Utah County has support groups for almost everyone - even for the leaders of the county's different religious organizations.
For more than a decade, the Utah Valley Ministerial Association has acted as a unifying influence for groups with religious differences, the organizer of several interfaith religious and charitable activities and the hosting center for meetings, where religious leaders can sit down and discuss their concerns."We have a commitment to our interfaith activities," said the Rev. Garret Edmunds, UVMA chairman. "But we also act as a support group to our members, whether they participate in our ecumenical activities."
According to the Rev. Edmunds, pastor for Provo's St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, leaders from all religious denominations throughout the county are actual members. However, in practice, all of them don't actually participate.
"It's a very loose gathering of religious people," the Rev. Edmunds said. "They can choose which activities they want to participate in. We're on a voluntary basis. But no one has ever to be asked to be removed from our mailing list."
At one time, the association excluded local leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. That has changed. Elder Angus Belliston, a regional representative for the LDS Church, has been with the group for more than a year.
"Before, the group acted in an almost `siege' mentality," the Rev. Edmunds said. "It had a very `us-vs.-them' atmosphere because the LDS Church is so large and so strong in this county. But that isn't the way of thinking now."
The Rev. Edmunds said the sheer variety of organizations included is useful, because "leaders can see things from a slightly different perspective when they talk to other members. We participate in shared theological reflection, so we can understand the different faiths."
The association helps several charities, including the Food and Shelter Coalition, which it helped found, and plans three large-scale activities each year, including the "prayer for Christian unity" in January, Good Friday commemoration events (such as this year's "Cross Walk") and the Thanksgiving prayer.
Monthly meetings include the "business" meeting on the second Thursday of each month and a lecture or scripture reading held every Tuesday at St. Mary's Episcopal Church, Provo.
The Rev. Edmunds said the meeting sites are rotated among churches, "so different church leaders can see the `physical plant' of each church."