Virtual Morning Prayer builds unlikely friendships, community in the Diocese of New York

The useful part

[Episcopal News Service] Every weekday at 8 a.m., over a hundred Episcopalians in the Diocese of New York log on to Zoom for Morning Prayer. From those on bus commutes to those sitting in living rooms, Bishop Matthew Heyd said, this daily service has brought the diocese together. "It's a wonderful collection of the diversity of the diocese every day," Heyd told Episcopal News Service.

How it works

• York covers 10 counties, including three New York City boroughs – Manhattan, the Bronx and Staten Island – and the city's suburbs and upstate cities and towns.
• Within its 190 worshipping communities, there exists a variety of liturgical styles and languages spoken.
• Morning Prayer is a chance to uplift each corner of the diocese and make connections where they might otherwise be unlikely, Heyd said.
• Oh, my goodness, it's amazing." McCloskey was a postulant for the diaconate in 2023 when Morning Prayer began, and Heyd invited postulants for ordination to officiate.
• For the particularly isolated parts of the diocese, like the churches on Staten Island or rural areas, McCloskey said this is a way to feel integrated with other Episcopalians.

Details worth keeping

Cindy McCloskey, a deacon on Staten Island, told ENS. "Sometimes it's just through that box," she said. During the week of her ordination, she credited the daily services with preparing her spiritually, especially the Gospel readings and reflections on "new wineskins." Three years later, McCloskey now helps run the slides and invites participants to read.