Manhattan

By the grace of God, the twelve congregations of the Manhattan Conference have continued the long and remarkable Lutheran witness to the island of Manhattan, originally Manahatta  of the Lenape people. Rooted in the diverse gatherings around Word and Sacraments of our various communities, our congregations and affiliated ministries have responded in love to the urgent needs of our neighbors as the hands and feet of Christ. Throughout our conference, we are responding to God’s call to feed the hungry and to lift up the lowly through the inspiring work of emergency food programs, like St. Luke’s Soup Kitchen, Advent’s feeding ministry, Igelesia Saint Peter’s food distribution programs, and Trinity’s Services and Food for the Homeless, among many others.

 

This past year has presented many opportunities to care for new New Yorkers, many of whom have come to our doors after long and dangerous journeys across seas, through jungles and deserts, and over rivers. Committed to being places of sanctuary and refuge for the vulnerable among us, many of our congregations have not only been active in providing direct services, but have advocated for the care and welcome of immigrants, refugees, asylum seekers, the LGBTQIA+ community, and all who yearn to be free from the chains of oppression. We also celebrate the many ways our congregations are places of creativity and exploration, lifting up the central role played by the arts in the Christian tradition, and nurturing young people as they grow into their fullest selves.

 

After a period of transition in several of our congregations, we rejoiced to welcome The Rev. Andrew Patty as Interim Pastor of St. John’s, Christopher Street; The Rev. Alyssa Kaplan as Pastor of Trinity, 100th St.; and The Rev. Christopher Chanteleau as Consulting Pastor of Gustavus Adolphus. The pastors and deacons of our conference meet in ministerium most months of the year, sharing worship and fellowship and exploring opportunities for collaboration and support among our ministries. 

 

We are excited about increasing collaborative ministries together, such as new young adult initiatives, and we engage in conversations about potential collaborative ministries at our monthly ministerial meetings, including inviting both Bishop Egensteiner and Assistant to the Bishop, The Rev. Christopher Mietlowski to be with us. 

 

As Bishop Egensteiner has encouraged us, we feel that being Christ in our communities is critical to the Lutheran witness in Manhattan. While many of our ministry sites are deeply rooted in their local communities, all of our congregations are encouraged to make connections with local leaders and community organizations whose missions align with ours.