Let’s Talk, New Canaan!

On Saturday, May 16 from 9:00am–12:00pm at the Lapham Center, the New Canaan Clergy Association will host a unique community conversation designed to bridge divides and strengthen our town. Guided by Rev. Dr. Allen Hilton, participants from across political perspectives will engage in a respectful Life Swap practice—listening deeply to one another’s stories and convictions. This missional outreach invites neighbors to move beyond labels, build empathy, and rediscover the power of connection. You are invited and encouraged to join this hopeful morning of dialogue, understanding, and community renewal.

Across New Canaan and the nation, social isolation and political polarization are corroding community life. Research and lived experience tell us that thriving communities are built through connection. Let’s Talk, New Canaan! responds with a simple but powerful remedy: face‑to‑face conversation that helps neighbors understand one another not merely as voters, but as people—restoring trust, strengthening bonds, and renewing the fabric of community. Participants will be paired with someone they’re unlikely to agree with politically and invited into respectful, face‑to‑face conversation around two simple questions: What convictions matter most to you? and What life experiences shaped them?

By listening deeply and introducing one another to others, participants move beyond labels to encounter one another as people—neighbors whose lives are richer when community is stronger.

Contact Marianna Kilbride at marianna@godsacre.org to learn more or with questions.