September 25, 2019
LIFT YOUR VOICE FOR REFUGEES TODAY!!
Knowing the administration is considering THIS month how many refugees will be welcomed into the US in FY 2020, Disciples clergy Rev. Joan Bell-Haynes, Rev. Ike Nicholson, and Rev. Mark Pumphrey from Colorado (left above), together with Kansas layleader Jane Pryor and Dr. Sophia Khan (at right), joined in D.C. with refugee leaders to urge their legislators support 95,000 refugees--our national average since the 1980's--be resettled next year.

Rev. Joan Bell Haynes, Regional Minister for The Central Rocky Mountain Region of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) reflected:
"How important it is to stand for what we believe in, even if we fail to reach the goal. With the collaborations of Refugee and Immigration Ministries of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Church World Service, and Refugee Council USA, we experienced a transformation that will be forever marked in my memory as a time of being welcomed by strangers and working for what it truly means to be a beloved community and human." 

More of Rev. Nicholson's experience can also be found on the Week of Compassion website here .

Will you join faith leaders in lifting your voice for refugees TODAY in these ways?

  1. JOIN TODAY'S TWITTER STORM, by using #RefugeesWelcome to tweet at @SecPompeo and tell the administration to welcome 95,000 refugees next year. Click here for a social media toolkit. Here are some sample posts:
  • As people of faith, we are called to welcome the vulnerable as our neighbors. @SecPompeo listen to the faith community and tell the President about the negative impact of such low refugee admission numbers. #RefugeesWelcome
  • American faith communities are heartbroken that the U.S. is turning its back on persecuted religious minorities. Fewer persecuted religious minorities are being provided safe haven in the U.S. than ever before. @SecPompeo, be a leader and welcome 95,000 refugees #Advice4Pompeo #RefugeesWelcome
  • After World War II, churches and houses of worship across the United States came together to build the refugee resettlement program we have today. @SecPompeo, keep our tradition alive and say #RefugeesWelcome

2. CALL CONGRESS :  Call House and Senate Judiciary Committee Members , who are in charge of consulting with the administration, and urge them to strongly condemn a low admissions goal and call for a robust refugee admissions goal of 95,000 in FY20. Please lift up the  bipartisan letter  signed by more than 360 state and local government officials and map of support for r efugees from all 50 states.

3.  SHARE YOUR DISCIPLES STORY WITH REFUGEES :  Fill out this brief form  if you have ever resettled or helped welcome refugees—and we will follow up with how we NEED your help more than ever to help the US refugee resettlement program SURVIVE in this time!!

4.    SHOW OUR DISCIPLES SUPPORT FOR REFUGEES by sending your local and national leaders our Emergency Resolution passed at our recent General Assembly. 

5. PREPARE A RAPID RESPONSE ACTION : As soon as we hear what next year's refugee admissions goal will be, we invite everyone to participate in a rapid response action within 24-48 hours. For the top ways to take rapid response action, please check out our Rapid Response Toolkit: http://bit.ly/PDRapidResponseToolkit . For more information, please check out RCUSA’s compiled resources: http://bit.ly/FY20PDResponseResources .
Follow Disciples Refugee & Immigration Ministries on Twitter @StanleyRea, & on FB at: http://bit.ly/RIMFacebook, and call Rev. Dr. Sharon Stanley-Rea, Director, Disciples Refugee & Immigration Ministries, with any questions: 202-957-7826. See our website at: bit.ly/DisciplesRIM, & Sign Up HERE to receive our important refugee & immigration "RIM WRAP" Alerts!
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