Ever wondered why Christians and Ismailis don't get together more?
Well now there's no excuse!
We firmly believe that, if we can just get in the same room, we'll see that Christians and Ismailis can be friends. That is, after all, why we're called 'Ismaili Friends'!
What is a Meet My Story event?
Meet My Story events are superb opportunities to bring Ismailis and Christians together. Themed around story, they are informal evening gatherings, centered around sharing food and personal stories.
In towns and cities across the world, a local group from an Ismaili jamatkhana and a Christian group from a local church spend their evening together in a safe and inviting environment.
The evening will begin with food at tables mixed with 6 or so Ismaili and Christian guests. Sometimes this food is brought by guests themselves, sometimes it is provided by the host organisation, typically a church or jamatkhana.
As guests eat together they begin to experience some of those things we treasure in our day-to-day lives: a sense of community, of belonging, of unity, even a sense of family. We're under no illusions - rarely do people who meet for the first time become best friends for life! But, as the evening progresses, guests will find a warmth growing inside them towards their Christian and Ismaili neighbors.
The evening really gets going with the arrival of the keynote speakers. For ten minutes or so, a leader from both the local Christian and Ismaili communities will open their hearts, open their lives and share their stories with the guests. These are powerful moments. This is when you get to see behind the curtain and meet the individual, the man or woman behind the public persona. Vulnerability is moving and when the speaker invites you to "meet my story", you'll be changed forever.
But the high point of the evening is still to follow.
As the speakers take their seat, the mantle is passed to the guests. The atmosphere is intimate, ears are tuned into vulnerability, hearts are set to sympathy. With as much or as little openness as feels comfortable, guests are invited so share their stories with their small table. Prompts are provided on cards at their table. Guests are encouraged to share glimpses into their stories that are safe but at the same time relationship-building.
This is your chance to be met. This is their chance to meet your story. This is where barriers between communities crumble as hearts are knit together in vulnerability and compassion.
Why host a Meet My Story event?
Meet My Story evenings are friendship-building milestones. As such, they bring communities together.
It may be that you and your church or small group are listening to some of the xenophobic, racist rhetoric out there and thinking, "No, as a Christian, that's not what I'm about! I want to love my neighbor". Perhaps instead, you and your Ismaili jamaat want to show people that Islam is not what it's portrayed to be in the media.
These evenings are for you. Meet My Story events are the venue for interfaith dialogue, the catalyst for cross-faith, cross-cultural relationships that last beyond the evening.
If your church or jamaat is committed to building bridges, if your heart is to understand 'the other', if your passion is to turn neighbor into friend, then host a Meet My Story event.
How you can host an event
We're looking for churches, jamaats, or even those of you with a large home (!) to open your doors for one evening.
Events typically run from 6-8pm on a weeknight, though times and days are flexible. The host individual or organisation will be responsible for coordinating with Ismaili Friends, catering the event (which can be done in a number of ways and doesn't have to be a financial burden), and publicizing the event (in partnership with a coordinator in the other faith community) amongst your community. The format and speakers will be arranged by Ismaili Friends. We're just looking for partners!
If you would be interested in hosting an event, please get in touch either with a comment below or by email. We will happily talk through details with you.
Together, we can build bridges between Ismailis and Christians as we meet each other's stories!