Faiths unite for service

8:00am Sunday 16th November 2008

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Oxford's Muslims and Christians are linking up for the city’s first inter-faith ceremony today.

Dr Taj Hargey, of the Muslim Education Centre Oxford, will join the regular Unitarian service at Harris Manchester College chapel, Holywell Street.

The joint service will include a Muslim call to prayer, a sermon by Dr Hargey, Christian hymns and readings by the Rev Peter Hewis of the Unitarian Church.

Dr Hargey said he hoped the inter-faith service would become a common occurrence in Oxford.

He added: “This has never happened before and once again Oxford is one of the leading places helping different religions come together.

“It sends a great message to the rest of the world.”

At least 35 members of the regular congregation are expected at the service, which begins at 11am, but all members of the public are invited.

Catherine Robinson, secretary of the Unitarian congregation at Harris Manchester College chapel, said: “There is a close relationship between the congregations.

“We are committed to inter-faith connections and understanding and it is particularly important these days for good relations to be established with the Muslim community.”

The joint service will begin with the Muslim call to prayer followed by the lighting of a ceremonial candle and reading from the Koran.

There will be Christian hymns and Muslim readings followed by a sermon called The Manifestation of God in the Holy Koran read by Dr Hargey.

A period of silence will be followed by a reading of the Lord’s Prayer in Arabic and English translations.

Later this year, Rev Hewis is expected to visit Dr Hargey’s Muslim congregation to hold a similar joint service.

Meco, which works to fostering links between religious divides, caused controversy last month when it held the first Islamic prayers to be led by a woman anywhere in Britain, in North Oxford.