The inclusion governor?

Following a week of celebration with the inauguration of Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr., local religious leaders have high hopes for improved interfaith dialogue and greater recognition of the diversity of Utah's faith community.

But a few are concerned about how his policies will affect the state's poorest residents.

Several clergy from a variety of faiths were impressed that the new governor's staff organized an interfaith celebration Sunday night as a way to act on one of his themes — the importance of diversity, including the realm of faith, in a state often known more for its homogeneity.

The Rev. Michael Imperiale of First Presbyterian Church, where the interfaith event was held, said church leaders were approached by the governor's inaugural committee a few weeks ago about hosting the event, and were "delighted" to do so.

"I think every opportunity to let the diversity of the city and our culture come together is a good thing." Acknowledging significant differences in belief and expression of faith among Utahns, the Rev. Imperiale said he believes the diversity must be "shared, rather than boiled down to the lowest common denominator, or simply ignored all together. Greater understanding is the way to healthy corporate living."

The Rev. Imperiale said he had seen a more pointed focus on interfaith outreach since the 2002 Winter Olympics and believes the state will continue to become increasingly diverse. A past resident of Boston, New York City and Philadelphia, he's impressed that he's had "many more interfaith and multicultural experiences here" than any of those places.

"I think in other cities people tend to keep to their own enclaves of ethnicity or religion. In Salt Lake, because it's all happening pretty quickly, you get the sense that we better do this (interfaith outreach) and be intentional about it. I think that's what the governor wants to do — be intentional about gathering people together and expressing things in a healthy way."

Father Michael Kouremetis, leader of Salt Lake's Greek Orthodox community, said he got an unexpected gift on Christmas Eve when one of the governor's staff members came to visit and asked him to give the invocation at Tuesday's inaugural.

"Our community has been a part of Salt Lake City for 100 years, and it was the first time an orthodox clergyman has been invited to do anything with that event," he said. "It was a real honor and a thrill to be a part of that, and he said he was honored to have us there.