Event flyer; Rama Kisora Dasa with Rev. Rachel McIver Morey from Interfaith Action of Greater Saint Paul.
In 2024, ISKCON Minnesota joined the Minnesota Multifaith Network (MMN), and during a November meeting, Rama Kisora Dasa, a community Board Member, was able to create meaningful connections with other religious congregations in the Twin Cities. Rama Kisora met MMN’s Chairperson, Robert Pickering, and following a long and meaningful conversation, Pickering invited him to present at the upcoming World Religion Day event to be held on Sunday, January 19th.
Though temperatures plummeted to -9 degrees Fahrenheit on the evening of the event, all keenly felt the spiritual warmth generated by the religious assembly. Hosted by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) and the Interfaith Circle, the gathering brought together 200-300 religious leaders from eleven faith traditions. “Each faith community had 5-10 minutes to share about their faith traditions,” said Rama Kisora, “Krishna magic was afoot the whole evening; this is why it is so important for ISKCON to engage at a local level with interfaith organizations.”
Rama Kisora spoke on the topic, “Peace is Possible,” following the mood of ISKCON’s Founder-Acharya Srila Prabhupada, who said, “Unless we are in touch with the Supreme Lord, Krishna, we cannot have peace, for this is the real key to the peace formula.” Other organizations that were on the program included the Eden Prairie Baha’i Community, The Islamic Resource Group, the United Methodists, Roman Catholics, the Society of Friends, the Twin Cities Buddhist Sangha, the Episcopal Church, St. Olaf College, and the LDS Church. Several ecumenical choirs also presented musical offerings. “The LDS Minnesota Saints Chorale made me cry twice; I could feel the spirit of God in their voices, singing the glories of God,” said Rama Kisora, “What I experienced was pure love of God, with open hearts and open minds.”
World Religion Day 2025 schedule.
Following the program, several Latter-day Saints approached Rama Kisora to share their experiences while attending college in Utah. “Each of them shared stories of their first time visiting Spanish Fork Radha Krishna Temple and expressed how Caru Dasa and Vaibhavi Devi Dasi inspired them in their personal relationship with God,” he noted.
One other fruitful exchange Rama Kisora had at the event was with Rev. Rachel McIver Morey from Interfaith Action of Greater Saint Paul. “She is the director who coordinates interfaith volunteer efforts and runs one of the largest homeless shelters in St Paul, Minnesota. We connected the next day to discuss how ISKCON Minnesota can support food relief and the homeless shelter in St Paul by bringing meals once a month for the shelter and other initiatives,” said Rama Kisora.
World Religion Day participants gathered for refreshments following program.
Reflecting on the gathering’s importance, Rama Kisora said, “We as an interfaith community can work together and transform the world through interfaith dialogue, volunteering in our communities together, breaking down stereotypes and religious bias by building friendships. Everyone I spoke to said they did not even know there was an ISKCON temple in Minnesota. At least 40 people said they would join us for our next Sunday feast at the temple.”
To follow ISKCON Minnesota’s ongoing service and events, please visit their website and follow them on Facebook.
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