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April 28, 2024

Pain from the Israel-Gaza War ripples through all our communities.

In March, Bishop Shin, Bishop Glasspool, and I wrote to the Diocese deploring the October 7 attacks and hostage-taking by Hamas along with the devastation of Gaza by Israeli Defense Forces. We joined the call for a ceasefire and for open access to humanitarian aid.

• The situation has worsened over the last two months. Gaza is now in famine. Hostages haven’t been released. Anti-Semitic and anti-Palestinian attacks in New York continue to grow. The war continues to widen.

The war has provoked deep emotions from all sides and there is no shared view about the war. 

But we can be clear. The terrorism and hostage-taking of October 7 was wrong. The catastrophe of the ongoing onslaught in Gaza is wrong.  

The moral solid ground is this: We are created in the image of God and seek and serve Jesus Christ in all people.  

As Christians we are committed to the sacred dignity of every person— local and global, of all backgrounds, beliefs, and points of view.  

Living this commitment begins with offering safety.  

Students and other members of the Columbia University community have felt unsafe since the October 7 Hamas attacks and the beginning of the Israel-Gaza war. This situation escalated significantly with the NYPD arrest of protesters.

Our Cathedral will now offer safe and open space for groups from Columbia University as the conflict on campus continues. 

I’ve included the Cathedral statement below.  

• The Rev. Dr. Ryan Kuratko serves as the Episcopal chaplain at Columbia and has been a pastor and support to students throughout the conflict. The Rev. Megan Sanders has done the same at colleges in lower Manhattan.

• Dean Pat Malloy has worked with Cathedral clergy and senior leadership to make this safe space possible for Columbia. I’m grateful for their leadership with Columbia, and Ryan’s, and I’m glad they are acting.

Our congregations, chaplaincies, and schools across the Diocese are responding to the war in their own neighborhoods. The Holy Spirit moves at the ground level and it’s at ground level that our work for justice begins. 

We are committed to support engagement in communities across our Diocese so that we can have safe space to talk together with our partners across our differences. It’s hard to know if we can affect the war; we know that we can make a difference in our institutions and our neighborhoods. 

That’s been the tradition over the life of our Cathedral. We believe it’s our call right now.

Grace & Peace,

Columbia University is the Cathedral’s neighbor. The University was founded by the Episcopal Church, and the Diocese of New York continues to sponsor an Episcopal chaplain. Since the horrific October 7 Hamas attacks on Israel and the devastation of Gaza that has followed, we have watched fear and outrage build on campus. Recent police action and arrests have significantly inflamed both.

People of good will have differing, and even conflicting, views of what an ethical response to the war should be, and that includes those of us at the Cathedral. We, too, are of divided mind and heart. About this we are united: as Christians, we vow to uphold the dignity of every person and to work for justice and peace. There cannot be any progress without safety. Churches have always been places of sanctuary — of holy safety — and that is what we want the Cathedral to be in these painful times.

We have been receiving space usage requests from the University community. Any Columbia/Barnard event that the Cathedral agrees to host must be open to all members of the Columbia/Barnard community, including students who have been suspended, expelled, or arrested as a result of the protests, and all members of the administration and faculty.

Tumeumbwa kwa mfano wa Mungu tukiwa na utofauti.

Across our Diocese we proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ in 14 languages.

Access this week’s info in these languages:

Spanish

Mandarin

Creole

On Saturday a leadership team from across the Diocese met to draft priorities for our mission review.

Our conversations centered on the themes that emerged from 30 listening sessions in every part of the Diocese and the online survey taken by 450 people over the last several weeks.

• We’ll soon share the complete survey results with the whole Diocese. We’ll also begin sharing the draft priorities as we prepare for Council review in June.  

• Council will use the mission review priorities to guide the 2025 operating budget.

Canon Alissa Newton facilitated the day-long conversation. Thanks to co-chairs the Rev. Lauren Kuratko, the Rev. Deacon Anthony Johnson, & Daisy Calderon for their leadership.

The full leadership group is listed below.

