Members of St. Martin de Porres’ Ecumenical Committee in Poughkeepsie attended the Dutchess County Interfaith Council’s annual gala, “Love Forward-Awakening the Spirit of Interfaith Unity.” The event was held at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Poughkeepsie on Monday, September 23.

This year, the council honored St. Martin De Porres parishioner Theresa Gioviannello with the Legacy Leadership Award. Gioviannello has been involved in ecumenical and interfaith work for over two decades and has served as the president and vice president of the Interfaith Council for several terms.

Other honorees included Adams Fairacre Farms, honorary chair; Celebrating the African Spirit, Interfaith Community Spirit Award; and Valerie Carlisle, Reunite Migrant Families and Grannies Respond.

More than 225 people attended the gala, with representation from Catholic parishes and organizations including St. John/St. Joachim, Mariopolis Luminosa, and Linwood Spiritual Center, along with other Christian ecclesial communities and members of various Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Quaker, and Baha’i congregations. Bard, Marist, and Vassar colleges also had ministers represented. Linda Tuttle, affiliate advisor for the Vassar Catholic Community, attended as a DCIC board member, a member of the SMDP Ecumenical Committee, and campus minister at Vassar through the Archdiocese of New York’s  University Apostolate.

According to the St. Martin de Porres website, the mission of their Ecumenical Committee is to “promote understanding of and mutual respect between our parishioners and all other Christian communities in our area. Through prayer, dialogue, and social gatherings, we will seek to respond to Jesus’ prayer that all of His disciples may be one in faith, love, and hope.” Recently, the committee has held several joint meetings with members of St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church and other local Christian clergy, intending to “provide a forum for understanding and also for the planning of future ecumenical events.” The committee also participates annually in the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.

St. Martin’s Ecumenical Committee will sponsor several events in the next few months including a story circle, a bake sale to raise funds for Habitat for Humanity, a crop walk, and an Advent service. For more information on these events and the committee, visit www.stmartindeporres.org/ecumenical. For more information about the Dutchess County Interfaith Council, visit www.dutchesscountyinterfaith.org.