Posts Tagged: we choose welcome

Raising Our Voices to Advocate for The Stranger

Wanderers, travelers, Weary and worried, God grant us strength and Courage to dare. Risking our safety, Freedom, and status, Your children need us, Dare us to care. (From God of the Traveler, hymn text by William McConnell, 2018) World Refugee Day may have passed but it is not too late for you to honor refugees… Read more »

Exploring Resilience and Service

No one dreams of growing up to become a refugee. The term itself is used to describe what happens to someone—being persecuted or threatened with persecution; being forced to flee one’s home country; at the mercy of other governments and other nations—but it does little to define who someone is. When we hear the word… Read more »

Connecting with Others through Learning

Opportunities to learn about refugees and asylum seekers in the U.S. and around the world are numerous as we approach World Refugee Day on June 20th. Knowing where to begin with this complicated subject can be daunting, so we have pulled together some study materials to better educate your congregation about today’s refugees. Learning about… Read more »

Creating Meaningful Worship Around World Refugee Day

Now is a good time to start planning a World Refugee Day worship service for Sunday, June 20th. Dedicating part or all of your worship service to honor this day is not only a powerful message to refugees in your midst, but also an opportunity to connect the ways in which our faith is shaped… Read more »

A faithful response to the border, refugees, and immigration matters

Every day there is something else in the news about refugees, immigrants, or the border—it is difficult to keep up with it all. And, try as we might, it is too much to really understand after one class or webinar. Fortunately, you don’t have to do it on your own because, whether you are interested… Read more »

Preparing Welcome as a Spiritual Practice

Written by Susan Krehbiel, PDA’s Associate for Refugees and Asylum Awaiting the US election results this past week, I was reminded how difficult it is to wait. In fact, a general observation of predominant American culture shows that waiting is difficult for many of us. Our advertising tells us repeatedly that we live in a… Read more »

International Rally to #SaveAsylum: We’re All One Family

This is our second installment in a series about the Kino Border Initiative’s monthly #SaveAsylum events taking place in Nogales, Arizona and Nogales Mexico. Kino Border Initiative—and a growing number of ecumenical and interfaith partners, including Presbyterians in both De Cristo and Grand Canyon Presbyteries—is ministering to those who wait and hope for admission to… Read more »

Casa Alitas Invited to Reunite a Family

PDA first learned of Casa Alitas back in 2014 when the number of asylum seekers passing through Tucson, AZ were on the rise. Much has changed in the past year following the “remain in Mexico” policy, with further restrictions put in place during the pandemic to severely limit both the number of asylum seekers released… Read more »

Refugee Ministry at Second Presbyterian Church

In recent weeks, we have shared stories about how COVID-19 has affected not only the journey of refugees but the ways in which those who provide support have had to pivot to address unforeseen issues brought about by the pandemic. Before COVID hit, the Refugee Ministry Team at Second Presbyterian Church in Indianapolis was ready… Read more »

Arabic Outreach Center Brings Relief and Hope during Pandemic

This story, recently published by the Presbytery of Des Moines, demonstrates the way in which many refugee ministries have pivoted from providing practical and long-term assistance to focusing on the immediate needs of those they serve in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Arabic Outreach Center (AOC)—an independent 501(c)3 established by First Arabic Presbyterian… Read more »