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Interfaith Council aims to keep open dialogue

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Wednesday, 14 January 2009 01:00
It might sound like the start of a joke: What happens when a Pagan, Hindu, Buddhist and Christian sit down at a table?
But when members of 15 different religions sit down in Kansas City, they are part of the Greater Kansas City Interfaith Council, a place to help understand other religions and to increase tolerance for all religions, according to the groups’ goals.
“The whole idea is to really encourage interfaith dialogue,” said Lama Chuck Stanford, of the Rime Buddhist Institute and council member. “In this world that is becoming so fragmented and really divides people, we want to bring people together.”
Religions included in the council are: American Indian Spirituality, Baha’i, Buddhism, Orthodox Christian, Protestant Christian, Roman Catholic, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Paganism, Sikhism, Sufism, Unitarian Universalism, Vedanta and Zoroastrianism.
The group also has at-large members and alternates from a number of faiths.
The group formed in 1989 by the Rev. Vern Barnet. It worked under the name Center for Religious Experience and Study until 2005, when Barnet moved on and the group organized itself into an official nonprofit group.
Through its existence, the group has taken on many different roles, but one of the main roles is to help educate the community about various religions.
The longest running program of the council is the speaker bureau. Through its Web site, interested people can have speakers from different religions come speak to various groups.
Since it became the council, the group has run an annual event called Tables of Faith. The event is a community luncheon where each of the 15 religions set up booths about their religions, as well as a luncheon.
The group used proceeds from the event to hire its first staff person, Executive Director Shannon Clark, in June 2008.
Clark has tried to help push forward the organization in a number of ways.
“My job is to really oversee the organization of council,” Clark said. “There are lots of tasks, but one of the main ones is to make sure the committees function smoothly and to lead the direction the council is going.”
Each religion on the council has one representative. For any council decision, there must be unanimous approval, something Stanford said is not always easy.
“If one person wants to block it, they can veto the whole thing,” Stanford said. “It’s very interesting and very time consuming.”
The council has taken stands on issues throughout the years, most recently releasing a statement of disapproval of a nationally circulated DVD about the dangers of Islam. It also offered support of Islam and understanding after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
Stanford said the best part he has gotten from his nearly 17 years on the council is the number of friends he has from all religious backgrounds. He said he and friend Alvin Brooks have a monthly dinner to get together people of many faiths.
“When you sit down and break bread with somebody, what better way to get to know somebody?” Stanford said. “I really have made some wonderful friends because of that.”
The group also offers a book club in the northern and southern Kansas City metro area, and helps to sponsor, co-sponsor or participate in a number of events. Stanford’s Rime Buddhist Center has hosted the World Peace Meditation on Dec. 31 every year. The group gathers all 15 faiths on the council in prayers for world peace and includes a changing group of music and speakers.
Clark said she has seen interest in starting a youth interfaith group, something she says is a priority in 2009.
With many new projects and opportunities on the forefront, Stanford said the council is open to new ideas as long as they meet the council’s core values.
“We always ask, ‘Is this consistent with our mission?’” Stanford said. “If it is, then let’s put it on the agenda for the whole council to discuss.”

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