Introduction - New Hampshire Council of Churches



NH Immigrant Solidarity NetworkSupport, Accompaniment, Advocacy, & Sanctuary: Handbook for Faith Community TeamsPrepared with assistance from:NH Council of Churches – Rev. Jason Wells Father Samuel Fuller, OFM, CapEva Castillo, NH Alliance for Immigrants & Refugees Granite State Organizing Project603-668-8250sjknoy@IntroductionFaith communities depend on spiritual practice and reflection to be relevant and helpful in moments of social upheaval. Many faith communities seek ways to renew themselves and respond to the despair of the current moment.The creation of the NH Immigrant Solidarity Network is one response to the increased climate of fear in our immigrant communities. More than thirty New Hampshire faith communities, parishes, and congregations have signed on to the network, along with over 100 individuals and faith leaders.We believe the hyper-partisan, supercharged tone of the current political climate leaves people both frightened to share their deepest concerns and longing for connection and community. Granite State Organizing Project (GSOP) and the NH Immigrant Solidarity Network offers faith communities a model for creating local Immigrant Solidarity Teams.This handbook will help a Core Team of a few people to build a full Immigrant Solidarity Team within a whole faith community. The Immigrant Solidarity Team has four purposes:relationship buildingspiritual formationpractical learningfaithful solidarityContactGSOP staff, leaders and other in the NH Immigrant Solidarity Network are available to assist at any step in the process and to assist the Sanctuary congregation with coordinate and training activities as needed. Whenever you need help in working with this handbook, please contact Sarah Jane or Viola of GSOP at (606) 661-3893 or Rev. Jason Wells from the NH Council of Churches at 603-219-0889. Phase One – Relationship BuildingBeloved community is formed not by the eradication of difference but by its affirmation, by each of us claiming the identities and cultural legacies that shape who we are and how we live in the world.—bell hooksGSOP will train a Core Team of leaders in a faith community (along with the Minister, Priest or Rabbi) in techniques of deep listening and meaningful conversation.This Core Team then commits to having conversations with a specific number of members of their faith community in the next month. The purpose of One-to-One Meetings is a conversation that invites people to the Round Table Meeting described below. This first step towards creating the Immigrant Solidarity Team ensures that the Core Team has the pulse of the whole faith community.1. One-to-One MeetingsSome ideas for discussion in the one to one meetings:When did you or your family move to this country or this community?What prompted you or your family to move?Did you feel welcomed when you arrived here? Now or in the past, when has your family faced persecution?2. Round Table MeetingsThe Core Team then invites everyone who participated in the One-to-One Meetings to a Round Table Meeting. Each Round Table Meeting should have 8 -12 people participating. The Core Team should plan as many Round Table Meetings as are needed, given the size of your faith community. Round Table Meetings can be held in the faith community location after services, or in homes or other locations.One or more members of the Core Team should host each Round Table Meeting. Hosts will:invite peoplefollow up on invitationsarrange for refreshmentsfacilitate the meeting (or find another facilitator)3. Sample Annotated Agenda for a Round Table Meeting:00 Sign in and Settle InWelcome each attendee and make sure they sign in and feel comfortable.:10Welcome, Opening Prayer or Reflection:15Introductions Go around and share names, even if you think everyone “already knows each other.”:20 Why We Are Here?Who am I?The Facilitator sets a conversational mood and breaks the ice. First, the Facilitator shares by answering questions like: Why they are taking leadership now to create solidarity with our immigrant brothers and sisters who are at risk of profiling, detention or deportation?The Facilitator should shares one or two specific examples from their own life.Who are we? The Facilitator then shares:What part of our collective story in this faith tradition or congregation or city and state gives us hope that we can make a difference?What specific challenge did we face in the past and how did we overcome?Example: when a mob in Manchester tried to burn down St. Anne’s, the Irish Catholic parish, John Maynard, a local protestant (some versions say he was a Unitarian Universalist pastor) came to the rescue.Why now? The Facilitator