Program Spotlight: Gateway to Diverse Faiths
By Andrea Brooks, Interfaith Center Social Work Intern
 Beginning in January, the Interfaith Center launched a rich new adult learning program – Gateway to Religious Communities. Three memorable events have been held thus far and twenty-three people have registered and that number is growing! Participants have visited The First Presbyterian Church, Congregation Leyv Ha-Ir, and the Lenape Nation.
Participants have gained a sampling of diverse faiths in the first two months of the program. At the First Presbyterian Church participants learned about the history and fundamentals of the Presbyterian faith, the historic architecture of the church building, and were moved by the sincerity of the people and worship. They were impressed with how the congregants were eager to meet and warmly welcome them. A participant reflected that they felt enriched as the Gateway to Religious Communities program gave them the confidence to step over the threshold of someone else’s “home.”
At Congregation Leyv Ha-Ir, participants learned the fundamentals of Reconstructionist Judaism. Mary, one of the participants, saw a Torah for the first time! People were amazed by what they learned and how the Kabballat Shabbat (Sabbath eve) service made them feel relaxed and refreshed. Participant Rabbi Claire Green found it comforting to sit with her new friends from the Gateway to Religious Communities program during the service.
The last event took 17 participants all the way to Sciota, PA to experience a Lenape Nation ceremony. Gathering outside around a Maple tree for the Spring Ceremony, participants heard a story that has been passed down from their ancestors about the significance of the Maple tree in nature, and participated in a sage and tobacco ritual. After the ceremony, participants and members of the Lenape Nation gathered at the Chief’s house for a feast. Participants described the ceremony as a service they will never forget and a time in which they felt at one with nature. The hospitality and inclusion of the Lenape community was remarkable and heartwarming.
As an intern with the Interfaith Center this year, attending and planning the events offered through the Gateway to Religious Communities program has provided me with an enlightening journey to build a relationship with each faith community and host. Aside from my personal connection, I have been able to meet the participants and watch them transition through each new visit and experience. It is been personally fulfilling to watch participants truly savor the services of different faith communities, ask insightful questions, and form bonds with members of the different congregations. I am thankful for the opportunity to coordinate these events and help individuals make these meaningful connections.
Upcoming visits include the The Baha’i Community of Radnor Township, and Mosque of M.R. Bawa Muhaiyaddeen. The next six visits will be released in April.
Register online for the Gateway to Religious Communities program.
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