Mohsen Mahdawi, Guest Worship Leader with Karen G. Johnston, Senior Minister
Dan York., Worship Associate

For this special Sunday service, Palestinian Vermonter, Buddhist, and community activist, Mohsen Mahdawi will be in conversation with Rev. Karen. We’re so thrilled and honored to welcome him to our sanctuary where we will explore topics such as solidarity, fear, and spiritually-rooted activism. This service may be longer than our regular 70-minute services.

Mohsen Mahdawi is a current Master’s student of the School for International Public Affairs at Columbia University. He became a permanent resident of the Upper Connecticut River Valley area of Vermont after arriving as a refugee from the West Bank of Palestine over ten years ago. Mohsen has been an activist for Palestinian rights and was detained by Immigration Customs Enforcement on April 14. He was held in prison for sixteen days before his court-ordered release. Mohsen was raised Muslim and is now a practicing Buddhist with close ties to the First Universalist Society of Hartland, VT. The U.S. government has appealed the Vermont District Court’s ruling seeking his re-imprisonment, and Mohsen has continued to be a bridge-builder who speaks out for freedom of speech, human rights, and peace in the Middle East.

Join us for worship at 10 a.m. in person in the Sanctuary, or online. Find the livestream link and order of service on the Live-Streamed Worship page, or go to our YouTube channel.

Following the service, all are welcome to Coffee Hour in the Community Room.