Michigan Area Bishop Jonathan D. Keaton is inviting United Methodists in the Michigan Area to join him in participating in the New Year's Resolution Campaign for human immigration reform, sponsored by the Interfaith Immigration Coalition.
Endorsed by the Council of Bishops, the New Year's Resolution Campaign is a way to inspire, be inspired, renew commitments to building more welcoming communities and advocate for humane immigration policies in 2011.
Keaton, along with leaders from the Detroit and West Michigan Conferences are urging United Methodists in Michigan to stand with immigrants, mobilize their faith communities, and call upon Congress to make it's own New Year's Resolution to enact immigration reform. The Immigration Task Force is made up of 13 individuals from the Michigan Area, whose names are provided at www.detroitconference.org.
There are six ways the Bishop is urging congregations to participate in the campaign:
Education
Have five conversations with friends or community members who may have reservations about immigration issues with hopes of deepening their understanding of the need for immigration reform.
Organize and invite community members to an event or movie screening and discussion.
Friendship
Invite an immigrant family to your home for dinner once a month.
Identify local faith groups that offer ESL (English as a second language) classes, legal clinics, and other direct services for immigrants, and work with your community to discuss assisting with these ministries.
Public Witness/Lobbying
Call members of Congress once a week, asking them to support reforms that reunite families and allow undocumented immigrants to earn their legal status - or better yet, try to meet with them in person.
(Note: the main switchboard number for Congress is 202-224-3121 - ask for your senators or congressperson)
Write a letter to the editor, call into radio shows, and/or respond to negative comments about immigrants, in order to bring tolerance, respect, and a call for humanity to the discussion.
Informational
Attend one of the immigration and faith workshops planned or contact Sonya Luna, Hispanic Latino Missionary, to host a workshop in your church or study on this issue.
Luna can be reached at sluna@detroitconference.org
At United Methodist Church La Nueva Esperanza in Grand Rapids there will be a meeting and workshop on the initiation of the formation of the West Michigan Conference Hispanic/Latino Ministry Committee on Feb. 23 from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Make a Resolution
Fill out a pledge card (which can be downloaded at www.interfaithimmigration.org) and return it to yschock@churchworldservice.org so it can be sent to Washington, D.C., and shared with members of Congress to help them understand that people of faith care deeply about this issue.
Prayer
Pray daily for immigrants and their families.
Faith leaders from around the country have been participating in the New Year's Resolution campaign, and their stories can be viewed by visiting www.youtube.com/Faith4immigration. Participants in the campaign also have the option to post their own video stories. A toolkit, which contains bulletin inserts, worship resources, and other information to help you participate in the campaign, can be downloaded by visiting the Detroit Conference website.
According to The Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church, 2008, the rights of immigrants should be a concern for all United Methodists. The Social Principles of The United Methodist Church states that as a church, "we recognize, embrace, and affirm all persons, regardless of country of origin, as members of the family of God.
We affirm the right of all persons to equal opportunities for employment, access to housing, health care, education, and freedom from social discrimination. We urge the Church and society to recognize the gifts, contributions, and struggles of those who are immigrants and to advocate for justice for all." (¶162.H)
For more information on the New Year's Resolution campaign visit www.interfaithimmigration.org.
For more information:
Campaign website: www.interfaithimmigration.org
Video stories on immigration: www.youtube.com/faith4immigration
Immigration board game: http://allianceforajustsociety.org/issues/immigration/board-game/
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