Refugee and Immigration Ministries

The Refugee & Immigration Ministries Task Force serves as liaison between the conference and local churches in an effort to maintain Christ's ministry of hope and of justice as educators and advocates for the sojourner in our midst. 

There are several opportunities for sharing God's love in the Refugee and Immigration Ministries:

One is the support and advocacy for refugees as they come to our area to begin a new life that is free from the dangers and the oppression experienced in their previous homes. This support takes many forms, including gifts of time, resources, presence and prayers. There are different levels of commitment needed by local congregations, ranging from partial preliminary support by providing gently used household items to full co-sponsorship with Refugee Services of Texas for a minimum of six months as the family adjust to life in our conference.

The second focus in Justice for Our Neighbors which is a program of the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR)  that provides high-quality immigration legal services to low-income immigrants. JFON also fosters greater cross-cultural community building and raises awareness about U.S. immigration policies through education for mission and advocacy. The local JFON offices are located at Polytechnic United Methodist Church in Fort Worth and at First United Methodist Church in Fort Worth. Volunteers are always eagerly welcomed to help answer phones, general office tasks, complete paperwork, and simply be the smiling face and welcoming arms of Christ. Volunteers need not be bilingual.

A third opportunity to welcome the stranger (Matthew 25) is through the WIN Welcoming Immigrants Network.  WIN is a faith-based network of caring people who reach out in love to immigrants in the United States.  WIN began as a United Methodist movement, and still claims those roots by use of the United Methodist “Welcoming the Migrant to the United States” resolution as a guiding document.  Today, as an interfaith organization, WIN openly embraces persons of many denominations and faiths, and claims the "Interfaith Platform on Humane Immigration Reform" as another guiding document. Anywhere the welcoming spirit lives, WIN belongs.

Members of WIN are advocates for the immigrants among us, taking action both socially and politically to bring Christ’s love to life for the vulnerable and powerless. WIN works in conjunction with other organizations, such as Interfaith Immigration Coalition, the United Methodist General Board of Church and Society, Justice for Our Neighbors, and the Border Friendship Commission.  WIN gratefully enjoys the endorsements of the Central Texas Conference Refugee and Immigration Ministries and the CTC United Methodist Women. 

                                                                                              

Opportunities with Justice for our Neighbors:

Hospitality:
JFON is in need of volunteers or churches to help with hospitality. Each month, JFON hosts a clinic for immigrant concerns (i.e. paperwork for clients who are applying for proper status) and we need churches or individuals to provided either snacks for the clients (crackers, juice, coffee, water, etc.) or lunch for the volunteers (usually there are about 6-8 volunteers who would need lunch). Of course, you can both!   This is an easy project that meets a pressing need. If interested, contact the JFON office at 817-534-3293.

Invite JFON to Speak to Your Congregation:
As communities continue to change and as more people immigrate into our midst, churches struggle with how to welcome and treat the immigrants in their midst. Justice For Our Neighbors can help churches reflect upon these changes, understand the plight of the immigrants in their communities, and help the churches begin to be advocates for those who find themselves estranged in our communities.
With this goal in mind, I welcome invitations to speak to congregations, youth groups, Sunday School classes, small group Bible studies, UMW groups, mission leadership teams, or any group interested in receiving more information and deeper theological reflection on immigration.  Please feel free to contact me with any questions or to schedule a speaking engagement:
Amy Spaur
Justice For Our Neighbors
817-534-3293 (Ft Worth office)
214-381-0901 (Dallas office)
spaura78@yahoo.com
 
Support this important program by giving to Justice for Our Neighbors Fort Worth clinic and encouraging your congregation to contribute at or above its designation for the JFON Fair Share Asking.  JFON Brochure

Opportunities with Refugee Services of Texas:

Refugee Services of Texas is entering a very busy time of year for refugee resettlement.  RST continues to receive new clients and is in need of volunteers to assist with preparing their apartments in Fort Worth.  This includes gathering household items, placing them in the apartment, and making sure that everything is set for the arrival.  Additionally, RST has opportunities for individuals to mentor refugee families and for church groups to co-sponsor families as they settle into a new beginning in our community.  If this is of interest to you or your congregation, please contact RST’s Fort Worth Area Director Laila Amara at 817-457-8110 or rstfw@sbcglobal.net.  

Refugee Services of Texas has a new website!  Check out www.refugeeservicesoftexas.org.

Church World Service  http://www.churchworldservice.org