Dear Interfaith Alumni,

Greetings of the spring semester from Emory University. After a delay of a few weeks due to the Omicron variant as we celebrated Emory King Week online, our students, faculty, and staff have returned to campus to delve deeply into the spring semester. We wanted to reach out and provide some quick updates for for you as past members of the Inter-Religious Council and supporters of the Emory Interfaith Center project.

The Inter-Religious Council (IRC) has resumed its weekly Monday night meetings. Thsi fall we enjoyed many exciting sessions together, hearing presentations by our new multifaith chaplains on interfaith leadership skills, and we engaged in discussions related to our OSRL interfaith strategic planning process and the new Emory Interfaith Center project. This semester, the students are engaged in offering their “faith family” presentations—teaching one another important aspects of their traditions—and they will later engage in the interfaith dialogues that have become such a hallmark of the IRC. This year, we’ve shifted the IRC to be a representative council of board members of our 20 or 30 undergraduate religious and philosophical communities on Emory‘s Atlanta campus, plus some at large members as well, and this allows for even more updating and collaboration between the various religious and philosophical communities and for us to rely on this group even more as an advising and programming body for the work of our office. Our new WISE interfaith pre-orientation program has become an important feeder to the IRC, and council members can soon apply to be the peer mentors who will welcome our second WISE cohort in August 2022.

In addition, I wanted to share the exciting news that the Emory Interfaith Center project is moving forward at full speed, with important building inspections taking place and designs now being completed for the various worship, meditation, study, gathering, and eating spaces the Interfaith Center will provide for undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, staff, and neighbors of Emory who are interested in interfaith work. We are so excited about this project and look forward to keeping you up-to-date on the details and the grand opening in March 2023.

And I would be remiss if I did not mention the Emory Day of Giving which is approaching on March 30 and 31 this year. We are so grateful for your generosity that makes exciting interfaith programs like the IRC, WISE, and the Emory Interfaith Center happen. If you can join us in giving either on those days or any day before then, we would be so grateful for your support which makes everything we do possible. 

Blessings to you and your loved ones as the winter turns to spring, and we look forward to staying in touch with you throughout the new year.

Best wishes,
Greg
——
The Rev. Dr. Gregory W. McGonigle
Dean of Religious Life
University Chaplain
Office of the President
Emory University