New Projects and Preservation Efforts
The new Wakefield Grace United Methodist Church Complex broke ground in the Bronx. This project will transform the existing church into a 72-unit affordable housing building for seniors. The complex will also include a new church that has community spaces for increased meeting frequency, a food pantry, and a larger capacity for the church's summer camp.
St. Luke's Episcopal Church in Jamestown, New York, is undergoing a bell tower restoration project to repair damage caused by water seepage. The church has already invested $300,000 in exploratory costs and studies to understand the extent of the damage and had been delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Diversity in Congregations
The United Church of Christ elected Rev. Karen Georgia Thompson, its first female general minister and president this past Monday. Rev. Thompson is also the first woman of African descent to lead the mainline denomination.
“My hope is that we, the UCC, will begin to live more fully into what it means to be a church that proclaims to be God-centered and Spirit-filled,” Thompson said after the vote. “It’s not just about the head, but also about the heart. How do we become mission-minded? How do we show up? How do we be present for communities that are on the margins — not just here, but globally?”
At Judson Memorial Church, Rev. Micah Bucey, a gay minister, became the senior minister at Judson on June 1, the first day of Pride Month. The church has fostered a sense of love, justice, and celebration of artists, activists, and organizers over the years.
“God is queer and delights in your queerness. Be the glitter you wish to see in the world.” – Micah Bucey
Homelessness Crisis
New York City has exceeded 100,000 occupants in its shelter system for the first time, with over half of them being asylum seekers. The city is currently spending around $8 million per day on its shelter system, which has expanded with 166 new emergency facilities to accommodate the influx of asylum seekers since spring 2022.
This influx comes at a time when the number of homeless New Yorkers staying on the streets and subways is up by nearly 18% this year.
City officials are urging the state and federal governments to provide assistance in addressing the migrant crisis, including finding migrants temporary homes outside the city, providing food and housing, assisting with work permits, and helping them access legal representation for their asylum claims. The Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA) extended the contracts of 10 asylum seeker support centers that were originally opened last fall.
