THECITYOFNEWYORK

OFFICEOFTHEMAYOR
NEWYORK,NY10007

FORIMMEDIATERELEASE
June7,2015
CONTACT
:
pressoffice@cityhall.nyc.gov
,(212)7882958

MAYORDEBLASIOANNOUNCESCREATIONOFCLERGYADVISORYCOUNCILTOFURTHER
ENGAGECOMMUNITIESOFFAITHINFORMATIONOFCITYPOLICY

NEWYORK
Today,MayordeBlasioannouncedthecreationoftheMayorsClergyAdvisoryCouncil
comprisedoflocalfaithleadersfromacrossthefiveboroughstoopenadirectlineofcommunication
betweenreligiousleadersandCityHall.TheMayormadetheannouncementduringSundaysmassatFirst
CorinthianBaptistChurchinManhattanaspartoftheAdministrationsongoingcommitmenttoengage
communitiesoffaithintheformationofCitypolicyaroundissueslikepublicsafety,housingandeducation,
aswellasconnectwithresidentsongeneralCityservices.

TheCouncil,whichisstillinformation,willbemadeupofadiversesetoflocalclergytaskedwithliaising
betweenmembersoftheAdministrationandlocalfaithcommunities.Councilmemberswillbringthe
prioritiesandconcernsofNewYorkscongregantstoCityHall,aswellasshareinformationonbeneficial
CityprogramssuchasfreetaxprepservicesandIDNYCwithlocalfaithcommunities.Thiseffortwill
formalizeandexpandCityHallsrelationshipwithreligiouscommunitiesacrossthecitymakingiteasierfor
NewYorkerstosharefeedback,improvingservicedeliveryandstrengtheningclergynetworksacrossthe
fiveboroughs.MembersoftheCouncilwillalsobedeputizedtoholdlocalmeetingsonmatterspertainingto
Citypolicysuchaspublicsafety,housingandeducationandhelpidentifyandorganizeadditional
membersoftheclergy.

Localclergyandthereligiouscommunitiestheyserveareessentialtothefabricofourcity.Housesof
worshipformafoundationofreflectionandstrengthforthousandsofNewYorkers.TheClergyAdvisory
Councilwillputusindirectcommunicationwiththesereligiousleaderssothatwecanensureanopenand
productivedialoguewithfaithcommunitiesfromeverycornerofourcity,said
MayordeBlasio
.

TheClergyAdvisoryCouncilwillserveasadedicatedmechanismfordialogueandfeedbackforNew
Yorkers.Clericalleadersaretrustedsourcesofinformationforthepeopletheyserve,andtheCouncilwill
ensuretheycanmoreeffectivelyconnecttheircommunitieswithresourcesandservices.Anditwillactas
animportantconduitforcommunicationbetweengovernmentandourfaithcommunitiesmakingiteven
easierfortheCitytolistentoNewYorkersthoughtsandconcerns,said
CommunityAffairs
CommissionerMarcoCarrion.

IamenergizedbytheopportunitytocontinueworkingwiththeMayortoamplifythevoicesofNewYork
CityscongregantsaschairoftheClergyAdvisoryCouncil,said
ReverendMichaelWalrondJr.,Chairof
theClergyAdvisoryCouncilandPastoratFirstCorinthianBaptistChurch
.Faithcommunitiesall
acrosstheCityarepowerfulnetworks,chargedbytheunyieldingstrengthanddevotionofourcongregants.
InpartnershipwiththeMayor,thecompetentleadersatCityHallandthistrulyaweinspiringgroupofclerical
leadersofalldenominations,theadvisorycouncilwillworktodrivepositivechangeforallNewYorkers.


TheCouncilwillworkdirectlywiththeMayorsCommunityAffairsUnitandseniorAdministrationofficialsto
widenthereachofCityserviceswithincommunitiesacrossthecity,andprovidefeedbackonwaysto
strengthenprogramsthatservetheircongregations.TheCitywillcontinuetoworkcloselywithgroupslike
theCommissionofReligiousEcumenicalLeaders(COREL)tostrengthentheAdministrationsfaith
communitynetworkandfurtherfacilitateoutreachtothecityscongregants.TheClergyAdvisoryCouncilwill
meetwiththeMayorandhisstaffthroughouttheyear,andholdmonthlymeetingswithCAU,whichwill
ensuremembersaresupportedintheircommunityoutreach.

