Interfaith Community welcomes everyone

A little over four years ago, a group of individuals came together with their faiths to build a deeper connection and sense of understanding through conversations. The Interfaith Communities of Greater Lansing and Ithaca host monthly dinners that encourage these relationships and discussions.

“We were coming together — the Congregation Tikkun v’Or and the Al Huda Islamic Center and Lansing United Methodist Church — to see what we could do to address the issues that we’re seeing in our communities,” Mahmud Burton, president of the Al Huda Islamic Center, explained. “So, there were difficulties that had been arising at that time around some religious topics, I guess you could say. And we wanted to see if we could get together and have some sort of a beneficial impact on things.”

One of the main catalysts initiating the group was anti-Semitic graffiti that was found in Ludlowville Park back in 2017.

“I went into [Pastor] Alison’s office the next morning and said, ‘I’m not having this in my backyard,’” said Karen Veaner, adult ministries coordinator at Lansing United Methodist Church. “‘What can we do? Can we have dinners and get people together and talking with each other so that people can get to know each other?’ I think that these kind of hate crimes, and worse, are based in fear and misunderstanding. And so, the idea was to offer folks of different faiths opportunity to get together and just to get to know each other and to talk to each other.”

From these initial discussions, a dinner was held, which had a great turnout. At that dinner, Lisa Campbell joined the leadership of the group, representing the Lansing community. And the Interfaith Community has continued to meet since, hosting virtual dinners and events throughout the pandemic.

“We had some programming about mental health … that was organized by Lisa,” said Shawn Murphy, member of Congregation Tikkun v’Or. “We had some response to some community happenings down in Ithaca. … Some people were putting up some signs and some writings on store windows and things like that down in The Commons. So, I think that’s the one where we had over 70 people come, and [it] just provided a space for people to share their feelings about that. And so, we’ve stayed pretty engaged.”

Though the group’s mission is to foster educational conversations around faith and community, Alison Schmied, pastor at Lansing United Methodist Church, described the importance of patience and how this dialog cannot be rushed.

“When we were about a year into this, I was really excited about how it was going and hoping that we would have with some other organizations to get some in-depth conversations going about particular issues and so on,” Schmied said. “And I am really grateful that we were able to communicate well enough that people were able to tell me, ‘Alison, that’s a great idea for somewhere down the road, but it’s not where we are yet. We really need to help people make the trusting relationships where we can have everyday conversations before we get into more controversial topics.’”

Burton echoed Schmied’s sentiment.

“I’m participating in a couple of different clergy groups in Ithaca, and I’m really not aware of any other current events organized that are similar to what we have done with this initiative,” he said. “And we’ve been reaching out, and there have been other faith communities that have joined us, and they’ve hosted, and we continue to encourage that. But it’s just an interesting thing that our little communities here in Lansing are really providing a unique and really valuable model that some of the other congregations in Ithaca and Tompkins County are picking up on. And it’s just great to see over time people maintain a vision for something that brings benefit to everyone.”

While faith is the prominent driver of the dinners, the moveable feast format allows other community groups to host, and the Fire Auxiliary and Hate Has No Home Here campaign have also hosted events.

“It gives you a chance to sit and talk with people that you might normally not run into and talk with and just the setting and atmosphere we’ve created really lets you feel comfortable asking questions about the Jewish faith, asking questions about the Muslim faith, asking questions about the Christian faith, and just getting to know people in Lansing and beyond because all of our congregations have people that come from Ithaca, Syracuse, wide and far,” Murphy said.

The leaders said that there is only one rule, that when you go up for seconds, you sit down at a different table.

“Everyone is welcomed,” Veaner emphasized. “I have to say, in the early days, one of the most heartwarming parts of this was to see all these kids coming and playing together from different backgrounds and different cultures and different faith, and just really enjoying each other. They’re pretty much teaching us. [They’re] completely unaware that there should be conflict of any kind.”

In honor of the community’s fourth anniversary, the leaders are sponsoring a food cabinet here in Lansing and asking those who are able to donate nonperishables, canned goods, personal hygiene products and other goods. A vegetarian dish-to-pass is welcomed but not required.

This month’s dinner, hosted by Congregation Tikkun v’Or, will take place from 6 to 8 p.m. on July 29 in Myers Park’s pavilion G. All are welcome to attend and enjoy a meal with fellow members of the community while listening to the music and welcoming Congregation Tikkun v’Or’s new spiritual leader, Rabbi Shifrah Tobacman.

“If we can create a world, or encourage a world, where those children from different backgrounds play together happily, so that as they grow up to be adults, they can continue to play together happily, that would be a good thing,” Veaner said.

For more information, visit the Interfaith Communities Facebook page @interfaithcommunity or email interfaithcommunity14882@gmail.com. Any organizations or groups interested in hosting a dinner can contact Veaner at adultministries@lansingunited.org.