Interfaith Center of Greater Philadelphia

Walking the Walk

North West Philadelphia Group - 2007

The Interfaith Center is partnering with NIM to bring Walking the Walk to Northwest Philadelphia.  The Neighborhood Interfaith Movement (NIM) is a nonprofit, non-sectarian organization that since 1969 has assisted children, families, and vulnerable and older adults. Acting in alliance with NIM's 53 Protestant, Catholic, Jewish, Unitarian, and Muslim congregations and faith institutions, volunteers and professionals work to fulfill NIM's mission "to build a more just and sensitive community through advocacy and service."

The Northwest Philadelphia Group was comprised of high school students from seven congregations: three synagogues, two churches, and two mosques. Students from these communities gathered 12 times over the school year to engage in meaningful conversation with one another, explore similarities and differences of one another’s religious traditions and work with children and adults residing at Stenton Family Manor, a temporary shelter for homeless people.

Group Leaders:

Marjorie Scharf, Interfaith Center of Greater Philadelphia and Anna Guarneri, Neighborhood Interfaith Center (NIM).

In 2007 – 2008, Stephen Danley, NIM’s Philly Fellow, will be leading this group.

Highlights of the year included:

• Touring the houses of worship of our congregational partners to see the Torah and the shofar, to take off our shoes before entering the musallah, and to see the stained glass in the churches;
• Making baby blankets with mothers living at Stenton Family Manor;
• Making crafts with young children at Stenton Family Manor for MLK Day;
• Engaging young children at Stenton Family Manor in a drumming session;
• Interviewing a formerly homeless family and the director of an emergency shelter;
• Exchanging questions, answers and reflections with an imam, rabbi, and a minister;
• Communicating how our own religion relates to the shared value of hospitality through collage.

Special Community Partner: 

Neighborhood Interfaith Movement 

Service-Learning Partner: 

Stenton Family Manor, Philadelphia

Stenton Family Manor is an emergency shelter for families. The shelter is operated by the Mount Airy Church of God in Christ, Mt Airy Bethesda Inc., a 501C3 tax-exempt non-profit organization established in 1991. 

Congregational Partners:

The Congregational Partners served a number of functions for the group, including:

• Recruiting participating youth for the year-long program;
• Providing a mentor who accompanies the youth and offers guidance and assistance;
• Hosting at least one session and providing a tour of the worship space.

The eight Congregational Partners for the Northwest Philadelphia group are:

First United Methodist Church of Germantown, Germantown

Germantown Jewish Centre, Germantown

Masjid Muhammad, Philadelphia

Masjidullah, Philadelphia

Mishkan Shalom, Philadelphia

Mount Airy Church of God in Christ, Philadelphia

Mount Zion Baptist Church of Germantown, Germantown

P’nai Or Religious Fellowship, Philadelphia

In pairs, students discussed meaningful objects and symbols of their religious traditions and then wrote poems about what their partners shared.

View the Photo Gallery of the 2006-07 Northwest Philadelphia Group.