Interfaith News from

St. Joseph County, IN

Website | Advocacy Center

TORCH: Twice In One Week?

Your editor hinted in the last edition that you'd be getting more than one, and here goes! This issue mostly seeks to give quick info on Afghanistan and local planning, as well as for the CROP Walk, being held virtually again.

NEXT WEEK: The International Day of Prayer for Peace is observed on Sept 21 each year. URC will provide a daily missive from a variety of faith traditions represented in our community about peace and peacebuilding. As we are not able to hold an event, we encourage our members to join the Kroc Peace Institute event on the 21st; the event is free at 4 p.m. on the 21st, and has online and in-person options.

Please note that our Board will be engaged in strategic brainstorming, and your input is appreciated; here's a link to the survey (and any results by midday on September 22 will get first review):

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/URCPlanning2021

Afghanistan and Refugee Work

Many kind members of the St. Joseph County area and beyond have asked about how to best help the many Afghan evacuees, refugees, and other terms that describe the different groupings of people displaced by the events surrounding the Taliban takeover of the country.

Locally, the URC's Refugee RESET Committee met on Sept 9, with representation from Church World Service (CWS) Global; CWS would be our partner when refugee resettlement has been approved. They are assisting with the very new Afghan Parole Support Program, anticipating that around 75,000 new arrivals may need assistance nationally. URC's board voted this week to pursue funding to help make the program work in our community. STAY TUNED is not just a way to get you to read more newsletters later, but an admission that our full commitment to helping people in need in our community and joining our community is a work in progress.

In the meantime, may we strongly suggest that you consider looking into the program at CWS Global.

For more on the Afghan programs in general:

The National Immigration Forum is an excellent, and bi-partisan source of information, along with the State Department

CROP Walk 2021!!!

The CROP Walk is traditionally held on the final Sunday in September. It is always a beautiful day, and it is always a great way to enjoy some outdoors around DT South Bend and the river.

This year, again due to the pandemic, we are encouraging YOU to do your 'own thing,' perhaps with folks in your family or in your 'bubble' from your house of worship, but we hope to raise $36,000 for Church World Service (which will help locally with food pantries and emergency aid) and their national needs (which are enormous; see above on Afghanistan...).

The flyer below has more on getting involved, but it's easy.

1) Go to the St. Joe County site:

https://events.crophungerwalk.org/2021/event/southbendin

2) Set up your crew

3) Get some friend to sponsor and/or walk with you

4) Collect funds for the project!

I'm planning to challenge my Cubs fans to pledge the over/under on the difference between the White Sox and Cubs total # of wins and pledge a dollar (and Sox fans will be generous, too), and do my walk that way.

Thanks!!!!