Contact Information

PO Box 415
Louisburg, KS 66053

913.548.2973

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Vision

“We are building the most welcoming community for all people.”

Mission

We are growing a sustainable, pervasive culture of knowledge, respect, appreciation, and trust amongst people of all faiths and religious traditions in the greater Kansas City community.

Goals

• To develop deeper understanding within the community of each other’s faiths and traditions, and to foster appropriate bilateral and multilateral interfaith dialogue and interaction;
• To model spiritual and religious values, especially mutual respect and cooperation, in a society often intolerant of cultural and religious diversity;
• To develop and provide resources, networking, and programs for the community through the arts and education to increase appreciation for cultural and religious diversity,
• To work with educational, spiritual, and religious leaders and the media in promoting accurate and fair portrayal of the faiths within our community; and
• To help the community become more aware of the spiritual values that can help resolve issues that occur in the environmental, social and personal realms of our lives.

Members

Please visit our Members List page to view information about each of the members of our organization.

History

The Kansas City Interfaith Council was formed in 1989 by the Rev. Dr. Vern Barnet, D.Min. It was Vern’s dream that the Council would bring awareness of the rich diversity of faiths that constitute our community. The Council was hosted by the Center for Religious Experience and Study (CRES) for the first 15 years of its existence. During this time the Council was involved in many ways in our community, from the ground-breaking two-day 2001 Gifts of Pluralism conference to the first 9/11 Anniversary observance which featured a brass ensemble from the Kansas City Symphony and an elaborate water pouring ceremony.

January 1, 2005 marked a turning point for the Council. The Council evolved from being hosted by CRES to become its own 501(c)(3) organization. Fortunately for the Council, it received a grant funded by the Rockefeller Foundation from Religions for Peace USA to help with this transition process. Three of the leading interfaith experts in the world, Rev. Bud Heckman, Rev. Clark Lobenstein, and Rev. Sam Myskens, flew to Kansas City on January 8, 2005, for an all-day strategic planning meeting. The Council elected officers, looked at structure, and developed committees to address planning, funding, programming, and other issues. Over the months, the Council added several new At-Large members and added Christian-Orthodox and Vedanta to its ranks. Although the Council has always served the greater metropolitan area, the Kansas City Interfaith Council added Greater to its name in order to emphasize its inclusive nature. The consensus model was adopted for decision-making, and the Council revised its mission and goals. March 12, 2007, the Council approved its new bylaws, adding two new faiths to its original thirteen, Christianity-Orthodox and Vedanta, and new categories of membership: At-Large Council members and Faith and Community advisory boards.

One of the Council's most important developments in 2008 was the hiring of our first executive director, Shannon Clark. Mrs. Clark has proven in her short time with us to share our commitment and enthusiasm for the expansion of our interfaith programs to support our vision of "building the most welcoming community for all people." The Council also organized its first meeting for its Board of Community Advisors and its Board of Faith Advisors, hosted by Shawnee Mission Medical Center last May. Another highlight of 2008 was having Council representatives attend the NAIN conference (North American Interfaith Network) in San Francisco: Executive Director, Shannon Clark; Treasurer, Lama Chuck Stanford; and Susan Cook, At-Large Urantia Book Fellowship Member. The Council holds membership with NAIN, an organization that seeks to build communication and mutual understanding among interfaith organizations and diverse religious groups throughout North America. Even more exciting, the GKCIC co-sponsored NAIN's 2009 conference in Kansas City during the summer at Unity Village, with Susan Cook heading the effort.

The Greater Kansas City Interfaith Council continues to grow and offer its many gifts of service to our community through various programs and partnerships. We look forward to an exciting 2010 and 2011!