From Bishop Megan: Immigration and Loving Our Neighbors

A message to our Diocese from our Bishop Megan Traquair

My dear friends in Christ,

I often hear from you about how important our baptismal covenant is in shaping our day-to-day living. Our promise to love our neighbor and respecting the dignity of each are two of the ways we do that. (These are the 4th and 5th of our baptismal promises, found on page 305 of the BCP.)

The prophets themselves called the children of Israel to respect the foreigner in your midst. (Exodus 22:21, among others)

The United States has had many seasons of immigration over our centuries - including the time when almost all of us had ancestors arrive here. (In my family that was 1906.) Therefore there is always much to be learned about the complex, important process of arriving on our shores.

In anticipation of likely changes in immigration policies and practices,

• I strongly encourage all clergy and lay leaders of the diocese (and everyone in the pews, too!) to become educated on the basics of U.S. immigration policy, and the rights your church has if approached by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to enter the campus of your congregation.
• I invite you to join a free webinar this Friday, January 17, from 9 - 10 a.m., produced jointly by the migration ministries of the ELCA and The Episcopal Church, which will address both of these important pieces. Register here.
• Additionally, I have requested the formation of a Migrant Support Network within our diocese. It is made up of clergy and laity from around the diocese and has been meeting regularly to gather resources to assist both your congregation and the members of your broader community. For further information about this working group, please contact Canon Julie Wakelee ([email protected]).

We are so blessed to be part of the human family, God’s creation, and to be invited to the godly work of loving and serving our neighbors.

Bishop Megan