New York Religious Leaders Gather At Post-Election Day Interfaith Vigil For Healing Of The World

 Tonight, an interfaith coalition of religious leaders from across New York gathered at the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine in Harlem, NY.

Hosted by the Rt. Rev. Matthew Heyd, the 17th Episcopal Bishop of New York, the Cathedral, and the Episcopal Divinity School, to speak to the press about their work as faith leaders in this anxious and divisive time for the country. Speakers included the Rev. Al Sharpton, Founder and President of the National Action Network; Rabbi Joseph Potasnik, Executive Director of the New York Board of Rabbis; the Rev. Dr. Chloe Breyer, Executive Director of the Interfaith Center of New York and Imam Musa Kabba, Imam of Masjid Ar Rahman.

After speaking to the press, the Rt. Rev. Heyd led an interfaith service for a fully packed audience across faiths and backgrounds to come together to pray, sing, and share creative expressions of hope for our collective future. The service reaffirmed the faith communities’ shared values of dignity, peace, and justice. 

The Right Rev. Matthew Heyd, 17th Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New York, “We gather tonight at a moment of anxiety, and anger, and fear at a time when the election hasn’t lessened any of these feelings. … Across our traditions, we believe we see what is sacred in each other, and we know we are stronger and better together than we are by ourselves. … We gather to be hopeful, we gather to know that in our connections, we are stronger and that our nation can be stronger too.”

The Rev. Al Sharpton, Founder and President of the National Action Network, “We must stand together and be examples — that no matter our views, our anxieties, our disappointments, or our tribulations, we must stay together across religious, racial and gender lines … We will keep going and stand for justice, and peace, and dignity. We must not become like the forces of darkness. We must show the light.”

The Rev. Dr. Chloe Breyer. Executive Director of the Interfaith Center of New York, “We have convictions that as New Yorkers, we will take care of our neighbors, no matter what. We have helped host 65,000 new New Yorkers over the last two years, and we – and they – are not going anywhere. We have convictions that we will counter hate whether we find it, and convictions that we will continue to respect religious difference.”

Rabbi Joseph Potasnik, Executive Director of the New York Board of Rabbis, “All of us have to create space where people who disagree with each other come [together] … We believe we have to find a place in our house of worship, as well as outside the house of worship, where everyone can come together.”

Imam Musa Kabba, Imam of Masjid Ar Rahman, “As we sat together in our community of immigrants, fear started to creep into our hearts … But we trust in Allah, our Lord, and we are standing here with leaders who are ready to unite.” 

The evening featured:

Opening Reflection & Poem by Pádraig Ó Tuama

Music by Jeannine Otis, the Paul Robeson Ensemble from Harlem’s Mother AME Zion Church, and more.

Prayers from faith leaders across traditions, including Bishop Heyd, Dr. Simran Jeet Singh, Rabbi Hilly Haber, and Imam Dr. Ebad Rahman.

Closing Message led by Rev. Al Sharpton, Bishop Heyd, and Bishop Provenzano.

Bishop Heyd expressed deep appreciation to the speakers and the partners who made the event possible, including the Very Rev. Lydia Kelsey Bucklin, President and Dean of Episcopal Divinity School, the Very Rev. Patrick Malloy, Dean of the Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine, the Rev. Lawrence Provenzano, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Long Island and Rabbi Hilly Haber, Director of Social Justice Organizing and Education at Central Synagogue.

A full recording of the interfaith service is available here. 

Photo credit: Seitu Oronde.

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