c. 2007 Religion News Service
(UNDATED) Here is the RNS calendar of major religious holidays, denominational meetings and other events for April and May. It will be updated monthly.
March 31-April 1
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: annual general conference, Salt Lake City. Contact: Dale Bills at 801-240-4377; e-mail: billsdk(at)ldschurch.org
April 1
Palm Sunday (Christian)
April 2
Passover (Jewish celebration of the exodus from slavery in Egypt; eight-day holiday; begins at sundown and ends on April 10)
April 5
Mawlid al-Nabi (Muslim commemoration of the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad in approximately A.D. 570. Actual start date may vary depending on sighting of the moon.)
April 6
Good Friday (Christian)
April 6-8
American Atheists: national convention, Seattle. Contact: Ellen Johnson at 908-276-7300; e-mail: ej(at)atheists.org; Web site: http://www.atheists.org/convention
Islamic Society of North America: Annual Education Forum, Chicago. Contact: Basharat Saleem at 317-839-8157; e-mail: bsaleem(at)isna.net; Web site: http://www.isna.net
April 8
Easter (Christian)
April 10-13
National Catholic Educational Association: annual convention, Baltimore. Contact: Barbara Keebler at 202-337-6232.
April 11-15
New Wineskins (U.S. Anglicans): Global Missions Conference, Ridgecrest, N.C. Contact: John Cruikshank at 412-325-8900; e-mail: jcruikshank(at)acn.us.org; Web site: http://www.newwineskins.org
April 13-15
Alliance of Baptists: 20th Anniversary Convocation, Washington. Contact: Stan Hastey at 202-745-7609; e-mail: shastey(at)allianceofbaptists.org; Web site: http://www.allianceofbaptists.org
April 13
National Catholic Prayer Breakfast, Washington. Contact: Kristina Grabosky at 703-683-5004, ext. 132; e-mail: kgrabosky(at)crcpublicrelations.com
April 13-15
Bard College: “Toward Open Christianity: A Symposium on Christianity in a Pluralistic World,” Annandale-on-Hudson, N.Y. Contact: Emily M. Darrow at 845-758-7512; e-mail: darrow(at)bard.edu; Web site: http://openchristianity.bard.edu
April 13-16
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America: Church Council, Chicago. Contact: John Brooks at 773-380-2958; e-mail: jbrooks(at)elca.org; Web site: http://www.elca.org/news
April 14
Yom Hashoah (Jewish remembrance of the Holocaust; begins at sundown)
Vaisakhi (Sikh New Year)
April 15-17
Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism: Consultation on Conscience, a biennial gathering of Jewish leaders and activists to discuss current issues, Washington. Contact: Rachel Slomovitz at 202-378-2800; e-mail: rslomovitz(at)rac.org
April 20
Ridvan (Baha’i celebration of the declaration of Baha’u’llah to his followers in 1863; begins at sundown and ends at sundown on May 2. Work is suspended on the 1st, 9th and 12th days.)
April 21-25
Gospel Music Association: Gospel Music Association Week, annual convention, Nashville, Tenn. GMA Dove Awards on April 25. Contact: Tricia Whitehead at 615-599-7746; e-mail: spinhouse(at)bellsouth.net; Web site: http://www.gospelmusic.org
April 22-25
Associated Church Press: annual convention, Chicago. Contact: Joe Thoma at 407-341-6615; e-mail: contactacp(at)aol.com; Web site: http://www.theacp.org/Chicago2007.htm
April 26
400th anniversary of Virginia settlement, attended by Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori, Virginia Beach, Va. Contact: Bob Williams at 212-922-5385; e-mail: rwilliams(at)episcopalchurch.org
April 26-28
Religion Communicators Council: annual convention, Louisville, Ky. Wilbur Awards banquet on April 28. Contact: Shirley Struchen at 212-870-2402; e-mail: sstruchen(at)rcn.com; Web site: http://www.religioncommunicators.org
April 26-29
National Spiritual Assembly of Baha’is of the United States: national convention, Wilmette, Ill. Contact: Glen Fullmer at 847-733-3411; e-mail: Gfullmer(at)bahai.us; Web site: http://www.bahai.us
April 27
The Catholic University of America: annual American Cardinals Dinner, Las Vegas. Contact: Victor Nakas at 202-319-5600.
April 27-28
California Lutheran University: “Psyche and Soul” conference, addressing ways psychotherapy and faith overlap, Thousand Oaks, Calif. Contact: Jannette Jauregui at 805-493-3512; e-mail: jmjaureg(at)callutheran.edu; Web site: http://www.callutheran.edu/faithlife
April 27-29
Baptist Conference on the Holy Spirit, sponsored by Cornerstone Baptist Church, Arlington, Texas. Contact: Elica Ruffin at 817-468-0083, ext. 205.
April 28-May 2
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ): General Board meeting, Indianapolis. Contact: Wilma Shuffit at 317-713-2492; e-mail: wshuffit(at)cm.disciples.org
April 29-May 1
Anti-Defamation League: National Leadership Conference, Washington. Contact: Myrna Shinbaum at 212-885-7747; e-mail: adlmedia(at)adl.org; Web site: http://www.adl.org
WordAlone Network: annual convention of conservative movement within the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Golden Valley, Minn. Contact: Pastor Mark Chavez at 651-633-6004; e-mail: wordalone(at)popp.net; Web site: http://www.wordalone.org
April 29-May 4
United Methodist Church: Council of Bishops meeting, Green Lake, Wis. Contact: Ernest Lyght at 914-615-2221; e-mail: bishop(at)nyac.com
May 2-4
Evangelical Press Association: annual convention, Colorado Springs, Colo. Contact: Doug Trouten at 763-535-4793; director(at)epassoc.org; Web site: http://www.epassoc.org/convention.html
May 3
National Day of Prayer
National Day of Reason, observance designed as an alternative to the National Day of Prayer, co-sponsored by American Humanist Association. Contact: Roy Speckhardt at 202-238-9088; Web site: http://www.nationaldayofreason.org
May 5
Lag B’Omer (Jewish day of celebration, marking the cessation of a second-century plague that killed 20,000 disciples of Talmud scholar Rabbi Akiva; begins at sundown. The day also marks the death of Jewish mystic Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai.)
May 11-13
World Congress of Families IV, international and interfaith gathering addressing traditional families, Warsaw, Poland. Contact: Larry Jacobs at 815-964-5819; media(at)worldcongress.org; Web site: http://www.worldcongress.org
May 17
Ascension of Christ (Christian)
May 20
Orthodox Union: Annual Dinner, New York. Contact: Steve Steiner at 212-613-8318, e-mail: steiners(at)ou.org
May 22
Declaration of the Bab (Baha’i commemoration of anniversary of prophet-herald of the Baha’i faith’s announcement that he was the herald of a new messenger of God; begins at sundown)
Shavuot (Jewish celebration of the giving of the Torah to Moses at Mount Sinai; begins at sundown and ends on May 24 at nightfall)
May 27
Pentecost (Christian celebration of the gift of the Holy Spirit)
Global Day of Prayer, observed worldwide. Contact: Robert Bakke at 812-238-5504; e-mail: info(at)gdopusa.com; Web site: http://www.gdopusa.com
May 28
Ascension of the Baha’u’llah (Baha’i commemoration of the death of prophet-founder Baha’u’llah; begins at sundown)
KRE/PH END RNS
Note: Holidays that begin at sundown continue through sundown of the next day, unless otherwise noted.