then shares:What is the challenge now and who is most at risk?What is our hope, our prophetic voice for how things could change if people of faith exercise their power by caring and protecting each other and affirming the value of relationship?:30Pair and ShareBreak into pairs and share reflections on what our faith calls us to in this moment.:35Group DiscussionThe Facilitator probes for deeper dialogue: How is race, ethnic prejudice or racism at work in our community & our state?What Scriptures or teachings can help us understand stories of persecution, resistance or freedom?What stories of heroism do we have in our own faith tradition or community history?:50What We Can DoThe Facilitator asks the group for ideas for concrete steps that might be taken. As examples:Attend vigils at ICE on first Tuesday of the monthJoin the NH Immigrant Solidarity Network as individuals or as a congregationCreate a congregational Immigrant Solidarity Team to study the issues further1:00Evaluation, Debrief, Thank You and AdjournPhase Two – Spiritual FormationThe work of…justice in congregations must be understood as an ecclesial practice with public impact…a practice that is intentional, ongoing and under constant examination for the theological and ethical wisdom it generates for the prophetic witness of the church.—Rev. Michael-Ray MatthewsPhase Three - LearningNow to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit.1 Corinthians 12:7-9The Immigrant Solidarity Team sets a schedule for regular meetings (can be weekly, monthly, etc). Each meeting includes:Scriptural or another readingPrayerEducation on US immigration policies and practicesSharingOverview of ResourcesWeek OneScriptureMatthew 2:13 -15, 19-23PrayerWhen Every Night is WinterLearningHistory of Immigration Policy in the USSharing TimeWhen did my family come to NH? to the US?Week Two Reading“Home” by Warsan ShirePrayerJustice PrayerLearningImmigration Policy Today Sharing TimeWhen did my family come to NH ?to the US? (continued)Week ThreeScriptureLuke 10:25–37PrayerA Moment for Grace LearningSolidarity & AccompanimentSharing TimeWhen was a time you felt unwelcome or afraid?Week FourScripturePsalm 101PrayerPrayer from Beloved CommunityLearningWhat immigrant communities are at risk in NH?Sharing TimeWhen was a time when you felt welcomed and at home?Week FiveScriptureIsaiah 58:5–14PrayerSong: Lord Prepare Me to be a SanctuaryLearningFather Joe Gurdak’s Easter LetterSharing TimeHow have you experienced or extended Sanctuary?Week SixScripture Deuteronomy 10:17 – 18Prayer Prayer of St. Francis Learning Why would a person choose to request Sanctuary? Possible speaker from local sanctuary congregationSharing Time What is your faith calling you to do in this moment?Week One ResourcesScripture: Matthew 2:13 -15, 19-23 (NRSV)13?Now after they had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” 14?Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to Egypt, 15?and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, “Out of Egypt I have called my son.”19?When Herod died, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, 20?“Get up, take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who were seeking the child’s life are dead.” 21?Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel. 22?But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And after being warned in a dream, he went away to the district of Galilee. 23?There he made his home in a town called Nazareth, so that what had been spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled, “He will be called a Nazorean.”Prayer: When Every Night is WinterLord, you split no sky when you came among us,And you rose not from the sea.A star was seen in the heavens – but only by those who looked.A choir of angels was heard – but only by those who listened.No thunder, no storm, no cataclysm announced you, Just the cry of a lowly refugee,Turning to no one, turning to everyone,Saying, “Will you let me in?”And so, when every night is winter,And every town is Bethlehem,And every inn seems filled,And on every ear those words are heard,“Will you let me in?”May we have eyes to see the star,May we have ears to hear the choir,May we have hearts that finally speak:Yes, yes, by all means, come e in and stay.