Chicago ICP

The ICP program, previously called Sharing Sacred Spaces, was created in partnership with the Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions by Sacred Space Ambassador Suzanne Morgan and Reverend Dirk Ficca. The program was designed to engage religious diversity and widen participation in the Chicago metropolitan area. 

 

Fall of 2011 through May 2012, eight places of worship in downtown Chicago opened up their doors to extend hospitality to visitors from other congregations as well as the general public, within ICP's a community-building format. 

 

The participating congregations included:

 

Midwest Buddhist Temple

The Fourth Presbyterian Church

St. James Episcopal Cathedral

Chicago Sinai Congregation

First United Methodist Church at the Chicago Temple

Seventeenth Church of Christ, Scientist

Old St. Patrick's Church

Downtown Islamic Center

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At the end of May, all the communities came together to celebrate their newly found friendships and signed a Pledge of Solidarity, vowing to uphold the dignity of one another, protect one another, and continue to strive for mutual understanding even and especially during more stressful times. 

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In continued partnership, the newly formed interreligious community moved to take strides to better understand and address the violence ravaging parts of their city. They came together to gain a better understanding of how each of their faith communities understood and addressed violence and justice, and what else might be done.