By Laurie Toupin
May 19, 2002

When I first met my husband, my mom had major misgivings about our religious differences.

 “He is such a nice boy,” she’d say, “too bad he is Catholic.”

I think she always hoped that I would marry a “nice young Christian Scientist.”

But God had a greater plan. And while I dearly love my mother, I will always be grateful that David and I listened with our hearts and not our ears.

From our first date, we recognized that it was our unique expression of God and of our love for Him that made each of us who we are. So we began attending each other’s services weekly. Through this simple act, I learned so much about my husband and the one God we both worship.

One of the first times that I went to David’s Mass, the choir sang Amazing Grace for the communal hymn--one of my husband’s favorites as this had been sung at his dad’s funeral. So moved by the music and the act of communion, tears flowed unabashed down David’s cheeks when he returned from taking the Host. From that moment, I promised myself to embrace my husband’s religion and his special relationship to God, because it meant so very much to him.

And he has done the same, supporting me in my decision to turn exclusively to God for physical healings; or even sharing healings he’s had at our church’s Wednesday evening testimony meetings.

We love each other because of our differences, not in spite of them.

“Diversity is a plan from God Himself,” says Shuja U. Saleem, a local Islamic leader.

And so it is. Each, in our uniqueness, is a flower in God’s garden. Made to bloom and blossom for the world to see, and be blessed through each individual expression of our common Father/Mother God.

This may take the form of different hair or skin color, or in our shape and size, likes, and dislikes, or religious faith. But the bottom line is God made us all “in His image and likeness.”

The Nashua Area Interfaith Council wants to celebrate these differences at “Celebrate Communities Day” Greeley Park Band Shell on Sunday, May 19 at 3:00 PM.

Christian, Jewish, and Muslim communities will participate, each offering their own special praise to God.

Reverend Margaret Hess will deliver a talk entitled, “Bowling Together,” based on scripture passage:  Ruth 1:6-18.

As music is a large part of any celebration, local musicians from area churches will fill the air with their unique sounds. These include The Children's Choir from Christ the King Lutheran Church, The Raymond Street Klezmer Band, The New Fellowship Baptist Church Gospel Choir, The First Church Nashua Bell Choir, John Ogrodowczyk and Kathleen Andrle from the First Church of Christ, Scientist, as well as a few surprise appearances from other local musicians.

This event, which has traditionally been held at the Cathedral of the Pines in years past, will find a permanent new home here in Nashua beginning this year.

At the first celebration in 1998, Philip Cunningham, then professor of Theology at Notre Dame in Manchester, gave a stirring talk about the ongoing renewal of relations between Christians and Jews and the impact of those on global inter-religious understanding.

This year, in the light of current events, the Nashua Area Interfaith Council decided to permanently relocate it’s annual celebration closer to home to enable more people from the local area to attend and participate. 

Everyone is enthusiastically invited to join the Nashua Area Interfaith Council when we come together as a community to celebrate our God-given diversity.  My husband and I will certainly be there!

Laurie Toupin is a member of First Church Christ, Scientist, and serves on the board of directors of the Nashua Area Interfaith Council as a delegate at large.