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Immigration Summit - April 12, 2007
Bishop Peter D. Weaver endorses the Interfaith
The Massachusetts Immigrant & Refugee Advocacy Coalition (MIRA) has organized an Interfaith Summit for Immigration Justice to be held at the Massachusetts State House on Thursday, April 12, 2007. The purpose of this summit is to expand understanding, support and advocacy for immigrant members of congregations and communities.
The agenda for the day includes:
7:30-9:30am - Coffee and pastries at Church on the Hill (Across the street from the State House)
8:45am - Registration and Entertainment Begins at Great Hall and
10-11am - Interfaith
10-11am - Multilingual Welcome program in the Gardner Auditorium.
11am-1pm - Legislative visits and workshops throughout the State House simultaneously.
Bishop Peter D. Weaver has signed on as a personal endorser of this event. In keeping with the commitment to justice in immigration policies, as well as the call to education, mission, and ministry with and for immigrant populations, United Methodist churches and individuals in
Ways for Local Churches to Get Involved
There are a number of ways for United Methodist churches to support this event:
1.) Have your church sign on to endorse the April 12th Interfaith Summit for Immigrant Justice. Click here for a Commitment Sheet.
2.) Have two or more from your faith community attend the April 12th event. Click here for a Commitment Sheet to RSVP.
3.) Make some commitment to preach, teach or reach your faith community on the issue of immigrant justice. Some ideas include: a sermon, a reflective prayer service, a coffee & donuts presentation, and/or a pastoral address in your newsletter.
4.) Have members of your faith community send constituent letters to your State Representative and Senator, to arrive by April 20th and calling for fair treatment of all immigrants in general and, specifically, for any of the items on MIRA�s legislative agenda.
(Click here for MIRA legislative agenda).
(Click here for a Draft Letter to Legislators).
5.) Have members of your faith community call your State Representative and Senator�s offices on April 12th with a message of solidarity. The Draft Letter can be used as a script for this call.
Other ideas and ways to help can be found by visiting the MIRA Coalition web site at www.miracoalition.org.
Resources and More Information
Draft Letter to Legislators. Use this draft and send in a letter of solidarity to your State Senator and State Representative. Click here if you don't know who your legislators are: www.wheredoivotema.com.
Commitment Sheet. Use this sheet to RSVP to attend the summit and to be sure you get important updates leading up to the exciting event.
Resource Kit for Faith Communities - Includes quotes from several faith traditions which speak to the immigration issues. There are also several suggested links for information on the issues themselves. Use it to plan some kind of educational event or as a "sermon starter!"
MIRA Talking Points and Information on Immigration Justice Issues
United Methodist Resolution on Immigration from 2004 Book of Resolutions
Council of Bishop's Resolution: Immigrants and Refugees: To Love the Sojourner