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'We should take care of one another'
By JEAN JOHNSON SPRING HILL -- Temple Beth David will host its second annual Unity Service next week with three invited clergy from different denominations. Last year's gathering was successful and temple members are hoping this endeavor will be even more enlightening. Rabbi Cyrus Arfa said he intends to offer the service every year. Although the Rev. Dwight G. Wolter has visited the temple before, this is his first encounter at a unity service hosted by members. But the pastor of Spring Hill United Church of Christ is no stranger to synagogues. His second-grade son attended preschool at the local temple when they lived in Ormond Beach. "Being schooled at the temple was great for several reasons," said Wolter, who appreciated his son saying grace in Hebrew, eating matzos and learning about Jewish holidays. In addition, Wolter and the rabbi facilitated at Jewish-Christian weddings. The 52-year-old church leader will talk about forgiveness -- as a solution and a stumbling block. "It's much easier to forgive someone in many respects than it is to ask for forgiveness.' "When you forgive someone, it is like 'I have been victimized by you.' But when you ask for someone's forgiveness, it is a much more humbling experience because you're doing the opposite, admitting you're the transgressor," Wolter said. "The bizarre thing about forgiveness," he said, "is why is it the people who are victimized or oppressed are expected to be the ones to go out and talk about forgiveness. Logically, you would think it should be the other way around. "For example, why is that black person who has been oppressed expected to bring up the subject of reparations? Why is it the person who has been oppressed is supposed to carry that load? In a nutshell, Wolter said, "I will talk about forgiveness and atonement and the need to be forgiven as well as the reluctance to forgive." At the other end of the spectrum, the Rev. Ronald Garrett, pastor of Holy Cross Lutheran Church, said he intends to talk about God's love. "Instead of finding ways to distinguish ourselves from our neighbors and put us into a different category and seal ourselves off," the 60-year-old minister said, "we need to find ways to embrace our neighbors in love." Garrett said people are almost like a society of turtles. "We live in a larger world filled with people of all faiths, and rather than be the potential combatant, we should be of the mindset that everybody is different," said Garrett, an Erie, Pa., transplant. When asked how that can be accomplished, Garrett suggested the book titled The Life of Pi as an explanation. "Pi is an Indian lad who ends up becoming a member of the Hindu, Moslem and Christian faiths. Everything comes to a head when one day the family goes out for a stroll and comes across the three men who taught Pi about their faiths." Chaos ensues, followed by Pi's simple explanation: All I want to do is love God. "It is an exceptionally well-written novel, not like any other novel I've ever read. The illustration is funny but realistic too," Garrett said. "I'm looking forward to being a part of the service," he added. The Rev. Bruce Gimbel of Jericho Road Ministries will be the third guest. He was on vacation and unavailable for comment. Rabbi Arfa uses "unity" as a description of the service "because it's important to get to know one another and important to be unified with all of humanity and that which we have in common. I hope we can make an institution out of our unity service." When Arfa was a Navy chaplain, "we all helped one another and worked together in unity to make sure all of the naval personnel were getting religious services regardless of their denomination or choice of faith or heritage." When asked why a representative of Islam would not be speaking, Arfa said that although a temple member got no response last year to such an attempt, "but that doesn't mean they did not want to do it. We didn't try this year but will try again next year. It may mean we have to put a little more effort into it." The worship service will be conducted by Arfa, who also will interpret Scripture readings. "Basically I will point out that as children of God, we all have a responsibility to be holy. By that I mean we should take care of one another, respect one another and our differences because God's imprint is on each one of us." If you goWHAT: Annual Unity Service WHERE: Temple Beth David Jewish Center, 13833 E Linden Drive, Spring Hill WHEN: 8 p.m. Friday INFORMATION: Call 686-7034
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