A New Home
A Letter to TIO Readers About Its Future
by Paul Chaffee
Dear TIO Readers,
Completing its seventh year and wishing to advance the continued growth and improvement of TIO has led our Board to look for a permanent institutional home. We have been seeking an organization that is actively committed to TIO’s values and work and able to bring additional attention to issues like distribution, financial health, and staff development for the long term.
So we are delighted to announce that Tri-Faith Initiative (TFI) of Omaha, Nebraska has stepped forward to assume the ownership responsibilities for The Interfaith Observer as of August 1, when we signed papers.
TFI developed in 2005 as the expression of three Abrahamic congregations – Jewish, Christian, and Muslim – who are now completing and sharing a new 38-acre, $65+ million campus. While holding to its core three-faith focus, TFI is committed to becoming a major interfaith stakeholder, like TIO, engaging people of all religious and spiritual traditions, as well of those who ascribe to none. TFI’s founding executive director, Bud Heckman has served as an officer and contributor to TIO since we began in 2011. Bud helped midwife the partnership between TFI and TIO. We see it as a mutually beneficial relationship.
Editorially and graphically, you won’t notice any difference in TIO in coming months. Our Advisory Board and editorial staff remain in place, and we look forward to TFI leaders and staff becoming involved.
So what’s coming? We always take August off. In September TIO’s theme will be “Preparing for the Toronto Parliament.” In the months that follow we will work to try new innovations, based on insights from surveying our readers and discerning trends in publishing.
Our continued appreciation is extended to the hundreds of writers and artists who have contributed to TIO for free. Without them, we would have had to charge for subscriptions, which we’ve been blessed to avoid through the generous support of our readers and donors.
Your contributions to TIO will continue to be dedicated specifically to TIO through the auspices of the Tri-Faith Initiative. And all gifts will continue to be matched as part of our $100,000 Interfaith Matters challenge campaign.
Thank you! And thank you for reading The Interfaith Observer.
With Peace and Love,
Paul Chaffee
Founder & Editor
Header Photo: DetourWorld, C.c. 2.o nc nd