SHARING STORIES OF FAITH AND FAMILY

For the second year, Cultural Crossroads and the Greater Kansas City Interfaith Council co-sponsored a welcoming program of communication and diversity.

Food and Thought – an interfaith and intercultural conversation took place on Sunday, June 26, 2011, in six locations across the metropolitan area. This unique program arranges for small diverse groups to meet in private homes and engage in open discussion about how multicultural and interfaith issues affect our daily lives in a global society. Participants brought “potluck” snacks to share, enhancing the informal atmosphere of a private home and the comfortable feeling of friends getting together. Although the program included facilitators at each location to ensure the flow of conversation, there was no dearth of conversation, as the participants told their personal stories and brought up questions for discussion.

Some of the comments from the nearly 50 participants included:

"an eye-opener…a lovely, thoughtful & engaging afternoon!... animated conversation…enlightening and enjoyable…open opportunity to speak my truth…it touched my heart."

Participants included Jewish, Christian, Pagan, Muslim, Baha’i, Oneness, Native American Spirituality, Vedanta, Unity, and New Age Consciousness religious thought and Afro-American, European, South Asian. There was no charge for the program, but good will offerings were given and received.

The value of this ongoing, annual program may best be summed up in the comment of one participant: "...peace and communication can only survive if everyone has an open mind and desire to learn. "