Faith in Democracy Program January 6, 2026

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Pastor Jayme Kokkonen, Lutheran Church of the Reformation; Jeanné Lewis, Faith in Public Life; and David Searby, Faith in Peace Concerts.

Muath Edriss will perform "The Star Spangled Banner" in Arabic and then:    

God is Love  (original in Arabic)

God is love for all people
He loves you, no matter your faith
His love is immeasurable, endless
Whatever you ask, He helps you
God is love, God is love, God is love for all people.

Click for FULL LYRICS of "God Is Love"

“Seeds of Peace” is lovingly known as "Lamplighters." Following in the miracle of the lights of Hanukkah, the song is a reflection on what it means for us to share our light not knowing when it might come back to us.  “Bend the Arc” is an opportunity to reflect on core words of the bible as we relate to Martin Luther King Jr’s immortal words of "The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice."

"Gevurah" by Molly Bajgot. "Gevurah" means strength in Hebrew. We pray for strength and we are guided by love in our fight for humanity and community.

"Pilot Light" by Sarah Beller is a song about keeping the light of moral courage lit.  It's dedicated to those who stand up for the wellbeing of refugees, immigrants, and all vulnerable people.

"Olam Chesed Yibaneh" by Rabbi Menachem Creditor is a Hebrew phrase drawing from Psalm 89:3 meaning "The world is built with loving-kindness." Rabbi Creditor wrote the song after 9/11, another difficult day in our country's history.  In this song, we are called upon to be active partners with the divine to build with love. 

Alonzo Wind will share reflections on the Bahá'í Faith and the chants and song by Yusha Assad we will hear.  Semyya will chant “Blessed is the Spot” as arranged by Klare Kuolga and “Justice" as composed by Van Gilmer; both written by Bahá’u’lláh. 

"Power to the People" reflects the Qur’an's emphasis on individual worth and God-given rights through concepts like Karamah al-Insaan (human dignity), stating humanity is honored by God, given free will, and made vicegerents on Earth (Khalifah).  Other Qur’an concepts: 

• Created from one soul: The Qur’an teaches that all humanity originates from “a single soul” (Qur’an 4:1; 7:189), reminding us that we share one source and one human family.
• Life as a moral test: It also states that God “created life and death to test which of us is best in conduct” (Qur’an 67:2) — meaning our status, privilege, or circumstances are not measures of worth, but simply the conditions under which our character is revealed.
• Cooperation and justice: These ideas reinforce the message in Power to the People: that we are called to treat each other with fairness, dignity, and cooperation because we ultimately belong to one another and are accountable for how we use our gifts and resources in service to humanity.

Hindu Priest and Musician Dr. Kowtha will perform one of The Great Mahatma Gandhi's favorite songs: "Vaishnava Janato".  English Translation HERE

Brooklyn-based Sonny Singh and UK Born Sukhmani Kaur channel ancestral Sikh wisdom for our time.

Hip-hop artist Wordsmith will perform "Fill the Space" and "Welcome Home," two songs about people coping with everyday challenges with humanity and hope.  

Elena Lacayo will perform "Amor Migrante" about an immigrant mother separated from her son; plus the Grand Finale song "Let's Stand Together."  Stand and sing this chorus!           

"Let's stand together,

Stand for eachother,

And be united 

As the children of the same mother"