World Refugee Day: An Invitation to Follow

Nearly 69 million people have been forcibly displaced from their homes by violence, poverty, war, discrimination and marginalization, natural disasters and the effects of climate change. This year, for World Refugee Day, Lutheran Disaster Response will add our church’s voice to the conversation to build awareness around global migration.

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter next week as we explore what is happening both domestically and internationally around global migration and how our church, through Lutheran Disaster Response, other ELCA ministries, and partners, are walking with our neighbors on the move.

ImmigrationBrian FlatgardJune 20, 2019Comment

Together in Welcome: A letter encouraging accompanying refugees and migrants

A letter from Elizabeth A. Eaton, Presiding Bishop of the ELCA and Krish O’Mara Vignarajah, President & CEO of LIRS. Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

The gospels recount the story of Jesus as a migrant, in need of welcome and reception. And Jesus identifies with every wanderer, every displaced person, every refugee, asylum seeker and migrant, when he tells the crowd, “I was a stranger and you welcomed me.” (Matthew 25:35). Since 1939, LIRS (Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service) has led the Lutheran movement to welcome vulnerable migrants and refugees in America. Meanwhile, as part of the AMMPARO strategy, the ELCA has committed to offering accompaniment to migrants in their communities.

Bishop Eaton, ELCA, Immigration, Advocacy, LettersBrian FlatgardJune 19, 2019Comment

Education opens doors for young women in Guatemala

In this video, see how Iglesia Luterana Agustina de Guatemala (ILAG) opened Casa Milagro in 2018 to provide education to young women from rural communities. This program is supported in part by your gifts to ELCA World Hunger. To learn more about how ELCA World Hunger is at work in more than 60 countries around the globe, visit ELCA.org/hunger.

ELCA, Immigration, AdvocacyBrian FlatgardJune 14, 2019Comment

ELCA presiding bishop, faith leaders issue statement on children in detention

The Rev. Elizabeth A. Eaton, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), has convened ELCA ecumenical and inter-religious partners in a statement addressing concerns over the well-being of children who cross the U.S. border seeking safety from danger and threats in their home countries.

“Children coming to our nation for safety and protection are dying at our southern border while in U.S. detention. As U.S. religious leaders representing diverse faith perspectives, we are united in our concern for the well-being of vulnerable migrants who cross our borders fleeing from danger and threats to their lives.” Read the full statement »

Bishop Eaton, ELCA, Immigration, AdvocacyBrian FlatgardJune 13, 2019Comment

Asylum seekers facing humanitarian crisis needs your help

Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest is urgently asking for churches to host groups of 30-100 migrants on a regularly scheduled basis, or to support churches that are doing this work through volunteers, in-kind, or financial support. With temperatures over 100, migrant families released by ICE and the Border Patrol are often left at "transportation hubs" that are sometimes nothing more than a barren, gravel pit next to the Greyhound bus station with no water, no restrooms, and little shade.

Read more about this humanitarian crisis or view this flier with contact info if you'd like to help.

Immigration, AdvocacyBrian FlatgardJune 12, 2019Lutheran Social Services of the SouthwestComment

ELCA, LWF Support Returned Migrants in Honduras

Watch this ELCA video to see what the ELCA and LWF are doing to accompany and assist migrants deported from Mexico and the US. More info at: elca.org/ammparo

ELCA, Immigration, AdvocacyBrian FlatgardJune 7, 2019Comment

Seismic storm: In the boat together with Jesus beside us

Our advocacy in light of disasters intensified by climate change brought together a group of faith and community leaders for an event hosted in Washington, D.C. by ELCA Advocacy in the spring of 2019. The challenge may be seismic, but the Rev. Amy E. Reumann offered insight and guidance on contemporary issues and scriptural and church resources, preparing us to care in this storm.

ELCA, Immigration, AdvocacyBrian FlatgardJune 2, 2019Comment

ELCA members pray for student pastor at vigil

On May 15, ELCA members and the Racine (Wis.) Interfaith Coalition called for just immigration reform at an evening prayer vigil held outside the Kenosha County Detention Center. Read the full story in Living Lutheran and see the video on ELCA’s YouTube channel.

ELCA, Immigration, AdvocacyBrian FlatgardMay 31, 2019Comment

Migrant and Refugee Sunday resources

New resources for observing Migrant and Refugee Sunday are now available. The all-new resources for Migrant and Refugee Sunday include commentaries written by former refugees for preaching on the lessons for Pentecost, a Pentecost/World Refugee Day Litany, Prayer Petitions for June, and other worship and education materials that will be updated each month. Check out the website www.lirs.org/migrant-refugee-sunday

ELCA, Immigration, Advocacy, ResourcesBrian FlatgardMay 29, 2019Comment

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