Interfaith Council of Southwestern Connecticut

Our Mission

The InterFaith Council is on the move. The the need for interfaith collaboration and conversation is greater than ever in our polarized world. The opportunity for interfaith communities to work together to meet needs is increasing. The InterFaith Council is poised to facilitate both the conversation and the action.

We want you to be a part of what we’re up to, and seek your financial as well as spiritual support.

The first Council of Churches in the country to become an interfaith organization, the IFC has a long history of bringing people of different faith traditions together for conversation and collaborative action. The Council actively supports the diverse religious expressions found within the communities of lower Fairfield County, and seeks to build understanding among the various traditions through both collaborative action addressing social needs, and through conversation and education. 

The Council continues to dothis through high quality lectures and programs each year, through supporting non-profit initiatives in the area, and through its own programs such as  the Living Water for Dry Times initiative.  

The  InterFaith Council commits itself to:      

¨   Respect the inherent religious and human rights of all individuals;

¨   Promote mutual understanding, appreciation, and respect among diverse religions and cultures, acknowledging our differences and celebrating our similarities;

¨   Foster safe and open dialogue on controversial topics of importance to our communities;

¨   Provide a moral compass and leadership in a world dominated by materialism;

¨   Combat prejudice and oppression through social action;

¨   Offer a voice for those who are voiceless;

¨   Give comfort, support and hope when troubling events – local, national, or global – impact our understanding of the world;

¨   Affirm the separation of church and state, and the promotion of cooperation between the faith community and our governments;

¨   Welcome as partners all who embrace these values. 

OVER 70 YEARS OF HISTORY

Seven decades of making connections: A brief history of the Council

There are many councils of churches and interfaith alliances, on the local, state, national and world levels. But only one InterFaith Council of Southwestern Connecticut (formerly known as the Council of Churches and Synagogues) originated more than 60 years ago in Stamford and is growing stronger every year.   

"Thinking back", the concept was logical and sensible: by working together instead of alone, churches could be more effective in reaching out to serve the community, doing God's work of helping those in need.  That was the reasoning of the six Protestant ministers of downtown Stamford churches back in 1938 who met and envisioned a unity of purpose and energy. The idea of the Council was born.  

In the 1940's, there was World War II and the dedication of all to win the war. Clergy worked together on interfaith teams in hospitals and volunteers prepared supplies for foreign war relief.  The new group, dedicated to dialogue, fellowship and action, adopted an initial structure of "committees". The name of these committees gives an idea of the concerns of the time: there was a committee on brotherhood and amity, social relations, religious education, race relations and civic problems. Though it was was begun by Protestant ministers, the interfaith aspect was already a factor: Rabbi David Pearlman of Temple Beth El served as treasurer.  Father Early was part of the clergy speaking team that visited schools and social groups.  

The Council was the first local expression of a growing wave of national and international ecumenical and interfaith associations.  

Norman Woodberry, who joined the council in 1941, recalled that there were pulpit exchanges and goals for bettering interfaith/and interracial understanding from the earliest days.  

In the 1950's, 1952 to be exact, the Council underwent the first of its many reorganizations to make its structure fit the times. The community was becoming increasingly secularized and fragmented and four primary departments were formed to oversee the Council's work: religious education, evangelism and worship, social concerns and finance.  Affordable housing was the number one social concern in 1953.  

A hospital chaplaincy program started, refugee resettlement was a major issue, civil rights and legislative advocacy became an appropriate way for the Council to fulfill its mission of social welfare.  The Stamford Council of Churches added Darien to its name at this time.  A newsletter was begun. Attention to physical as well as spiritual welfare was considered an important interfaith mission.  The assembly concept was born.  Member congregations were each asked to designate one clergy and two lay delegates to the Council as the overall governing body of consultant/advisers.  

In 1971 the Stamford-Darien Council voted officially to include synagogues as part of its membership and it became the Council of Churches and Synagogues. In 1973 the Council expanded its sphere of service and membership to include Greenwich and New Canaan. In 2002 the Council marked yet another milestone in changing its name to the Interfaith Council of Southwestern Connecticut to reflect its more inclusive nature, since it has accepted Baha’i, Muslim and Sikh congregations into its membership.

 Food Bank is a fully independent agency with its own advisory board.  The agency is still located at 461 Glenbrook Avenue, Stamford, CT  06906

 Friendship House a West Side apartment building for low-income renters was sold  for $2.3 million to a partnership formed by Mutual Housing Association of Southwestern Connecticut and New Neighborhoods Inc. The Housing Development Fund received most of the money. Other funds went to programs previously under the Interfaith Council, formerly the Council of Churches and Synagogues. Senior Neighborhood Support Services received $10,000. The Friendly Visitors and Friendly Shoppers program at Senior Services of Stamford also received $10,000. The Food Bank of Lower Fairfield County received $125,000. Another $110,000 was reinvested in the council

Friendly Visitors/Friendly Shoppers:  Now resides with Senior Services of Stamford, 945 Summer Street, Stamford, CT  06901.

 Prison Visitation:  Now resides with Domus Foundation, 417 Shippan Avenue, Stamford, CT  06902.

  Senior Neighborhood Support Services:  Now resides with Catholic Family Services, 30 Myano Lane, Suite 12, Stamford, CT  06902.