Friends in Christ:
As we prepare for the various policies and procedures that will be implemented by the incoming presidential administration, particularly regarding immigration, there are several items I would like to inform you about and invite your participation. Regardless of what the rostered ministers and lay members of our congregations may think about the incoming administration, it is clear that the changes being proposed will have a direct impact on individuals and families in the Greater Milwaukee Synod. I have met with the leaders of our Latino ministries in the synod, and I can share that the levels of fear and anxiety are quite high among our Latino siblings, as I’m sure is true for other immigrant populations. Here’s what I’m asking you all to consider:
- Pray. I invite and encourage all our congregations to regularly lift up the concerns of our neighbors in prayer. In this case, pray that the policies and procedures of our governmental leaders will adhere to the rule of law and recognize and honor the dignity and worth of every person, regardless of their citizenship status.
- Learn. While I don’t imagine that we will all become experts in immigration policy, I invite you to familiarize yourselves with trusted and reliable sources of information, such as Global Refuge and the ELCA AMMPARO initiative. There will be advocacy and action alerts that emerge in the coming weeks, and I encourage you to learn and respond as you are able.
- Support. We don’t yet know the specific kinds of support that will be needed, but it is likely that individuals and families will be in need of financial support as they work through the various immigration pathways available to them. We have established a “Latino Ministry Support Fund” at the synod office (individual giving or congregational giving), and we are accepting donations now. Requests for funding will need to be received from a GMS rostered minister, and funds can be used to pay for legal fees and other requirements of the immigration process.
One of the common practices we have committed to as a synod is “showing up.” We declare, “We live out our faith by engaging in service, action, and advocacy around issues of poverty, violence, racial equity, gender, the LGBTQIA+ community, immigration, mental illness, and injustice.” It’s time for us to put these words into action and show up for our immigrant neighbors.
In Christ,
Bishop Paul Erickson
