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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!)
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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