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West Middle School, Old Perch Road, Rochester Hills, MI

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West Middle School, Old Perch Road, Rochester Hills, MI

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West Middle School, Old Perch Road, Rochester Hills, MI

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Mumunsa temple, John R Road, Rochester Hills, MI

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The Center is located in the City of Rochester Hills, 25 miles north of Detroit, Michigan. Michigan is surrounded by the Great Lakes, with Canada to the north and east, the states of Ohio and Indiana to the south, and the state of Illinois to the west. Two major metropolitan cities in the North American continent, Chicago and Toronto are located within 4 - 5 hours driving distance. Detroit is the heart of the world center of automotive industry and home for international headquarters of General Motors, Ford Motors, and Daimler-Chrysler.

The Korean population in the area is 20,000 approximately, which is smaller than other major cities in the US but still significant. Detroit vicinity alone has about 5,000 Koreans. A Majority of the population are families of engineers who are working for the automotive industries, medical professionals, and students. Their living standard is above average, and their educational levels are greater than medium. Among other colleges, two prestigious universities reside in Michigan; Michigan State University in Lansing, capital city of state of Michigan, and the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Both cities also have significant Korean population.

There are numerous Protestant churches and one Roman Catholic Church to serve the Korean community in the area. For local Buddhists, Detroit Zen Center is located in the City of Detroit, and Sunryunsa Temple is located in Ann Arbor.

The Center was incorporated in 1983 when Suk Doe-Mahn s'nim came to America after his studies in Japan. Two existing Korean temples, Koryosa and Sunkooksa, consolidated and renamed to Mumunsa, and the Venerable Suk Doe-Mahn s'nim became the first resident minister of the temple. The name Mumunsa implies "There is no gate for a great mind", which is the aspiration to open hearts while removing that of suffering, peril, and obsession.

Initially, the services held at Sunkooksa Temple which was a rental space in a medial clinic building. In 1984, the center moved to Novi, Michigan. One year after opening, the city declared that the building was unsuitable for assembly, and the Court ordered to close. After several months of heart-rending anguish, the temple was able to reopen in Troy in 1986. It was the earnest desire of the Sangha to acquire permanent quarters for a temple, which we accomplished through the acquisition of the present site in Rochester Hills in 1989.

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The first Buddhist cave monuments at Ajanta date from the 2nd and 1st centuries B.C. During the Gupta period (5th and 6th centuries A.D.), many more richly decorated caves were added to the original group. The paintings and sculptures of Ajanta, considered masterpieces of Buddhist religious art, have had a considerable artistic influence.

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IAGD, West Auburn Road, Rochester Hills, MI

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IAGD, West Auburn Road, Rochester Hills, MI

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IAGD, West Auburn Road, Rochester Hills, MI

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As the northern suburbs grew, so did the number of Muslims seeking a sense of community. Groups gathered in private homes for Islamic study and prayers. The existing Masjids were too far away to attend regularly and the need for a local Masjid was imperative. In April 1978, with thirty member families, the Islamic Association of Greater Detroit was established as a non-profit organization.Initially, the organization continued to meet in homes and also rented space in Larson Middle School for lectures and community dinners. In just one year, vigorous fund-raising accomplished purchasing a three-acre parcel of land. The property included a small blue house and garage which were immediately put to use as a home for the community. By 1982, the plans and continued fund-raising made the construction of the IAGD masjid a reality.

Once built, the IAGD masjid became a focal point for Muslims in the area, and the gatherings grew. Sunday Islamic classes, monthly community dinners and ’Eid salat burgeoned. As the surrounding suburbs grew, so had the number of Muslims who chose to move near the Masjid and to make it a cornerstone in their lives.

The community had grown exponentially. In a matter of just a few years ’Eid prayers were offered in 2 and 3 sittings and Sunday Islamic classes split into morning and afternoon sessions. The building was quickly becoming inadequate, unable to meet the needs of the community. Additional nearby parcels of land were acquired, the parking lot extended, and plans for expansion got underway.

The expanded facility opened in November, 2001. The expansion provided critically needed space in the prayer area and an enlarged dining hall, gymnasium, formal classrooms, conference room, library, professional kitchen and other amenities. A few years after the 2001 expansion , with the continuous growth of the community, the expanded facilities seemed too small to accommodate the fresh needs. IAGD had to spread its Sunday School education classes over Saturday and Sunday.

Furthermore, daytime school was also established and the needs and demands for education continue to grow. Additional land was acquired and plans are currently being drawn to further expand the facilities.

Ground breaking for the expansion was held in May, 2000.

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International Christian Church (Missions and Admin Location), Joslyn Avenue, Pontiac, MI

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International Christian Church (Missions and Admin Location), Joslyn Avenue, Pontiac, MI

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International Christian Church (Missions and Admin Location), Joslyn Avenue, Pontiac, MI

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International Christian Church is a local church with a global vision. It is an multicultural and multi-ethnic church that is focused on ministering to the needs of the people living in the immediate neighborhood, Oakland county and Detroit area with a vision to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ to all the nations of the world.

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Bharatiya Temple, North Adams Road, Troy, MI

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Bharatiya Temple, North Adams Road, Troy, MI

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Bharatiya Temple, North Adams Road, Troy, MI

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In the early seventies, there was a dream among Hindus settled in the Metro Detroit area to set up a self perpetuating eternal religious and cultural organization which could fulfill the spiritual and cultural needs of the Indian community. An initiative towards this goal was taken when a group of about 30 persons gathered on January 25, 1975 at the Northwood Inn, Royal Oak to discuss this possibility. The idea of setting up a Hindu Temple was born during this meeting.

