Right after the events of 9-11 (September 11, 2001), a group of people began to meet as an interfaith dialogue group one Wednesday a month.

And they have met every month since. They are from varied backgrounds including: Muslim, Catholic, Baptist, Buddhist, Lutheran, Unitarian, and Christian Science.

There are about 15 to 20 folks, most lay people. They meet on the 3rd Wednesday of the month at Eliot Unitarian Chapel in Kirkwood, from 11:30 to 1:30 p.m.

Their leader is Brenton Dodge, a retired American Baptist minister (dodgebc@sbcglobal.net).

They often have a book or news clippings to discuss. And they weigh in on how their religion might interpret an event or give instructions as to how to act.

I’m usually eating lunch and working at church while they meet in the fellowship hall, but occasionally I hear bits of conversation, and it seems to me they are thoughtful, good natured, and genuinely committed not only to their own religious tradition but to learning about others.

If you are interested, you can simply show up, or you can contact Brenton Dodge via email.