A Special Luncheon

by Tim McDonell

We recently had the pleasure of putting on a “Quick to Listen” luncheon with friends from three local churches in Ventura County and friends from the Islamic Center in Oxnard. We met at an Indian restaurant in Ventura that is owned by a member of the center, a setting that provided an opportunity for us to meet and to ask questions about each other’s faith.

We have more in common than we know, dating back to Abraham, and this meeting gave us the opportunity to discuss misconceptions about Christianity and Islam in a non-threatening environment. By taking the time to meet our neighbors, new friendships can be formed. There may be many things we don't agree on, but there is one thing that we do agree upon: God is great and He is our creator. He desires that His children love and care for one another. Our aim is to learn to love our neighbors as God loves us and to develop lasting friendships that will foster an atmosphere of trust.