Bringing the Project to Your City
For most organizations and groups, bringing the AFP to their city means producing the cornerstone event - the Dinner Dialogues (DD) - in their area. The DD is a powerful grassroots event that often catalyzes interfaith relations and growth in the areas where it occurs, at the individual, group and community levels. In the wake of newly forged relationships and connections, new possibilities come alive for all the participants.
The Dinner Dialogue, while rooted in simple concepts of hospitality, fellowship and friendship, nevertheless requires some adminstrative and organizational acumen to produce. Those groups who have been most successful in producing the event in their cities have one or more sponsoring organizations that can provide logistics support (computers, internet access, basic office equipment, minimal budget), connections to sectors within the community, and access to volunteers.
Other groups who have done well, but who do not have an official sponsoring organization for the DD event, have produced the event with a core group of volunteers that includes 2-3 people charged with the responsibility for the event. They give of their time, home office resources, and other assets needed for the project. A few of the existing participating communities (i.e. San Antonio, Oklahoma City to name only two) have produced the DD event very successfully in their cities with just a few key people organizing the entire project. It can be done well without organizational support; however, it takes extraordinary commitment.
Ideally, the Dinner Dialogue event needs 16 weeks of planning to produce - from initial concept meetings to the night of the event. Of course, it can be done in less time if those charged with producing the event are focused, organized and effective at communicating (especially using online and emerging media platforms).
You may visit the Resources section of this website by creating a login. There you will find a detailed Guide to bringing the Amazing Faiths Project to your area, as well as other resources needs to produce the Dinner Dialogue event.
Please contact the Project's Director Dr. Jill Carroll if you have further questions about bringing the Amazing Faiths Project to your city.
