Jay Phillips Center for Interreligious Studies at the University of St. Thomas

Our concert coming up in a few weeks, "Meet You at the Crossroads," is shaping up to be a special occasion. At an open rehearsal the other day the Somali contingent, led by Ahmed Ismail Yusuf went over some of their possible songs. JD Steele, who leads a gospel group in the show, listened intently to the lyrics, rhythms and sounds of these ravishing, rarely heard pop songs from Somalia pre-Civil War. "I'm listening for the connections," JD told me, clasping his iPhone, which he used to record several of the songs. "People will be surprised how strong the resonances are." JD, a member of the legendary Steele Family of the Twin Cities, has always forged a special path in music. One of the original company members of the "Gospel at Colonus" when it premiered in New York in 1983, the composer, arranger and vocal artist founded a youth choir he still leads at an orphanage, Shangilia, in Nairobi Kenya. This group, which has toured in other parts of East Africa, Greece, the US and even the Kennedy Center (!) is one of his most cherished projects. We all can't wait for the culmination of the "Meet You at the Crossroads" concert when JD's gospel group, and the Somali artists in the show will blend their music in an improvised crescendo. "Of course this is what music does so well," says JD, who, among other local groups, created Capri Glee! An Adult Community Choir in North Minneapolis that is offering its spring/winter concert on March 25. "It brings people together and helps open eyes and doors." Registration is now on for our free concert at the University of St Thomas on Sun April 6 at 7pm. We're delighted to be collaborating on this event with the musical curator David Jordan Harris, and the Jay Phillips Center for Interreligious Studies, which is kicking off a cross-cultural festival on the night of our concert. If you'll be in the Twin Cities on April 6, (or in nearby Saint John's University in Collegeville on April 27 when we reprise the show...) please join us to discover, encounter, and make new friends. (At St. Thomas we include a reception with refreshments and some specialties from the two cultural communities in the show.) Our catchwords... Individuality. Fairness. Belonging! https://lnkd.in/gmdP-FPk

Join us at University of St. Thomas - College of Arts and Sciences a film and discussion that explores how intentional proximity fosters dialogue, understanding, and collaboration across religious and cultural divides??"Abraham’s Bridge," a visually stunning short documentary, explores the Tri-Faith Initiative in Omaha, Nebraska, where a mosque, synagogue, church, and interfaith center share a campus, a garden, and a symbolic bridge.