October 8, 2004
by Jerry L. Van Marter

LOUISVILLE - Faith & Values Media is presenting two upcoming television specials that explore interfaith understanding and harmony among Christians, Jews and Muslims to help mark October as Interfaith Awareness Month.

The two programs - which will be telecast on the Hallmark Channel - are "On Common Grounds" on Oct. 17 and "Trust Me" on Oct. 24.

They follow a two-part special, "The Quest for Peace," that was scheduled to air Oct. 3 and 10.

Faith & Values Media is the nation's largest coalition of Jewish and Christian faith groups dedicated to media production, distribution and promotion. Its member association - including the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) - is made up of denominations, organizations and individuals who encompass more than 200,000 congregations with 120 million congregants.

Faith & Values Media describes "On Common Grounds" as a one-hour documentary about Jewish, Christian and Muslim congregations from Southern California who join together to build a house for a needy family in Mexico. In a race against the clock, the participants must put aside their differences for a common purpose. By working together and focusing on one shared tenet of their respective faiths - a desire to help others - the multi-faith groups provide an example of interfaith tolerance for the rest of the world.

"Trust Me," the media coalition says, is an award-winning film directed by Rob Fruchtman and produced by Stuart Rekant that follows 32 young boys in the aftermath of September 11 to a special summer camp in North Carolina. The interfaith experiment examines the religious conflicts facing Jewish, Christian and Muslim children following the terrorist attacks, in particular those children who have experienced hateful reactions in their own communities. The boys voice their concerns and hopes as they embark on the unknown and discover shared interests with other youths from different backgrounds.

Both programs are scheduled to air at Noon. Viewers should check their local Hallmark Channel listings for exact times.

Presbyterian News Service