The most important thing we do is to care for each other.
Our care reflects God’s unconditional love. As Christians, we are called to build communities of deep belonging, connection, and care.
Congregations and chaplaincies across the Diocese of New York provide care and safe spaces of belonging every day to everyone who enters our doors.
We provide sanctuary.
- At our 2024 diocesan convention, we approved a resolution that reaffirmed our sanctuary status with a focus on welcoming asylum seekers and refugees and caring for those in our communities who are undocumented. Our local communities are at risk because of who we welcome at worship on Sunday mornings and who we reach in programs throughout the week.
By declaring ourselves a sanctuary diocese, we are affirming what we already know--that we are committed to supporting our local communities. We provide care for everyone.
This support does not depend on any person’s immigration status, but on the inherent dignity of every human being–everyone is made in the image of God.
We take on this support across different political viewpoints because we share a commitment in our faith and common life to human dignity and safety.
The Holy Spirit moves at ground level.
- We will provide our congregations with the information and support they need to live out sanctuary and our values. We’ve prepared basic background that clergy and congregations will need to know and will provide “know your rights” trainings in the coming weeks. I am also naming a vice chancellor for immigrants & refugees to offer counsel and we are connecting with law firms to provide additional support.
Throughout this work, we will prioritize the safety of our clergy, lay leaders, and community members.
Sanctuary rests deeply in our Christian tradition over millennia. Any attempt to end Christian communities’ role in providing safe space disregards the role of faith communities in our neighborhoods over generations.
- We share this commitment to provide a safe space with communities of all faith traditions and with schools, hospitals, and libraries.
We live our faith in small acts of care. We form communities of belonging through our daily ministries. Sanctuary makes real the peace of God that is our gift in grace.
As our neighbors are threatened, together we will respond with hope, justice, and love.
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