About ChIME
Who are we?
Dean Lisa Steele-Maley opens the 2021 Ordination at Ferry Beach Retreat Center with gratitude for the shade of the trees, the comfort of the breeze, and the Wabanaki ancestors whose land we were gathered on.
Built upon 20 years of educating and ordaining interfaith leaders in New England and beyond, ChIME is an institution dedicated to serving communities by offering opportunities for individuals to explore what it means to live with Integrity, Spiritual Presence and Prophetic Voice.
Founded in 2002, ChIME is one of thirteen recognized Interfaith schools in the United States which currently ordains Interfaith Ministers, also known as Interfaith Chaplains.
In addition to the Interfaith Ministry and Clinical Pastoral Training programs, ChIME offers a variety of workshops, Open Houses, and Interfaith Gatherings to invite members of the public to join with us in community.
“ChIME provides a mindful home for the deep exploration of self. We investigate not only the heart of wisdom, but how participating in that search together can inform and inspire our everyday lives of service.””
What is Interfaith?
Interfaith is an avenue of seeing and seeking the endless possibilities of Divine expression. Interfaith ministry respects all spiritual paths including "no path" and honors Divine wisdom in all faiths.
The founder of the first Interfaith school in the U.S. was Rabbi Joseph Gelberman, a Hassidic Jew from Hungary who lost his whole family, including his 3-year-old daughter, in the Holocaust. His response to such an overwhelming tragedy was to found The New Seminary in New York City. Rabbi Gelberman’s vision was that Interfaith teachings would promote understanding among spiritual traditions and thus help prevent another holocaust.
Our students come from all faith backgrounds and spiritual traditions, including atheists. The important thing is a curiosity about, and a willingness to learn about and serve people from many paths.
“Never instead of…always in addition to.”