First Nirankari Service at Interfaith Community Church, Seattle

On November 4th2007, saints from the Nirankari Mission were invited to preside over the Interfaith Community Church's Sunday congregation. Rev. Karen Lindquist, one of the three ministers of the church, requested Nirankari saints to conduct the spiritual service in the same format as is commonly done in Nirankari satsangs. The hour long service started with short speeches by youth from Seattle and Vancouver, followed by discourses by Rev. Daljit Sidhu (Secretary, Sant Nirankari Mission Canada) & Rev. Dr. I. S. Rai (Working President, Sant Nirankari Mission USA).

The speeches gave the attendees a very accurate insight into the mission, and introduced some of the mission's important philosophies such as the mission of Universal Brotherhood, equal vision, compassion, self realization, divine knowledge, prayer and how these concepts relate to the topic of the month – "Relationships". The heartfelt speeches made a deep impact on those who attended as the attendees showed their gratitude and support for the Mission's cause. Sister Sunita Ji from Vancouver captivated the audience by singing the Manglacharan (epilogue) and Dhuni (prayer) in its English translation.

Saints from Seattle had also prepared a community meal which was served after the congregation, where attendees participated in informal discussions about spirituality. On several occasions, those who attended joked, "Your Mission provides enrichment for the soul and for the body!".

It should be noted that although the service was only one and a half our long, more than twenty saints from Vancouver showed their support and enthusiasm by driving several hours to Seattle early that morning. Furthermore, Rev. Dr. I.S. Rai arrived from California the night before to preside over the congregation. Their exemplary dedication and blessings lead to the inaugural foundation of the Mission's message in Seattle, Washington.

The event served several purposes. The Mission's core message was being delivered to the interfaith community of Seattle through discussions during previous services, but the attendees saw the Mission in action during the event. This impressed many as they showered the Seattle youth with blessings. This also provided a good networking opportunity, where contact information was exchanged not only amongst saints from the Nirankari mission and the local community, but also amongst saints from Seattle and Vancouver. Most importantly, the devotional songs and speeches created a blissful atmosphere and uplifted everyone's spirit.

The church has requested the Mission to preside over another service very soon. With the blessings of His Holiness, this event will prove to be the first of many events that are dedicated to spreading His message of love and compassion amongst the local community.

Dhan Nirankar,
Seattle Youth