In these times of public unrest and fear, we, the spiritual leaders of the Town of Warwick, stand in solidarity to promote civility, respect and a commitment to love our neighbor.
We need not agree politically, but we can stand together in order to affirm common humanity for all.
Our sacred texts enjoin us to “be our brother’s keeper.” This is a time, especially for our children, when we need to lift up the ways in which we value harmony and diversity.
Recent accusations attacking those of different faiths and races only hold back the strives we have made toward unity in our beloved Warwick.
Non-residents may have come here with profanity on their flags and hate in their hearts, but with the need to lower the vitriol, temperature, and voices of all, we call upon one another to act upon the values of tolerance and love.
These principles are neither reserved for our sanctuaries nor our religious school classrooms, they tell everyone that hate is not welcome here.
Rev. Jack Arlotta, St. Stephen, The First Martyr Parish, Warwick
Fr. Augustine Badgley, Church of the Holy Rosary, Greenwood Lake
Rev. Deborah Bienick, Warwick Valley Church of the Nazarene
The Rev. Lauretta Dietrich, Grace Lutheran Church. Greenwood Lake
Fr. Bernard Heter, St. Joseph Church, Florida
Rev. Stephen C. Holton, Interim Rector, Christ Episcopal Church, Warwick
V. Rev. George Kevorkian, St. Ignatius Orthodox Church, Florida
Pastor Marcus Loewenthal, Bellvale Bruderhof Community
Pastor John Lashuay, Pine Island Bible Church
Rev. Erin Moore, First Presbyterian Church of Chester
Reverend Jen Morrow, Warwick United Methodist Church
Rabbi Rebecca Pomerantz Shinder, Temple Beth Shalom, Florida