(Source: Share the Journey Advent Toolkit, Catholic Relief Services)Learning: History of Immigration Policy in the USThe People’s Timeline1924: First permanent limitation on immigrationNational origins quota systemRequirement of a visa to enter the US1965: National origins quota system repealedFamily reunification was given priority1986: President Reagan signed a billGave legal status to 3 million undocumented foreign-bornPenalized employers who hired undocumented immigrants1996: President Clinton signed a billExpanded deportable offensesPeople without documentation must return to a country of origin and then apply from thereWaiting up to ten years before allowed to migrate to USThe last major piece of immigration legislation(Source: Immigration 101, Eva Castillo, Executive Director, NH Alliance for Immigrants and Refugees) Sharing TimeWhen did my family come to New Hampshire?When did my family come to the US?Week Two ResourcesReading: “Home,” by Warsan Shire (British-Somali poet) no one leaves home unlesshome is the mouth of a shark.you only run for the borderwhen you see the whole cityrunning as well.your neighbours running fasterthan you, the boy you went to school withwho kissed you dizzy behindthe old tin factory isholding a gun bigger than his body,you only leave homewhen home won't let you stay.no one would leave home unless homechased you, fire under feet,hot blood in your belly.it's not something you ever thought aboutdoing, and so when you did-you carried the anthem under your breath,waiting until the airport toiletto tear up the passport and swallow,each mouthful of paper making it clear thatyou would not be going back.you have to understand,no one puts their children in a boatunless the water is safer than the land.who would choose to spend daysand nights in the stomach of a truckunless the miles travelledmeant something more than journey.no one would choose to crawl under fences,be beaten until your shadow leaves you,raped, then drowned, forced to the bottom ofthe boat because you are darker, be sold,starved, shot at the border like a sick animal,be pitied, lose your name, lose your family,make a refugee camp a home for a year or two or ten,stripped and searched, find prison everywhereand if you survive and you are greeted on the other sidewith go home blacks, refugeesdirty immigrants, asylum seekerssucking our country dry of milk,dark, with their hands outsmell strange, savage -look what they've done to their own countries,what will they do to ours?the dirty looks in the streetsofter than a limb torn off,the indignity of everyday lifemore tender than fourteen men wholook like your father, betweenyour legs, insults easier to swallowthan rubble, than your child's bodyin pieces - for now, forget about prideyour survival is more important.i want to go home,but home is the mouth of a sharkhome is the barrel of the gunand no one would leave homeunless home chased you to the shoreunless home tells you toleave what you could not behind,even if it was human.no one leaves home until homeis a damp voice in your ear sayingleave, run now, i don't know whati've become.Prayer: Justice PrayerCome, O Holy Spirit!Come, open us to the wonder, beauty, and dignity of the diversity found in each culture,in each face, and in each experience we have of the other among e, fill us with generosityas we are challenged to let go and allow others to share with us the goods and beauty of e, heal the divisionsthat keep us from seeing the face of Christ in all men, women, and e, free us to stand with and for thosewho must leave their own lands in order to find work, security, and welcome in a new land,one that has enough to e, bring us understanding, inspiration, wisdom, andthe courage needed to embrace change and stay on the e, O Holy Spirit,show us the way.(Source: Justice for Immigrants Campaign, US Conference of Catholic Bishops)Learning: Immigration Policy TodayImmigrant Visa Lottery50,000 visas available by lottery to a select group of countries who have low rates of immigration to the US2009 = 9.1 million applicants2010 = 13.6 million applicants2017 = 19 million applicantsVisa AllocationsIn 2017, immigrant visa issuances are limited to:226,000 in the family-sponsored preferences140,000 in the employment-based preferencesVisas for “Immediate Relatives” not subject to numerical limitation include:SpousesUnmarried children under the age of 21 yearsParents of US citizensCountry Applicants:Twelve countries with at least 50,000 awaiting visas make up 78% of total applicants.Each country limited to 7% of total visasFY 2017 the per-country limit will be 25,620.CountryVisasMexico1,309,282Philippines387,323India331,423Vietnam266,297China-mainland born252,497Dominican Republic199,055Bangladesh179,504Pakistan127,768Haiti115,580Cuba106,351El Salvador78,947Jamaica54,398All other countries958,627Worldwide Total4,367,052NaturalizationPermanent resident for at least 5 years and meet all other eligibility requirementsSpouse of a US citizen must be permanent resident for 3 years and meet all eligibility requirementsServed at least one year in the US armed forcesA child born outside the US may qualify if a parent is a US citizenA child residing outside the US is in the legal and physical custody of a US citizen parentAdopted children under 18 follow a different procedure since 2000(Source: Immigration 101, Eva Castillo, Executive Director, NH Alliance for Immigrants and Refugees) Week Three ResourcesScriptureLuke 10:25 -37PrayerA Moment for Grace LearningSolidarity & AccompanimentSharing TimeWhen was a time you felt unwelcome or afraid?Reading: Luke 10:25-37 (NRSV)25?Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus.[a] “Teacher,” he said, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 26?He said to him, “What is written in the law? What do you read there?” 27?He answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” 28?And he said to him, “You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live.”29?But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 30?Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. 31?Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32?So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33?But a Samaritan while traveling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity. 34?He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35?The next day he took out two denarii,[b] gave them to the innkeeper, and said, ‘Take care of him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend.’ 36?Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?” 37?He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”Prayer: A Moment for Grace – a Prayer for RefugeesGod of our Wandering Ancestors, Long have we known That your heart is with the refugee: That you were born into timeIn a family of refugeesFleeing violence in their homeland,Who then gathered up their hungry childAnd fled into alien country.Their cry, your cry, resounds through the ages:“Will you let me in?”Give us hearts that break openWhen our brothers and sisters turn to us with that same cry.Then surely all these things will follow: Ears will no longer turn deaf to their voices. Eyes will see a moment for grace instead of a threat. Tongues will not be silenced but will instead advocate.And hands will reach out— working for peace in their homeland, working for justice in the lands where they seek safe haven. Lord, protect all refugees in their travels.May they find a friend in me And so make me worthyOf the refuge I have found in you. Amen(Source: Catholic Relief Services)Learning: SolidaritySt Pope John Paul II in Sollicitude rei Socialis (On Social Concern, 1987) describes solidarity as a virtue or fruit of interdependence. (#38) This is full of insight and defines solidarity as more than how it is normally understood. To act in solidarity is usually taken to do an individual action such as a protest. What John Paul II suggests is a more transformative model of an abiding presence as it presupposes an already ongoing engagement of interconnectedness with the concerns of others, the give and take of relationship and working together. From this one’s own sense of identity is already deepened and broadened through a process of self-awareness, self-acceptance, and self-giving. This is interdependence. To then discover solidarity as fruitfulness is a measure beyond measure, a gift which speaks of the reciprocity of relationships as taking on a life of its own. It is as if one discovers a new capacity and depth of relationship with a collective force which provides a source of affirmation, meaning and direction. One’s own sense of identity is broadened. One has moved from self-assertion to giving expression to something other; the affirmation of virtue and value in the service of others. Submitting to such a collective presence doesn’t negate one’s identity but affirms it as one discovers a deeper and more authentic relationality. One’s identity is discovered as part of a constellation of associations and dimensions involving not only all that life offers but also the fullness, the poignancy, the authenticity and the beauty of what it means to be human. As John Paul II writes, “Solidarity is not a vague feeling of compassion…but a firm and persevering determination to commit oneself to the common good…because we are all really responsible for all. (#38) He develops this further by saying that “Solidarity helps us to see the ‘other’…not just as some kind of instrument, with a work capacity to be exploited…but as our ‘neighbor’”. (#39)(Source: Franciscan Connection- The Cord’ “The Beauty of the Earth; The Work of Sculpture and of Care for the Environment,” Father Samuel Fuller, OFM, Cap.)Week Four ResourcesReading: Psalm 101 (NRSV)I will sing of loyalty and of justice;????to you, O Lord, I will sing.2?I will