Intensive Learning @ MFS
The World At Your Fingertips
Today, our group went to Wissinoming Park in Philadelphia to help them clean up to make their park a welcoming environment. Our group took on three different tasks: students weeded and mulched, students collected trash, and students prepared a garden bed for spring planting. Everyone worked hard and the park looked much better afterwards....
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Today, we visited Bait-ul-Aafiyat Mosque after having an introduction workshop at the Philadelphia Interfaith Center. At the center, we first participated in ice breaker activities, such as story builders. After, the topics got more serious, as we discussed questions to ask at sacred spaces, and what makes an appropriate comment and what makes an...
Continue readingToday we traveled to the Interfaith Center in Philadelphia to learn about what the organization does for the community. We learned that one component of their work is to use art as a means of connecting with people of different faiths. We participated in two activities at the center. The first was an activity...
Continue readingToday we hit the road and ventured to the Philadelphia Art Museum, and climbed the Rocky stairs. During our stay at the museum we learned about different forms and features of Islamic art. We learned about how they were sometimes forbidden from depicting the images of humans on their artwork, so they instead included...
Continue readingToday we were warmly welcomed into the home of a follower of the Baha’i faith. She was from Iran and was very courteous and offered us breakfast. After we were settled we were introduced thoroughly to the Baha’i faith with a PowerPoint that she built. We learned about basic principles and religion in the...
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We started off our day with making a stop at Wawa to fuel for the adventure ahead. We met Chelsea Jackson from the Interfaith Center of Philadelphia for our service component with CosaCosa at the Alexander K. McClure Elementary School. We looked at the beautiful murals that the graduating fifth grade class has made...
Continue readingWe concluded our exploration of Sacred Spaces with a an enjoyable visit to the Penn Museum. The museum has three floors of gallery space that feature materials from the ancient Mediterranean World, Egypt, the Near East, Mesopotamia, East Asia, and Mesoamerica. You can also find artifacts from the indigenous peoples of Africa and Native...
Continue readingToday we visited the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul in Philadelphia, Whole Foods, The Barnes Foundation, and a frozen yogurt place. At the Basilica, our tour guide, Louise, showed us around the altar, the many paintings and sculptures, and we saw the famous “cathedra” that was made for the Pope to sit...
Continue readingWe began our day with an African Methodist Faith Encounter and a visit to the Mother Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church. We learned about the founding and evolution of Mother Bethel AME Church and about the founder Richard Allen. We learned about his background and his contributions to the African American community. From there we...
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Day 2 for Sacred Spaces in Philly began at Food Share Community Kitchen building monthly grocery boxes for families in the Philadelphia area with food insecurities. The grocery items included cereal, milk, juice, pasta, and other canned goods. The students helped with not only packaging over 300 boxes, but building the actual boxes and placing...
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The Scared Spaces Intensive Learning Team really had a busy day. In the morning we helped at DePaul Center for those transitioning from homelessness. A very interesting and meaningful afternoon was spent at the Masjidullah Islamic Prayer Center. Our new friend, Jamillah, helped all the girls tie our hijabs. The program continues next week...
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Today we convened in Ms. Henneberry’s classroom and began to curate a collection of photos for a interfaith slideshow. We then boarded the bus to make our way to Philadelphia. Today’s place of interest was the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Our tour started with a visit to a Japanese Buddhist temple. We learned ways to identify Buddha, some...
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We had a great time today at the Al Aqsa Islamic Society and Academy in Philadelphia, where we had a Muslim Faith Encounter. We had a tour of the high school and the elementary school with Abdur Rahman, the principal of Al Aqsa Academy, and the students. He then took us to their shop...
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We started the day off bright and early with a bus ride to Upper Darby. We ventured to the Philadelphia Sikh Society and learned about their culture in the Gurdwara Sahib. As a group, we were welcomed with open arms by our friendly Sikh guides. We enjoyed wonderful Indian snacks and after that, we...
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We started the morning with donuts and headed to Philadelphia. The first stop we made was at the Arch Street meeting house. There we learned about the history of the meeting house and people who potentially could have attended. Our tour guide informed of the many historical aspects of the house and small details...
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