By Loretta Fulton

The Abilene Interfaith Council is beginning the 2024-25 programming year with an invitation from its new president, Susanna Lubanga.

“If you have ever been curious about Interfaith in Abilene, just come to one of our events,” she said. “They are laid back and there is something for everyone.”

The first meeting of the new programming year, which is free and open to the public, will begin at 7 p.m. Sept. 24 in the Old Main auditorium on the campus of McMurry University. Guest speaker will be science ambassador and former classroom teacher JD Stillwater, who is “on a mission to promote science as an interfaith source of profound inspiration and cultural shift,” according to his bio. Click here for details.

Lubanga, deputy regional director for the International Rescue Committee in Abilene, is a natural fit for both the IRC and the interfaith council.

She grew up in Heidelberg, Germany, where her mother served as a missionary beginning in 1973. Her dad moved to Germany from Austria to attend Bible school, and the couple were married in 1975. Her mother died in 2011, but Lubanga’s brothers and father still live in Germany. 

Lubanga studied for two years at Heidelberg University and then got a degree in political science from Abilene Christian University, where she met her husband, Joell, who is from Kenya. Their daughter, Alexa, is a senior at Abilene High School and their son, Noah, is a junior at ATEMS High School. 

The new programming year features a variety of guest speakers and community events. 

“I am excited about the mix of events that we have,” Lubanga said. 

Read about the AIC’s Sept. 24 meeting.

Susanna Lubanga

BIO

Position: Deputy Regional Director, International Rescue Committee
Hometown: Heidelberg, Germany. My mother moved to Germany in 1973 as a missionary. She met my dad who had come from Austria to attend bible school. They married in 1975 and raised their family in Germany. My brothers and father still live there; my mother passed away in 2011 from cancer. My mother worked for Pepperdine University in Heidelberg for 30 years and we had a large US Army base in town so I was raised in both cultures. 
Family: My husband Joell is from Kenya. We both met at ACU playing soccer on Saturdays. He works for Hendrick Medical Center. Our daughter Alexa is a senior at Abilene High School and our son Noah is a junior at ATEMS High School. 
Education: I studied for two years at Heidelberg University and then got a degree in political science from Abilene Christian University.
Community involvement: My husband and I spent ten years coaching soccer through the YMCA and Big Country Soccer Association. Currently I am on the board of the Abilene Interfaith Council, on the Hendrick Women’s Advisory Council, and on the ACU Political Science Visiting Committee. I volunteer in the children’s ministry at Highland Church of Christ.

Q How long have you been involved with the Abilene Interfaith Council?
A I am actively starting my second year as a board member. 

Q You grew up in Germany. How did that affect your religious worldview?
A As the birthplace of the Protestant movement, and also the former seat of the pope, religion is deeply entrenched in German history. The country has two official state churches. However, it is very academic. Growing up most of my classmates belonged to one of the two state churches, however, in a graduating class of 100, only 2 of us attended church and were practicing Christians. As such, denominations did not play an important role. Finding another practicing Christian created a bond across denomination. It was also an environment where you had to actively make a choice to attend church. You didn’t attend because everyone else did but really were going against the norm by attending. It made me be very deliberate in my faith decisions and I had to defend my faith. I grew up in an immigrant neighborhood, so I was exposed to different faith traditions early on. Learning about other faiths, discussing or religious views and finding commonality were something I was taught from an early age. 

Susanna Lubanga with her husband Joell, daughter Alexa, and son Noah

Q How does your work with the International Rescue Committee affect your religious worldview?
A At the IRC I work with colleagues from all over the globe and various faith traditions, as well as serve a diverse client base. We openly discuss our different viewpoints and find common ground. Throughout my time with the IRC, I have seen the common humanity across different faith traditions. Taking care of the poor, being kind, advocating for the oppressed are values I see in individuals from all different backgrounds. Different faith backgrounds differ in the way they reach salvation, heaven, paradise, but the underlying humanity is the same. It has opened my worldview and made me more curious. I ask more questions, and try and understand different viewpoints. I believe strongly that there are different paths to salvation and it’s more about the journey that each individual takes with God than the modality of getting there. I’ve also seen how religion is weaponized across the world, and the harm it causes. Interestingly, many refugees are more conservative and strict in their faith than most Americans. 

Q The Abilene Interfaith Council will celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2025. How significant is that to the religious life in Abilene?
A I’ve always heard that Ailene is the city with the most churches per capita. I am not sure if that’s true or not. Churches play a significant and important role in our city. However, we cannot forget that there are people from other faith traditions in our community that need support and connection. The AIC is important part in the fabric that brings individuals from ALL backgrounds together. We aim to promote understanding and dialogue. 

Q Abilene is a predominantly Christian city, but with a surprising number of other faith traditions. What are the main sources of that diversity?
A Good question. First and foremost I would think the fact that our country is a melting pot and was founded on that quest for religious freedom. Those ideals still exist today and attract a diverse immigrant population. Some sources in Abilene specifically, I think, are Dyess Air Force Base and Hendrick Health System, which attract employees and spouses from other cultures and religious backgrounds. Our universities also bring in international students that come from other faith traditions. There is also a refugee population, though about 95 percent of them are Christian.

Susanna Lubanga, third from left, and members of the Abilene Interfaith Council

Q What is your vision for the AIC over the next 25 years?
A I would like to see the AIC expand in two ways – first in diversifying its membership. Diversify from a religious background but also in cultural diversity, and by attracting different age groups. Second of all, I’d like to see AIC continue to provide educational opportunities, while also offering experiences, opportunities for dialogue, giving back to the community, and engaging in social justice issues as appropriate. Over the past year, we have moved away from primarily hosting speakers to creating monthly gatherings that draw people from different backgrounds in. I also dream big, I want the AIC to be a safe place for people from all backgrounds. I want nonprofits, educational partners, or really anyone in the community to be able to reach out and get connected with a community of faith. 

Q What are some of the programs for the coming year that are especially exciting to you?
A I am excited about the mix of events that we have. We are bringing well known speakers such as JD Stilwater in September, but also hosting a community meal, a family friendly movie, and collaborating with community partners such as ACU and McMurry. I am very excited about offering a field trip in April to visit a temple and a mosque. I’m also looking forward to Café Conversations, which are an opportunity for folks to come together and have honest and open conversation. 

Loretta Fulton is creator and editor of Spirit of Abilene