study the way that is blameless.????When shall I attain it?I will walk with integrity of heart????within my house;3?I will not set before my eyes????anything that is base.I hate the work of those who fall away;????it shall not cling to me.4?Perverseness of heart shall be far from me;????I will know nothing of evil.5?One who secretly slanders a neighbor????I will destroy.A haughty look and an arrogant heart????I will not tolerate.6?I will look with favor on the faithful in the land,????so that they may live with me;whoever walks in the way that is blameless????shall minister to me.7?No one who practices deceit????shall remain in my house;no one who utters lies????shall continue in my presence.8?Morning by morning I will destroy????all the wicked in the land,cutting off all evildoers????from the city of the Lord.Prayer: From Beloved CommunityWith the help of GodWe will walk togetherIn the ways of Jesus,Creating a communityAnd striving for a worldWhere no one is an outcastAnd no one is a stranger,Where all people areCelebrated as precious children of God,Where we joyfully shareWith one anotherHope for the living,Comfort for the dying,Dignity for those in struggle,And freedom to ask and toSeek and to grow more fullyInto the personsWe were created to be.Learning: Immigrants in New HampshireState by StateOctober 13, 2017 New Hampshire has a small but growing immigrant community. While only 6 percent of the state’s population was born in another country, foreign-born residents make up a vital, educated share of New Hampshire’s labor force. For example, 44 percent of immigrants in New Hampshire possess a college degree or higher, while 90 percent report speaking English well.The state benefits from the various ways immigrants participate in the economy—from working as computer and math scientists to accounting for more than 22 percent of New Hampshire’s fishers, farmers, and foresters. As workers, business owners, taxpayers, and neighbors, immigrants are an integral part of New Hampshire’s diverse and thriving communities and make extensive contributions that benefit all.Six percent of New Hampshire residents are immigrants, while over 7 percent are native-born U.S. citizens with at least one immigrant parent.In 2015, 79,959 immigrants (foreign-born individuals) comprised 6 percent of the state’s population.New Hampshire was home to 38,334 women, 35,555 men, and 6,070 children who were immigrants.The top countries of origin for immigrants were Canada (11.2 percent of immigrants), India (10.6 percent), the Dominican Republic (5.1 percent), China (4.2 percent), and Germany (3.5 percent).In 2016, 93,691 people in New Hampshire (7.3 percent of the state’s population) were native-born Americans who had at least?one immigrant parent.Over half of all immigrants in New Hampshire are naturalized U.S. citizens.45,461 immigrants (56.9 percent) had naturalized as of 2015, and 13,921 immigrants were eligible to become?naturalized U.S. citizens?in 2015.Nine in 10 immigrants (89.8 percent) reported speaking English “well” or “very well.”The greatest shares of immigrants in New Hampshire possess a college degree or more.More than two in five adult immigrants had a college degree or more education in 2015, while one in seven had less than a high school diploma.Education LevelShare (%) of All ImmigrantsShare (%) of All NativesCollege degree or more44.035.0Some college20.529.6High school diploma only20.829.1Less than a high-school diploma14.66.3More than 6,000 U.S. citizens in New Hampshire live with at least one family member who is undocumented.In 2014, approximately 10,000?undocumented immigrants?comprised 14 percent of the immigrant population, or a fraction of the total state population at 0.8 percent.13,050 people in New Hampshire, including 4,636 born in the United States, lived with at least one?undocumented family member?between 2010 and 2014.During the same period, 1 percent of children in the state were U.S. citizens living with at least one undocumented family member (3,580 children in total).Just over 200 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients live in New Hampshire.As of 2017, 462 people in New Hampshire had applied for DACA.DACA recipients?in New Hampshire paid an estimated $812,000 in state and local taxes in 2016.Immigrants are vital members of the New Hampshire labor force across industries.48,196 immigrant workers comprised 6.4 percent of the labor force in 2015.Immigrant workers were most numerous in the following industries:IndustryNumber of Immigrant WorkersManufacturing9,412Health Care and Social Assistance8,904Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services7,752Educational Services5,056Retail