Stark County Interfaith Coalition

Inaugural Event on Nov. 9 Nourished Our Interfaith Community with Wisdom, Love and Joy

Pastor George Lancaster and his team at Zion’s Temple Church of God in Canton hosted a memorable inaugural event on Sunday, November 9, attended by more than 80 people. The evening included a shared meal, prayer, song, dance worship, celebration of our shared faith values, and an inciteful and challenging presentation by Dr. Nicole Johnson, Professor of Religious Studies and Director of the Peacebuilding & Social Justice Program at the University of Mount Union on the intersection of social justice and faith.

As an interfaith community in Stark County, how are we called to nourish nonviolence? How do our common beliefs lead us to stop fear, mistrust, hatred and violence across many current divides?  The “inaugural event” of the Interfaith Coalition of Stark County brought us together to help create a collective nonviolent voice in our community.

You might be familiar with the Interfaith Coalition of Stark County through activities in 2024 and 2025, such as our Wear Orange events at Centennial Plaza, prayerfully protesting gun violence, or the workshops held at St Paul's Episcopal Church, Christ the Servant Catholic Church, and the Islamic Society of Northeast Ohio - North Canton Mosque, or if you attend the local Pax Christi chapter, you have heard about our efforts.  Numerous places of worship have hosted luncheons as we have formed this coalition, where we have learned from each other, enriched our spiritual lives, and created a community devoted to divine justice.

We have adopted by-laws (see link on this website), formed a governance Council and a non-profit structure through the State of Ohio to create a growing nonviolent presence in our community that can be sustainable.

Annual membership dues are $20.00 to help fund future activities aligned with our vision and mission. Our newly approved bylaws define a "member" as an individual who supports our vision and mission, not as a representative of a congregation or organization. Other levels of support are also encouraged (see details in by-laws).

All are welcome! Please join us by contacting: interfaithcoalitionstark@gmail.com.

We promise more memorable events like the one held on November 9!

Coalition Member Honored

Dr. Larry Bove (center) was honored as a member of the Criminal Justice Committee of the Stark County NAACP at its annual Freedom Fund dinner on October 17, 2025. The committee received the President’s Award for its service to NAACP.

Larry, Walsh University professor emeritus, helped create and is an active member of the Interfaith Coalition of Stark County. With him at the dinner are Marilyn Thomas Jones and Dan Toussant, both members of the Coalition’s council.

National Night Out 2025

We were grateful to connect with many families, police departments and the Stark County Sheriff's department at National Night Out on Tuesday, August 5, 2025, at beautiful Jackson Township Park. Thank you to all law enforcement officials who took our safe storage signs to use in your departments and outreach events. Safe storage saves lives. Our children depend on us to keep guns out of the wrong hands.

Wear Orange Prayer Service and Community Event

Members and friends of the Interfaith Coalition gathered together for a powerful and beautiful Wear Orange prayer service and community event on June 5 at Canton Centennial Plaza.. A special part of the program was the launch of our Safe Storage campaign, encouraging the secure storage of firearms to prevent tragedy including accidental injuries and deaths, suicide with firearm, and theft of firearms that are then used in crimes. The first sign was presented to the Canton Police Department; others were presented to area churches, synagogue and mosque.

The signs are available for an offering of $10 each to cover the cost of production. Contact intefaithcoalitionstark@gmail.com.

OUR COMMON GROUND -- Building common bonds in the Interfaith Community to form collective political will.

Let us confirm our common beliefs as reason for our collective political will against gun violence.

Can we agree that:

• Our Scriptures proclaim God's word and will.
• There is but One God who is Sovereign over all.
• God is creator of all.
• This makes everything and everyone sacred.
• God created human beings in God's image and likeness.
• Our purpose is therefore to reflect our Creator God.
• God hears the cry of the poor and marginalized.
• God is loving, forgiving, and merciful.
• God is Love and Peace.
• Life is sacred, sin is forgivable, and mercy is demanded.

Each of our faiths sponsor: Peace over violence and love over hatred, bigotry and prejudice.

With this as our common theological ground:

We stand against gun violence as it goes against our faith in the Creator's purpose and intent.

It threatens God's sacred life.

The signs are available for an offering of $10 each to cover the cost of production. Contact intefaithcoalitionstark@gmail.com.