Faith, Family & Peace: Interfaith Prayer Brunch - Manassas, Virginia | June 27, 2026
At an Interfaith Prayer Brunch held on Saturday, June 27, at NOVA Family Church in Manassas, Virginia, thirty-three people from different faith traditions came together to pray, listen, share a meal, and build peace.
Participants represented Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, the Bahá’í Faith, the Sant Nirankari Mission, Unificationism, and other traditions. The gathering centered on a simple but timely theme: “Faith, Family & Peace.”
The program was co-hosted by the Women’s Federation for World Peace (WFWP), Universal Peace Federation (UPF), and American Clergy Leadership Conference (ACLC), all members of the Peace Starts With Me Alliance.
Bishop Tyrone Allen of Christ Star Church of God called the gathering “remarkable” because people came together “not simply to highlight our differences, but to unify our commitment to faith and to prayer.” He reminded participants that prayer should reach beyond ourselves and our own families to include our neighbors, children, prisoners, leaders, and all those who need God’s help.
Mrs. Indira Kumar, co-founder of the India International School, greeted participants with the traditional “Namaste,” explaining, “The divine in me bows to the divine in you.” Her words helped set a tone of mutual respect for everyone in the room.
Chaplain Refia Tonguc shared a reflection inspired by Rumi: “I wanted to change the world, but I couldn’t, so I started with myself.” She also spoke about the meaning of salaam—peace—and offered the prayer, “O God, You are peace, and from You comes peace.”
A panel discussion explored two questions: “How can faith communities help heal society today?” and “What gives you hope for humanity?”
Dr. Shashi Chopra, president of Global Seva Fund, said healing begins when we “see the divine in every human being.” Minister Ilyas Masih, president of All Neighbors International, emphasized the importance of faith leaders sitting together, listening, and respecting one another. Minister Naghmeh Hosseini, representing the Bahá’í Faith, added that building a better world requires both spiritual and material progress approached systematically.
Dr. Achille Acolatse, National Director of the American Clergy Leadership Conference, congratulated participants for “coming together to eat, share, and be in each other’s presence,” adding, “This is what the Lord wants.” He also spoke about the peace-building vision of Rev. Sun Myung Moon and Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon, founders of the Peace Starts With Me Alliance.
The program also included personal introductions, a musical offering by Mrs. Arpita Gogoi, and a symbolic Water Ceremony led by Dr. Michael Jenkins, President of UPF North America. Participants poured water from individual cups into one bowl, representing many streams becoming one—a simple but meaningful image of what communities can become when people bring their different backgrounds, prayers, and hopes together for a common purpose.
The gathering concluded with a prayer by Minister Reiko Jenkins, National Co-Chair of ACLC Women in Ministry, followed by the singing of “Let There Be Peace on Earth.”
The day left participants with a simple reminder: peace begins with each of us, but it grows stronger when we come together in prayer, friendship, and service.
For More Information
ACLC: Mrs. Michiko Yokoyama — michiko.yokoyama@gmail.com
WFWP: Pastor Natascha Phillips — nphillips@unification.org
UPF: Mrs. Barbara Moseley-Marks — moseley-marks@us.upf.org
