Building Relationships

New information breaks down barriers and broadens horizons,
but transformation truly happens when we begin to reach out and form relationships.
Below are some ideas for one-time events and ongoing relationships
between individuals, parishes, schools and youth groups.

For individuals

• Invite a Muslim colleague or neighbor to talk. A shared meal or even a cup of coffee can be the start of a wonderful friendship. We need to be brave enough to take the first step to welcome a new neighbor or start a different conversation with a coworker. Learning a bit about language and etiquette can help us move past any awkwardness and avoid unintentionally causing distress. Dietary restrictions can be easily accommodated with a little forethought. To find approved groceries near you, try googling 'halal" and your zip code.
  
• Attend an interfaith event or lecture in your community and chat with other attendees
• Smile
• Try greeting a Muslim, with "As-salamu-alaikum" (peace be to you. in Arabic.)  They may respond with "Wa-alaikum salaam" (and with you too.)
• Share your own spiritual story. Our story often transcends differences in culture and theology.

For parishes,  schools and other groups

• Sponsor an interfaith service project for adults, youth or families
• Host an interfaith Thanksgiving or Iftar (breaking the Ramadan fast) meal, or partner with a mosque or Muslim community center in doing so. Many Muslim communities already open their doors during Ramadan for special events. For several years the Minnesota Council of Churches has promoted these meals, and in 2016 there were 19 events in the Twin Cites area alone.
• Initiate an interfaith prayer service. For guidelines and a sample prayer service for peace, click here.
  

Habitat for Humanity project

Next Steps

The steps listed above hold the seeds of transformation - you will never know all the fruits of your courage and generosity. Each of the above asks a one-time commitment. For those who are ready for a sustained commitment we recommend:

• Develop a sister relationship with a mosque or Muslim community center. We have a long tradition in the U.S. of forming sister pairings between cities, churches and schools. These relationships take different forms but have a common thread of sharing news and concerns and sometimes resources. The diocese of Rochester, NY has a rich array of resources based on their years of experience with parish/mosque pairing.. If you're interested in pairing with a mosque or community center, please let us know if we can help. We'd love to hear from you, and any wisdom you may gain in your process.
  
• Begin a faith-sharing group.  Interfaith dialogue often centers on discussing similarities and differences among the faiths. This clarity is important, for differences are real. But at core we are united before God, and we share a common struggle to live in God's light. See here for a format for ongoing faith sharing which steps beyond differences into our common life. We're piloting such a group beginning in August and will share the wisdom as we go along.

Renewing Our Relationship with God

Another thing that the church can do to make the principle of brotherhood a reality is to keep men’s mind and visions centered on God.  Many of the problems America now confronts can be explained in terms of fear...One of the best ways to rid oneself of fear is to center one’s life in the will and purpose of God.” 
                                                                                                                                 Martin Luther King, Jr.


Interfaith work carries a profound invitation to strengthen our own relationship with God. Engaging in interreligous dialogue invites us to reconsider our own beliefs and practices. The challenges and rewards of the work both do best when placed in God's hands.

The core of the Islamic message is surrender to God - the same message Jesus carried to us. Regular prayer helps us stay focused, courageous and generous. Click here for some well-known Christian prayers of surrender. Pray-as-you-go is a Jesuit resource for daily prayer, or  Contemplative Outreach offers an online resource in the spirit of Thomas Keating, OCSO. These are just two of many options.