The Episcopal Church is clear that our mission is to offer a sacred welcome to immigrants and refugees and to work toward immigrant justice. But just how do we do this? What are we called to do as Episcopalians and members of St Michael’s?
Oregon’s statewide eviction and foreclosure moratorium has been one of the most successful remedies for communities bearing the brunt of the pandemic, according to a recent op-ed printed in The Oregonian. It was written by leaders of the Oregon Food Bank, Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon (EMO) and the Oregon Law Center.
This year has certainly been a different one! And Advent at St. Michael’s will be different, too. The Giving Tree, anticipated by many, will be missing. But the Outreach & Justice Council is still fulfilling its mission of outreach to those small, often local ministries for which our funds make a welcome difference.
The Outreach & Justice Council has met online every month since the COVID-19 outbreak began and have divided the funds allotted to them from the Operating Fund between many areas of need.
The Advocacy Action Committee of St. Michael’s is making available a publication entitled “Democracy Values & the 2020 Election: A Reflection Guide for Faith Communities.”
The Episcopal Church is urging all its members to take part in the 2020 United States Census. The mission of the census is to count every single person in the United States, without regard to age, immigration or citizenship status, whether or not someone is incarcerated or on parole, or whether they are facing homelessness. The goal of the Church is to help ensure that everyone is counted.
St. Michael’s and the Interfaith Movement for Immigrant Justice (IMIrJ) invite you into new ways of being, loving, and acting together by engaging in immigrant justice and anti-racism work. Many people at St Michael’s have expressed a desire for a space where they can talk about immigration injustice, racism and white supremacy, and engage in the work of dismantling these personally, in our communities and in the world.
The St. Michael’s Advocacy Action Committee is asking you to review a rule against asylum seekers proposed by the current administration. After years of attacking the asylum system and the rights of those in need of protection, the “administration is proposing a rule that could effectively end asylum in this country once and for all…”
The web platform Medium and the organization Environment America offer many ideas for children and families seeking to make a difference through environmental activities.
The St. Michael’s Advocacy Action team is gearing up for a busy election year. A proposed initiative for the November 2020 ballot, Initiative Petition 57, would create an independent Oregon Citizens Redistricting Commission to draw state legislative and congressional districts in an impartial and fully transparent manner.
