General Questions and Attendees

1. What are the Dinner Dialogues exactly? Once a year on a set evening the Greater Houston Amazing Faiths Project hosts an evening of dinner dialogues in various cities. From 6:30-9:30 pm people gather in small groups in private homes to have a meal together, and to share from their lives about faith, religious diversity and common human values. The dialogue is highly structured and directed providing a "safe space" to share and communicate about your faith and spirituality. The purpose of the dinner dialogues is to build relationships with your neighbors who may be of a different faith than your own as a way to promote peace, tolerance, understanding and respect in our world.

2. How can I get involved? You can be involved either as a participant/guest or as a host of a dinner dialogue. To be either a host or guest, simply register online by clicking on the sign-up tab or by calling 713.533.4904.

3. What can I expect as a participant/guest? Once you register as a guest (either yourself alone or with a friend/partner/spouse) you will receive a confirmation email. You will then be assigned to a host's home that is not too far from your part of town. Shortly before the evening of the Dinner Dialogue you will receive the address, contact info and directions to the host's house. The evening of the dinner you will go to the host's home, along with 6-8 others from your area, for dinner and dialogue. A trained facilitator will join you for the evening to guide the discussion based on specially designed "dialogue cards" created for the Amazing Faiths Project.

4. How should I prepare for the evening? First, mark the date and time in your calendar as soon as you register, so you won't forget. Your hosts will be expecting you! Next, prepare yourself to meet new people who come from a different perspective, life path, or worldview than yours. Organizers will mix and match the dialogue participants for maximum diversity. You may share your first meal with a Muslim, Jain, Christian, Hindu or Jew! The point of the evening is to connect and converse with people outside your daily or regular routines. Prepare to listen more than to talk. When your turn comes to speak, share from your heart. You will not be asked to share anything uncomfortable or too private for you. The evening as a whole, however, might take you outside of your "comfort zone"; one of the goals of the evening is for us to expand our comfort zones with regard to religious diversity in our community. Finally, prepare to be generous and patient with each other.

4. Do I have to have any formal training in my faith to attend a dinner?  No, we encourage anyone and everyone to participate in the dinner dialogues. We want you to be open to sharing your beliefs, traditions, and practices.

5. What if I identify with more than one religion? This is absolutely fine. We wecome those who may come from more than one faith heritage, those who have found more than one faith tradition as vital for themselves, and those who do not hold to a particular faith tradition at all.

6. What if I am an Atheist or do not practice any faith, can I still participate? Yes, we simply ask that you be interested in learning about other's beliefs and traditions in the spirit of tolerance and respect.

7. What if I am uncomfortable or do not want to answer a question at the dinner dialogue? We have made every effort to make the questions non-offensive, but you are always welcome to answer another question or pass. We do encourage you to fully participate, however, since dialogue is the main objective of the evening.

8. Are the Faith Tours and Spiritual Gatherings for Women only located in Houston, TX? Yes, at the current time these programs are only in the Houston area, but as the project grows there may be equivalent programs in partnering cities. Check your local city page for AFP programs in your area.

9. Do I have to be female to attend the Spiritual Gatherings for Women? Yes, at the present time the Spiritual Gatherings are focused on bringing together women of different faith traditions. We may offer Spiritual Gatherings for both men and women in the future.

 Dinner Dialogue Hosts

1. What are my responsibilities as a Host? As a host, you agree to provide a simple, healthy meal for up to 12 people in your home on the evening of the Dinner Dialogue from 6:30-9:30pm. You do not have to have a big house or even a dining room. Nor do you have to provide fancy food. The point of the evening is not the food or the house--it is connection and conversation. People can sit at a table to eat, or in chairs or on floor pillows, and eat from plates in their laps. A simple meal might be any one of these:  Rice and Beans, Salad Bar--make your own salad and bread, Vegetable soup and salad, spaghetti and bread (non-meat sauce), cookies, water or lemonade (no caffeine)

2. What restrictions are there regarding the dinner meal? No alchohol at all, in drink or in the food. No pork or pork products at all. There must be a vegetarian option if meat is served.  Again, the point for hosts is not to spend a lot of money or to spend all day "slaving over a hot stove." Choose a simple, inexpensive meal. Disposable plates, forks, etc. are fine. Someone from the organizing committee will contact you, in advance, if you have guests with special dietary restrictions (i.e. kosher, halal, etc.). We will assist you in meeting those guests' needs.

3. If I am a host, does that mean I am also a moderator/facilitator? No, if you are the host that is your only responsibility. If, however, you partner with either a friend/spouse/partner to host the meal he or she may be a moderator. Moderators are required to go through training and are subject to approval by the Amazing Faith Project staff.