FAITHS JOIN FORCES TO PREACH FOR COMMUNITY; RELIGIOUS LEADERS DROP DIFFERENCES TO MEET SOCIAL NEEDS.

Byline: Tere Marshall Daily News Staff Writer

They say that history repeats itself, but when it comes to the religions of the world working together, the Santa Clarita Interfaith Council is writing an all new story.

A Catholic priest, a rabbi, a Methodist minister, a Muslim imam, an Assemblies of God pastor, an Episcopal priest, a Lutheran pastor, a Seventh-day Adventist pastor, a Bahai chairman, a Mormon official, the mayor of Santa Clarita and a few curious onlookers came together Jan. 18 at the Methodist Church in celebration of the life of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

Setting aside doctrinal differences, the participants selected the program theme ``Choosing Kindness and Justice.'' Several of the leaders spoke on the theme, drawing quotes from King's speeches as well as readings from the Bible, the Koran and the Bahai scriptures.

The mission: ``To work with all faith and secular persons and groups to build better dialogue between them and to foster a community response to social issues and needs,'' according to the council.

The council meets monthly to plan projects and events to help the community, and holds two public meetings a year. In choosing a time to set a public meeting, members had the challenge of finding holidays that they all celebrate. Thanksgiving, being an American holiday, was one they could agree upon, and the other was King's birthday. King, they agreed, was an inspired man of God.

At the social time after the meeting, the crowded fellowship room was filled with religious leaders, each dressed in his or her traditional religious garb, shaking hands and eating cookies - the only food they could all agree upon.

The gathering may have been unusual, but it was not a first. Said council president the Rev. Tom Glatts of the Seventh-day Adventist Church: ``We can meet local needs much better together than separately. As a group we can do so much more than my little congregation could ever do by itself.''

One of the Interfaith Council's big accomplishments was the initiation and launching of the Santa Clarita Food Pantry. ``One of our next big goals is to work with the cable companies to offer a full-time channel devoted to interfaith programming,'' Glatts added. ``We would like to replace the Playboy Channel.''

Many Santa Clarita congregation leaders were not at the meeting or represented on the council. Interested congregation leaders can contact the Interfaith Council at [phone].