Dear Siblings in Christ,
We are ever mindful of the terrible war between Israel and Hamas, to a lesser degree, Russia and Ukraine, and the many other countries where there is military conflict which is rarely mentioned. It is a time of serious instability and anxiety throughout the world. As Christians, we seek peace, and are united by our commitment to the integrity of all human life.
Campus protests of the last weeks, here and across the nation, bring to the fore the complex issues of the Middle East that spill into our national and diocesan life. We strongly support the rights of people to disagree, dissent, and actively protest in the name of moral conviction. At the same time, we strongly urge those opposing this terrible war to separate the actions of any one government from its people.
As followers of Jesus, we unequivocally and forcefully condemn antisemitism and xenophobia in all its forms. These are non-negotiable core values of our faith.
In accord with our churchwide efforts to support ministry in Gaza, the West Bank, and Jerusalem, it is our hope and prayer that our collective efforts turn towards a peaceful solution. I encourage you to learn about the ongoing work of our partners by exploring the links below.
We do not presume that any one person or group speaks for all of us. In our diverse diocese, we all have colleagues and acquaintances of varied backgrounds who are trying to make sense of this. We are committed to fostering an open and respectful environment in which differences of opinion may be expressed without fear or recrimination. And to that end, we will soon host workshops with Resetting the Tabledesigned to equip clergy and parishioners to address conflict across difference. Please find the schedule below. It is our hope that every parish will send teams of clergy, wardens, vestry and bishop’s committee members to a session. We need these skills now more than ever.
In this season of ultimate hope, where we celebrate the victory of life over death, let us pray that the gifts of the risen Christ may inhabit our hearts and the heart of the world.
In Christ,
The Rt. Rev. Lawrence C. Provenzano
The Rt. Rev. Geralyn Wolf
The Rt. Rev. Daniel Allotey
The Rt. Rev. R. William Franklin
The Jerusalem Princess Basma Centre
American Friends of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem
Learn More and Register for Upcoming Resetting the Table Workshops
May 31, 5 pm to 8:30 pm - St. Peter's, Bayshore
June 1, 10 am to 3 pm - St. Philip's, Decatur Street, Brooklyn
June 2, 1 pm to 4:30 pm - Mercer School of Theology, Garden City
June 3, 5 pm to 8:30 pm - St. Mark's, Westhampton Beach