The Interreligious Communities Project

The Program 

The Interreligious Communities Project (ICP) is Sharing Sacred Spaces’ hallmark program. 

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The ICP brings religious and spiritual communities together within a safe and tested format.  We visit one another’s sacred spaces, extend hospitality, equip ourselves with tools for dialogue, and build an interfaith city-wide community.  The ICP is designed to engage religious diversity, to widen participation in inter-religious activity, and educate across each geographic context.

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First piloted in Chicago in 2011, the program has now run successfully in 6 cities with positive results for building sustainable interfaith relations and bridging differences.  ICP currently runs in multiple locations at once -- with another twelve cities planned for next year -- building and training interfaith leaders along the way.  Please reach out to us if you are interested in having or running an ICP in your location!

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The ICP is unique so far as interfaith programs go in that it:

• requires a 9-month commitment of all participants

• uses sacred architecture and sacred space (rather than worship services or panel presentations) as the inviting focal point for building relationships, conveying and respecting spiritual and communal histories and meaning, and experiencing awe

• includes several specific touch-points during the program that offer varied learning experiences and weave together the interfaith community

• most importantly, offers a sustainable solution to ongoing interfaith relationships and collective action.

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There are two essential layers to the program.  

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Layer 1:  Sacred Site "Experiences"

Each congregation participating in an ICP will host a site visit to their sacred space.  Each visit is more than a ‘tour’ or ‘open house’, and must contain 7 specific tested elements.  SSS has perfected our model for site visits over 14 years, and they are consistently lauded as joyous, educational, and overwhelmingly positive experiences of connection and hope.

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A member of the SSS team holds a "design meeting" with each congregational team about a month before their scheduled site visit to build the visit in accordance with our framework and also to tailor the visit to the particulars of that religious tradition and that particular congregation.

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Layer 2: Ċore Leadership Training

Online trainings once per month bring participants together across religious differences into a long-term, structured, facilitated process that develops core leadership competencies for understanding, listening, and communicating across a range of differences in our pluralistic world.  These trainings begin in September and wrap up in May or June.  Each training lasts 2 hours, and there are 8 sessions in total.

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Participants are paired with partners throughout the program, and have light homework between each session.

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The core leadership training is required and free for all core leadership team members.  It is also open to members of the general public for a modest tuition fee.​

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The core leadership training services our ICPs and individuals from all across the US in a strong nation-wide network. 

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SUM:  What the program looks like over the course of one year is a combination of sacred site experiences coupled with the once-a-month online training.  The program is a commitment of approximately 40-45 hours for the core leadership team over the course of the program, creating a deeply transformational journey that surfaces a true sense of our common humanity.

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The Process

So how does a city come to run an ICP?

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ICPs are initiated in a city by a person who is either appointed as, or who independently wishes to take on, the role of Volunteer Coordinator. (Perhaps this is YOU?!).  Sometime the Coordinator is a representative of an interfaith organization; sometimes a member of a congregation; sometimes they are an individual who wishes to build a network, gain community-organizing training, and make a meaningful difference in their city.

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All it takes to run an ICP in your city is to have a person to take on the role of Coordinator.  You may have two or even three people to share this role as well.  Coordinator(s) receive a $2000 stipend as appreciation, and for any expenses they might incur in their role.  This is the total amount per location, so if there are multiple coordinators, this stipend would be split pro rata.

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The Sharing Sacred Spaces team asks for Coordinators to be on board by May 1st for their ICP to launch in September, and SSS trains and supports all Coordinators with an orientation, coaching, interfaith awareness, community-building skills, and all materials and resources they will need along the way.  The Coordinators all become part of our national volunteer network of incredible leaders.

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If you are interested in having an ICP in your city, please contact us so we can help you launch the process!

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Proven Results

Post-program interviews reveal participants in the program gain:

• a wider perspective

• breakdown of stereotypes

• loss of defensiveness and fear

• deep knowledge of difference

• an overcoming of one's own limitations

• impeccable, fun experiences

• relief and satiation of curiosity

• hope and optimism

• feelings of solidarity

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100% of people who have attended our events state they would like to attend another.

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