It all started when the Memphis Islamic Center purchased land across the street from Heartsong Church.
It took Pastor Steve Stone of Heartsong Church by surprise. "When I saw that, my stomach kind of tightened up. ... I felt that ignorance and that fear," he said.
Like Stone, Dr. Bashar Shala of the Memphis Islamic Center was unsure of what to expect.
The goal of the Islamic center was to create a place for people to "pray and play" and have a sense of community, but he knew they'd likely face resistance from the other churches in the area. The site would be surrounded by more than five Christian churches on what's been referred to as "Church Road," so the newcomers were sure to be noticed — especially at a time when mosque construction projects across the country were facing opposition.
Things started to take a turn during the holy month of Ramadan.
Shala wanted to kick it off with the grand opening of the new complex. But with delays in the construction, he knew they weren’t going to make it in time. So he reached out to Stone, asking if they could pray in Heartsong Church while they waited. He figured his congregation would only pray there for a few nights.
They ended up staying at Heartsong Church the entire month of Ramadan.
"Ramadan brought us much closer. People started knowing each other on a personal level," Shala said.
Interacting with a group of people they probably wouldn't have otherwise and getting to know them as individuals helped some members of the church confront biases and prejudices. Sharpe explained, "It's kind of like my world got bigger."
They support those in need by doing coat and food drives together.
In honor of 9/11 every year, they have done a blood drive and shared their facilities
They’ve even combined their Thanksgiving dinners into one giant celebration.
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