Interfaith Council Shelter Fund
The Interfaith Council is leading an effort by Franklin County business, education, government, religious, and social service groups to provide assistance to the homeless population of the area's 26 communities, specifically to help fund an emergency overflow shelter for those who are homeless during the coldest months of the year and to help those ready to move into permanent housing.
As part of that effort a program has been established to allow neighbors of good will to make a donation in honor, or in memory, of individuals of their choosing.
To do so, print this portion of this website, then complete the information blocks below (please print), and mail the contribution and the printout to the Interfaith Council Shelter Fund, c/o Greenfield Savings Bank, P.O. Box 1537. Greenfield, MA 01302. Checks should be made out to the Interfaith Council with IFC Shelter Fund written in the memo line.
Name of person honored: _____________________________________________________________
Name of donor: ______________________________________________________________________
Donor's street address: _______________________________________________________________
Donor's town/state/Zip Code: __________________________________________________________
History of the Interfaith Council
Mission of the Interfaith Council
Purposes of the Interfaith Council
Major Projects and Committees of the Interfaith Council
Interfaith Council Officers and Meeting Schedule
Qualifications for IFC Membership
Other IFC Members (Organizations and Individuals)
To Contact the Interfaith Council
September16: The Interfaith Council will be in summer recess until September. The IFC will resume its monthly meeting schedule Thursday, September 16, at First Congregational Church, 4 North Main Street, Montague Center. A pot luck dinner will begin at 5:30 p.m., followed by a business meeting at 6.
In late 1985, Temple Israel in Greenfield hosted a meeting for "Jewish-Christian Dialogue" to discuss the fragmented public voice of the religious community of Franklin County. Although an ecumenical organization had existed for many years, the Greater Greenfield Council of Churches, there was no local interfaith organization which formally involved Christian and non-Christian faith traditions working together for common goals.
As a result of a perceived need for a broad-based cooperative effort and a single spiritual voice regarding shared issues of community concern, the Interfaith Council of Franklin County was organized February 18, 1986. The IFC and the GGCC conducted a joint meeting May 7, 1987, then, as a result of continued dialogue and shared efforts, the two organizations merged May 19, 1988. In November, 1989, incorporation papers were filed and in November, 1991, the IFC became a nonprofit, voluntary corporation, organized pursuant to Chapter 180 of the Massachusetts General Laws and organized exclusively within the meaning of Section 501 (c) 3 of the federal Internal Revenue Code.
The mission of the Interfaith Council of Franklin County is to bring together representatives of various faith communities and religious organizations, as well as interested individuals, for the purpose of dialogue, information sharing, celebration and social transformation. We honor the rich variety of religious and spiritual traditions of our community, and gather to create a mosaic that respects differences while reinforcing all that unites us. We strive to be a forum for greater understanding, a vehicle for spiritual enrichment, a force for justice and peace, a voice for the vulnerable and defenseless, and an advocate for the wise stewardship of the earth and its resources.
The fundamental purposes of the Interfaith Council include:
*Creating a forum across religious lines where people can meet, discuss, and reach out to each other and to others.
*Developing a vehicle for greater understanding of the collective riches of diverse religious roots and varied spiritual traditions.
*Offering a focus for action toward social issues of common concern.
*Fostering the opportunity for common public celebrations and remembrances.
Each year the Interfaith Council sponsors projects and events in keeping with its mission and purposes. Those annual projects/events include:
*A Shared Thanksgiving Worship Service in November on the Sunday evening prior to the Thanksgiving holiday.
*A Holocaust Memorial observance in April.
*A Peacemaker Awards Ceremony in May to honor high school students nominated for efforts to promote peaceful coexistence and cooperative problem solving (cosponsored by Traprock Center for Peace and Justice).
*A memorial observance in May to remember homeless people in Massachusetts who have died in the past year.
*A series of programs throughout the year focusing on peace and justice issues facing Franklin County residents and communities.
Building Compassion and Service Committee
The Building Compassion and Service Committee resulted from a one-year grant given in 2008 by the Women's Fund of Western Massachusetts to the Interfaith Council and the Franklin County Resources Network, a division of Franklin Community Action Corporation based in Greenfield. The grant's focus was to bring together social service providers and members of faith-based communities to talk about shared values and goals and to explore ways to create an ongoing bridge linking the two groups.
