Posts Tagged: World Refugee Day

Policies that Attack People on the Move

  Federal Level   Migration has been a hot topic in the media recently. As politicians debate ways to deter people from seeking asylum in the U.S., it is helpful to remember that both international and U.S. law recognize the right to flee one’s country and seek protection in a different country. This right is a… Read more »

What more can we do this World Refugee Day?

As we approach World Refugee Day next Monday, June 20, 2022 we will continue to lift up ways you can act. Please encourage your Senators and Representatives to sign as cosponsors to their respective Resolutions in observance of World Refugee Day on June 20th. We need them to sign on this week! For the House of… Read more »

World Refugee Day 2022

As we approach another World Refugee Day on June 20th, we begin by noticing all that has changed since June 2021, including new refugee situations, government policies, and the care and support provided by governments, non-governmental organizations, and faith communities. This past year saw the largest recorded number of forcibly displaced persons and was also… Read more »

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 »

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 »

What Does Being a Nation of Welcome Look Like?

How do we—as a community, a church, and a nation—care for the vulnerable?   This is a question we are compelled to examine, particularly when it comes to refugees and forced migrants. Whatever your opinion of U.S. immigration policies, people (such as those attempting to enter through our southern border) are living in precarious situations,… Read more »