Sevenoaks Alliance Church offered a formal apology to Sikh

The family that was denied access to Sevenoaks Alliance Church for a Sikh funeral ceremony has received an apology from the church for the way the issue was handled.



Jim Braich said church officials met with him and �offered a formal apology � for the impact on our family, and what we went through.�



Braich, who describes himself as a �non-traditional Sikh� said he has no desire to publicly debate a religious matter.



�That�s how wars start,� he quipped.



He originally called Sevenoaks on June 5 and booked the church for his father Jasmer�s (Sher) funeral. Sher had passed away the day before.



Jim�s western-sounding name did not register with the church as belonging to a Sikh.



However, when officials found out that Sikh prayers would be said in their house of worship, they declined the rental.



Braich said he was particularly upset that the pastor who made the decision would not explain it to him in person. And he was left scrambling to find a facility that could accommodate the huge crowd expected for his popular father�s funeral.



He noted that other churches also refused the Sikh ceremony � not just Sevenoaks.



Talking to other churches, he stated early in the conversation that it would be rented for a Sikh ceremony, and four more churches refused.



Finally the Salvation Army�s Cascade Community Church permitted the funeral ceremony in their facility.



Sher Braich�s good friend Charan Gill, the CEO of Progressive Intercultural Community Services in Surrey, issued a press release last Friday, accusing Sevenoaks of discriminating against the Braich family, and not being accepting of other faiths.



In the public debate that followed, comments were made that a Christian funeral would not be allowed in a Sikh temple. Jim�s wife Robin Braich said the bodies of deceased are not allowed in the temple, so there would never be a funeral held there.



She did clarify that the temple is open to people of any faith.



�You can knock on a Sikh temple at two in the morning � anyone can,� she said.



The funeral is the first part of Sikh death rites, and generates the greatest attendance. The deceased is viewed, and Sikh prayers are spoken.



�It�s a short prayer to send his body off in peace,� said Robin.



The funeral service for Sher saw 1,700 people pay their respects to the long-time local farmer.



That was followed by a cremation service in Mission, attended by a smaller crowd, and finally a prayer service at the Sikh Temple.



Now, the Braichs would like the issue to cool.



�They (Sevenoaks Alliance) have apologized, and our family accepts their apology,� said Jim.



�It turned out to be a beautiful funeral.�



The News asked a number of local Christian churches whether they would allow other faiths to use their facilities. Spokespeople either declined to answer, advised that they do not lease their facilities, or said each request would be handled on a case-by-case basis.



Abbotsford native Jeff Graham, the Catholic Church�s communications coordinator for the Archdiocese of Vancouver, noted that a Catholic/Sikh retreat was recently held in Ohio, to promote greater contact between the two faiths.


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