From Bishop Matt Heyd & Bishop Allen Shin
July 30, 2025
Today with our Cathedral we are calling on everyone in the Diocese of New York to act now to relieve suffering in Gaza.
We can support World Central Kitchen’s daily offering of meals through this humanitarian catastrophe. We are all made in the image of God. Our care for each other offers a central expression of our Christian faith. Scripture reminds us to do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with God. Jesus teaches us to feed the hungry. We’re inviting you to sign onto a statement that calls for more aid— and to share online and with friends. Sign here. We’re also inviting you to contribute funds equal to what you spend on one day’s food to the efforts of World Central Kitchen in Gaza. Dean Winnie Varghese suggested contributing one day’s food.
There are deep, generations-long traumas amidst current horrors.
As bishops, and as a whole Diocese, we’ve spoken and acted since the current conflict began in Israel-Palestine. We’ll continue to speak and to act on broader questions— knowing that our community and our partners won’t always agree on even basic issues. We can agree on ending the starvation of Gaza. This week, the Global Health Organization has declared the “worst-case scenario of famine is currently playing out in the Gaza Strip.” World Central Kitchen’s global humanitarian mission provides freshly-prepared food as well as presence and care in 20 countries, last year providing 20 million meals. In Gaza, WCK is preparing 80,000 hot meals a day— when aid is allowed. On Sunday they provided 120,000 meals during the 10-hour Israeli Defense Forces bombing pause. We’re grateful they are willing to partner with us. Let’s act now to help alleviate starvation.
On October 18, Archbishop Hosam Naoum of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem will visit our Cathedral. His visit gives us the chance to talk together as a Diocese for longer-term work and relationships.
The Rt. Rev. Matthew Heyd
Bishop of New York
The Rt. Rev. Allen K. Shin
Bishop Suffragan
A Prayer from the Archbishop of Jerusalem
O God of all justice and peace we cry out to you in the midst of the pain and trauma of violence and fear which prevails in the Holy Land.
Be with those who need you in these days of suffering; we pray for people of all faiths – Jews, Muslims and Christians and for all people of the land.
While we pray to you, O Lord, for an end to violence and the establishment of peace, we also call for you to bring justice and equity to the peoples.
Guide us into your kingdom where all people are treated with dignity and honor as your children for, to all of us, you are our Heavenly Father.
In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.