Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

On November 25, 2002 Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that "a crowd of white, black, Hispanic, Asian, American Indian, Christian, Jewish, Muslim and Buddhist Milwaukeeans joined forces for a symbolic cleansing of the federal courthouse steps where white supremacists had rallied the day before. The Sunday ceremony followed a Saturday rally by about 50 members of the Ku Klux Klan, the National Socialist Movement and the World Church of the Creator, whose message of white separatism was jeered by hundreds of protesters...

Source: The Plain Dealer

On November 25, 2002 The Plain Dealer reported that "Zoroastrians celebrated bountiful harvests in Persia long before the storied fall gala the Pilgrims put on near Plymouth Rock in 1621. Ditto for the Jewish faithful, who call their harvest festival Sukkot, and for followers of many of the world's other religions. So last night, four days before the Thanksgiving holiday, John Lecky brought together Buddhists and Christians, Hindus and Jews, Muslims and Zoroastrians to reflect on the thanks they all give in one way or another....

Source: The Argus

http://www.theargusonline.com/Stories/0,1413,83%257E1971%257E1010917,00.html

On November 24, 2002 The Argus reported that "more than 40 years ago, three Protestant churches of different denominations came together in the name of unity for a Thanksgiving service. It was a progressive step at the time, said Don Anderson, former pastor of First Christian Church, one of the churches that met in 1961. During the 1960s, more churches...

Source: The Daily Press

http://www.dailypress.com/news/local/southofjames/dp-03028sy0nov23,0,2805569.story?coll=dp%2Dnews%2Dlocal%2Dsoj

On November 23, 2002 The Daily Press reported that "members of the Wat Pasantidhamma temple in Carrollton [TX] say they never got a chance to explain the religious significance of erecting statues and building meditation huts in the woods on their property off Brewer's Neck...

Source: The San Francisco Chronicle

On November 21, 2002 The San Francisco Chronicle reported that "the Marin Community Foundation has awarded more than $60,000 in grants to 14 congregations throughout the county that are actively involved in community-building efforts. A variety of religious faiths are represented, ranging from Bridge the Gap (a partnership by Sausalito Presbyterian Church and the Marin City Church of God) to the Congregation Kol Shofar in Tiburon and the Novato-based International Association of Sufism. A grant to St. Andrews...

Source: North County Times

http://www.nctimes.net/news/2002/20021115/61803.html

On November 18, 2002 North County Times reported that "with brightly colored silk costumes, spicy curry dishes and floating floral displays, Escondido's [CA] Buddhist temple will celebrate the annual Loi Krathong Festival Sunday. Open to the public as well as temple members, the free event is based on a traditional river festival in Thailand, organizers said. On the full moon night of the...

Source: The Oregonian

On November 15, 2002 The Oregonian reported that "a protest Sunday in downtown Portland against a possible war in Iraq is drawing support from Palestinians, Jews, Catholics, Buddhists, Quakers and Scientologists, among others. Frank Fromherz, director of the Portland Catholic Archdiocese Office of Justice and Peace, said the peace activists will call on the U.S. government to find nonviolent solutions to threats such as terrorist attacks."

Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

On November 7, 2002 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported that "twenty years ago, Kyoki [the name she chose for herself, meaning strong or courageous life force] and her husband owned an organic hog farm in Nebraska. She was introduced to Buddhism while subsequently going through a divorce and being involved in mediations between farmers and government.  She returned to Pittsburgh three years ago, opening the Zen Center in 2000. The Zen Center is the former home of her aunt, Mary...

Source: Clarksburg Exponent-Telegram

http://www.cpubco.com/cgi-bin/LiveIQue.acgi$rec=12397cbgCurrentLocalNews?cbgCurrentLocalNews

On November 4, 2002 the Clarksburg Exponent-Telegram reported that "at West Virginia Wesleyan this week, seven monks from the Tashi Lhunpo Monastery in Tibet visited the campus to share their culture. The monks are touring North American colleges to talk about their religious beliefs and practices. The...

Source: The San Francisco Chronicle

On November 3, 2002 The San Francisco Chronicle reported that "two decades ago, Southeast Asian refugees from Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam began settling in Richmond, San Pablo and Oakland. Today, Mortuaries [in] Richmond [perform] 10 to 12 Southeast Asian burials each month, for religions ranging from Buddhist to animist, and ethnic groups from Mien to Hmong and more. Mortuary staffers have learned how to wrap cloth 20 to 30 feet long around the head of deceased male Mien, how to lay Hmong dead on a head pillow of rice...

Source: The Honolulu Advertiser

http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2002/Nov/02/il/il15afaith.html

On November 2, 2002 The Honolulu Advertiser reported on "Kailua Shambhala Meditation Group, [which] was organized around the Shambhala teachings. Members believe that the Shambhala culture of the Himalayas existed 'to have people wake up to their full potential as human beings,' [the group is coordinated by] Dean and Jaynine Nelson, who trained...

Source: The Times-Picayune

On November 2, 2002 The Times-Picayune reported that "when the New Orleans Hornets brought professional basketball back to town Wednesday with an opening-night win over the Utah Jazz in the New Orleans Arena, buried in the package was an unusual practice in modern professional sport: a public, pre-game prayer offered on behalf of thousands of diverse fans. Jews, Muslims and Buddhists are likely to be part of the mix, along with Christians of many denominations, said the Rev. David Arceneaux, the Hornets' unpaid team chaplain...

Source: The Idaho Statesman

http://www.idahostatesman.com/News/story.asp?ID=24468

On November 2, 2002 The Idaho Statesman reported that "an interfaith service will be held at 6 p.m. today... in Boise. The service includes prayers for peace from leaders of several churches in the Treasure Valley. Rev. Jon Brown of the First United Methodist Church said the gathering was motivated by the U.S.�s threat of war against Iraq. Representatives from the following faiths and...

Source: Urban Dharma

http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma5/encounters.html

On October 31, 2002 Urban Dharma reported that "during the early 1990s, about 100 ethnic Tibetans moved to Santa Fe through a State Department relocation program. Some of them became active in the temple, but just as important, their presence and that of visiting Tibetan lamas and cultural touring groups raised interest in Tibetan Buddhism among others here. Everything once shaky about the sangha...

Source: The Oregonian

On October 28, 2002 The Oregonian reported that "faith leaders and followers gather at a Portland church to oppose an attack on Iraq and pray that others will join them. This demonstration -- for peace with Iraq -- came in the form of a worship service, beginning with a procession of about 20 faith leaders that included Christian clergy, a Jewish rabbi, a Zen Buddhist monk, a Sikh and others. About 50 people behind them in the honey-colored pews included Roman Catholics from Southeast Portland, Methodists from Oregon City, Muslims...