall Overcome" in between speeches by Rabbi Doug Kahn, Senator Nancy Pelosi, Grace Cathedral's Bishop Marc Andrus, Glide Memorial's Dr. Cecil Williams, Muslim spokesperson Iftekhar Hai, and Rev. Amos Brown. Also in attendance were former Mayor Willie Brown, new Mayor Edwin Lee, Catholic Archbishop Neideraur, and our host Rita Semel, who along with SF Council President Michael Pappas put the program together.


I do believe that it was a worthwhile event, and one of the brightest moments was Rev. Amos Brown's stirring oratory - - part speech, part sermon, fully in Dr. King's style and spirit.