WearepleasedthatMayorBilldeBlasiohasfulfilledhiscampaignpromisetoestablishaClergyAdvisory
Council.Thereisaplethoraofissuesthataffectdisenfranchisedcommunities,suchaseducation,economic
development,publicsafetyandaffordablehousing,justtonameafew.Imlookingforwardtoworkingwith
theMayorandthisAdministrationtomakeNewYork,acitywithgreatwealth,aplacewhereeveryday
peoplehaveanopportunitytoobtaintheAmericanDream,andnotonlytosurvivebutthrive,said
ReverendCherylAnthony,JudahInternationalChristianFellowship.
WearepleasedtoseetheformationoftheClergyAdvisoryCouncilbecausewebelievethatpartnership
betweenfaithandgovernmentisessentialtothehealthofourcity,said
BishopJamesI.Clark,Christ
TempleChurchandBoardcoChairofFaithinNewYork.
FaithinNewYorkisafederationof70
membercongregationsrepresenting80,000familiesorganizingforamoreequitableNewYork,andwelook
forwardtoworkingwithMayorBilldeBlasioandtheClergyAdvisoryCounciltoensurethatthisvision
becomesareality.
ItisaprivilegeandhonortobenamedtotheClergyAdvisoryCouncilbyMayordeBlasio.TheMayorhas
beenacolleagueandfriendfordecades,andIaminspiredtohavetheopportunitytoadvanceabold
agenda,especiallyonbehalfofthepoorandmarginalized,said
ReverendFredDavie,ExecutiveVice
PresidentofUnionTheologicalSeminary.
IamhonoredtobechosenasamemberofMayordeBlasiosClergyAdvisoryCouncil.Ilookforwardto
partneringwiththemanygreatleadersofthiscityaswebandtogetherandworktowardsagreaterNYC,
said
ReverendAdamDurso,ExecutivePastoratChristTabernacleChurch.
Inmanycities,theclergyisthebackboneofthecommunitythatoffersservicestothoseinneedofsupport.
ArelationshipbetweenclergyandtheMayorsOfficecangarneradditionalsupporttoourneighborhoodsby
wayofhousingdevelopments,schoolsupportandothercommunityrelatedefforts,said
ReverendFloyd
Flake,GreaterAllenAMECathedral.
IdliketothanktheMayorforthisopportunitytoserveontheClergyAdvisoryCouncil.Ilookforwardto
advancingthedeepvaluesofourfaithtraditionsinthepublicsquare,said
ReverendSereneJones,
PresidentofUnionTheologicalSeminary
ThispartnershipbetweenourcitysdiversecommunitiesoffaithandtheMayorisakeybuildingblockas
wecollectivelystrivetobetterthequalityoflifeforallNewYorkers,said
RabbiBobKaplan,Jewish
CommunityRelationsCouncilNY.

IamdelightedandhonoredtoserveontheMayorsClergyAdvisoryCouncil.Ibelievethatfaithbased
communitiesareessentialtohelprealizeMayordeBlasiosvisionofamorefairandjustcityforall,said
RabbiSharonKleinbaum,CongregationBeitSimchatTorah.
Iamhappytobeamongthosewhoareservingourbelovedcitytoaddressthecriticalissuesoftheday,
said
ImamTahirKukiqi,AlbanianCulturalCenter.
Asweliveinadiversifiedcommunity,itisveryimportanttounderstandeachothersfaithandculture.And
asaMuslimleader,IstronglybelieveweareunderoneGod.IcongratulatetheMayorontakingtheinitiative
toformthiskindofadvisorygroup,said
Dr.MohammadWRahman,JamaicaMuslimCenter.
InacityasdiverseasNewYorkitisimportantthatMayordeBlasiohascalledtogetheraClergyAdvisory
Counciltospeaktocriticalissuesinourcity.AsanevangelicalcalledtolovethecityIamhopefulthatour
voiceswillcontributetothepeaceandprosperityofNewYork,said
ReverendDr.GabrielSalguero,
PresidentoftheNationalLatinoEvangelicalCoalitionandPastoratLambsChurch.
ItisaprivilegetoservewiththeMayorandmycolleaguesonthisimportantcommittee,said
Reverend
DonnaSchaper,JudsonMemorialChurch.
ItisagreathonorformetoserveontheMayorsClergyAdvisoryCouncilastherepresentativeofthe130
UnitedMethodistcongregationsinthefiveboroughs,said
ReverendWilliamShiliady,UnitedMethodist
CitySociety.
RespectingandengagingNewYorksrichdiversityofreligiousinstitutionsandbeliefsiscriticaltobuildinga
betterNewYorkinwhichthebasicsofnutritiousfood,affordablehousing,decentjobsandsafe
neighborhoodsareaccessibletoall.MayordeBlasiosestablishmentofaClergyAdvisoryCouncil
recognizesthisandprovidesapositivevehicletofurtherinvolvereligiouscommunitiesindealingwiththe
challengesfacingNewYork,said
MonseigneurKevinSullivan
.
WeapplaudMayorBilldeBlasioforhisboldinitiativetoengagespiritualleadersofthecommunityina
collaborativeefforttobetterthelivesofeveryNewYorkerandupliftourgreatcity,said
PastorRohann
Wellington,GreaterNewYorkConferenceofSeventhDayAdventistChurch
.Welookforwardtoa
dynamicworkingrelationshiponthismayoralclergyroundtable.
InitialmembersoftheCouncilarelistedbelow:

