Church Service Packet
Contents Bulletin Announcements.... 1 Guest Speakers........3 Syrian Fact Sheet..4 Litany....5 Affirmations.... 6 Suggested Scripture Readings. 7 Take Action 8 Additional Resources..9
Dear Church Leaders, On behalf of the refugees and displaced communities, thank you for your participation in raising awareness and mobilizing The Church! Tucson Refugee Ministry is here to serve you and help engage, equip and mobilize your congregation. Today, there are people fleeing their homes and cities seeking safe havens every second. Around the world, more than 59 million people have been forcibly displaced. Persecution and terror have forced these refugees and internally displaced persons to flee, leaving everything behind. They have lost family members, friends, possessions and the familiar places of their homeland. Tucson will become home to approximately 1,000 of these refugees each year! Now is the time to raise awareness about refugees around the world and mobilize your church to be a key agent of hope and compassion internationally and here in Tucson. We invite you and your church to remember those who are persecuted and oppressed around the world and to reach out to the nations at our doorstep! Sincerely, Cherie L. Gray REFUGEE One who is forced to flee their country because they have been persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership of a particular social group.
Bulletin Announcements
Yes! I am interested in being part of a group to welcome and embrace a new refugee family. I want to share God s love with the nations at our doorstep. Name: Phone: Email: Please drop this form in the offering. Yes! I am interested in being part of a group to welcome and embrace a new refugee family. I want to share God s love with the nations at our doorstep. Name: Phone: Email: Please drop this form in the offering. Tucson welcomes nearly 1000 new refugees every year. Many have harrowing stories of surviving imprisonment, torture, near starvation, the death of many relatives and friends, and enormous personal loss. They arrive in America with all their earthly belongings contained in two suitcases, prepared to begin a new life in the land of opportunities. They encounter many challenges. Their greatest felt need is for genuine friendship, and their hearts are uniquely receptive to God s love. You can now touch the nations without leaving your city!! You re Invited to Share God s Love with The Nations in Our Own Neighborhood! Refugee Info Meeting Ministry Opportunities Welcome Partnership: A three-way partnership between your church group, resettlement agency and TRM to embrace one refugee family for three months. Special Events: Volunteer at a family-friendly special event and be the fragrance of Christ in refugee communities. Rapid Response: Respond to the refugee crisis NOW and make a difference. Become a member of our Rapid Response Team, receive weekly emails with one-time needs, and respond to aid refugees (and agencies) in our city. Airport Welcome: Church groups can register to be a "welcoming church for a day or a week and greet newly arriving refugee families at the airport with signs and cheers and fanfare. Tucson welcomes nearly 1000 new refugees every year. Many have harrowing stories of surviving imprisonment, torture, near starvation, the death of many relatives and friends, and enormous personal loss. They arrive in America with all their earthly belongings contained in two suitcases, prepared to begin a new life in the land of opportunities. They encounter many challenges. Their greatest felt need is for genuine friendship, and their hearts are uniquely receptive to God s love. You can now touch the nations without leaving your city!! You re Invited to Share God s Love with The Nations in Our Own Neighborhood! Refugee Info Meeting Ministry Opportunities Welcome Partnership: A three-way partnership between your church group, resettlement agency and TRM to embrace one refugee family for three months. Special Events: Volunteer at a family-friendly special event and be the fragrance of Christ in refugee communities. Rapid Response: Respond to the refugee crisis NOW and make a difference. Become a member of our Rapid Response Team, receive weekly emails with one-time needs, and respond to aid refugees (and agencies) in our city. Airport Welcome: Church groups can register to be a "welcoming church for a day or a week and greet newly arriving refugee families at the airport with signs and cheers and fanfare.
Guest Speakers
Guest Speakers Another way pastors and local church leaders can better inform their congregations about refugee realities and our biblical mandate to love and welcome the foreigner, is by inviting a guest speaker with expertise concerning these issues. Tucson Refugee Ministry can help arrange for any of the following guest speakers to come to your church: 1. Invite a refugee to come and share his or her own personal story 2. Invite a volunteer who works with refugees to come and share his or her experiences and interactions with refugees here in Tucson 3. Invite a TRM representative to do a presentation about a refugee s journey and how to build bridges with our refugee neighbors Please contact TRM at cherie@tucsonrefugeeministry.com if you are interested and we will coordinate the speakers for you. 4
Syrian Fact Sheet
The Syrian Refugee Crisis: Did you know Over 4 million Syrians have fled their country since the Syrian conflict began in 2011, making Syria the largest current producer of refugees in the world. The vast majority of Syrian refugees are being hosted by neighboring countries, putting an enormous strain on the resources of smaller nations such as Lebanon and Jordan. As a result of their inability to provide and their concern for security, many Syrian refugee parents are now choosing to arrange early marriages for their teenage daughters. The most common age range for marriage of Syrian refugee girls in Lebanon is 12-15 years. UNHCR s data show that 50.5 percent of refugees are women, and children 11 years old and younger account for 38.5 percent. Less than 1% of refugees around the world are selected for resettlement. Of that 1%, about two-thirds go to the United States. Refugees are the most highly vetted immigrants to enter the United States. They must pass a detailed, intensive screening process that takes a minimum of 18-24 months before being approved for resettlement in the U.S. In 2015, less than 4% of refugees resettled in the U.S. were Syrians. In 2016, less than 12% of the refugees resettled in the U.S. are projected to be Syrians, despite the fact that Syrians now comprise the highest refugee population worldwide. 5
