Mosque near Glen Ellyn to hold service for peace, unity

A mosque near Glen Ellyn will invite members of all faiths to a prayer service held nearly a week after President Donald Trump signed an executive order temporarily banning entry into the United States for citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries.

Religious leaders will invite those at the gathering to share their concerns during a service intended as a show of solidarity and unity, said Shamshad Nasir, imam of the Baet-ul-Jaamay mosque.

Members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community will say evening prayers and then begin the service at 7:30 p.m. in the mosque at 2S510 Route 53.

The service will call for peace amid divisions over Trump's order last Friday that also suspended the U.S. refugee program for 120 days and the entry of Syrian refugees indefinitely.

A small group from the First Congregational United Church of Christ in Downers Grove plans to attend the service and extend their support to Muslims after a mass shooting killed six people in a Quebec City mosque Jan. 29.

The Rev. Scott Oberle, pastor of the church, described the service as a chance to foster dialogue and build relationships with neighbors.

"It's through knowing each other, being together in the same room and sharing our stories, we see there's a human being behind the labels that are so often given to people," he said.

Oberle also has invited members of the mosque, the Mecca Center near Willowbrook and the Congregation Etz Chaim in Lombard to join a DuPage United event from 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday.

Community leaders from across the county will meet in the First United Methodist Church in Downers Grove to develop a "rapid response" to any acts of violence against minorities.

The nonprofit group represents more than 25 area churches, mosques, temples, teachers unions and other organizations.