A glistening San Francisco cast off its summer fog for the first three days of NAINConnect 2008 – Embracing Our Interfaith Future, held July 24-28. When the fog returned on Sunday, old friends and new, and a cacophony of happy conversation kept us from noticing. Fromm Hall, a lifelong learning center at the University of San Francisco, proved an extraordinary work space. For assemblies and an initial banquet, a lovely tent replaced the intended hall that was suffering emergency construction issues.

This 20th anniversary Connect drew about 150 registrants. One-day passes, along with presenters who could only attend their own workshops, raised the number of participants to about 250. Eighty presenters informed three dozen workshops, four assemblies, and early morning/late evening meditation sessions. (Workshop descriptions, many with blogs attached, are still accessible at www.nain.org/2008). 

Conference highlights included the Kabala Shabbat Friday evening and the Sunday morning tour of the Interfaith Chapel in the Presidio and Muir Woods’ stunning redwoods. This year’s service project taught us how to create, use, and distribute solar ovens, a lifesaver in Darfur (to learn more, go to http://www.jewishworldwatch.org/refugeerelief/solarcookerproject.html). The optional Saturday supper cruise started with panic when six scheduled taxis failed to show. But everyone finally made it aboard for a lovely evening.

Pacific School of Religion seminarian and former Interfaith Center at the Presidio intern, Conference Director, Corbin Davis quickly facilitated miracles whenever trouble raised its head. He and Fred Fielding, Connect Communications Director, and NAIN board members Steve Naylor and Tracy Wells, helped focus the young adult excitement. Nine young adult scholarships had been awarded, including three supported by the Lane Center at University of San Francisco; a dozen more paid their own way, and the 18-35 crowd made a palpable difference. Young adults organized workshops, gave presentations, and put together the late-night digital showcase sessions, significantly magnifying the conference’s offerings.

Rachael Watcher, Angela Carlson, and David Ponedel, probably the only NAIN banquet chef who has also served on its board, did the heavy lifting in terms of hospitality and logistics. Jan Chaffee handled the books. Their detailed plans and follow-through made for happy registrants. More than a dozen other host committee members, here and across the continent, gave time, energy, and imagination to making this a satisfying experience.