Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints gathered with over 70 others from the community in Melbourne’s west recently as part of Refugee Week.
The event was organised by David Cowan, chairperson of Melton Interfaith and a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
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The Refugee Council of Australia has adopted a line from the Australian national anthem as a theme: “With courage let us all combine.” This event was a good example of that principle, with participation by many faith communities.
The event was conducted in partnership with the local city council, with Melton library as the venue.
Mayor of Melton, Cr Sophie Ramsay, spoke about some of the challenges faced by immigrants.
The group enjoyed a meal together and watched video segments about the needs of refugees and a touching personal story of a young immigrant.
An art competition was held in conjunction with the event and attracted entries from the community, including a local primary school. Year 6 students created pieces responding to the theme: “How we can make refugees feel welcome.”
David Cowan said, "It was great to see a wide range of community groups come together. Melton Interfaith is striving to work together with various faith groups to help develop a harmonious, tolerant community.”
A respect for the diverse beliefs and contributions of all the world’s faiths is one of the hallmarks of Mormonism.
From the earliest days of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the principle of religious liberty and respect for others has been taught. “We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may” (Articles of Faith 1:11).
Around the globe, the Church works in conjunction with members of other faiths, sharing mutual concern for those in need. It recognizes that people of good faith do not need to have the exact same beliefs in order to accomplish great things in the service of their fellow human beings.
See a short video about what Latter-day Saints believe.