MOHEGAN LAKE, NY: "There will always be an open door of friendship and love between the members of the Reformed Church of Cortlandtown and the members of the Islamic Community Center of Mohegan Lake."

These words highlight a framed watercolor from Oman, picturing traditional Omani wooden doors, a gift presented to the Islamic Community Center of Mohegan Lake by the Reverend Douglas Leonard on Friday evening, February 20, 2009. Reverend Leonard, pastor of the Reformed Church of Cortlandtown in Montrose, brought the artwork back to the United States, after his August 2008 visit to the Sultanate of Oman, where Muslims and Christians gathered to engage in mutual learning and interfaith dialogue. In Oman, the Reformed Church in America spearheaded the development of the Al-Amana Center which for over a century, has served as a place of hospitality, to introduce international guests to Arab culture and religion.

The framed piece also contains verses from the Christian and Muslim scriptures, emphasizing the two principles of the love of God and love of neighbor, shared between the two faith-traditions. Reverend Leonard, who has long been involved in interfaith dialogue throughout the Westchester and greater New York area, is continuing the work outlined in the document A Common Word between Us and You, published by 138 Islamic scholars under the leadership of Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad of Jordan in late 2007.

Local parishioners and friends gathered at the Islamic Center for dinner and prayer, after which Reverend Leonard made the presentation to Sheikh Saad and other leaders of the Islamic community. Participating in the presentation was Metropolitan Archbishop Michael J. Champion, of the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodoox Church, vice-president of the Peekskill Area Pastors Association a local inter-faith organization of over 80 religious and pastoral organizations. Archbishop Michael is also active in Muslim-Christian dialogue and was a participant in the historic conference, Loving God and Neighbor in Word and Deed, sponsored at Yale University by the Yale Center for Faith and Culture in late July, 2008.

Sheikh Saad thanked Reverend Leonard and the other Christian friends of the Islamic Center not only for the gift itself, but for what it represents, in emphasizing the love which exists between people, inspired by their love for God.