Topic: Curious about what goes on inside places of worship? Want a glimpse inside the churches, mosques, synagogues, temples and other religious institutions around the world?

Our society is full of gloriously diverse sacred spaces that serve as homes for all faiths: Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Jainism, and so on. These houses of worships thrive with their unique styles and perspectives on spirituality--with distinctive activities, sermons, and communities. What do imams preach in Friday khutbas (sermons)? How do Jews pray in synagogue? What entails a visit to a Hindu temple? And what are the vast and often subtle differences among Christian churches around the globe?

With your help, Beliefnet is building a platform for people of all faiths to share behind-the-scenes views “Inside Houses of Worship”--a living page fueled by your stories, your images, your expressions, and your interests. We want to hear from you about what is going on in your house of worship.

• What kind of activities are you participating in?
• Which sermons are you hearing?
• Who are the most important people in your congregation?
• What kinds of conversations are taking place?
• What outreach programs do you have going on?
• How do your fellow worshipers spend most of their time and effort?

It’s an opportunity to learn about and share in each other’s faith with open, respectful conversation.

What to do:

Email us short descriptions (100-200 words) of what is going on in your house of worship. Send stories, descriptions, sermon texts, photos, audio files and video. You can also send questions on what you’d like to learn about houses of worship in your own faith, as well as other faiths.

Send by email to beliefnet.housesofworship@gmail.com. Subject line should say: “Inside Houses of Worship.”

Deadline: Friday, August 18, 2006.

 Please note: 
• Photos must be in .jpg or .gif format and be less than 200K.
• Please include your name, your city/state of residency, and, where applicable, a short description/explanation of the photo.
• Video must be sent by mail to: Matthew Melucci, senior producer, community 303 Park Avenue South Box 1062, New York, NY 10010.
• All images and writing must be original to you. If you are submitting a work that has been previously published elsewhere, please make sure there will be no conflict before submitting to us. We just want to remind you that, per our terms of service, Beliefnet trusts that you only send material you actually own (i.e. not other people's copyrighted materials) and by sending it to us, you grant us and our editorial partners the right to use it in any form.