“God Is One” Project 

Co-sponsored by:
 National Council of Churches, USA
Islamic Society of North America
Hartford Seminary

            God Is One: The Way of Islam by Marston Speight (former director of the Office of Christian-Muslim Relations of the NCC USA and retired United Methodist minister) was reprinted following 9/11, with a study guide written by Jay Rock (Director of Interfaith Relations, Presbyterian Church, USA). Upon the initiative of Muslim leaders the three sponsoring organizations have come together to encourage churches throughout the United States to use this book and it’s study guide as an adult education/Sunday school curriculum. 

The goals for this project are threefold: 

w Enhance the knowledge of Islam among Christians

w Improve the attitude of Christians towards Muslims

w Encourage building relationships between Churches and Mosques in local communities.

We are now ready to run a Pilot Project that will involve churches located in the vicinity of Hartfor Seminary (Hartford, CT) and Union Seminary (New York City).  If your church would like to participate in the important venture, we ask you to do the following: 

1. Agree with your pastor and church leaders to participate in this pilot project
2. Schedule the God Is One Study either this summer as a special adult education session or this fall as a part of your regular adult education curriculum 
3. Select leader/s for the study group/class and arrange for them to attend a day-long training session. This is required. Pastors are encouraged to attend but are not required.

 w Two day-long training events were scheduled. The next one takes place Saturday, March 25, at Union Seminary in New York. The first training event took place March 11 in Hartford, Conn.

w Training will be conducted by Hartford Seminary professors/graduate students who are themselves Muslims. 

w Participants will receive a complimentary copy of “God Is One” for personal use and a set of resource materials for the participating church. Lunch and snacks will also be provided. 

4. Conduct the adult education group/Sunday school class in the summer or fall, 2006
5. Conduct before and after surveys of participants
6. Participate in an evaluation in November or December 2006.

            To register or for more information, please call or email: 

            Office of Interfaith Relations, National Council of Churches, USA
            475 Riverside Drive #880, New York, NY 10115
            Phone: 212-870-2560; Email: shanta@ncccusa.org