The multifaith community is a group of inquisitive people who share and explore identities, perspectives, convictions and practices. We welcome all people – religious, non-religious, spiritual, non-theistic, or whatever identifier works best for you. If you’d like a few moments to connect, share, and reflect, check out these ongoing opportunities.

Join the Multifaith group in Bates Engage to learn about and sign up for upcoming events.

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Hearth

Bi-Weekly on Thursdays, 6:00 p.m., 163 Wood Street

Hearth is a bi-weekly dinner with great food and even better company where we find comfort in silence and answer queries from the heart. Hearth happens in small groups that are facilitated by students who pose two queries (chosen by Multifaith Fellows) which are invitational, reflective and not limited to religious or spiritual topics.

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{Pause}

Wednesdays from 9:00 to 9:30 pm in the Gomes Chapel

Pause is an amazing program where we take some time in the middle of the week to “pause” and reflect. It invites us to sit in silence and meditate while also being able to enjoy time with friends, listen to live music and poetry, watch live art, and much more. Join us for chai, cookies, and community at 9:00 on Wednesday nights in the Gomes Chapel!

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Crossroads

Crossroads offers a weekly space for students from all comers of campus to come together over meaningful conversations, mindfulness, grounding practices, & art. Students build a lasting community by collectively exploring prompts about self, identity, connection & growth. Sign up below!

“My favorite part [of Crossroads] is learning from others and seeing how much I have in common with people I would never think I would get to know.”

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Anam Cara

Anam Cara (Gaelic for “Soul Friend) engages Bates students in a community practice of developing a deep friendship with bi-weekly prompts over the course of a semester! Sign up below and be paired randomly with another Bates student for bi-weekly conversations on your own time. We provide you with thoughtful prompts and you decide if you want to do lunch, tea, a walk, or zoom and share from the heart with your Anam Cara.

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Arts & Spirituality

Arts and Spirituality programs lean into the freedom of creation as a conduit for connection. We use art to invite intentionality, presence, and reflection in light-hearted and supportive community.

Make Space

Wednesdays, 8-9pm, Le Ronj

Make Space is a relaxing gathering to decompress, reflect, and create art in community and enjoy free drinks at Le Ronj.

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Monday Meditation

Whether you are experienced or not, come relax, settle in, and clear your mind for 20 minutes. Mondays from 12:00-12:30pm in the Peter J. Gomes Chapel.

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Multifaith Banquet

Multifaith Banquet brings people together to celebrate the abundance of identities and worldviews at Bates. Students share stories, music, food and delight in the lasting gifts of individuality, community, art, and spiritual growth.

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Stringfellow

Stringfellow nurtures Bates’ activist culture by recognizing the inherently selfless work of activists on campus and creating space for their spiritual growth/reflection in order to effectively further community care efforts on campus. In essence, Stringfellow supports community care efforts by caring for the caregivers!

Bates is blessed to claim among its alums William Stringfellow of the class of 1949. Throughout his life, he fought for justice and freedom in the face of what he saw as “spiritual forces of death” that diminished and dehumanized through the means of economic, military, and political power. The Stringfellow program seeks to keep his legacy alive at Bates through creative programs that support social activists and help them learn how to sustain their vital work for years to come.

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