As a result of this meeting, an ad-hoc committee consisting of seven persons was formed and was charged with the responsibility of organizing a fund raising event for this purpose and of drafting an appropriate constitution which could be used as a guidelines to streamline the process of creating such an organization. It was decided that the organization would represent all the good aspects of great Indian heritage and would attempt to foster and promote all aspects of Indian way of life, Indian philosophy and religion. The constitution and by laws prepared by the ad-hoc committee were adopted during the first fund raising event held at the Kingsley Inn on March 21, 1975. It was decided to provide a Temple for the worship by devotees and for other cultural activities. A total of $140,000 worth of pledges were made by about 200 families. A new committee was charged with the responsibility of selecting an appropriate site for the Temple and subsequently, based on its recommendations, an excellent 18 acres lot at the Northwest corner of Troy was acquired at the total cost of $70,000. This is the site where the Temple presently stands.

It was initially planned to develop with a budget of $500,000 a Temple which could accommodate approximately 350 to 400 people. On the Independence day, July 4, 1976, the Bhoomi Pooja was performed. The organization of pooja and celebration was undertaken under the guidance of Sri Satguru Sant Keshavadas and Dr. T. K. Venkateswaran, Professor of Hindu studies at the University of Detroit. Soon the whole project gained momentum and generous donations for the building fund began to pour in.

Under the able guidance of Sant Keshavadas, Brahmacharini Pavitraji and Acharya Sampat Kumar, the ground breaking ceremonies were performed on June 1, 1980. With a collected funds of about $105,000, the construction of the Temple began almost immediately, commencing on October 2, 1980 on the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi. A tentative building loan was approved by the Michigan National Bank.

The formal inauguration took place on July 19, 1981 by Swami Chinmayananda and Satguru Keshavadas. Another milestone was achieved on November 19th and 20th, 1983 with the installation of deities, Sri Lakshmi Narayana,Sri Ganesh and Sri Hanuman under the guidance of Sri Janaki Rama Sastry of Raja Rameshwari Peetham and Swami Alamlokananda of Vivekananda Monastery & Retreat at Ganges, Michigan.

Since then the Temple has grown significantly in terms of its activities, building expansion as well as in the size of the congregation.

Currently, the complex includes the Main Pooja Hall, which could comfortably seat about 600 devotees, a Multi-purpose Hall with Yagna facilities, a Kitchen and Dining facility and a small apartment for priest or guests. The annual operating budget of the Temple is close to half a million dollars. The Temple currently has about six hundred dues paying member families with a large number of life members. A variety of religious services and poojas are performed during the week. The most notable is the Services during Sunday mornings (10:30am -12:00 noon) which are typically attended by a large congregation of 600 plus devotees. The Sunday services consist of a variety of activities such as regular prayers, Bhajans, religious single theme discourses respected visitors or certain learned members of the community and the discussions of Hindu philosophy and Hindu way of living. The format is varied to accommodate the interests of every cross-section of the community. Typically, English is used as the language for any discoursed or communication during the services. Quite frequently, the Temple is visited by various classes of religious studies students and associated faculty members from the universities and colleges in region.

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The church, baptistry, basilicas, public buildings, streets, monasteries, houses and workshops in this early Christian holy city were built over the tomb of the martyr Menas of Alexandria, who died in A.D. 296.

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Chartres Cathedral, Cloître Notre Dame, Chartres, France

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Chartres Cathedral, Cloître Notre Dame, Chartres, France

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Chartres Cathedral, Cloître Notre Dame, Chartres, France

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Partly built starting in 1145, and then reconstructed over a 26-year period after the fire of 1194, Chartres Cathedral marks the high point of French Gothic art. The vast nave, in pure ogival style, the porches adorned with fine sculptures from the middle of the 12th century, and the magnificent 12th- and 13th-century stained-glass windows, all in remarkable condition, combine to make it a masterpiece.

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Centro histórico de Córdoba, Calle Cardenal Herrero, Córdoba, Spain

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Centro histórico de Córdoba, Calle Cardenal Herrero, Córdoba, Spain

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Centro histórico de Córdoba, Calle Cardenal Herrero, Córdoba, Spain

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In the 13th century, under Ferdinand III, the Saint, Cordoba's Great Mosque was turned into a cathedral and new defensive structures, particularly the Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos and the Torre Fortaleza de la Calahorra, were erected.

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The cultural heritage of the Kathmandu Valley is illustrated by seven groups of monuments and buildings which display the full range of historic and artistic achievements for which the Kathmandu Valley is world famous. The seven include the Durbar Squares of Hanuman Dhoka (Kathmandu), Patan and Bhaktapur, the Buddhist stupas of Swayambhu and Bauddhanath and the Hindu temples of Pashupati and Changu Narayan.

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Congregation Shir Tikvah, Northfield Parkway, Troy, MI

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Congregation Shir Tikvah, Northfield Parkway, Troy, MI

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Congregation Shir Tikvah, Northfield Parkway, Troy, MI

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Congregation Shir Tikvah (Song of Hope) was formed in 1982 as the Troy Jewish Congregation by two mothers desiring conveniently located Jewish education for their children. While Troy and neighboring Rochester, northern suburbs of Detroit, are valued for their ethnic diversity, top-rated schools, cultural programs and community safety, they do not have a significant Jewish population.

After developing and understanding our own identify as a congregation, we joined the Reform movement and have continued to value that relationship. We began to grow by attracting new members from a broader geographical area who were looking for a smaller, inclusive, genuinely welcoming and a casual come-as-you-are congregation. Today, we serve members from throughout metropolitan Detroit