Immigration is 2009-10 Peace & Justice Focus
"A wandering Aramean was my father..." So begins a great liturgical recitation in Deuteronomy 26:5. In this way, the people of Israel reminded themselves that they were once immigrant peoples, an awareness that led to law codes in Exodus, Leviticus and Deuteronomy protecting the "sojourner" and the "immigrant." How do we in Central Plains understand our relationship with immigrants and strangers among us today?
As part of its peace and justice commission, Outreach & Service Committee has selected Immigration as a topic of focus for 2009-10. The committee will provide resources in the form of a traveling box of sample resources. The items in the box are also listed at right so people may obtain these resources on their own. Suggestions for speakers willing to share about immigration will also be available.
"We as Outreach & Service see as our task helping churches deal with peace and justice issues confronting us today." said committee chair Rosie Epp, adding that, "Immigration is an issue facing Central Plains." A May, 2008 immigration raid in Postville, Iowa, with more than 300 arrests, is a dramatic illustration of this; however, as a "Table Talk" survey at the June 2009 Central Plains annual assembly demonstrated, members across conference are already aware of the immigrants, both documented and undocumented, in their own or nearby communities.
Although the Table Talk survey asked specifically about barriers to connecting with Hispanic brothers and sisters in their home areas, many of the responses could apply to other immigrant neighbors as well. Respondents identified language, religion, cultural differences, and transience of the immigrant neighbors as barriers. Several noted that "attitudes towards documentation," "stereotypes we have," and "fear" are barriers. One group observed, "People seem to be self-isolating." Another asked, "Are we acting out of guilt or calling? We must discern first off if it is our calling to involve ourselves in the matter." Outreach & Service seeks to help with that discernment process, and overcome the barriers.
"We, as a church, need to learn how to work with and relate to the stranger and alien among us," said Epp, who is also pastor of Sermon on the Mount Mennonite Church in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. As Christians, we should "get our direction and our attitudes from the biblical models. The Bible, particularly the Old Testament, talks about treating 'the alien among you' with kindness because you too were a refugee or an alien," she explained.
Epp was one of five members of Central Plains Mennonite Conference who attended a Mennonite Mission Network-sponsored consultation on immigration near Dallas, Texas in September. The gathering, called "And you Welcomed Me: A Consultation of the People of God on Immigration," emphasized looking at the topic from a biblical perspective first, before looking at legal or economic implications.
"Unless one is Native American, most members of Central Plains conference have a family history of immigration," Epp noted. "For me, it was my grandparents and great grandparents-- It's important to remember."
Others from Central Plains who attended the consultation on immigration were Don Kempf, Ramiro Hernandez, Fernando Ramos and Cristian Aleman.
This is the first year that Outreach & Service has selected a specific focus for its peace and justice resourcing. The decision to focus on one issue came in response to a call from various peace groups and other interested individuals gathering at the conference annual assembly at Freeman in June. The group challenged Central Plains to provide more focused leadership on peace and justice. The focus on immigration also coincides with the implementation of a new Hispanic Ministries Coordinator position. The committee hired Ramiro Hernandez of Washington, Iowa, to serve as half-time coordinator for expanding outreach.
For resources or a list of possible speakers on immigration, contact Rosie Epp at rosieeppgmail.com.
Immigration Resources
Provided by Central Plains
Outreach & Service Committee Immigration is a complex issue which Christians need to examine from a
biblical perspective.This set of items is available for Central Plains
churches to use as they study the issue of immigration. Use these resources as you form study groups, worship services, etc.
In my shoes: Pedro Gonzalez
DVD produced by Mennonite Central Committee (MCC)
Welcoming the Newcomer: Doing advocacy with immigrants packet, MCC
Immigration and Conscientious Objection packet, MCC
What the Church is Saying
MCC US Immigration Listening project report
Washington Memo (Spring 2009), MCC Washington office
Christians at the Border, a book by M. Daniel Carroll
Strangers in the Land, a six-week devotional guide on Immigration, the Church, and the Bible, Sojourners magazine
Loving Strangers as Ourselves: Biblical Reflections, a study guide from MCC
A Common Place, Jan/Feb 2009, MCC bimonthly publication
Notebook of resources and statements from MCC and Mennonite Church US. This notebook contains statements, articles, brochures, suggestions of other resources, worship ideas, stories, and advocacy ideas to help individuals, small groups, or congregations sort through the immigration debate from a Christian perspective.
To have these resources sent to you to review, contact the conference office, 605-925-4463 or officecentralplainsmc.org. MCC items can also be ordered from their store: www.mccstore.org. Some items above are
available from the WDC resource library, 316-283-6300 or
www.mennowdc.org.
