Refugee Accompaniment March 2017

Your commitment to faith-inspired welcoming and advocacy for refugees in the USA is especially important in these uncertain times.

Presidential Executive Orders during the past month have put policies into place that destroy the current USA refugee resettlement program. Travel and visa bans affect the safety of some of the most vulnerable groups in the world and those assigned for resettlement in our nation. Cutting in half the total number of refugees allowed for resettlement also means that funding support for those already in the US is lost. This is our time to exercise our faith commitments of welcome and we’ll-being.

You Can Act Now:

1. Personally support refugees present in the US now through local Church World Service resettlement offices 

2. Add your voice for welcome. Participate in the advocacy campaign #WeAreAllAmericans.  Call your national legislators daily. Contact your state and local elected officials. Engagement Toolkit and other resources available from #GreaterAs1 

3. Educate your UCC conferences, congregations and all constituents by sharing the “Ecumenical Declaration to Protect Welcome and Restore Hope” released March 3, 2017 by the National Council of Churches and Church World Service. 

4. Connect with UCC National Collaborative on Immigration related to intersections with movements against anti-immigrant  actions. The recording of the March 2 webinar, “Welcoming Immigrants in the Trump Era,” related to the New Sanctuary Movement is available. Please contact Rev. Noel Anderson, UCC Coordinator at nandersen@cwsglobal.org.

5. If you are willing to be contacted by the national UCC news team for public comment on your experience with welcoming refugees, send your name, contact information and congregation name and address to Rev Mary Schaller Blaufuss, UCC Global Sharing of Resources Team Leader at blaufusm@ucc.org.

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