Litany
Litany for World Refugee Month Leader: Mighty Lord, as you guided the Israelites through the wilderness People: be a pillar of fire by night and a pillar of cloud by day for refugees in search of new hope and new life. Leader: As you brought the Israelites out of bondage to freedom, People: bring refugees out of persecution to safety. Leader: As you protected the Israelites through 40 years in the desert, People: protect those who languish for years in refugee camps. Leader: Wipe away their tears of sorrow, People: that their mourning will give way to joyous hope. Leader: Put an end to warfare and tyranny, People: that some may return home without fear of violence. Leader: Open the doors of safer nations, People: that some may find new homes in new lands. Leader: Rebuild their lives, People: that they might enjoy the fruit of labors in peace. Leader: Restore their material goods, People: that they might sustain their families in prosperity. Leader: Revive their hope, People: that they might face a future with promise. Leader: Surround all refugees with your heavenly host, People: that they might know your protecting power. Leader: Sustain them with your love, People: that they might feel the warm embrace of welcome. Leader: Strengthen their bonds of friendship and family, People: that they might serve one another with encouraging love. Leader: And inspire your churches to welcome the stranger, People: that together we might build communities of hope where strangers become neighbors and friends, and brothers and sisters. All: Amen! 6
Affirmations
Affirmations Together with other people of faith, and all followers of Jesus, I affirm: I will welcome the stranger. My faith teaches that compassion, mercy, love and hospitality are for everyone: the native born and the foreign born, the member of my community and the newcomer. I will remind members of my community that we are all considered strangers somewhere, that we should treat the stranger to our community as we would like to be treated. I recognize that all persons are entitled to dignity and respect as human beings and in all circumstances. I will respect the freedom of strangers who may be of a different faith or hold beliefs different from mine. I will speak of my own faith and give witness as to what God has done, without demeaning or ridiculing the faith of others. I will endeavor to build understanding and make an effort to listen to him or her deeply, and promote harmony and peace. I will increase my knowledge, seek understanding, and pray for them. I will speak out for justice on all levels and for all people in America. I will ask God s wisdom in connecting my head and heart, and I will work for change and compassion along with justice for all. I will not ignore wrong-doing, words and acts of hatred, but will instead endeavor to establish a dialogue and facilitate peace. I will encourage my faith community to work with other faith communities to find better ways to assist in peace-building in our city. SIGNATURE 7
Suggested Scripture Readings
Suggested Scripture Readings Genesis 21: 8-21 The three visitors Genesis 28:10-17 Jacob's dream at Bethel Exodus 23: 1-9 Laws of justice and mercy Ruth 1: 16-22 Ruth and Naomi leave Moab and travel to Bethlehem Psalm 137: - Lament of the exiles who were taken to Babylon Lamentations 5: 1-15, 19-22 For a fresh start Micah 4: 1-7 The mountain of the Lord Matthew 2: 13-15 Jesus as refugee Matthew 25: 31-46 The parable of the sheep and the goats Luke 10: 25-37 The parable of the Good Samaritan Refugee Highway Partnership 8
Take Action
TAKE ACTION! EASY STEPS THAT MAKE MAKE A A DIFFERENCE 1. Donate unneeded household goods or 1. Donate unneeded household goods or furniture to a refugee agency. 2. Post an article relating to refugees to your Facebook or Twitter accounts. 3. Invite your friends and neighbors to watch a film relating to refugees and engage in a discussion afterwards. 4. Ask your child s school to include curriculum related to refugees. 5. Donate funds to the local agencies and/or ministries who are serving refugees. 6. Contact your local senator or representative to encourage them to increase assistance to resettled refugees. 7. Adopt a refugee resettlement agencies in your city and bless them (cookies for the staff, notes of encouragement, offer to pray, etc.) 8. Volunteer to help set up an apartment for a soon-to-arrive refugee family. 9. Form a welcome team and greet a newly arriving refugee family at the airport! 10. Pray for refugee families as they begin their new life in America and pray for God to raise up Christian believers to literally welcome strangers. Most of the commands Jesus gave us in the Scriptures cannot be accomplished in a church building. 9
Additional Resources
Media Resources: https://vimeo.com/24886084 A 60 second look at some biblical texts related to forcible displacement set to music without commentary. https://vimeo.com/141460217 A refugee pastor describes life in a refugee camp - and how refugee churches are helping people transcend their circumstances. https://vimeo.com/132997834 An introduction to the Refugee Highway https://vimeo.com/61831695 Former refugees from Iran and Ivory Coast share how valuable it is for us to take time and initiative to pray for and with refugees. https://vimeo.com/17651246 A beautiful song with photos that remembers the forcibly displaced people in the world Information and Additional Resources: www.wewelcomerefugees.com www.iafr.org www.refugeehighway.net www.tucsonrefugeeministry.com Refugee Vetting Process Info: FAQ's Screening Process Infographic 10
BUILDING A BRIDGE BETWEEN THE CHURCH AND THE NATIONS AT OUR DOORSTEP