United Religions Initiative is a global grassroots network with the mission of promoting enduring, daily interfaith cooperation, to end religiously motivated violence and to create cultures of peace, justice and healing for the Earth and all living beings. Our big family is comprised of 668 Cooperation Circles (groups of at least seven members representing least three different spiritual expressions) in 85 countries. Many of the global office staff are in the URI offices located at the Presidio in San Francisco.


Sixty two of the Cooperation Circles are located in the U.S. and Canada and are celebrating World Interfaith Harmony Week in ways unique and suited to their own communities.You can read more about their celebrations here.


Bay Area Cooperation Circles include California Interfaith Power and Light, Ik Onkar Peace Foundation, Interfaith Center at the Presidio, Interfaith Council of Contra Costa County, Marin Interfaith Council, San Francisco Interfaith Council, Silicon Valley Interreligious Council, Coalition of Welcoming Congregations in the Bay Area, URI Global Staff Deepening the Journey, URI San Francisco Peninsula, and Women’s Interfaith Circle of Service.
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Web: www.uri.org/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/unitedreligionsinitiative
Twitter: @global_uri

It’s World Interfaith Harmony Week, and to celebrate, ICP is highlighting some of the interfaith organizations and programs that circle the San Francisco Bay Area.

The Chaplaincy Institute Seminary and Community are infused with a spirit of harmonious living among peoples and respect for the diversity of all creation. Since 1999, they have dedicated themselves to bringing new models of spiritual leadership and creative ministry to promote religious peace and understanding. CI is a religious non-profit organization located in Berkeley, founded by clergy with a shared vision of bridging the religious schisms that divide our world. In building these bridges, we begin to heal ourselves, each another, and this beautiful planet we call home.
Mission: To educate and empower people for new models of Interfaith service and spiritual care to heal and transform the world.
SEMINARY:
Empowering people for Interfaith service & leadership
We offer two education programs for those with a unique calling to spiritual service:

• Interfaith Studies, leading to ordination as an Interfaith minister and chaplain.
• Interfaith Spiritual Direction, leading to certification as an Interfaith Spiritual Director.

These programs respond to society’s need for faith, peace, and understanding that are needed across religious divides. Through study, reflection, writing, and engaging with others, students gain a broad understanding of the world’s religions, while simultaneously deepening in their own spiritual traditions. Creative approaches are emphasized, along with counseling skills such as deep listening, presence, and compassion.
COMMUNITY:
Interfaith spirituality, ministry, worship, and vision.
Our Interfaith Ministers and Spiritual Directors provide compassionate, respectful spiritual care to people of all faiths, as well as people of no faith. They join the growing collective body of Interfaith and Inter-religious wisdom that is so essential in our world today.
Web: chaplaincyinstitute.org
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ChaplaincyInst

It’s World Interfaith Harmony Week, and to celebrate, ICP is highlighting some of the interfaith organizations and programs that circle the San Francisco Bay Area.

The Interfaith Council of Contra Costa County (I4C) began as a Council of Churches, then became Interfaith in 1997, widening its membership to include congregations and faith organizations which represent the growing pluralistic population of Contra Costa County. They remain committed to supporting the diverse religious and communities in our county. There are 107 congregations and organizations holding membership and affiliation from a wide range of Christian and other faith traditions, including Jewish, Buddhist, Baha’i, Unitarian, Islamic, Sikh, Unity, Latter-Day Saints, and Religious Science.

• Health and Faith in Action connects with county agencies to promote immunization of impoverished children, with the Interfaith Volunteer Caregivers Program to help elders stay in their homes, and with the local chapter of the Alliance for the Mentally Ill.
• Social Justice Alliance advocates partnership to focus on issues of racism, welfare reform, immigration, and other areas of need. The Homeless Summit of SoJA operates the Winter Nights Shelter.
• Program & Education offers opportunities to explore issues critical to our work and the world and connect us with groups such as the Interfaith Center at the Presidio, the United Religions Initiative, the FAITHS Initiative and the Northern California Inter-religious Conference.
• Youth & Young Adults discover venues in which to bring young people together from a variety of traditions in order to build bridges and strengthen faith and self-esteem.
• The Juvenile Detention Chaplaincy, under the direction of the Rev. Dr. Charles Tinsley, ministers to young people in the facilities in Martinez and Byron.
• The Singing Messengers, under the direction of Ms. Jackie Wan, sends musical teams into nursing homes across the county, with three separate programs each year.Web: interfaithccc.org/
  Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Interfaith-Council-of-Contra-Costa-County/242059599149026

