About Us

There are many councils of churches and interfaith alliances, on the local, state, national and world levels. But only one InterFaith Council of Southwestern Connecticut (formerly known as the Council of Churches and Synagogues) originated more than 60 years ago in Stamford and is growing stronger every year.

"Thinking back", the concept was logical and sensible: by working together instead of alone, churches could be more effective in reaching out to serve the community, doing God's work of helping those in need. That was the reasoning of the six Protestant ministers of downtown Stamford churches back in 1938 who met and envisioned a unity of purpose and energy. The idea of the Council was born.

In the 1940's, there was World War II and the dedication of all to win the war. Clergy worked together on interfaith teams in hospitals and volunteers prepared supplies for foreign war relief. The new group, dedicated to dialogue, fellowship and action, adopted an initial structure of "committees". The name of these committees gives an idea of the concerns of the time: there was a committee on brotherhood and amity, social relations, religious education, race relations and civic problems. Though it was was begun by Protestant ministers, the interfaith aspect was already a factor: Rabbi David Pearlman of Temple Beth El served as treasurer. Father Early was part of the clergy speaking team that visited schools and social groups.

The Council was the first local expression of a growing wave of national and international ecumenical and interfaith associations.

Norman Woodberry, who joined the council in 1941, recalled that there were pulpit exchanges and goals for bettering interfaith/and interracial understanding from the earliest days.

In the 1950's, 1952 to be exact, the Council underwent the first of its many reorganizations to make its structure fit the times. The community was becoming increasingly secularized and fragmented and four primary departments were formed to oversee the Council's work: religious education, evangelism and worship, social concerns and finance. Affordable housing was the number one social concern in 1953.

A hospital chaplaincy program started, refugee resettlement was a major issue, civil rights and legislative advocacy became an appropriate way for the Council to fulfill its mission of social welfare. The Stamford Council of Churches added Darien to its name at this time. A newsletter was begun. Attention to physical as well as spiritual welfare was considered an important interfaith mission. The assembly concept was born. Member congregations were each asked to designate one clergy and two lay delegates to the Council as the overall governing body of consultant/advisors.

In 1971 the Stamford-Darien Council voted officially to include synagogues as part of its membership and it became the Council of Churches and Synagogues. In 1973 the Council expanded its sphere of service and membership to include Greenwich and New Canaan. In 2002 the Council marked yet another milestone in changing its name to the Interfaith Council of Southwestern Connecticut to reflect its more inclusive nature, since it has accepted Baha’i, Muslim and Sikh congregations into its membership.