Our View of Our Community
Real peace in a community goes beyond resolving conflicts to actively caring for each other’s welfare and the welfare of our shared physical environment. By developing our higher altruistic/spiritual natures, we find real happiness, true peace and security in our lives.
Fostering a greater respect for, and understanding of, religious, ethical and spiritual traditions can lead to spiritual and personal growth as well as community well-being.
Our Purpose
We recognize our shared humanity and our shared homeland, the planet earth. Together we promote understanding, acceptance and common ethical and moral values to develop the Sooke community as a compassionate haven of peace, well-being and caring for each other and our physical environment.
As a Multi-Belief Initiative, we recognize that we have diverse views of reality. While we do not attempt to reconcile these differing views, we explore commonalities, we build friendships, and we seek to understand views held by others who differ from us.
Sooke's Compassionate Action Plan
On May 13, 2019 the District of Sooke Council endorsed the Sooke Compassionate Action Plan (CAP) which outlined short and long-term actions to address five major social concerns in the community.
Annex 1 to Sooke's Compassionate Action Plan
The short- and long-term actions proposed the five areas of focus in the Sooke Compassionate Action Plan (CAP) can only be taken through the concerted, collaborative efforts of individuals, service groups and agencies in the community.
Our Quest as of... July 2023
Real peace in a community goes beyond resolving conflicts to actively caring for each other’s welfare and the welfare of our shared physical environment.
SMBI Talks...
When SMBI first began to meet in 2017, our intent was to model to our community that people of different faith practices could collaborate together for the good of our city, Sooke, while interacting with one another in a gracious and compassionate manner.
SMBI Background...
What we’ve done so far and a good feel for a good direction. Support, dedication and perseverance, these are our Trademark.
Principles of Consultation
- Freedom of Expression:
Express your thoughts freely; do not belittle the thoughts of others.
- Objectivity:
Carefully consider the views of others; do not willfully hold to your own opinion.
- Contribution:
Express your views as a contribution to the consultation; do not voice them as correct or right.
- Detachment:
A view once expressed belongs to the group; do not be offended if a conflicting view is expressed.
- Decision Support:
Support fully all decisions; do not criticize previous decisions.
Our Operating Principles
To work for the betterment of our region as expressed in our purpose through the development of multi-belief cooperation and activities.
To focus on the common good of our Initiative, not our personal, spiritual and ethical beliefs.
To consciously adhere to and apply the values of our Initiative in all our activities.
To respect the differences in each other’s spiritual and ethical paths.
To encourage tolerance and understanding through sharing and education.
To strive for sustainability: environmental, economic, social, personal and voluntary service.
To follow best-practice compassionate meeting protocols (see appendix A) in discussing agenda items, building consensus and making final decisions based the guidelines in this Quest document.
Why?
We recognize that the enduring safety, security, peace and well-being of our community depends upon us all getting along both individually and collectively. We strive to improve our quality of life by encouraging respect and understanding.