​It’s World Interfaith Harmony Week, and to celebrate, ICP is highlighting some of the interfaith organizations and programs that circle the San Francisco Bay Area.

Born in the aftermath of the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, the San Francisco Interfaith Council has for 25 years brought people of different faith traditions together, bringing spiritual comfort at times of crisis, building understanding among various religious traditions, celebrating our diversity, and coordinating services to the citizens of San Francisco.


SFIC works with the 800 religious congregations in the City and County of San Francisco, their respective judicatories, sectarian educational and healthcare institutions, as well as the faith-based social service agencies that provide the social safety net for our most vulnerable residents. Ongoing programs include a monthly Interfaith Breakfast, the San Francisco Winter Shelter, a Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Observance and Interfaith Service, Disaster Preparedness Workshops, an Interfaith Thanksgiving Service, and much, much more.


Each meeting of SFIC begins with these words:
“This is an interfaith community. Whatever our individual belief, it can be freely expressed here with no apologies. If we are invited to offer a prayer in this setting, it should be offered according to the tradition with which we identify. If we are invited to speak on a subject from the perspective of our tradition, we are free to do so without fear of offending those who come from another tradition. We come together as people of faith to learn from each other that we might better understand the multiplicity of faith traditions in our city and in our world.”


Web: sfinterfaithcouncil.org/
Facebook: San Francisco Interfaith Council
Twitter: @SF_Interfaith

​It’s World Interfaith Harmony Week, and to celebrate, ICP is highlighting some of the interfaith organizations and programs that circle the San Francisco Bay Area.

For over thirty years, Marin Interfaith Council has enabled congregations, nonprofits and individuals to make Marin a more vibrant and equitable community. MIC Celebrates Faith Traditions, Advocates Justice, and Builds Community.


A highlight of last year was
Faith in Millennials: An Interfaith Youth Panel:


70 people of all ages gathered May 22nd to hear the spiritual journeys/ faith experiences of youth and young adults living and growing up in Marin County. The panelists began by talking about a particular holiday which they practice as part of their faith and common misconceptions that others might have about their traditions. Their reflections described challenges experienced and commitments made – to work with others to change the world. Thank you to our moderator and six panelists: Annie Reynolds – MIC Board member; Lizzie Chadbourne – a Christian perspective; Lauren Dito – a Buddhist perspective; Ariana Faustini – a Baha’i perspective; Rachael Ferm – a Jewish perspective; Thor Olsen – an Atheist/Skeptic perspective; Maaz Sheikh – Muslim perspective.


Read the Marin Independent Journal story about the panel.
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web: www.marinifc.org/

It’s World Interfaith Harmony Week, and to celebrate, ICP is highlighting some of the interfaith organizations and programs that circle the San Francisco Bay Area.

It’s World Interfaith Harmony Week, and to celebrate, ICP will be highlighting some of the interfaith organizations and programs that circle the San Francisco Bay Area.


Although physically based at the Presidio Chapel in San Francisco, ICP serves as a linking point between the agencies and programs around the Bay and with national and international efforts to build interfaith understanding and cooperation. Created to welcome, serve, and celebrate the diverse spiritual wisdom and faith traditions of the Bay Area, ICP is proud to be working with such dedicated and creative groups and individuals.
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Take a look at the current Bay Area Interfaith Connect newsletter, and check back each day this week to learn more about the shape of interfaith work in the Bay Area!

​It’s World Interfaith Harmony Week, and to celebrate, ICP is highlighting some of the interfaith organizations and programs that circle the San Francisco Bay Area.