From the Public Affairs Office
Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori has issued this statement on the current worldwide refugee crisis:
The children of Abraham have ever been reminded to care for the widow and orphan and the sojourner in their midst, who were the refugees and homeless of the time. Jesus charged his followers to care for the least of these and proclaim the near presence of the Reign of God – in other words, feed the hungry, water the thirsty, house the homeless, heal the sick, and liberate the captives. We cannot ignore the massive human suffering in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, nor in Asia and the Americas. We are our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers, and our lives are bound up with theirs. The churchwide ministry of Episcopalians has included refugee resettlement since the refugee crisis of World War II. It continues today through the leadership of Episcopal Migration Ministries, and I urge your involvement, action, and support. Read about their work [below], and share these opportunities with friends and co-workers. You will discover anew the power of good news in the face of the world’s tragedies.
The press release includes links and invites readers to Learn, Act, Advocate, and be Aware. It encourages congregations to use this prayer, offered by the Episcopal Migration Ministries:
God our strength and our redeemer, We ask for your loving presence and for your peace to be with the people of Syria, of all religious traditions and of none. Be with those in positions of leadership, that their decisions may hasten peace and bring an end to violence. Be with those who are in fear for their safety and their lives. Be with those who have lost their homes, livelihoods, and loved ones. Give them strength and courage. And be with us, as we listen and discern your call to us. Equip us and empower us to be witnesses to your love – as advocates and as servants, as ministers of welcome and of hope for Syrians and all those displaced by war and violence. In your Holy name we pray, Amen.
Read more here.
Photo credit: By Voice of America News: Margaret Besheer reports from the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli; “Syrian Refugees Seek Out Smugglers”. [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons