All posts by Tim Helton

VCIC Visits its Hindu Friends on the Occasion of Thai Poosam

1 Upcoming Events

Every year during the full moon day of the solar month of Thai (Jan 14 to Feb 15), Hindus world over with ancestry in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, celebrate the defeat of the demon Surapadman by the Hindu Deity of war and Celestial General, Murugan, with the festival of Thai Poosam. 

In commemoration of Murugan’s victory, worshippers visit one of his many temples carrying a physical burden as a means of balancing a spiritual debt or on behalf of a loved one who is in need of help or healing. Such burdens may consist of an offering, such as a pot of cow’s milk, or a decorative arched frame called a Kavadi. 

On February 8th, 2025, Thirumurugatrupadai (Thee-Ru-Mu-Ru-Gaa-True-Pa-Dai) volunteer group based in Ventura County, will organize and celebrate Thai Poosam by performing a spiritual walk to the Malibu Hindu Temple, and the Ventura County Interfaith Community has been invited to observe the festival. If you join us, you will see the entry of the procession into the temple grounds, observe a puja interpreted by Hari Pothulu, one of the event organizers, and if you so choose, enjoy a delicious Indian lunch.

See below for the information that you’ll need to visit the festival, including:

We hope you’ll join us!

“Portrait of a devotee” by Johnragai-Moment Catcher is licensed under CC BY 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/?ref=openverse.

Time, Date, and Location

On February 8th, we’ll meet at 11:30 in the parking lot of the Malibu Hindu Temple (1600 Las Virgenes Canyon Rd, Calabasas, CA).

Timeline for the Day’s Events*

After meeting in the parking lot of the Malibu Hindu Temple at 11:30, we’ll

  • Be guided to the Shiva temple on the temple grounds at 11:45 where we will observe the arrival of the procession
  • From noon to 12:45 we will observe a puja interpreted by Hari Pothulu, one of the organizers of the festival
  • After the puja, we will allow a few moments during which Hari will answer our questions
  • Around 1:00 those who register in advance will enjoy a delicious Indian lunch in the temple parking lot. While the lunch is graciously offered for free by the organizers, you must register here before February 2nd if you’d like to participate.

*Because the temple is currently in a mandatory evacuation zone, and because events like this are difficult to time exactly, the times listed above are approximate. To be kept up date on changes to the timeline should they occur, please consider joining our mailing list here.

Guidelines for Appropriate Dress

Out of respect for the temple and the devotees worshipping at the temple, we suggest the following guidelines for appropriate dress:

  • Wear loose clothing that covers your shoulders, chest and knees
  • Avoid shorts, short skirts, tank tops, and sleeveless tops
  • Wear something that will allow you, should you choose, to sit in a cross-legged position comfortably
  • Wear comfortable shoes that can be easily removed on entry to the temple grounds. (No shoes are permitted in the temple grounds.)

Miscellaneous Information

Please note, no food is permitted on the temple grounds.

Need more information? Do not contact the temple as they are providing the venue for this event. Instead, contact Tim Helton at tim@timhelton.com.

Religious Conversion

3 Past Events
Some communities of faith actively seek the conversion of others while other communities discourage or even refuse the conversion of seekers
“The conversion of St. Paul” by Richard Croft is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.
These forums have already taken place.

If you missed the first forum, we recorded it, and you can view the recording on Facebook at https://fb.watch/vhjG0VA5Fm. You can also view the recording on YouTube at https://youtu.be/k2Zkc2EiudY or on the clip below:

And if you missed the second forum, you can view it on Facebook at https://fb.watch/v_gjujc6RR/ or on YouTube at https://youtu.be/nEFmEoPplvw. Or, you can view it by clicking on the clip below:

VCIC Visits the Islamic Center of Ventura County

3 Past Events

Join the Ventura County Interfaith Community for the second of its VCIC Visits events. On Friday, August 23rd, we will visit with our friends at the Islamic Center of Ventura County at their mosque (271 Riverpark Blvd., Oxnard).

Join us at 7:00PM for an introduction to and tour of the mosque. At 7:30PM, we will observe community prayer followed by a sermon by Imam Patel and refreshments.

All are welcome, so don’t miss this wonderful opportunity to experience the worship practices of our Muslim neighbors. Whether you’re curious about Islamic traditions, seeking peaceful reflection, or simply want to meet your neighbors, the Islamic Center promises a warm welcome.

Feast of Faiths

1 Upcoming Events, 3 Past Events

We are delighted to announce our annual Feast of Faiths —a celebration of unity, diversity, and shared values. As we gather around the table, we embrace the richness of our various traditions, backgrounds, and beliefs.

This year, the Feast of Faiths will be held at Padre Serra (5205 Upland Rd, Camarillo, CA 93012) on September 22nd at 4:00 PM.

At the Feast of Faiths, you will:

  • Connect: Engage in meaningful conversations with fellow guests from different faiths.
  • Learn: Discover common threads that bind us together and celebrate our unique perspectives.
  • Feast: Savor a delightful Halal style meal prepared with love and care by a Persian chef or choose from a vegetarian option.

Get your tickets before September 8th, and enjoy the early-bird discount. Ticket prices are as follows:

  • Early-bird (before September 16th): $30
  • Early-bird student (before September 16th): $15
  • General admission: $35
  • Student: $20

Tickets are available at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/945326636417?aff=oddtdtcreator.

Introduction to Sikhism

3 Past Events

This event has already taken place. However, you can view a recording of the presentation on Facebook at this link: https://fb.watch/to5cOojUhb/ or on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/HxPQPhYgmwk. Or simply click on the clip below!

Originating in the 15th century, the Sikh religion numbers some 25 million adherents most of whom reside in the Punjab region of India. Founded by Guru Nanak, Gurmat or “the way of the Guru”, as Sikhism is known to its followers, was led by nine subsequent gurus, each inhabited by the spirit of Guru Nanak. Upon the death of the 10th, that spirit transferred itself to the Sikh’s scriptures which became known as Guru Granth Sahib or “the Granth as the Guru.” (McLeod, W. Hewat. “Sikhism.” Encyclopedia Britannica, May 27, 2024. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Sikhism.)

“File:Vaisakhi Sikh festival in Birmingham 2013.jpg” by Guy Evans from Birmingham UK, England is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

At 7:00 PM on July 16th, the Ventura County Interfaith Community will explore this fascinating faith with the help of a practicing Sikh, Gurpreet Singh, a member of the Orange County Interfaith Network, and a frequent lecturer on Sikhism. We hope that you will join us at the Bishop’s Hall at the Church of the Epiphany (5450 Churchwood Drive, Oak Park, CA 91377).

This event is offered free of charge and all are welcome, so let your friends and neighbors who may be interested know about the event.

Faith & Finances Revisited

3 Past Events

This event has already occurred. Not to worry, though. You can view a recording of the event on Facebook at https://fb.watch/sQroJLGwD6/, or on YouTube at https://youtu.be/tUm3XR1zvDI.

You can also view it by clicking on the clip below:

“Dollar Heart” by cmpalmer is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.

On June 18th at 7:00 PM the Ventura County Interfaith Community will continue its exploration of the interaction between faith and finances in a variety of religious traditions. In particular, we will seek to answer the question, “How do different faiths approach the gathering and allocation of financial resources?” An interfaith panel consisting of representatives of the Bahá’í community, the United Methodist Church, and the International Society for Krishna Consciousness will discuss the ways that their communities solicit and receive funds and how they use their funds both in the support of their own programs, in response to needs of their congregants and the needs of those in the broader community. Our host for the evening will be the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (1201 Paseo Camarillo, Camarillo).

Admission to the forum is free and all are welcome, so please feel free to pass this information along to friends and family who may be interested in the topic.

VCIC Visits Congregation Or Ami

3 Past Events

Join the Ventura County Interfaith Community for the first of its VCIC Visits events. On Friday, May 10th, we will join Congregation Or Ami (26115 Mureau Rd., Suite B, Calabasas) for a celebration of interfaith connections. The program for the evening will include:

  • 6:00-6:30 Arrival and hors d’oeuvres
  • 6:30-7:15 Tour – What’s inside a synagogue?
  • 7:30-8:45 Musical Shabbat service
  • 8:45-9:30 Blessings and refreshments (get to know each other and ask informal questions)

To let us know you’ll be joining us, RSVP to teri@terihelton.com. When doing so, please indicate if you’d like to participate in a carpool either as a driver or a passenger.

Faith and Finances

3 Past Events

This event has already occurred, but we recorded it. You can view it on Facebook at this link: https://fb.watch/rw6_wXKGpL or by clicking on the clip below.

Or, you can view it on YouTube at this link: https://youtu.be/ZQ809-bzXSU or on the following clip:

“Living on the edge. You can’t stop yourself from falling. You can’t stop yourself at all” by Dimplemonkey is licensed under CC BY 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/?ref=openverse.

On April 16th at 7:00 PM the Ventura County Interfaith Community will explore the interaction between faith and finances in a variety of religious traditions. In particular, we will seek to answer the question, “How do different faiths approach the gathering and allocation of financial resources?” An interfaith panel will discuss the ways that their communities solicit and receive funds and how they use their funds both in the support of their own programs, in response to needs of their congregants and the needs of those in the broader community. Our host for the evening will be the Church of Scientology of Ventura (2151 Alessandro Drive, Ventura, CA 93001).

Admission to the forum is free and all are welcome, so please feel free to pass this information along to friends and family who may be interested in the topic.

An Introduction to Zoroastrianism

3 Past Events

This event has taken place, but if you missed it, we recorded it. You can view it on Facebook at https://fb.watch/r5ICOZEQHE or by clicking on the embedded video below:

Or you can view it on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/KJEjWHBQLvs or on this embedded video:

“Among the world’s present-day religions, Zoroastrianism, founded more than 3,000 years ago, is one of the most ancient and historically influential.” – PBS

Zoroastrian Fire Temple
Photo by Adam Jones, Ph.D./Global Photo Archive/Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6244119

Join the Ventura County Interfaith Community for a fascinating look at Zoroastrianism. On Tuesday, March 26th at 7:00 PM, Tim Helton Ph.D. will interview Maneck Bhujwala, a native of Mumbai and Zoroastrian priest. Bhujwala is also a past president of the Greater Huntington Beach Interfaith Council. Bhujwala and Helton will speak together via Zoom, and you can join the conversation at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84573617962?pwd=dHEydFFzSm8zRjg2dysrZkZHM1pzdz09. The event is free of charge and open to all, so don’t hesitate to tell friends and family about the event