I've finally figured out how to post to this thing....anyway, to answer your question, Chris: I have been periodically attending the meetings of a new group calling itself, "People of Faith for Hospitality and Justice." It consists of mostly KCK pastors and lay people concerned about a fair and just solution to the immigration issue. If you or others on the Peace and Justice Committee are interested, I can provide more information about this group and its advocacy efforts.
Also, Melinda Lewis is the advocacy/lobbying person at El Centro. She is very articulate and well-informed on this topic. I can inquire about getting on her e-mail list and/or inviting her to address our group or perhaps an adult Sunday school class.
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I think it would be very worthwhile making a group connection to these places. I am working on a google calendar that we can share on our website, and being able to post times and locations of immigration issues would be very helpful. I like the idea of the adult sunday school class also, but we can discuss that at a meeting.
I am in favor of the "New Sanctuary Movement" -- Muriel & I attended a lecture on March 10 in KCK about this and Muriel posted a short blog @ http://rainbowpeacejustice.blogspot.com/2007/03/coming-and-already-here-new-sanctuary.html
Here is a negative view of the "New Sanctuary Movement" that is in the news today, that I found at http://www.americandaily.com/article/18744:
Time to make a few calls
By Guest Author: Carolyn Hileman (05/10/07)
" LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Alarmed by immigration raids on illegal workers, a coalition of U.S. religious groups is launching a sanctuary movement on Wednesday to harbour immigrant families who risk being torn apart.
Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jewish and Muslim groups are opening churches and synagogues to shelter families who face deportation.
Under the sanctuary plan, six to eight congregations in Los Angeles, New York, Seattle and San Diego will initially harbour one family each of immigrant families who have at least one member facing, or at risk of, deportation.
Organizers expect to expand quickly to some 28 U.S. cities. Families being offered sanctuary have worked in the United States for some years, paid U.S. taxes and have no criminal records. They have also agreed to be publicly identified."
Excuse me but I was not asked if I wanted to harbor illegal immigrants and since I am the church I think my opinion counts in this matter. These people who have arbitrarily decided to use the building that our American dollars paid for are not the church, they may be so-called leaders but they are not the church. The church is and will always be the people, not the building not the priest or the pastor, not the board, but the people. While I applaud their desire not to break up families, I would have to assume that would also mean that they would give sanctuary to any criminal with a family, if not that would be considered discrimination and cause for suits that most churches and parishes cannot afford.
The two border patrol officers behind bars right now for stopping an illegal immigrant from delivering his drugs have families as well and one has to wonder why this benevolence was not extended to them as well? The church leaders are standing at a very high cliff right now, and they are hell bent on taking us with them and I for one am not going over for the sanctity of the church. They are threatening to divide the church like it has never been divided before; they have picked up the stones and are prepared to say that anyone who does not agree with their tactics is not a Christian.
They have arbitrarily decided for us that we will in fact harbor people who have come into our country illegally, they have already joined them in the marches and forsaken any of us who will not stand with them, I cannot in good conscience stand with these people whom I know has broken the law not just once but many times and I think it is sad that our clergy expects us not only to do that but to welcome them into our churches as permanent residents. This is not a battle I had wished to undertake, but when something of this nature is being forced down my throat, when they plan to use my donations to harbor criminals and not even bother to ask me if it is OK, then this is a battle I feel I must undertake.
I really do not care if they give them food, I don't care if they give them money, I do not care if they give them clothes, but I do care when the place I go to worship is aiding and abetting criminals. Their mantra is that no human is illegal, I will grant them that, but humans do illegal things and when they do they should be brought to justice just like everyone else. They want to be just like American's then they should accept their punishment just like the American's have to, otherwise they are not American's they are a special race to be held above the law. I am left to wonder if this crack down had been going on prior to 9/11 as well it should have been would they have harbored the terrorists as well.
It is time for all Christians to pick up the phone or talk to your pastor after church; it is time to let them know where the true church stands on this subject. It is time to make our voices heard loud and clear in the halls of our buildings that house the true church. We are the church and we have a say in what those who lead us do, if we decide to ignore this and just follow along blindly then what difference is there between us and the cults? We must have a voice, we must use our voice and we must stop this before it is too late, it is time to make a few calls
Carolyn Hileman is head writer and editor of the Voice located at http://www.thevoice.name she writes about politics, illegal immigration and other things in the news.
See more recent news about the "New Sanctuary Movement" posted on May 10, 2007.
Interesting commentary. I think her feelings are rather well described and issues that many people, while unable to articulate, would also experience. Being able to address these thoughts would be an important consideration.
Chris
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