The committee has ten members, five from each group, and used the Listening Circle, a group building tool, to help get to know each other and each other's values and beliefs. The committee developed a common language and discovered that the groups have a great deal in common. Both are attempting to help others, either from a social service perspective, or a faith-based perspective.
In April, 2009, the committee sponsored two speakers, Fred Smith, founder of St. Francis House in Boston, and Yvonne Freccero, director of Hampshire County Friend of Homeless Individuals, for dialogue, mutual support, and exploration of what sustains and nourishes compassion givers in challenging times. In June, 2009, the committee sponsored a presentation by Diane Kamila of the University of Massachusetts Medical School, Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care and Society, and in November, 2009, along with a dozen-and-a-half other groups, sponsored a presentation at the University of Massachusetts /Amherst by author Paul Loeb on Civic Engagement and Social Change.
Justice and Peace Committee
The Justice and Peace Committee resulted from a discussion at the March, 2006, meeting of the Interfaith Council which identified dialogue between religious groups as a significant need. Subsequently, the committee was formed and works in partnership with the Peace and Justice Department at Greenfield Community College and Traprock Center for Peace and Justice based in Greenfield. Three priorities have been established: dialogue, worship, and education.
Dialogue began with conversations between representatives of Christianity, Judaism and Islam, and has widened in scope. Discussions employ the "Circle of Dialogue" model which gives everyone a chance to participate. In May, 2007, the committee organized a dialogue focused on "How Does Religion Help or Hinder the Cause of Peace?"
Five Interfaith Peace Prayer services have been conducted in different houses of worship with representatives of various faiths participating with word and music. There have been two Concerts of "Music for a Peaceable World."
The committee sponsored a program with Joseph Sebarenzi, formerly of Rwanda, which focused on Forgiveness. A follow-up Circle of Dialogue gathering gave people an opportunity to look at forgiveness in a variety of contexts.
In partnership with Traprock and the IFC's Peacemaker Awards Committee, the committee sponsors an annual Peacemaker Awards Program for high school students.
The committee has moved into an action phase focused on Homelessness/Shelter issues in Franklin County and on advancement of education for Fair Trade buying among houses of worship.
Peacemaker Awards Committee
Peacemaker Awards were initially presented in 1997 as a cooperative effort by the Interfaith Council and the Traprock Peace Center, now the Traprock Center for Peace and Justice based in Greenfield.
The purpose of the program is to recognize high school students in the Franklin County area for initiatives they have taken toward peace and justice in their schools and communities.
Peacemaker Awards committee members are selected each year to identify youth deserving of recognition. Fliers and application forms are distributed each spring to churches, high school administrators and guidance counselors, and area youth groups. Applications are received, reviewed and selections made. Awards are presented during a formal event conducted each May.
The Peacemaker Awards program was endowed in 2008 by a gift from the assets of the former First Baptist Church in Greenfield.
Sacred Earth Committee
Perceiving a need to pull the threads of the sacredness of the Earth into the forefront of the attention and practices of Franklin County faith communities, the Interfaith Council formed the Sacred Earth Committee at its April, 2008, meeting.
The committee is specifically called to focus on the Divine aspects of treasuring this planet through Earth-themed thanksgiving and peace services. The committee also collaborates with other environmentally-focused area groups and organizations to sponsor speakers and programs which are open to the public.
Major efforts have included: working with the Greening Greenfield Energy Committee on a Global Climate Change presentation in February, 2009, by Professor Raymond Bradley of the University of Massachusetts/Amherst, a member of an international consortium of scientists which shared the Nobel Peace Prize with former Vice President Albert Gore; offering a Sustainability Through Energy Management (STEM) Audit Workshop Series involving eight area houses of worship in the Spring of 2009, and doing an interfaith opening ritual for the Connecticut River Valley Great Spring Water Event conducted at the Bernardston Unitarian Church in May, 2009.
The fiscal year of the Interfaith Council is from July 1 through June 30. Officers are elected and installed at the IFC's annual meeting in June. The IFC normally recesses for the summer months and resumes monthly meetings in September. Meetings occur on a rotating basis at places of worship of member organizations. Gatherings begin at 5:30 p.m. with a potluck dinner and are followed by a business meeting.
