Southern Dallas Interfaith Council and the Baha’is of Duncanville Host International Dinner

Featured Photo: Focus country of international dinner, Seoul, South Korea. Photo: iStock.

A familiar hymn has the line, “No longer as strangers on earth need we roam.” The truth is, of course, we are not very often strangers at our events. We sit with people we know or with a few guests of people we know. That wasn’t the case on Saturday, July 16^th, when members of the Southern Dallas Interfaith Council and the Baha’is of Duncanville hosted their first international dinner.

Until a few years ago, the Bahai’s invited the community to the Museum of International Culture, a small local collection of artifacts from around the world. Foreign films and potluck dinners alternated. Food of the selected culture and displays supported programs that included videos, speakers, and folk dancing. Unfortunately, the museum closed because of financial and staff challenges.

Anne Perry, a Baha’i living in Duncanville, explained the predicament of the lost venue to a member of the Interfaith Council in January. An initial “I think we might have a place” led to months of planning. The Southern Dallas Interfaith Council, sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, meets every other month in the church’s Duncanville building. Led by Keith Earl, the group formed the year before the pandemic and met via Zoom until in-person gatherings were possible. The Southern Council is based on the principles of the bigger Dallas Interfaith Council and includes seven faith traditions currently. Part of its mission statement reads: “We share a desire to join hearts and hands in serving all of God’s children.” The group welcomes those of no belief as well. (Find them on Facebook at Southern Dallas Interfaith.)

With the place secured and a date set, a country selection came next. South Korea has a distinctive history, culture, and cuisine. Members of both the council and the Baha’i group had visited.  Youngsuk Bartlett, a DeSoto resident and member of the Church, contributed to a display of beautiful clothes (mother of the groom, father of the bride), Korean cookbooks, a temple bell replica, a calligraphy set, and mother-of-pearl inlaid boxes. Linda Abramson Evans, a lecturer at SMU and refugee services coordinator, once worked for a Korean company and considered moving there to teach. Dr. Karen Hollie, founder of Lifeway Church of Dallas, has visited many times, both to attend conferences and to pray at the DMZ.

Tim Perry, a filmmaker with the Baha’i-based Luminous Journey to his credit, shared videos of Korean traditional dance, contemporary pop music, and an Expedia tour of Seoul. Lisa Earl works professionally as an event planner; she incorporated colorful flowers with a sampling of packaged Korean snacks into the table decorations. Phrases in the Hangul writing system introduced diners to this phonetic alphabet:

 감사합니다 (gam-sa-ham-ni-da) means “thank you.”

But how to get all those strangers to connect? Name tags helped, and members of both groups helped arrange the food (Linda Stern and Penny Ball) or decorate (Teresa Rossi). But the stories shared were better: James talked to a new friend from another community about his enslaved family, brought from Tennessee to Texas in 1830. Joyce and Mary connected through literature—both teach English at the college level and found they have friends in common. Charlotte, a former 6th-grade teacher, offered an apprehensive Duncan entering 6^th grade her help–if he needed it, of course.

In his welcome, Duncanville Mayor Barry Gordon thanked the Southern Dallas Interfaith Council for choosing Duncanville: “We’re the City of Champions,” he explained, “but not just for athletics.” The area has great diversity and much to offer. Choice is truly an element that made this event successful. Everyone attending had chosen to be there, to share their stories, and to learn about another country.

Mark Romney, who serves as the Church of Jesus Christ ecclesiastical leader in the southern sector of Dallas, believes there are three keys to the success of interfaith. First, worshiping together lets us see the faith of others. Second, working together shoulder to shoulder, “as the hands of God.” Third, eating together. “It’s hard not to like somebody when you’re sitting at the same table sharing a meal.” Famous for loving menudo, he also happens to love kimchi, a well-known Korean side dish.

With the goal of quarterly dinners, these two groups hope this event is indeed the first, with many more to come. A potluck design allows for any number to attend the next free event. A date and focus country are not set, but the success of the dinner in July suggests a second one in 2022. After all, the world is filled with wonderful food, history, cultures, and–of course—new friends.

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Mary Ann Taylor is communications director for the Dallas Texas Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints living in Duncanville.