LawrenceAker,III
,SeniorPastoratCornerstoneBaptistChurch,Brooklyn
CherylAnthony
,SeniorPastor,JudahInternationalChristianFellowship,Brooklyn
OnleiloveAlston
,ExecutiveDirector,FaithinNY
BoruchBender
,RabbiforAchiezer,Queens
AmyButler
,SeniorMinister,RiversideChurch,Manhattan
EvelynCastellano
,NYSUnitedChaplainsAssociation,Bronx
JamesClark
,SeniorPastor,ChristTempleoftheApostolicFaith,Manhattan
SamCruz
,SeniorPastor,TrinityLutheranChurch,Brooklyn
FredDavie
,VicePresident,UnionTheologicalSeminary,Manhattan
AdamDurso
,ExecutivePastor,ChristTabernacleChurch

QueEnglish
,SeniorPastoratBronxChristianFellowship,Bronx
FloydFlake
,SeniorPastor,AllenAMECathedral,Queens
JamesForbes
,formerpastoratRiverside,currentlyatDrumMajorInstitute,citywide
KirstenJohnFoy
,NortheasternDirector,NationalActionNetwork,citywide
VictorHall
,SeniorPastor,CalvaryBaptist,Queens
KieranHarrington
,VicarforCommunications,DioceseofBrooklyn
BhanteHeenbunneKondannaThero
,AbbotandChiefIncumbent,StatenIslandBuddhistVihara,Staten
Island
PeterHeltzel
,ChairMicahroundtable,professoratNYTheologicalSeminary,Manhattan
SuzanJohnsonCook
,formerAmbassadoratLargeforInternationalReligiousFreedom
SereneJones
,President,UnionTheologicalSeminary
JenniferJonesAustin
,ExecutiveDirector,FederationProtestantWelfareAgencies,citywide
EmmaJordanSimpson
,ExecutivePastor,TheConcordBaptistChurch,Brooklyn
RobertKaplan
,JewishCommunityRelationsCouncil,citywide
AlexKarloutsos
,AssistanttotheArchbishop,GreekOrthodoxchurch,citywide
SharonKleinbaum
,Rabbi,CongregationBeitSimchat,Manahattan
SouleimanKonate
,Imam,MasjidAqsaMosque,Manhattan
TahirKukiqi
,Imam,AlbanianCulturalCenter
JacquiLewis
,SeniorMinister,MiddleCollegiateChurch,Manhattan
ClintonMiller
,SeniorPastor,BrownMemorialBaptist,Brooklyn
UmaMysorekar
,President,HinduTempleSocietyofN.America
JamesOsekofi
,Pastor,BethesdaHealingCenter,Brooklyn
JamesRichmond
,DirectorofCommunityOutreach,TheWorldChurchofSeventhDayAdventistChurch
RaymondRivera
,President,LatinoPastoralActionCenter,Bronx
AngeloRosario
,Chair,BronxClergyTaskforce,Bronx
GabrielSalguero
,SeniorPastor,TheLambChurch,Manhattan
DonnaSchaper
,SeniorMinister,JudsonMemorialChurch,Manhattan
GarySimpson
,SeniorPastor,ConcordBaptistChurch,Brooklyn
GurdevSinghKang
,President,theSikhCulturalSociety,Queens
GeraldSkolnik,
RabbiForrestHillJewishCenter,Queens
KevinSullivan
,ExecutiveDirector,CatholicCharities
NoraAnnThompson
,Pastor,UnityFellowshipChurchMovement,Manhattan
TerryTroia
,ExecutiveDirector,ProjectHospitality
MohammadWahedurRahman
,President,JamaicaMuslimCenter,Queens
RohanWellington
,CommunicationDirector,GreaterNewYorkConferencefortheSeventhDayAdventist
Church
JesseWilliams
,SeniorPastor,ConventBaptist,Manhattan
JohnnyYoungblood
,SeniorPastor,Mt.PsighBaptist,Brooklyn
DavidZwiebel
,Rabbi,AgudathIsrael,Brooklyn

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