--Rev. Dr. Sherri Meyer-Veen, Minister for Renewal
I and the Rev. Liz Estes, author of Global Grace Cafe: a Love Story About Battles Lost and Won to Keep Families Together in America's War on Immigrants, have been facilitating a book discussion with a group of interested folks from the Regional Synods of Albany and New York. This group plans to continue networking and sharing resources and opportunities. Contact me renewalminister@albanysynod.org if you'd like to be added to this email list.
Rev. Estes' book is a powerful education about the convoluted challenges of our country's broken immigration system. It comes highly recommended to you if you want to learn more about how America got to this place of brokenness, or if you want to learn more about ways to get into action to serve and advocate for immigrants and refugees.
I've gathered some helpful apps, pages, and documents to share:
Immigrant’s Creed from the Book of Common Worship
slides from Rev. Liz Estes’ presentation on Feb. 3 in multiple file types including PPT that you can customize, use and share
New York Council of Churches Immigration Working Group Statement on Immigration Justice
Know Your Rights--a concise summary from the Columbia County Sanctuary Movement. --Important info about interacting with ICE, for immigrants and the people who love them.
Responding to ICE in Places of Worship: a resource page from World Relief for congregations that want to provide sanctuary for vulnerable folks
5 Calls App: https://5calls.org/ Let’s you set your location to get info for your representatives, choose topics that are most important to you, gives you a suggested script, and helps you make the calls. “The easiest and most effective way for US constituents to make a political impact.”
Email Advocacy: Presbyterian Church USA Office of Public Witness Voter Voice network: sign up to receive emails that allow you to join campaigns that send emails directly to your elected officials, adding your name to concerns. You choose which campaigns you join and can edit/add before sending. You do not need to be Presbyterian, just edit the provided script as you wish. https://www.votervoice.net/mobile/PCUSA/home
Immigration Advocates Network National Immigration Legal Services Directory: https://www.immigrationadvocates.org/legaldirectory/ (great resources to find local legal help)
World Relief Immigrant Resource Hub webpage: https://worldrelief.org/immigrant-resource-hub/
And a Reformed Church in America historical tidbit from John Paarlberg:
In 2007 the Commission on Christian Action presented a report to the General Synod,” IMMIGRATION AND THE REFORMED CHURCH IN AMERICA. The Synod voted:
R-65 To distribute the paper “Immigration and the Reformed Church in America” with a list of current immigration legislation via the RCA’s monthly combined resource mailing, as well as through the RCA website, encouraging members, churches, and staff to extend the welcome and love of Christ to the undocumented immigrant populations in the United States and Canada and advocate for legislation that will protect and serve them. (ADOPTED) MGS 2007, p. 253.
May we all remain engaged as we are able.
Grace and peace to you all --Sherri
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