Interfaith Program Vision and Mission  

The Muslim Consultative Network (MCN) is a nonprofit network of New York area based Muslim American organizations and individuals, working to strengthen and unify our community for love of God and to serve the needs of Humanity.

 

Since its first meeting as a group of volunteers at the Interchurch Center in 2003, MCN has promoted Muslim engagement in American pluralism and in the dialogue of faiths. Every year, our members engage in scores of Interfaith debates and discussions, prayers and advocacy for policy change. MCN has been a leader in such initiatives and a consistent and loyal partner.

One such leader of interfaith dialogue has been current MCN Chair Debbie Almontaser, who despite deep involvement with dialogue and conflict programs was unfairly smeared by right wing extremists, resulting in job loss and lawsuits and a 2010 determination of Discrimination against New York City by the EEOC. Many leaders were shocked that high level contacts in the faith community could not shield her from defamation, Nevertheless Ms Almontaser remains as committed as ever.

 

“Dialogue is a living, breathing thing — there are times to be polite and other times to press on painful subjects in the hopes of healing and understanding in the long term,” states Executive Director Adem Carroll. “I cannot say I always know the right moment, and despite sincere intentions, honest words may stir up storms, a tsunami of backlash — but trouble is a useful reminder that we are all in the same boat. While people of faith depend on God, we also need

each other.”

 

Another interfaith leader is Sarah Sayeed, who served as Board Secretary of MCN for three years. She now works with Interfaith Center of New York, organizing the Rabbi Marshall T. Meyer Retreat for interfaith leaders, and many other initiatives.

 

  MCN Interfaith Program Areas  

Annual Interfaith Events   For the last 10 years Board Chair Adem Carroll has maintained an interfaith Ramadan events at Union Theological Seminary (UTS), working now in partnership with UTS and with Interfaith Center of New York on this growing project he created while at Islamic Circle of North America. In 2008 and 2009 each event attracted over 275 attendees.

 

Yearly interfaith events also include assisting several other well-attended interfaith iftars during Ramadan, and the planning and co-sponsoring of a range of grassroots events like the Children of Abraham Peace Walk in Brooklyn — See video here and the Queens Unity Walk See video here.

  Advocacy based Partnerships  

MCN is a consistent partner with interfaith bodies in New York City in all our program areas--including the New York Disaster Interfaith Services (NYDIS), the Interfaith Center of New York, and the Metro NY Religious Campaign Against Torture (MNYRCAT), www.mnyrcat.com as well as churches and synagogues in the various boroughs.

 

MCN founding members have also organized 9 annual interfaith iftars with Union Theological Seminary. MCN’s interfaith partnerships extend to our office space at both Holy Trinity Church and Judson Memorial Church. We thank these friends and colleagues.

 

Both MCN and its members interact with the New York Disaster Interfaith Services on disaster preparedness and September 11th related needs; MCN board members Adem Carroll is one of the orignal members of the interfaith board of directors of NYDIS.

 

MCN is also a member of the steering committee of the New York State Interfaith Network for Immigration Reform and a member of the New Sanctuary Movement.

 

MCN hopes that though these and other initiatives like the Living Room Project and the Jewish Muslim Dialogue, and ongoing participation in such projects as the Twinning Project, that Jewish-Muslim relations can be improved through respectful and honest dialogue. Many models exist — curricula from Dialogue Project and Interfaith Youth Core.

 

For interfaith dialogue to grow in relevance, it must emerge from the comfy confines of cordial tea interfaith parties. In times of crisis we stand together, most of us, thanks to such active forces for interfaith civic engagement as long time MCN Board member Mohamed Razvi of COPO. 

 

Special Thanks to our Interfaith funders. In 2006, MCN received a grant from the Care for the Caregivers program of the Council Churches of New York, much of which we regranted to very diverse projects devoted to Muslim community resiliency. We have also received trainings offered by the Federation for Protestant Welfare Associations. And we must very thankfully embrace our partners and landlords Judson Memorial Church and Holy Trinity, without whom MCN well might have remained homeless. God Bless those who offer Sanctuary!