INTERFAITH ACTIVITIES

By John Ayers, Chair

Diocese of Des Moines

The first round of contacts with individuals* was completed in the second week of June. They were invited, individually, to a meal at DMARC’s expense and all of these folks agreed to participate at various levels in a renewed effort to get to know each other better. Two planning sessions were held in July. These sessions surfaced a number of fruitful suggestions for our joint future. Following these sessions, a draft of a "Mission Statement" was prepared and another planning session-taking up a discussion of the Mission Statement and a more specific agenda for events – was held on September 8.

DMARC President Ginny Hancock kindly extended an invitation to the department to present an Inter-Faith Panel at the Assembly in October. This invitation has been gratefully accepted – the speakers are in place and other arrangements for this are mainly finished. Thank you for your support. We have asked President Ginny of the Cabinet to develop a plan to get this renewed inter-faith initiative "embedded" in each of our member congregations so that this does not become an exercise "out there" someplace.

We welcome those faith traditions in Des Moines who have not been contacted to call the DMARC office (277-6969) if you are interested in becoming a part of our interfaith community.

MISSION STATEMENT

FOR CROSS CULTURAL INTERFAITH RELATIONS

We invoke the moral authority of all of our participating religions to say that we are created in a sisterhood and brotherhood under God entitled to live in dignity and with love of our neighbor wherever on earth we are.

	We teach toleration, respect and acceptance of one another.
	We practice concerted efforts for justice, acting and reacting whenever needed, so that we may live in peace.
	We pray together so that we may remain connected to all of creation.
	We celebrate because we are grateful and happy to be together.