BGKT 2012 News

Updated 28 April 2022

BGKT 2012 NEWS

November 2012

INTERFAITH WEEK 18 – 27 November 2012

BGKT participated in Inter Faith Week
https://www.interfaithweek.org/

The IFN Interfaith Network for the UK included Kendal

Kendal is included every year in Events by Town
https://www.interfaithweek.org/events/by-town

Kendal was included in the IFN Annual Review 2012-13, page 19. https://www.interfaith.org.uk/uploads/IFN_Annual_Review_2012-13.pdf

The Kendal Pilot Project. The collaboration between BGKT Buddhist Group of Kendal (Theravada) and Kendal Fire Station, was born out of the Fire Service looking to engage with and also wishing to have an understanding of the cultures and faiths that make up our wider community. The Sufi Travelling Zikr was at Kendal Fire Station Community Room on Saturday 24 November as part of the Kendal Pilot Project.

SLIF/KEG event. The Sufi Travelling Zikr was at Kendal Unitarian Chapel on 23 November. This event was organized by SLIF South Lakeland Interfaith Forum and KEG Kendal Ecumenical Group.

Kendal Town Hall. The Mayor of Kendal Councillor John Willshaw invited SLIF South Lakeland Interfaith Forum, representatives of local faith groups, the Chair of SLEDP South Lakeland Equality and Diversity Partnership, and CFRS Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service (representing agencies), for a celebration in the Mayor’s Parlour in Kendal Town Hall on Thursday 22 November. A booklet of the readings given by the invitees was prepared by SLIF. John Gerrard Upasaka Sumedha read The Metta Sutta [The Discourse on Loving Kindness] in English, on behalf of BGKT. Jacquetta Gomes Bodhicarini Upasika Jayasili read The Golden Rule, on behalf of KWMMG Kendal Women’s Multifaith Meditation Group.

Celebrating Our Faiths NIF National Interfaith Week Event in Kendal. SLEDP (South Lakeland Equality and Diversity Partnership) and SLIF (South Lakeland Interfaith Forum) presented Celebrating Our Faiths, on 17 November, the eve of Inter Faith Week. The meeting was held at South Lakes Foyer in Kendal. There were information stalls from local faith organisations, and a discussion session led by the SLIF committee. The organisers brought practitioners of many faiths and paths together to share their insights and practices and to learn from each other. Jacquetta Gomes Bodhicarini Upasika Jayasili Secretary of BGKT was the SLEDP Lead for this event. CFRS Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service had a stall, which included information about the Pilot Project at Kendal Fire Station between CFRS and BGKT Buddhist Group of Kendal (Theravada). Several faith groups offered their support for the expansion of the Pilot Project to include other faiths in 2013.

https://www.awazcumbria.org/cumbria-interfaith-forum/news/sledp-slif-national-interfaith-week-event-sat-17-nov-2012-10am-4pm

October 2012

MANCHESTER BUDDHIST CONVENTION

https://manchesterbuddhistconvention.wordpress.com/

The 2012 Manchester Buddhist Convention was held on 13 October at St Peter’s House Chaplaincy, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9GH.

The Convention Session Buddhists, Fire and Rescue Service working Together in Cumbria was led by Venerable Pidiville Piyatissa (Head of Ketumati Buddhist Vihara, Manchester) and BGKT Secretary Jacquetta Gomes (Bodhicarini Upasika Jayasili).

https://manchesterbuddhistconvention.wordpress.com/2012/06/10/buddhists-fire-and-rescue-service-and-police-working-together-in-cumbria/

September 2012

Faith Initiative Magazine published Jacquetta Gomes’s article “Buddhists, Fire and Rescue Service and Police Working Together in Cumbria”, Faith Initiative, Issue 27 (September, 2012) 10.

https://faithinitiative.co.uk/

https://faithinitiative.co.uk/issues/issue-27/

https://faithinitiative.co.uk/workspace/pdfs/issues/faith-issue-27-for-web.pdf

September 2012

Venerable Pidiville Piyatissa (born in Sri Lanka) Head of Ketumati Buddhist Vihara Manchester led a retreat for BGKT Buddhist Group of Kendal (Theravada) in Kendal on 30 September 2012.

September 2012

BGKT visited Harnham Ratanagiri Buddhist Monastery (Thai Forest Tradition) in Northumberland on 6 September. They had an audience with the Abbot.

July 2012

Venerable Pidiville Piyatissa (born in Sri Lanka) Head of Ketumati Buddhist Vihara Oldham led a retreat for BGKT Buddhist Group of Kendal (Theravada) in Kendal on 29 July 2012.

July 2012

Kendal Civic Celebration for Mayor’s Sunday led by The Mayor Councillor John Willshaw on Sunday 1 July 2012, included an invitation from the Mayor to SLIF South Lakeland Interfaith Forum and all faith groups in Kendal. BGKT Secretary Jacquetta Gomes (Bodhicarini Upasika Jayasili) represented BGKT, KWMMG Kendal Women’s Multifaith Meditation Group and SLIF South Lakeland Interfaith Forum. She walked in the Civic Procession from the Town Hall to The Parish Church of the Holy Trinity for the Civic Service. Refreshments were served in the Mayors Parlour in Kendal Town Hall afterwards.

June 2012

Members of BGKT attended the teachings and public talk during the Dalai Lama’s visit to Manchester Arena on June 17 and 18.

June 2012

SLIF South Lakeland Interfaith Forum organized a series of meditation sessions. The series drew on different faith traditions and was be suitable for those new to meditation. SLIF hoped to bring practitioners of many faiths and paths together to share their insights and practices and to learn from each other. John Gerrard Upasaka Sumedha leader of Buddhist Group of Kendal (Theravada) led the SLIF meditation session on Buddhist Meditation on Thursday 7 June.

https://www.awazcumbria.org/cumbria-interfaith-forum/news/south-lakeland-interfaith-forum-meditation-it-me-event-series-june

May 2012

The Kendal Town Council Annual General Meeting & Mayor Making Ceremony for Mayor Councillor John Willshaw was held in Kendal Town Hall on 17 May 2012. John Gerrard Upasaka Sumedha represented BGKT Buddhist Group of Kendal (Theravada) and Jacquetta Gomes Bodhicarini Upasika Jayasili (BGKT Secretary) represented KWMMG Kendal Women’s Multifaith Meditation Group.

May 2012

The Mayor of Kendal Councillor Jonathan Brook attended BGKT’s Wesak celebrations on 5 May at Kendal URC United Reformed Church.

https://www.awazcumbria.org/cumbria-interfaith-forum/news/buddhist-group-kendal-therav%C4%81da-vesak-celebration

April 2012

BBC Radio Cumbria interviewed Titus Gomes about Vesak on the Sunday Breakfast Show on 29 April.

Theravada