"I DON'T CARE WHAT JESUS SAID..."

This is an updated handout re the Texas border situation. As always, can be re-formatted for half vertical page, back-to-back.

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FROM NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS

DISTRICT UMW

From a Colorado Council of Churches

Study on Immigration

“I don’t care what Jesus said!

I don’t want those people here!”

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Cindy Johnson, immigration counselor for UMW, Inc., and interim executive secretary for  Christian social action, spoke to Rose Watson on Wednesday with this report.

The involved bishops from both Texas and Mexico and a bishop from Honduras have recently visited in Brownsville. They agree that a top priority is to protect the immigrants—particularly youthful ones—from human predators. So they need advocates for children, to help keep them safe.

Personal needs for the immigrants include sports bras (since these garments come in small/medium/large) and underwear.

The greatest need in Brownsville at the moment is financial support for the Good Neighbor Settlement House, which is a national mission institution of UMW. Gifts can be made through your UMW Unit (except for the Unit at FUMC Denton). Or you may send a check made payable to Good Neighbor Settlement House, to the House at 1254 Tyler Street, Brownsville, 78520.

Cindy issued an enthusiastic invitation to North Center District United Methodist Women to visit and see for ourselves the work they are doing at Good Settlement.

AID FOR UNACCOMPANIED IMMIGRANT CHILDREN

This is another piece that you may revise appropriately (use narrow margins and two columns) and distribute. It will be a back-to-back vertical half-page handout.
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FROM NT CONFERENCE

UNITED METHODIST WOMEN

We urge UMW members to continue praying for the thousands of children and women who are at our southern border and those who are being placed in foster care around the state.

Cindy Johnson, UMW immigration counselor, asks that we contact our national senators and representatives and urge them NOT to diminish the current rights of refugees: Don’t change TVPRA ,  (H.R. 898), the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act. Even though the House is in recess, you may still contact them via e-mail, phone and Twitter. The e-mail contact is very easy to do on-line for the Senate and House. Enter “U.S. Senate” in your browser and follow the directions, and the same for “U.S. House of Representatives.” However, Rep. Burgess’s system hasn’t worked for me for a few weeks now, but that may be user error! All others may be fine.

You may also call 1-888-427-0530 and ask for the individual you need. (I don’t know about Twitter!)

112 faith leaders, including 45 United Methodists, and advocates were arrested July 31 in front of the White House during the demonstration that demanded more humane immigration and deportation policies from the Administration. United Methodist bishops Minerva Carcaño of the Los Angeles Area, and Jack Meadors, retired, were among those arrested.
The Rev. Susan Henry-Crowe, top executive of the United Board of Church and Society, was at the rally. “Our denomination supports open borders,” she said. “We’re also concerned about addressing the root-causes of immigration: violence, poverty, hunger. We see that particularly with the children at the border right now.” Henry-Crowe said that her agency will post resources for United Methodists to use on this issue on its website: umc-gbcs.org.

“Certainly, we can pray and help others understand the issue,” she said. She also urged people to support Justice for Our Neighbors, a church-based legal clinic that is seeking to offer support and assistance to some of the children who have recently crossed in to the United States.

Jesus said, ‘Let the children come.’

The Rev. Eric Folkerth, senior pastor at Northaven UMC in Dallas, and the Rev. Owen Ross, pastor of Christ’s Foundry UM Mission in Dallas, attended the rally and were part of those who were arrested.

“I’ve seen children living in fear of parents being taken away from them,” said Ross, whose mission serves an immigrant population. “I’ve seen families torn apart at a moment’s notice. I’m here today to say that our nation needs to stop terrorizing its immigrant population.

“There is no other contemporary political issue that is so frequently and consistently addressed in the Bible as immigration,” said Ross. “We’re avoiding the subject like a three-year old avoids cracks in a sidewalk. We need to preach that our faith requires us to reach out to the foreigners among us.”

In contacting your federal legislators, also urge them to talk to the signatories of above event who have specific experience and recommendations for reform.

You may also still make financial gifts to FUMC for “UMCOR Border Crisis.” Remember: 100% of contributions to UMCOR go to the project designated.

 And you may continue to send gifts to the three designations below:

                SWTX Conference UMW, 16400 Huebner Road, San Antonio 78248; notation “TX Border Crisis”

                McAllen District UMW, 1909 W. Harrison, Harlingen 78550; notation “Immigrant Relief”

                Holding Institute, 1220 McClelland, Laredo 78040; notation “to be used in Laredo.”

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UMCOR ‘s desperate  need of relief kits of all kinds continues, including school kits and health kits. You may contribute on-line at umcor.org or you may write a check to your church with a note that it is for Advance #901440. ($12 buys a health kit; $35 buys a school kit)

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The website www.TheyareChildren.com offers an opportunity to send a letter to one of these children!

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