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.