Officers currently serving include: Joan VanderVliet of Second Congregational Church, Greenfield, president; Annette Mackin of Congregational Unitarian Society, Bernardston, vice-president; Doris McLeod of St. James Episcopal Church, Greenfield, secretary, and Rev. Marguerite Sheehan of First Parish Unitarian, Northfield, treasurer.
Membership is open to all religious bodies in and around Franklin County which agree with the purposes of the IFC. For a religious body to be a member it must pay annual dues assessed on a sliding scale according to the number of members of that religious body. IFC member churches/groups for the past fiscal year are identified with an * in the Faith Tradition Directory.
Membership is also available to non-faith groups and individuals that share belief in the IFC's mission and wish to participate in the Interfaith Council's work. A non-faith group is assessed on the same sliding scale as a religious group. Individual membership dues are $10 per year. Non-faith group members and individual members are identified in the Other IFC Members (Organizations and Individuals).
under Religious Services on the Religion Page of The Recorder
Ashfield, Bernardston, Buckland, Charlemont, Colrain, Conway, Deerfield, Erving, Gill, Greenfield, Heath, Lake Pleasant, Leverett, Leyden, Millers Falls, Montague Center, New Salem, Northfield, Orange, Rowe, Shelburne, Shelburne Falls, Shutesbury, South Deerfield, Sunderland, Turners Falls, Warwick, Whately.
First Congregational Church, Main Street, (413) 628-4470
St. John's Episcopal Church, Main Street, (413) 628-4402
Congregational Unitarian Society, Route 10, (413) 648-9574
United Church (federated, United Church of Christ and United Methodist Church), 58 Church Street, (413) 648-9306
First Congregational Church (also known as Mary Lyon Church), Upper Street, (413) 625-9440
Federated Church, Mohawk Trail, (413) 339-4294
Maranatha Bible Chapel, Mohawk Trail, (413) 625-9284
St. Christopher's Mission (Roman Catholic), Mohawk Trail, (413) 625-6405
West County Baptist Church, 108 Main Street, (413) 339-4488
Colrain Community Church, Main Road, (413) 624-3808
First Baptist Church, Foundry Village Road, (413) 624-8886
St. John's (Roman Catholic), Church Street, (413) 625-6405
United Congregational Church, Pumpkin Hollow, (413) 369-4040
St. Mark's (Roman Catholic), Delabarre Avenue, (413) 665-4535
First Church (multi-denominational), Old Main Street, (413) 773-5323
Valley Life Assembly of God (meets at Frontier Regional School auditorium)
Evangelical Congregational Church, Route 2, (413) 772-2717
First Congregational Church, Main Road
Memorial Chapel, NMH School, Mount Hermon campus, (413) 498-3339
The Renaissance, Main Road, (413) 863-8411
All Souls Unitarian-Universalist Church, 399 Main Street, (413) 773-5018
Assembly of God, 450 Davis Street, (413) 773-9506
Blessed Sacrament (Roman Catholic), 221 Federal Street, (413) 773-3311
Christ Church (meets at Guiding Star Grange), 401 Chapman Street, (413) 772-5860
Christian and Missionary Alliance Church, 385 Chapman Street, (413) 773-8798
Church of Christ, 341 Conway Street
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons), 92 Colrain Road, (413) 772-8514
Faith Baptist Church, 331 Silver Street, (413) 774-6438
First Church of Christ, Scientist, 110 Federal Street, (413) 773-9765
First Congregational Church, 43 Silver Street, (413) 774-3449
First United Methodist Church, 25 Church Street, (413) 772-6935
Holy Trinity (Roman Catholic), 133 Main Street, (413) 774-2884
Kingdom Hall (Jehovah's Witnesses), 805 Bernardston Road, (413) 774-5149
Providence Moldovian Baptist Church, 116 Federal Street
Robbins Memorial Congregational Church, 55 Munson Street, (413) 774-2559
