News & Observer | newsobserver.com | Acts of Faith: 2003

December 26, 2003 Scott Lewis
Dieners at the Raleigh Moravian Church pour about 300 cups of coffee brewed with milk and sugar as part of the church's annual Christmas Lovefeast. (Dieners, a word of German origin, denotes those serving during the ceremony.)The tradition, which includes a candlelight service, chorale performance and homemade buns to go along with the coffee, is not a sacrament, but a social. "It's not spiritual in that it has spiritual significance," church member Philip Pfeifer said. "It's just getting together as brothers and sisters and sharing a bun and some coffee."
About This Project


Ethan Hyman
"Acts of Faith" explores the different belief systems that co-exist in the Triangle area. Ten years of heavy migration has brought many new faiths to the region, turning the Bible Belt home of Billy Graham into a spiritual coat of many colors. Mosques, Buddhist and Hindu temples, Sikh Gurudwaras, synagogues and scores of Christian churches have become spiritual and social centers for a radically changing population. The demographic shift has pushed congregations to find innovative ways to keep their members while attracting new arrivals. "Acts of Faith" was born as a way to show this new religious diversity and analyze the role spirituality plays in people's daily lives.


Pailin Wedel
When covering an event for Acts of Faith, we look for situations that evoke strong emotion and try to bring readers into the moment. Though holidays and major celebrations are important, we also look for unexpected expressions of faith and quieter moments of solitary exploration. We hope to give readers insight into the breadth and depth of faith by showing how people incorporate it into their everyday lives.


Ted Richardson
For two years, Sher Stoneman and Susana Vera produced this column. In 2004, they handed it over to Ethan Hyman, Scott Lewis and Lisa Lauck. In 2005, Ted Richardson replaced Scott Lewis on this project. In 2006, Pailin Wedel replaced Lisa Lauck.

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