As 2020 draws to a close, Interfaith Partners of South Carolina are preparing to start the new year with its annual Interfaith Harmony Month.
For the past eight years, the organization has encouraged partnering organizations throughout the state to host interfaith events during the month of January to bring together people of diverse religious, spiritual and secular paths in an effort to cultivate a more harmonious community.
On Tuesday morning, Interfaith Partners of S.C. announced its statewide event calendar and well as a public reading of S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster's proclamation declaring January 2021 as Interfaith Harmony Month.
"This past year has shown us just how much we all need each other. Interfaith Harmony Month is a way to reach out, not just to people like us, but to our neighbors of different beliefs and backgrounds," said Sarah Kurlowich, vice-chair of Interfaith Partners of South Carolina.
While the mission of Interfaith Harmony Month remains the same, approaches to events will be different in 2021.
In years past, congregations and religious groups would hold special events and services in person.
This year, a number of events will be held virtually as the coronavirus pandemic continues into 2021.
During last year's Interfaith Harmony Month, local group Aiken Interfaith Partners hosted an "Interfaith Human Library," in which human volunteers of various backgrounds represented books and allowed visitors to "check them out" and ask questions.
This year, the local event will be taking on a virtual format where visitors will sign up for a time slot and will be able to participate by Zoom video conferencing, said Bill Collins with Aiken Interfaith Partners.
"It worked very well in the physical event last year, and we’re hoping it will work very well virtually," Collins said.
Virtual events in Aiken, Beaufort, Charleston, Columbia and Greenville will livestream, and are open for statewide attendance.
The first event of Interfaith Harmony Month will be a "New Year’s Celebration" hosted by SGI-USA Columbia Chapter of Interfaith Partners via Zoom video conferencing from 10 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. Friday.
A complete list of events, both local and statewide, can be found online at interfaithpartnersofsc.org.
