Cautions and Considerations
Other
This work will look really different in different communities and contexts. Here are a few things we learned along the way.
5 months out:
Settle on a location. It is best to have one large (100 person capacity) room for the main gathering, with audio/visual capabilities. A space to serve food can be either in the main space, or nearby. In addition, you’ll need a few smaller breakout rooms, or a second large room that can be subdivided. An outdoor space helps so you can take a few activities outside (weather permitting), especially on days 3, 4, & 5.
4 months out:
Decide on your schedule. Evenings, days, weekends, 5 days in one week, 5 consecutive Tuesdays? Whatever works best for your context.
​Begin advertising and set up a registration process. We used JotForm.com. Our registration form can be downloaded here. Our advertising included flyers in the local coffee shops, businesses, churches, schools, libraries, and social service agencies; a Facebook page; a press release in the local paper (starting at least 4 weeks out); a big banner on the main highway (see picture) and lots of word of mouth.
3 months out:
Begin taking registrations. Most of ours came in the last couple of weeks before, but it is never too early. A lot of people told us they would have planned their summers differently if they had known about this sooner.
2 months out:
8 weeks out: You should have your speakers confirmed by now. While you may not be able to get formal leaders from every community, that is not necessary. In fact, it may even be better to have more laity than leadership. The goal is to get to know our neighbors, and we have far more neighbors who are not clergy than who are.
6 weeks out: Nail down the scheduled activities for each day. While our suggestions worked great for us, your guests may have better ideas for their own experiences.
Interfaith Dialogue
Concerns about Interfaith Dialogue: Since you are already reading this, you have hopefully at least broached the subject of interfaith relations. A few thoughts:
This is not the time for proselytizing, from either side. Neither we nor our guests should experience any pressure to change our religious affiliation, or to become religious if they are not.
Many people feel threatened by encounters with other faith traditions. They often imagine that their own beliefs may be under attack or that their faith may not be strong enough to withstand the introduction of other beliefs. In practice, most people find the opposite to be the case: their own faith is often deepened and strengthened by an encounter with another. They are forced by these engagements to more clearly articulate their own beliefs and examine their own journey, placing them in a broader context.
That said, if people have not had the opportunity to clarify and question their beliefs from within their own tradition, interfaith conversation will likely prove more difficult and more distressing. For that reason, it may be a good idea if you haven’t already done so, to engage your congregation or community in a refresher of some sort to re-acquaint them with your primary confessional statements, scriptures, or other documents. This would preferably happen some months before you undertake a Vacation Culture School program. For example, my own congregation has had sermon series and adult confirmation focusing on the Small Catechism of Martin Luther, a core document that Lutherans use to articulate our beliefs. Undertaking such a study in the fall of one year is a valuable prelude to a Vacation Culture School experience the following summer. Of course, you cannot do this for everyone who attends, particularly for those in the larger community, but it may be useful and pastorally advisable for your immediate congregational setting.
A few FAQs we encountered
I can't commit to all 5 nights! What should I do?
Come Anyway! We know it's hard to set aside 5 straight nights, especially with busy family schedules. But we still want you to participate. Just send us a note with your registration and let us know what night(s) won't work for you.
Is anyone going to try to convert me?
NO! This is an opportunity to learn about the faiths and cultures of our neighbors in a spirit of sharing and dialogue. In fact, most people who engage in this kind of interfaith dialogue find that their own faith is strengthened and they find new and deeper connection to their own traditions.
I don't have any kids in the house right now. Can I come anyway?
YES! While the program is designed with families in mind, interested individuals are encouraged to join us. We will have activities appropriate for every age level!
Who can come to Vacation Culture School?
Anyone! While we are setting up as a "family" program, individuals are also welcome to join us, whether adults or kids. We will have some time together as a whole group, and break out into activities by age group as well. So, whether you're 5 or 95, whether there's one of you or 10, join us!