Rochester Area Faith Leaders Conversation and Action

(PHOTOS)

In solidarity with faith and spiritual leaders around the country, faith leaders, including clergy from our diocese, held a conversation at the First Universalist Church of Rochester about how faith speaks to our current moment in the United States. The main topic was immigration and the tactics currently being used by federal agents against our citizen and immigrant neighbors. As diverse faith leaders, we have been working to deepen our relationships with each other and are united in our concern for our country. Even in our diversity, we have found several core faith-based principles on which we are united: 

• We are coming together as diverse faith and spiritual leaders in the Greater
  Rochester area. Not despite but because of our differences in faith, and how we
  articulate our most dearly held convictions, we believe it is of utmost importance
  to come together in community and solidarity, especially in a time when diversity
  is cast as a weakness or a problem to solve. We believe the opposite is true; our
  difference is our great asset.
• We believe all are created in the image of the divine, and because of this,
  every human possesses and should be treated with great dignity. How we treat
  our neighbor – no matter their ethnicity, immigration status, orientation, etc. –
  reflects how we treat the divine.
• Even in our different faith traditions, we are all driven by and toward the
  love of neighbor, and in particular, our neighbor who is in need. Further, this
  love is not a passive one, but one that implies action. Thus, we cannot sit idly by
  as our neighbors in need, in our city and around the country, are being harmed.
  Our faith convictions will not allow it.

This is what has been agreed on in a letter by faith leaders in the Greater Rochester area.

Signers to date
To add your name, contact Rabbi Peter Stein at pstein@tbk.org
Ven. Kanji Argetsinger
Cantor Renata Braun
Fr. Rob Bourcy
Isha Das Craig Bullock
The Very Rev. Leslie Burkardt
Vickijo Campanaro
Rev. Eileen Casey-Campbell
Dr. Ahmet Celenli
Reverend Jeff Fox-Kline
The Rev. Lisa K. Frauens
The Rev. Dr. Richard S. Gilbert
Rev. Joanne Gilbert-Cannon
The Rev. Andrew Gookin
Rev. Lawrence Hargrave
Deacon Duncan Harris
The Rev. Abigail Zang Hoffman
The Reverend Deborah L. Hughes
Rev. Julius David Jackson, Jr.
Rev. Erin Schubmehl Jacobson
Rabbi Alan Katz
Rabbi Jan Katz
Rabbi Sandra Katz
Rev. Sam Kinsman
Guiding Teacher Sue Kochan
Rev. Gregory Kremer
Sr. Beth LeValley SSJ
Dr. Denise Mack
Rev. Matthew Martin Nickoloff
Dr. Susan Nowak SSJ
Deacon Emily Orner
Rev Edward L Palumbos
The Rev.Kenneth R. Pepin
Rev. Tedd Pullano
Rev. Shari Quan
The Rev. Johanna K. Rehbaum
The Rev. Columba Salamony
Dr. Donald Schwab
Rt. Rev. Kara Wagner Sherer
The Rev. Dr. Kelly Sprinkle
Rabbi Peter W. Stein
Rev. Cindy Terlazzo
Rev. Kathy Thiel
Rabbi Rochelle Tulik
Rev. AJ van Tine
Fr. Gary Tyman
Rev. Dr. William Huston Wilkinson
The Rev. Amy Walter-Peterson
The Rev. Dr. C. Denise Yarbrough
Imam Jafer Yasar
Rabbi Or Zohar