Letter from Bishop Brown
Immigration, Migration, and Refugees
Beloved of God in Delaware,
Last week, in this space, I called our attention to issues of migration and immigration which once again have bubbled to the heated surface of public discourse. Of course there is nothing new about such controversies in our country. Since our founding, Americans have grappled sporadically and imperfectly to balance our responsibility to establish and maintain safe borders with the obligation and desire to welcome and protect immigrants, migrants and refugees.
The current immigration controversies are similar to those of the past, but the proposed scale and intrusiveness of “round up” enforcement is unprecedented and alarming to say the least. Common sense tells us that blunt instruments almost never solve difficult problems yet they almost always make bad situations far worse. As long as we Americans try to solve our social problems this way, the church will never be short of ministry opportunities.
What can we do? I offer three items for your immediate consideration.
- Episcopal Migration Ministries (EMM), episcopalmigrationministries.org, has been at the forefront of this work for well over 100 years in partnership with faith organizations from across religions and Christian denominations. EMM is non-partisan and has worked closely with Republican and Democratic administrations for generations. I cannot say enough about the free materials you can find on their website. Invest your time, invest your energy, invest your attention here.
- In particular, we are all invited to join EMM’s weekly open webinar to learn up-to-date information on the current state of affairs. I joined yesterday, it was remarkable. Among other speakers, the chief legal officer of the Episcopal Church gave incredibly helpful insight into areas of the law (enforcement, arrest, warrants, public vs. private spaces, lack of specific legal deference for house of worship, and so on) on which I as a non-lawyer was woefully under-informed.
- From my experience with #2, I have asked our diocesan chancellor, Mr. Tim Willard, to join me on Thursday, February 13 at 3:00 p.m. for a Delaware-focused webinar on “Churches, Shelter, and the Law” (see below announcement for details). We are basing the webinar on questions specifically around how proposed new law enforcement techniques might impact a church’s ministries. If we are to provide robust, sustainable ministry to and with the hungry, homeless, and vulnerable — including immigrants and all persons in need — we are wise to do so with our eyes as wide open as our hearts.
Let us pray that our commitment to the plight of immigrants, migrants, and refugees does not wane when this issue is inevitably bumped out of the news cycle. Some other outrage will replace it on your favorite cable news show and social media feed. Don’t be distracted or led astray. These are people, not just issues. Follow the amazing, long-term work of Episcopal Migration Ministries. Donate annually to their efforts. Learn what we all can do to help even when no one else is looking. I ask us all to take this moment of renewed political sound and fury to pay close attention to these issues — never forgetting these are not merely “issues” but rather actions that profoundly affect real people, families, and communities.
Your brother in Christ,
+Kevin
Churches, Shelter, and the Law
a Delaware-focused webinar
with Bishop Brown and Mr. Tim Willard, diocesan chancellor
Thursday, February 13, 3:00 p.m.
Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88911325770
Topic: how proposed new law enforcement techniques might impact a church’s ministries