Update on Refugee Family Sponsorship
February 13, 2017
An update from the Committee Chair on St. James Cathedral's Co-Sponsorship with RefugeeOne
Dear Community of St. James,
We are extremely thankful for your generous contributions. Because of your faith and support in our effort to co-sponsor a refugee family with RefugeeONE, we were able to exceed our timeline and monetary expectations by raising over $13,000 in just a couple of weeks! Although our path to welcoming a new refugee family looks a little different now than when we set out on this journey, rest assured, we will make a remarkable impact in the lives of refugees seeking safety in our great city.
As I am sure you are well aware, there have been significant ramifications after the signing of the refugee ban, and, right now, there are still many more unanswered questions than solutions. RefugeeONE is regrouping and formulating plans for groups in our stage of the process. In the meantime, we are confronted with a unique opportunity in the face of this weighty obstacle.
Bishop Lee reminded us two weeks ago how the Episcopal church has a long history of advocating for and supporting refugees. He also emphasized that we all value safety, and are called to welcome strangers by providing love and support to those most vulnerable. He noted that "God asks of us only justice, mercy, and humility". I also suppose that "in the coming days, we will have many occasions to exercise those values through prayer, advocacy, and protest."
If you feel called to take an initial or another step in helping us in this work, there are plenty of steps to take. Possible actions to consider include expressing your views to your Senators and Representatives, exercising your right to petition, educating those close to you about refugees, seeking and attending events to support this population and of course, participating in prayer. Below you will find links to locate and contact your elected officials with talking points and scripts. And, if recent events have peaked your interest in donating your time by being a member of this team, please let me know, it's not too late.
Again, it is easy to be overwhelmed my the magnitude of the refugee crisis and now the obstruction of those refugees looking for protection. We have been met with the challenge of not only helping once they are in Chicago, but even now, as they are still abroad. We will be sure to keep you informed about any new developments. Thank you again for your thoughts, prayers and support.
Sincerely,
Rachel H. Walt
RESOURCES
RefugeeONE
http://www.refugeeone.org
Finding Your Elected Officials:
https://www.usa.gov/elected-officials
Find Elected Official and Created Script:
https://5calls.org/#issue/recj36jfXehe4RgCE