One Cluster Startup Story in Tuscon, AZ
A Rabbi reflects on how to find colleagues and deal with busy schedules
Editor’s Note: Some of the most common things we hear from clergy interested in faith250 are questions about how to get started. Colleagues seem interested in the concept, but turning that interest into momentum can be hard. Rabbi Malcolm Cohen offers some reflections in this short piece about his start-up story, which is ongoing. Rabbi Cohen was a participant in the American Scripture Project pilot group back in 2023-2024, so he knew the power in the spiritual study of America’s foundational texts. His story reflects the reality of clergy lives and his willingness to use faith250 materials in a way that suits his situation is exactly what we encourage.
In this friendly Arizona border town, we are a mixed bunch - fairly purple, politically, in a sea of red, like the Austin of AZ. I have been here just over three years and teaching my 8th graders about other religions put me in contact with a bunch of clergy to kickstart faith250 where we are. I was looking for a variety of congregations, not necessarily all on the same page, with a mix of genders in the group.
I found, early on, that you need to give clergy plenty of notice and that many of us have different days off, so it’s sometimes like herding cats to get everyone in the same room, Zoom or in-person.
Stage one has been to leverage my personal network and send them the faith250 material before I do the hard sell. At the two meetings we’ve had so far, I felt it was important to just to get to know each other, although we have spent time discussing some of the core texts, which also feeds into the relational work. I need more clergy so I’m persevering to expand the group. Only once I feel we’re a tighter collective of clergy do I think we’ll be ready to open it out to congregants. July 4th seems far away but now that the High Holy Days are over, I want to kick into high gear so the process doesn’t seem rushed or forced. Good luck wherever you are!