All groups agreed to meet at least four times between April 30 and Oct. 1. Many met more often. Each group was facilitated by a trained facilitator. The stated purpose of the project was "dialogue" — an opportunity to have a conversation across religious differences and to explore whatever issues, feelings and concerns emerged between group members.

Open letter to the community

On a Saturday morning in late April 2005, 120 people gathered in 13 small groups in a community center in Salt Lake City. They were meeting for what was ostensibly a very simple purpose — to have a conversation. But apprehension as well as anticipation permeated the room. Anticipation because this was the first gathering of the city's "Bridging the Religious Divide" small group dialogue project. Apprehension because no one knew quite what to expect. The topic on the table — the "unspoken divide" between members of the LDS Church and those who are not members — has been called the 800-pound gorilla in Salt Lake City's living room. In most settings, especially those involving people with different religious beliefs, that gorilla is usually relegated to silence. The citizens sitting around the tables, however, were about to invite the gorilla into the conversation.

"Hope lies behind this letter — hope that by sharing some of what took place in the 'Bridging the Religious Divide' dialogues, others will be moved to take up their own conversations."

This letter — which is being distributed to the Salt Lake community at large — is an effort to share with you some of what the participants said, felt, struggled with and took away during the six months of conversations that followed that Saturday morning. This is not a comprehensive accounting, nor does it represent a consensus report. The dialogues were much too far-ranging and diverse for that. Rather, this letter seeks to highlight some of the major insights, topics and themes that emerged from speaking together. Much of what is reported here was identified when participants gathered together in November to "harvest" the fruits of their discussions. Some is drawn from personal interviews with people who participated in the project.

Hope lies behind this letter — hope that by sharing some of what took place in the "Bridging the Religious Divide" dialogues, others will be moved to take up their own conversations. Dialogue can sometimes be difficult. It is not without its rough spots. There are no guarantees. And it is not a cure-all solution to any problem. But it offers an opportunity to speak and be heard, to listen and respond. Out of such simple acts, profound possibilities can emerge.