The Columbia faith community performs good deeds throughout the city by cooperating in activities, such as building homes and serving meals to the homeless.

Two organizations facilitate interfaith outreach efforts: The Columbia Interfaith Council and the Columbia Faith and Education Collaborative. Through these groups, people from different faiths can come together with the common goal of contributing to the community.

“These interfaith projects in which persons of various faiths work together to create a culture of peace, free of religious or political proselytizing, are a sign of hope for broader peace in our troubled times” said Jim Krueger, who is a member of the Congregation Beth Shalom board of directors and a member of the Columbia Faith and Education Collaborative steering committee.

The Columbia Interfaith Council

Originally called the Columbia Council of Churches, the council changed its name in the 1980s.

“As consciousness of other faith communities grew, it changed its name to the Columbia Interfaith Council to reach out to non-Christian faith groups” said Otto Steinhaus, former president of the Interfaith Council and co-chair of the Columbia Faith and Education Collaborative.

One of the main functions of the council is to link human and community service agencies who are looking for volunteers with local religious organizations. Some of the service agencies they help include Habitat for Humanity, Meals on Wheels, the Voluntary Action Center and the Interfaith Peace Alliance.

The Columbia Interfaith Council also supports the Interfaith Day Center and the Loaves and Fishes evening meal program in cooperation with the Catholic Workers of Columbia.

For the past three years, the council has sponsored an interfaith Thanksgiving dinner. Members from the Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist and Hindu communities have been present at these celebrations.

Approximately 30 people, including lay people, human service agency representatives and pastors, attend the meetings regularly.

Typically, members from the Christian and Jewish congregations are the most represented at meetings, but the council hopes for a more equal representation of different faiths over time, Steinhaus said.

Congregations most often represented include, but are not limited to: Missouri United Methodist, Fairview United Methodist, Trinity Presbyterian, First Presbyterian, Calvary Episcopal, First Christian, Broadway Christian, Rock Bridge Christian, Sacred Heart Catholic, First Baptist, Russell Chapel C.M.E., Church of Jesus Christ, Latter Day Saints; Congregation Beth Shalom and St. Andrews Evangelical Lutheran. Steinhaus said.

The Columbia Faith and Education Collaborative

In 2002, a community of religious and education leaders met at the Missouri United Methodist Church. The purpose of the gathering was to explore ways in which a culture of peace could be advanced in Columbia.

Friends of Peace Studies of the University of Missouri sponsored the meeting.

A second community conference was held in 2003 on ways to engage youth in conflict resolution. Following a third conference on “Building a Culture of Peace through dialogue,” the Columbia Faith and Education Collaborative of 12 religious and education representatives was established.

The Faith and Education Collaborative steering committee includes Christians, Jews and Muslims. The committee has a contact list of approximately 150 people who are updated regularly on upcoming events or projects.

In 2007, the Columbia Faith and Education Collaborative sponsored a blood drive.

“It was a wonderful success in that representatives from many of Columbia’s diverse faith communities worked together to create this project, organize it, advertise it, and met frequently to iron out the various details,” Krueger said.

Additionally, in September 2007, a Habitat for Humanity project sprang from the Faith and Education’s steering efforts, and volunteers helped to build a home in the Norbury Hill Subdivision.

“The most important feature in working with an interfaith group in putting on such a project was the necessity to honor the diversity inherent in the various faiths, yet still be able to put together a project that was all inclusive,” Krueger said.

The project climaxed with an interfaith potluck picnic at Stephens Lake Park.

Individuals from the Jewish, Christian, Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim, Sufi, Bahai and American Indian communities have been involved in one or more of the Faith and Education Collaborative events.

Other Faith and Education Collaborative events have included conferences on the topics of “Advancing Peace by Understanding Hate” and “Seeking the Common Ground Among Religious Faiths.”

The collaborative has also sponsored listening circles and a youth and adult Christian-Muslim dialogue on the life of Mohammed.

“Within the Faith and Education Collaborative, we have not yet reached the trust and comfort level to discuss doctrinal topics,” Steinhaus said. “But we can emphasize the things we share in common, like compassion.”