Gilroy Interfaith Council

The goal of the faith blog is to bring our community together, unite around our commonalities, and share messages of faith. To forward this mission, members of Gilroy’s Interfaith Council met together to discuss the importance and purpose of their group. When asked what they hope to accomplish in the council, they went around the table answering that question.
Rachelle Bedell, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
In my mind, Interfaith Council is a wonderful opportunity to bring the community together. You bring in all these people, clergies, churches, congregations, who have really good values, and have really good hearts, and we bring them all together and we can do amazing things to make our community a better place. That’s what I really look forward to and you know, we’ve done it. We’ve shown them that we can do it, and it’s really amazing. The more we do it, the more it’ll grow and hopefully make our community that much better.
Greg Quirke, South Valley Community Church
The purpose we’re trying to create is, you know, we have different faith groups, we’re not coming together to try to create a doctrinal position because each one of our faiths have different belief structures, but we’re looking at how to bring these faith groups together to become unified so we can be influential in the community. We’ve been talking a lot about how can we influence the youth in our communities, how can we influence the families and try to work together instead of, not necessarily having all the churches doing their own things, but can we come together as a council and maybe pick some strategic things that perhaps we can do jointly.
Kent Gardiola, Cathedral of Faith
I think it’s more than just doing something, or participating in a project, or creating something to achieve a goal. It’s showing how faith can actually help the community. We all have different doctrines, but at the end of the day the city of Gilroy belongs to God, and He cares to provide for His people’s needs. Through what we do as a council, the community is reminded that Jesus is present in their lives.”
Victor Macias, Cathedral of Faith
 For me it’s also that spirit of unity. There’s a scripture in the Bible that says a single strand is easily broken but a strand of four or five cannot be easily broken. As we stand together and start building something, how much faster and better will it be, and how much better will it be when we all know each other and really bond and become a family? What can we build? How far can we go? I drive by the new stadium that’s being built for the 49ers. Can you imagine one person trying to build that? But when you get people together in unity, it’s great. Most importantly right now, the mayor has opened up his doors to us and for all of us to come together. I don’t understand why so many don’t take that opportunity to come and learn and be a part of it because once again, he has that open door policy. So many great ideas have kind of been buried or nobody shares them and when we do share them with each other, look what comes out of them. Not only is it supporting the mayor, but it’s supporting each other.
Sharon Kaekel, Advent Lutheran Church
For me it started with reading the Gilroy Dispatch and seeing all the crime and children involved or accidentally dying from over drinking. I saw a little article about the mayor asking the Interfaith Council to come together and see if we can come up with some ideas. It’s one more voice, one more suggestion in how we can help our community. I don’t know if there is an answer, but if we work at it together, that might help.
Sayed Faquiryan, South Valley Islamic Center
It’s my personal idea we’re all children of Adam, we’re part of the same family. We’re living in this community. We have to stay united, educate our kids, and make a peaceful community, to find out who needs help and be there for each other. 
Alex Dorado, Victory Outreach
I was the president of the Gilroy Gang Task Force for about four years. I was a vice president for three years, I’ve been part of the work for 12 years. I’m also with South County Youth Task Force, and I’m also on the board of directors for the Youth Alliance, so I wanted to figure out exactly what was our purpose here [on the Interfaith Council] and now I’m understanding what we’re trying to do. I’ve been with the mayor a lot of times and he knows we have unlimited resources when it comes to volunteers because we have people who are willing to serve. We have Jesus’ heartbeat and his servanthood within our lives, so we’re willing to do whatever it takes and do it unto the Lord and not unto ourselves. In our church we teach he who is forgiven much, much is required.
Nichole Parker, St. Stephens Episcopal Church
I think this is a really good opportunity to bring our different churches together, and the people within those churches, to make a greater positive impact on our community. I’m excited to be a part of that.
 Rose Barry, Saint Mary Catholic Parish
I’m going to paint a really negative picture because I think we’re the opposite of this. There was a saying that came out of Hitler’s reign of terror: Oh, Hitler’s rounding up the Jews, well, phew, I’m Catholic. No worries. Uh oh, Hitler’s rounding up the gays, well, phew, I’m straight. Hitler’s rounding up the disabled, me and my family are healthy. Another miss. Uh oh, Hitler’s rounding up Catholics. Looking around there are no allies. Well, I was not an ally when it was the other. So I see our group as breaking down borders. Hitler’s reign of terror is not so far away. Even now, there’s violence between religions, between sectors of the same religion. There’s all kinds of faith-based violence throughout our world. Any and everything we do to work together, regardless of our faith tradition, is a great example for our town and for our world. Faith is faith. It’s an important part of an upright life. It does not matter to me what your faith tradition is, I admire you for standing up for a faith.
Jeff Scherck, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
The thing I personally get out of this is the walls are coming down. Whatever we do, we shake hands as a friend. To me that’s probably the most important reward. Now, the next step here because we are leaders within our different organizations, we can pull from a lot of talent that can really benefit, not only the community, but also each other. It’s a privilege to be part of this group. It needs to grow. I think we are at the start of something very significant and I’m humbled to be amongst you. I hit my knees every night, so I know my place. It’s humbling to know that I know you all do too.