Trade3,873Analysis of the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2015 American Community Survey 1-year PUMS data by the American Immigration Council.The largest shares of immigrant workers were in the following industries:IndustryImmigrant Share (%)(of all industry workers)Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting14.3Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services12.2Real Estate Rental and Leasing10.0Manufacturing8.5Health Care and Social Assistance6.8Analysis of the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2015 American Community Survey 1-year PUMS data by the American Immigration Council.Immigrants are a significant part of the New Hampshire workforce in a range of occupations.In 2015, immigrant workers were most numerous in the following occupation groups:Occupation CategoryNumber of Immigrant WorkersProduction6,004Computer and Mathematical Sciences5,922Management5,018Office and Administrative Support3,994Sales and Related3,783Analysis of the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2015 American Community Survey 1-year PUMS data by the American Immigration Council.The largest shares of immigrant workers were in the following occupation groups:Occupation CategoryImmigrant Share (%)(of all workers in occupation)Farming, Fishing, and Forestry22.3Computer and Mathematical Sciences17.8Healthcare Support11.4Production10.2Personal Care and Service8.5Analysis of the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2015 American Community Survey 1-year PUMS data by the American Immigration Council.Undocumented immigrants comprised 1 percent of the state’s workforce in 2014.Immigrants in New Hampshire have contributed hundreds of millions of dollars in taxes.Immigrant-led households in the state paid?$598.5 million in federal taxes and $170.6 million in state and local taxes in 2014.Undocumented immigrants in New Hampshire?paid an estimated $7.2 million in?state and local taxes?in 2014. Their contribution would rise to $8 million if they could receive legal status.As consumers, immigrants add billions of dollars to New Hampshire’s economy.New Hampshire residents in immigrant-led households had $2.4 billion in?spending power?(after-tax income) in 2014.Immigrant entrepreneurs in New Hampshire generate hundreds of millions of dollars in annual business revenue.5,016 immigrant business owners accounted for 6.4 percent of all self-employed New Hampshire residents in 2015 and generated $154.6 million in business income.In 2015, immigrants accounted for 20.6 percent of business owners in the Boston/Cambridge/Newton metropolitan area, which spans Massachusetts and New Hampshire.Today, in New Hampshire, approximately 2,000 Indonesians who came here fleeing persecution in their native country are in danger of deportation, all Haitians, Guatemalans and El Salvadorans currently here under Temporary Protected Status are also in danger of deportation and family separation, as are the 400 NH Dreamers. Week Five ResourcesScripture: Isaiah 58:5–14 (NRSV)5?Is such the fast that I choose,????a day to humble oneself?Is it to bow down the head like a bulrush,????and to lie in sackcloth and ashes?Will you call this a fast,????a day acceptable to the Lord?6?Is not this the fast that I choose:????to loose the bonds of injustice,????to undo the thongs of the yoke,to let the oppressed go free,????and to break every yoke?7?Is it not to share your bread with the hungry,????and bring the homeless poor into your house;when you see the naked, to cover them,????and not to hide yourself from your own kin?8?Then your light shall break forth like the dawn,????and your healing shall spring up quickly;your vindicator[a] shall go before you,????the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.9?Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer;????you shall cry for help, and he will say, Here I am.If you remove the yoke from among you,????the pointing of the finger, the speaking of evil,10?if you offer your food to the hungry????and satisfy the needs of the afflicted,then your light shall rise in the darkness????and your gloom be like the noonday.11?The Lord will guide you continually,????and satisfy your needs in parched places,????and make your bones strong;and you shall be like a watered garden,????like a spring of water,????whose waters never fail.12?Your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt;????you shall raise up the foundations of many generations;you shall be called the repairer of the breach,????the restorer of streets to live in.13?If you refrain from trampling the sabbath,????from pursuing your own interests on my holy day;if you call the Sabbath a delight????and the holy day of the Lord honorable;if you honor it, not going your own ways,????serving your own interests, or pursuing your own affairs;[b]14?then you shall take delight in the Lord,????and I will make you ride upon the heights of the earth;I will feed you with the heritage of your ancestor Jacob,????for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.Prayer: Lord, Prepare Me to be a Sanctuary ( may be sung or read) “God? prepare us, to be a Sanctuary,Strong and tender, in your love,With compassion, we’ll be a livingSanctuary for you!