On 15 February 2023, the Newcastle Council of Faiths – our local interfaith group – held its first open meeting of 2023 over Zoom. Around 16 representatives of different faiths from across Newcastle met online to hear about the importance of the chaplaincy service in Newcastle hospitals.

We also heard about the ‘Pathways From Abraham’ initiative, a Christian-Jewish initiative offering Christians and Jews the opportunity to visit the Holy Land together to explore the contemporary Israeli / Palestinian conflict. Through the study visit, participants meet Israelis and Palestinians with a diversity of perspectives on the contemporary conflict and visit some of the disputed places. It’s organised by Rev. Gavin Wort, the Coordinating Chaplain and Chaplain of the Hill Colleges at Durham University, and Rabbi Aaron Lipsey, the Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregation in Newcastle.

Louise Reeve, attending as our representative, took the opportunity to tell everyone that we have recently become a Fairtrade Church, and encouraged others to become Fairtrade Places of Worship.

The next NIFC meeting is Tuesday 2nd May 2023 at 6pm, email Lesley Hillary for more information: l.hillary@newcastle.anglican.org