By Pastor Jason Byassee and Lisa Brisebois
I often use this blog to reflect on the challenges and opportunities we face as a church—and sometimes to share exciting news. Today, I hope to do both. I want to offer a few reflections and extend a heartfelt invitation to an important interfaith event taking place in the Flora McCrae Auditorium on March 1 (2-5 pm).
This initiative began when two interfaith advocates at TEMC, Lisa Brisebois and Mary Rolland, approached me with a bold idea for an interfaith panel featuring Christian, Jewish, and Muslim faith leaders. They shared their concern that interfaith dialogue has been strained—or in some cases has all but disappeared—since October 7, 2023, and the war that followed.
Their vision was clear: Build upon the relationships we’ve nurtured with local synagogues and extend our embrace to include our Muslim cousins. They reminded me that we have to do more—more to create an Abrahamic-family-style tent where we can explore shared foundations, more to address the tensions that divide us, and more to prevent the rise of hate and violence in our city. Their conviction was simple: we have to do more.
As I think back over the past couple of years, this next step feels both natural and necessary. In the days following October 7, I reached out to rabbis in nearby synagogues. We gathered, listened, learned, visited one another’s congregations, and built friendships rooted in compassion and understanding. Together we hosted a memorial service after the attack, followed by a “Then and Now” event exploring historical echoes with the present moment, and sent delegations to stand with our Jewish neighbours one year after October 7th. We mourned with them. We celebrated signs of hope with them.
Now, in this moment, we as Christians also have a role to play in reaching out to our Muslim neighbours with openness and genuine curiosity. Our interfaith tent must be wide enough for all who seek knowledge, understanding, and peace—and where better to begin than with those who, like us, share a spiritual lineage that traces back to Abraham?
I’m delighted to share the panelists who will join me on March 1.
- Rabbi Yael Splansky from Holy Blossom Temple—a valued friend to TEMC and a interfaith leader with experience in how to show up during times of crisis.
- Imam Mohammad Tawhidi from the Global Imams Council—a dynamic voice committed to building a global movement of peace and understanding.
Their presence reflects our desire to foster dialogue that is honest, courageous, and grounded in mutual respect.
I invite you to take a moment to ask yourself: Have you found it difficult to talk about the relationships between Christians, Jews, and Muslims since October 7? Are you feeling the importance of rekindling meaningful interfaith conversations here in Toronto? Would you like to learn more, or simply listen, with an open mind and an open heart?
If so, please join us. Your presence matters more than you might realize.
Registration is required. Please click the please click the link here to reserve your spot.
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to Lisa Brisebois at temcinterfaith@gmail.com