Salvation Army, 72 Chapman Street, (413) 773-3154
St. James Episcopal Church, 8 Church Street, (413) 773-3925
St. Paul's Lutheran Church, 23 Long Avenue, (413) 773-5242
Second Congregational Church, 16 Court Square, (413) 774-4355
Temple Israel, 27 Pierce Street, (413) 773-5884
Unity in the Pioneer Valley, 6 Arch Place, (413) 774-5552
Upper Valley Worship Group (Quakers), 278 Main Street, third floor, 307A
Zion Korean Church, 463 Main Street
Union Church, Main Street
The National Spiritual Alliance, 2 Montague Avenue, (413) 367-0138
First Congregational Church, Leverett Center
Moores Corner Church, Church Road
Mount Toby Monthly Meeting of Friends (Quaker), Route 63, (413) 548-9188
North Leverett Baptist Church, North Leverett Road, (413) 367-2619
United Methodist Church, Leyden Center
Covenant Church, 19 Bridge Street, (413) 659-3430
Greatness Life Korean, 19 Bridge Street
St. John's (Roman Catholic), (413) 659-3435
First Congregational Church, 4 North Main Street, (413) 367-9467
Central Congregational Church, 22 South Main Street
North Congregational Church, 60 Elm Street, (978) 544-6324
Baha'i Community of Northfield, (413) 498-2768
Baptist Church, 87 Main Street, (413) 498-2739
First Parish Unitarian, 72 Main Street, (413) 498-5566
St. Patrick's Church (Roman Catholic), 80 Main Street, (413) 498-2728
Trinitarian Congregational Church, Main Street, (413) 498-2431
Bethany Lutheran Church, 62 Cheney Street, (978) 544-3541
Central Congregational Church, 93 South Main Street, (978) 544-6895
Community Church of North Orange, North Main Street, (978) 575-0342
First Universalist Church, 31 North Main Street, (978) 544-6501
Kingdom Hall (Jehovah's Witnesses), 185 Daniel Shays Highway, (978) 544-6922
Mission Covenant, (978) 544-2803
New Life Christian Fellowship of the Assemblies of God, 349 South Main Street, (978) 544-7324
St. Mary's (Roman Catholic) 19 Congress Street, (978) 544-2900
United Methodist Church, 104 Main Street, (978) 544-3086
Community Church, Zoar Road, (413) 339-4222
First Congregational Church, 22 Church Common Road, (413) 625-0028
Kingdom Hall (Jehovah's Witnesses) 412 Mohawk Trail, (413) 625-2976/(413) 624-8857
Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Ashfield Road, (413) 625-2489
St. Joseph's (Roman Catholic), 34 Monroe Avenue, (413) 625-6405
Shambhala Center, 71B Ashfield Street, (413) 625-2982
Trinity Church (muti-denominational), Severance Street, (413) 625-2341
Shutesbury Community Church, Leverett Road, (413) 259-1443
Congregational Church, 71 North Main Street, (413) 665-3130
Holy Family Roman Catholic Church, 31 Sugarloaf Street, (413) 665-2417
Holy Name of Jesus National Catholic, Thayer Street, (413) 665-2129
Holy Spirit Ukrainian Catholic, 115 Sugarloaf Street, (413) 665-3880
First Congregational Church, 91 Main Street, (413) 665-7987
Calvary Baptist Church, 10 Prospect Street, (413) 863-9083
First Congregational Church, 148 L Street, (413) 863-9844
Grace Church, 41 K Street, (413) 863-2771
Our Lady of Czestochowa (Roman Catholic), 84 K Street, (413) 863-4748
Our Lady of Peace (Roman Catholic), 90 Seventh Street, (413) 863-2585
St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, Seventh and Prospect streets, (413) 863-4602
Trinitarian Congregational at Metcalf Chapel
First Congregational Church, 177 Chestnut Plain Road, (413) 665-3537
Jennifer Bennett/Pagan Community, Mary Gene Devlin, Farren Care Center, Rev. Leslie Fraser, Barbara Hoynoski, Marcy Hoynoski, Dennis Leblanc/Pastoral Counseling Center, Mary Colleen MacDougall/Pagan Community, Northfield Mount Hermon School/chaplaincy program, Storm, Traprock Center for Peace and Justice.
on the Faith Tradition Directory