Mission Review Leadership Group

• The Rev. Lauren Kuratko, co-chair, Grace Church Hastings-on-Hudson
• The Rev. Deacon Anthony Johnson, co-chair, Grace Church Hastings-on-Hudson
• Daisy Calderon, co-chair, Grace/ La Grazia White Plains
• The Rev. Anne Marie Witchger, chair of the design group, St. Mark’s in the Bowery
• The Rev. Trevor Babb, Christ Church New Brighton, Staten Island
• The Rev. Amber Carswell, Christ Church Warwick
• The Rev. Nicole Hanley, St. Andrew’s, Walden & St. Francis of Assisi, Montgomery
• The Rev. Deacon Shirley Lawson, St. Margaret’s Church Staatsburg
• The Rev. Kate Malin, Christ’s Church Rye
• Paula Roberts, Trinity Morrisania, Bronx
• Peter Saros, St. Margaret’s Church, Bronx
• The Rev. Dr. Nathaniel St Pierre, St. Augustine’s, Manhattan
• The Rev. Megan Sanders, Chaplain, Manhattan
• The Rev. Marisa Sifontes, St. James Church, Manhattan
• The Rev. Peter Thompson, St. Bartholomew’s Church, Manhattan

Staff Coordination

• The Rev. Canon Alissa Newton 
• The Rev. Canon Victor Conrado
• Chontel Simmons, director of HR & Operations 
• Elaine Delgado, director of transition
• Nick Gordon, special projects coordinator

Today I’m having lunch with Cardinal Dolan.

Tonight, I’m having dinner with the Rev. Adriene Thorne, senior minister at Riverside Church and with the Rev. Dr. Liz Theoharris, leader of the Poor People’s Campaign.

Our ecumenical and interfaith relationships represent an important thread in our Christian witness as Anglicans. We learn so much from our partners.

I really appreciate hearing about your connections in your neighborhoods. So many have become both harder and even more important since the Israel-Gaza war began on October 7.

• Bishop Glasspool serves as our lead representative to interfaith and ecumenical partners; the Rev. Curt Hart chairs our interfaith and ecumenical commission.

• I want to especially highlight our diocesan relationships with two partner organizations: the Rev. Dr. Chloe Breyer from the Interfaith Center of New York and the Rev. Richard Witt from the Rural & Migrant Ministry. Both are spectacular leaders whose ministry extends our diocesan reach significantly.

• Yesterday, the Cathedral welcomed the Armenian primate as guest and preacher. Our Cathedral has long been a presence in interfaith relationships and Dean Pat Malloy has made those relationships a focus of his ministry.

Over the last several weeks, I’ve also met with Rabbi Joe Potasnik, head of the Board of Rabbis; I attended an Interfaith Seder at Gracie Mansion with Bishop Glasspool. It’s an honor to join in representing our Diocese in these ways.  

• I’m especially interested in how faith leaders can help knit together a stronger civic fabric across New York.

My priority will always be our local communities. The time with the Cardinal was delayed because of an already-scheduled lunch on the Close with our Asian clergy. Our people always come first.

There’s so much happening across our Diocese.

Last week the Rev. Michelle Howard helped to open a new Fulton Reentry Center in the Bronx for people returning from prison. Michelle leads programs for the Osborne Association.

Trinity Church Wall Street helped with funding. St. Peter’s in Chelsea provided the library. The Rev. Christine Lee & the Rev. Lisha Epperson took part in the event.

We’re continuing our Easter Invitation calls.

It’s been really meaningful and a lot of fun to listen to what’s happening in congregations across our Diocese.

• Yesterday, I had a visitation to St. Alban’s in Staten Island. We celebrated the retirement of the Rev. Greg Morgan.

• Today, I’m having lunch with Cardinal Dolan.

• Tonight, I’m having dinner with the Rev. Adriene Thorne from Riverside Church and the Rev. Dr. Liz Theoharris from the Poor People’s Campaign. Canon Alissa Newton & Special projects coordinator Nick Gordon will join me.



• Tomorrow, I’m meeting with Deputy NYPD Police Commissioner Chauncey Parker about public safety issues. The Rev. Dr. Chloe Breyer will join me.

• Tomorrow night, I’ll meet with our deacons. Thanks to Canon Denise LaVetty for coordinating.

• On Wednesday, I’ll join the Cathedral’s Spring Celebration of the Arts fundraiser. Thanks to Bill Wagner & Taylor Leja for coordinating.

• On Thursday, we’ll host the Cathedral Conservatory Garden Annual Tea fundraiser at Ogilvie House. Thanks to Arlene Bullard for coordinating.

• Also on Thursday, I’ll participate in the Standing Committee meeting. Thanks to Sara Saavedra for coordinating.

• On Saturday, I’ll preside at the service for Trans Joy & Resilience at the Cathedral. Thanks to the Rev. Este Gardner & Canon Steven Lee for coordinating.

The Rev. Molly Jane Layton had a baby last week! Caleb Layton Jaw arrived on April 17. Congratulations to Molly and her husband Andrew. Please keep them all in your prayers.

> Are you honoring someone in your community this spring?

Celebrating a milestone for years of service, a retirement, or a major birthday? Let us know. My colleague Arlene Bullard and I will send letters of appreciation.

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