The Bloomfield Hills Muslim Unity Center has always been known for outreach, welcoming the community in for a festive and educational open house every year, as well as hosting the Religious Diversity Journeys for local seventh graders.
After a Pew research study came out saying that only about 38% of Americans had ever met a Muslim, MUC volunteers responded with an invitation to the community to drop by for coffee.
"People have not really had a conversation, have not had any contact," says volunteer Gigi Salka, "This is more about people getting to know each other on a personal level."
So, every third Thursday of the month, starting tomorrow (December 17) from 6 - 7 pm, members of the MUC community will welcome members of our community for a casual get-together.
"It's like a fireside chat," says Gigi Salka, one of the organizers. "Just coffee and conversation. It's casual. You drop in for half an hour, ten minutes, the whole time."
There won't be any lecture. There won't be any program, although anyone who wants a tour or wants to ask questions will be welcome to ask anything about Islam and the MUC. Imam Almasmari will be on hand.
And it's a chance for the interfaith community to help build that bridge by bringing in friends who might not otherwise feel 100% comfortable walking into a mosque.
The next coffee gathering will be January 21.
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