In the News ... "West Texas hosts second interfaith panel"

By Gabriella Lopez
Reporter
Odessa American

MIDLAND, TEXAS - As only a West Texas interfaith panel could do, a Baptist minister and a Muslim imam joked with each other about a familiar topic: football.

Originally from El Paso, and currently working with two Houston mosques, Imam Wazir Ali said he played football in El Paso and when he approached the First Baptist Church of Midland, he recognized the football stadium nearby.

“I’ll say it was heartwarming,” Ali said.

Ali and the Rev. Randel Everett of Midland’s First Baptist Church were two of five spiritual leaders who kicked off the Permian Basin’s second annual interfaith panel Tuesday evening. The others panelists included Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami of Kauai’s Hindu Monestary in Hawaii, the Rev. James Bridges of St. Stephen’s Catholic Church in Midland and Rabbi Holly Cohn of Temple Beth-El in Odessa.

Dr. Padmaja Patel initiated both Tuesday’s panel and the inaugural interfaith panel last April, both of which were well attended.

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