21.2 Establishing contact with relevant persons

You now need to make contact with the leaders of the religious group and ask for permission to attend one of their ceremonies.

It is probably best to make an initial appointment by phone, and then follow that up with a personal visit to confirm your observation session. Now the situation is reversed: before, we said that you should not be a members of the religious group you will visit. But now, if you are a member or you know somebody who is, use that position to gain access. Contact the priest, imam, minister, rabbi etc. and make an appointment to attend a forthcoming service.

Checklist

• Was the religious leader happy to hear that your class wanted to attend?
• Could you make it clear that you would be there as observer, not as a participant?
• Was that acceptable to him or her?
• Were any special requirements set for your visit?