At the Interfaith Mission Service, we believe that shared values among our faiths enable us to work together for the greater good. Despite differences, we are able to find common ground, and we stand on it together.
The Interfaith Mission Service (IMS) is a cooperative of congregations, individuals, and organizations that work together. As it reaches its 50th year, the Interfaith Mission Service remains committed to its vision: Become leaders in creating a Beloved Community. To help fulfill Dr. King’s global vision of a world where all people can share in the wealth of the earth, IMS seeks to …
- Address the causes of poverty, hunger, and homelessness.
- Replace racism in all its forms with a spirit of sisterhood and brotherhood.
- Resolve disputes through peaceful, non-violent means.
- Eliminate obstacles to economic justice and equity.
We call it The Power of We.
In 1969, Neil Armstrong made “…one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” During the same year, eleven Huntsville congregations took steps to form a grassroots interfaith cooperative that would bring the faiths together to respond to human needs and promote racial, religious, and cultural harmony.
Perhaps more than any other southern city, Huntsville is home to diverse spiritual and cultural traditions. The Interfaith Mission Service – an interfaith cooperative – believes this is a strength of Huntsville and works to ensure Huntsville continues to be an accepting home to a diverse array of spiritual families and different cultures. Using this spiritual and cultural diversity as a strength, we have facilitated a broad table for spiritual pilgrims to come together and learn from one another and achieve common goals. While the Interfaith Mission Service has a 47-year history in the Huntsville area, it is the future that we are most excited about. As Huntsville stands poised for growth and is continually recognized as one of the nation’s best places to live, we believe this is in part due to the deep spiritual wells that exist across this town and surrounding areas. The Cooperative works to make sure that a spirit of acceptance and non-judgment are deeply ingrained in our community.
The Cooperative of the Interfaith Mission Service is more than just a social service agency or your typical non-profit group. We are a congregation-driven network where our member congregations “plan the work and work the plan.” This aspect of our organization is central to who we are and how we operate. Member congregations have one to three seats on our Leadership Council and they set the vision for our organization. Congregations participate in an annual survey to help formulate our annual plan, which is approved by the Leadership Council.
In addition to congregations, membership in our interfaith cooperative is open to individuals and organizations who share our vision of making Huntsville a “beloved community.” Following Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., we have defined it as a place of interfaith cooperation, racial harmony, care for the most vulnerable, and passion for justice for all. Please join us!