“God empow’r? us, to love our neighbors,Acting boldly in your name;Seeking justice, where there is suffering,Offer’ring hope where there is pain!” Learning: What is a Sanctuary?As he struggled with the definition of a Sanctuary Church, Father Joe Gurdak wrote this for his Easter Sunday letter in 2017:Since I came here with Brother Jose McCarthy, we have been a sanctuary parish. We dedicated ourselves to trying to ease the suffering of families who had problems with immigration.We went to court with many who had problems with driving without a license and other issues. We worked with GSOP in talking with the police chief. He visited our parish and heard your stories. Due to that visit he made a policy to help relieve the fear of the undocumented. We have helped to pay rent or utility bills for families whose husbands were in jail. Brother Jose would go to the Dover jail on a regular basis to visit the incarcerated.We love the parish and our brothers and sisters who are called ‘undocumented or aliens’ We have always tried to be there for all of you and will continue to do so. You should know that we do not support criminals who have committed violent crimes……We must continue to protect the dignity of the human person. We have already held the training for “Knowing Your Rights” and have helped families draw up emergency plans that we keep on file here. We have participated in rallies, marches and prayer services to defend the undocumented immigrants… I thank all the people of the parish who have been so good and have supported the work of the church.I am so disappointed in the hatred that people have toward the wonderful people of our parish who are undocumented. I wish they could know them and hear their life stories.I have been privileged to be among you and work with you.Fr. Joseph Gurdak, OFM CapSharing TimeHow have you experienced Sanctuary?How have you extended it to others?Week Six ResourcesScripture: Deuteronomy 10:17–18 (NRSV)17?For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who is not partial and takes no bribe, 18?who executes justice for the orphan and the widow, and who loves the strangers, providing them food and clothing.Prayer of St. Francis Where there is hatred let me sow loveWhere there is injury, pardonWhere there is doubt, faithWhere there is despair, hopeWhere there is darkness, lightAnd where there is sadness, joyO divine master grant that I maynot so much seek to be consoled as to consoleto be understood as to understandTo be loved as to loveFor it is in giving that we receiveit is in pardoning that we are pardonedAnd it's in dying that we are born to eternal lifeAmenLearningWhy would a person choose to request Sanctuary?Possible speaker from local Sanctuary congregation, request for supportSharing What is my faith calling me to do in this moment?Phase Four – Faithful Solidarity Those who hope…can no longer put up with reality as it is, but begin to suffer under it, to contradict it. Peace with God means conflict with the world, for the goad of the promised future stabs inexorably into the flesh of every unfulfilled present.—Jürgen MoltmannTeam members are invited to discern any action they wish to take as individuals in solidarity with the immigrant community and any collective action to take as a team or propose to the larger congregation. Individual acts of Faithful SolidarityMake a Jericho WalkAttend an Interfaith Prayer Vigil for Immigrants at the Manchester Immigration and Customs Enforcement office. Vigils are always held on the first Tuesday of the month from 8:30 to 10:00 am at the Norris Cotton Federal Building, 275 Chestnut Street, Manchester, NH. Accompany an Immigrant to a court dateContact the NH Immigrant Solidarity Network (call 603-668-8250) to discover if a local immigrant family has a court date (usually in Boston or Concord) they would like support at. Raise funds for an immigrant family who has lost their breadwinnerContact the NH Immigrant Solidarity Network (call 603-668-8250) to discover if a local immigrant family has a specific, short term financial need.Congregational/Community Acts of Faithful SolidarityPlan a prayer service for immigrant families