To Get Interfaith Value, Talk While You Work

The Rev. Bob Murphy learned an important lesson on the road from Mt. Olive, just before Easter. If you're serious about doing interfaith work, take sunblock.

Murphy and some of his parishioners walked much of the way from Mt. Olive, NC, to Raleigh in support of organizing farm workers. It's the third year they've done that, and Murphy recommends it, not only to support the farm workers, but to learn something about other faiths.

Murphy, who serves three UU congregations, at Morehead (72 members), Greenville (61), and New Bern (30), walked with Episcopalians, Roman Catholics, Methodists, and Baptists. He says, "If you walk 20 miles with someone and eat a couple of meals with them you can share all kinds of things."

The UU Congregation of Fairfax, Oakton, VA (648), helped found an interfaith gospel choir six years ago. Mosaic Harmony now includes members of at least 10 faiths, says Sharon Van Duizend, a promoter and group member. Strong friendships have developed and members attend each others' churches, she says.

The choir, a popular attraction throughout the area, has helped members become more broad-minded, says Van Duizend. "We think of ourselves as tolerant, but like any institution we have biases. Because of this group we've been a little less inclined to use the right-wing religious groups as a springboard. We tolerate a wider range of religious beliefs. And what matters most is coming from very different belief systems into a place of unity."

Another Fairfax member, Ann Wood, is among several UUs who join annually with a team from the United Methodist church up the road to travel to Pine Ridge, SD, to repair homes and public buildings with Native Americans. "I'm building two bridges, Lakota and Methodist, and each has its own rewards," she says. "Sometimes UUs are great about saying we should respect everyone, but we're less good about respecting the Christian church up the street. This is a chance to see the things we have in common."

At Columbus, OH, First UU Church (569), is a participant in BREAD, Building Responsibility, Equality and Dignity, a community coalition of many religious and racial groups which focuses on issues such as crime, mass transportation, and schools. Ministers in the group occasionally exchange pulpits and education grows from that, says the Rev. Mark Belletini. "I like the group because it actually accomplishes something, and it's an opportunity to work with other cultures."

Not all interfaith stories end well. Murphy says that when he first came to North Carolina three years ago one of his congregations was turned away when it tried to join a new, conservative interchurch council that was organizing to work with a homeless shelter.

"We were refused membership because we weren't a Christian church. We had no idea we were not acceptable, but this is rural Dixie. There are people who will cooperate with fellow Christians, but don't want to see people from other faiths."

He adds, "If you're in the midst of a very conservative culture it makes you think very carefully about what it means to be a UU and how you respond to the world around you."

Resources

For more information on interfaith work, contact the Rev. William Gardiner in the UUA's Faith in Action department, (617) 742-2100, ext. 450; UUA, 25 Beacon St. Boston, MA 02108.

A UUA Statement of Conscience titled 'Beyond Religious Tolerance: The Challenge of Interfaith Cooperation Begins with Us' will be considered by delegates at General Assembly June 24-29, Salt Lake City, UT.

The May/June 1997 issue of the World focuses on interfaith work.