Interfaith Forum Columbus, 319 Nineteenth Street, Columbus, IN 47201
Interfaith Forum Columbus (IFFC) is a regionally based group located in Columbus, Indiana, a small city of 38,000 people located about 40 miles south of the state's capital, Indianapolis. The group consists of Baha'is, Buddhists, Christians, Hindus, Jews, Muslims, Sikhs and Unitarians, working together to promote interreligious understanding in the community through a variety of initiatives, from monthly meetings to sponsoring public events.
Interfaith Forum Columbus was born out of the experiences of Columbus residents Sharon Karr, Christine Lemley and Quinn Lemley, who attended the 1999 Parliament of the World's Religions in Cape Town, South Africa. At the close of the Parliament, Executive Director Rev. Dirk Ficca challenged everyone to return to their home communities and to take one action toward promoting interfaith dialogue and engagement there.The group was founded in 2001 and continues to promote interfaith dialogue in the community.
Interfaith Forum Columbus meets on the first Wednesday of every month at the Columbus City Hall, from 11:30-12:30 p.m. There is no official "membership" in the organization; meetings are open to all interested persons in the community. Leadership is cooperative and dialogical, not hierarchical in nature. The meetings of begin with a reflection question to which members share thoughts and responses, speaking from their own perspective, not attempting to represent the theology of any institution or group. When a religious festival or holiday is approaching, members of that tradition will speak to the group about the significance of the holiday, and the group shares in food typically associated with that particular celebration.
The group also does not have a budget; any funds involved with the group are handled through the First Presbyterian Church in Columbus.
Sacred Celebrations are held September through May on the 3rd Sunday of the month. From 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. a religious service is held with different religions represented each month. Refreshments follow the service. These are held at Unitarian Universalist Congregation, 7850 W Goeller Blvd., Columbus IN 47201, (812)342-6230 All are invited.
For more information, contact us at: IFFC@reconciliationday.net