at your faith community See attached for a sample prayer service for immigrants used at a local Catholic ParishHost and Immigration 101 workshop for your town or cityContact the NH Immigrant Solidarity Network to arrange for a full Immigration 101 training in your community. The NH Immigrant Solidarity Network believes this session must be facilitated by immigrant community leaders!Plan an Apple Pie Party Invite local elected officials, youth groups, Sunday school classes and families to your congregation or parish to bake and eat apple pies together as you discuss the Golden Rule and basic American values. Resources for Holy Family: Migrant Family: Sample Outline of Prayer ServiceHOLY FAMILY: MIGRANT FAMILYUn servicio de oración que afirma la dignidad de todos los refugiados e inmigrantes, particularmente aquellos de nuestro estado cuyas vidas han sido recientemente afectado por las políticas de inmigración.A Prayer Service that affirms the dignity of all refugees and immigrants, particularly those from our state whose lives have been recently impacted by immigration policies.TO BE COMPLETED WITH THE ATTACHED RESOURCESTolling of BellsGathering SongCHOICEWelcomeNAMEOpening PrayerNAMEFirst ReadingMatthew 2:13-15ReflectionNAMESongCHOICENaming and Affirmation of Immigrants and CommunitiesSecond ReadingStanding on Holy GroundReflectionNAMEIntercessionsResponses reflect the languages spoken in the congregation:Chúng con c?u xin Chúa…..Lord, hear our prayer, Ees-ta-jib lena ya rab, (phonetic Arabic)Se?or escucha nos.Padre Nuestro (Our Father)Acknowledgment of Church and Civic LeadersClosing Prayer and BlessingSending Forth SongCHOICEEveryone is invited to attend a reception in the hall.Resources for Holy Family: Migrant FamilyExamples of Songs to IncludeJuntos Como HermanosLord, Make me an Instrument of Your Peace (Prayer of St. Francis)God Be with Us Always (Kum By Ya)Abre mis ojosLa GuadalapanaAn Intercession for ICEHoly One, who calls us to love one another, we pray for the employees of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. May your grace stir their hearts as they carry out their responsibilities. Give them discernment on how to use their authority in ways that mitigate fear and confusion. May they have compassion for the undocumented immigrants with whom they work, and recognize our common humanity which we share. May their interactions with the immigrant community be opportunities to build relationships and tear down walls of distrust. Open our hearts that we, too, join in building bridges into our community. Amen.Rev. Sarah RockwellA Closing BlessingMay God the Father who called Abraham and Sarah to a far country and who blessed all nations with migrants: Bless us still. Amen.May God the Son who Mary and Joseph protected in their flight into Egypt: Bless all migrants with the peace and security of families. Amen.May God the Holy Spirit whose mighty love knows no limits, no boundaries, no borders and no walls: transform us citizens to be a blessing to every nation, as you call us to be. Amen.La benedicion de Dios todopoderoso, Padre, Hijo y Espiritu Santo, descienda sobre ustedes. Amen.Rev. Jason WellsDiscernment regarding support for any Level 1 Sanctuary Congregations in your communityTeam meets with Network and any local Level 1 Sanctuary Congregations to determine needs and possible response.Roles needed for Support of Level 1 Sanctuary Congregation:Support Team Captain: This person is the key connection between the Sanctuary Congregation Captain and their own local ISN, all requests for assistance from the local congregation go through the Support Team Captain. The local ISN can decide to assist the Sanctuary Congregation with one or more of the roles below:Communication Legal Day and Overnight Stay Transportation Medical Team e.g. Physicians/NursesEmotional Support /Prayer Visiting Food Support Basic Needs Team, e.g., clothing & Laundry, soap & toiletries Financial Support Community Celebration/EntertainmentIf the local ISN decides they can support a Sanctuary Congregation with (for example) Emotional Support and Communication, then they will choose a Local Team Captain for each of those areas. That Local Communication Caption (for example) will recruit congregation members who have communication and media skills to join their team and those people will meet with other Communication team members form other congregations to divide up tasks, get any training they need and create a schedule to ensure that the NH Immigrant Solidity Network, the local community, and the media are properly informed of all developments in the Sanctuary case. ................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download