JCSU Connects With Different Cultures In Potlucks For Pluralism
By DR. KENDAL MOBLEY
Several Johnson C. Smith University students, faculty and staff shared an evening of food, fellowship and learning at the Gurdwara Sahib Charlotte, one of two Sikh temples in the city. They attended the latest dinner/dialogue organized by Potlucks for Pluralism, a partnership between JCSU and MeckMIN, Mecklenburg County’s interfaith network. The events bring students from JCSU, Johnson & Wales University, Davidson College, Queens University of Charlotte and UNC Charlotte together with different religious communities.
At each dinner/dialogue, the host community provides a hearty dinner, and everyone shares in the conversation as they grow in religious literacy and cultural appreciation.
JCSU student Majeed Ederer said, “I felt that I could really relate to and connect with people who have different cultures and belief systems than my own.” Another JCSU student Franco Lopez said, “I’m not a religious person, but I’m always open to learning about different religions. My favorite part of the event was the conversations we were having at the table based on ‘kindness.’”
JCSU Professor of Religion Kendal Mobley runs Potlucks for Pluralism with the Rev. LeDayne McLeese Polaski, executive director of MeckMIN. Dr. Cheryl Curtis, director of Veterans and Military Affairs, serves as JCSU’s Campus Leader for the program, promoting events and organizing transportation for students. Now in its third year, the program is funded by a grant from the Arthur Vining Davis Foundations.
mosque, a Hindu temple and a Presbyterian church. Last semester, members of several Buddhist communities came together and led a dinner/dialogue on JCSU’s campus. Student leaders also participated in a workshop on nonviolent communication at the Bahá’í temple.
At the Gurdwara Sahib Charlotte, about 30 students from the five participating institutions removed their shoes and covered their heads before they entered the prayer hall. Joined by members of the gurdwara, they experienced music and prayers in the Sikh tradition. Jaspal Singh of the gurdwara spoke briefly about the Sikh scriptures, translated the prayers and explained their practice of prayer, then everyone went downstairs for dinner.
The menu featured a selection of traditional vegetarian dishes from the Punjab region (on the border of Pakistan and India), where the Sikh religion emerged at the end of the 15th century C.E. Navdeep Singh Dhillon, president of the gurdwara, gave a brief presentation on Sikh history, beliefs and values. Students learned that Sikhs believe in one God who is present in everyone and everything. They value hard work, sharing and service done with a sincere heart. Every gurdwara pursues hospitality as a spiritual practice by providing free meals to the surrounding community regularly. The greatest gurdwara in Sikhism, the Golden Temple in Amritsar, Punjab, India, serves 70,000 to 100,000 free meals each day. The discussion topic at dinner was “kindness,” which was quite appropriate for a visit to the gurdwara.
The next event sponsored by the program will be an interfaith leadership training on JCSU’s campus, on Oct. 29. Ivan Mayerhofer, associate chaplain for Buddhist Programs, director of the Davidson Meditation Initiative and coordinator of Interfaith Programs at Davidson College, will lead the training. For more information on that or other Potlucks for Pluralism events, contact Dr. Kendal Mobley (kmobley@jcsu.edu) or Dr. Cheryl Curtis (ccurtis@jcsu.edu).