Special Sunday Offering: Peace with Justice Sunday ~ June 19

What is it?
As one of six Special Sunday Offerings of the UMC Peace with Justice Sunday enables The United Methodist Church to have a voice in advocating for peace and justice through a broad spectrum of global programs.

The history:
The 1988 General Conference established the offering for the Peace with Justice program created by the UMC in 1980. More than $800,000 has bee raised for the program by special offerings the last three years.
The Detroit Conference has given the following amounts during that time span: $11,335 in 2008, $17,2589 in 2009 and $12,543 in 2010.
The West Michigan Conference raised $11,798 through last year’s offering.

How it helps:
This offering allows The United Methodist Church to have a voice in advocating for peace and justice through a broad spectrum of global programs. For example:
• The Ohio-based Faith Communities Uniting for Peace encourages Christians, Buddhists, Hindus, Jews, Muslims and Sikhs “to live from a vision of peace rooted in faith.”
• In Liberia—in partnership with other religious and humanitarian groups, The United Methodist Church provides a place for former child soldiers to live, recreational activities to address war trauma, and basic necessities such as fresh drinking water and medical treatment.
In Michigan some of the funds have been used to help fund the Justice for Our Neighbors — a free legal clinic for immigrants — as well as the conference’s Boards of Church and Society.

How to give:
Donate during the special offering time at your church on June 19 or send donations by mail to: GCFA, P.O. Box 340029, Nashville, TN 37203.

To learn more: Check out www.umcgiving.org.

— By RJ Walters

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Commited to fighting for social justice: Justice For Our Neighbors steps up to offer immigrants help

By RJ Walters, Editor

Imagine not knowing when you will see a family member next just because the government has the final say in a case that is nothing less than exceedingly complex.

Imagine being able to speak hardly any English, yet yearning for one final plea to be reunited with a loved one while living in a primarily English-speaking community.

For many immigrants living in the state the proposition is not a “what-if”, it’s a harsh reality of life that the United Methodist Church is trying to make a little more manageable.

On January 23 the organization Justice For Our Neighbors (JFON) hosted its first monthly legal intake clinic for people dealing with immigration issues in Southeastern Michigan, as 35 volunteers came together to help provide services at Dearborn: First United Methodist Church.

Since then JFON Southeastern Michigan has hosted two more intake clinics in Dearborn and another one is set for April 17.

It might be exactly the kind of “social justice” TV megastar Glen Beck fears is brainwashing churchgoers, but the United Methodist Church believes it’s precisely the kind of work God has called his disciples to.

JFON operates two clinics in West Michigan, at sites in Grand Rapids and Holland where they have been serving since 2004, and through the funding of local churches and support from the United Methodist General Board of Global Ministries and UMCOR its operations continue to expand.

Treading through deep water

It is a national ministry dedicated to providing free, high-quality immigration legal services.

JFON-SEMI is one of 28 regional clinics around the country that operate with the support of denominational staff members and it is a ministry close to the hearts of many — particularly Southeastern Michigan Regional Director Paul Perez, who also serves as a Deacon at Newburg UMC in Livonia.

Perez said he has spoken with a number of attorneys in Metro Detroit who agree the need for legal counseling for immigrants is enormous, especially since the Immigration Reform and Immigration Act of 1996 and the Patriot Act following 9/11.

It’s more than just creating a supply for the demand to Perez though — it’s personal.

Perez is the beneficiary of a successful immigrant story in his own heritage, so he takes the dire needs of some immigrants right to heart.

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