Last Night during the Bible studying that I am facilitating, we looked at the migration stories of different people in the Old Testament and examined their migration paths. Some left their place of origin to go to another and stayed there. For others it was a more circular path, they left their place of origin and settled in a new place, but then went back to their place of origin after some years.
We discovered there were various reasons why people migrated. One main reason was famine, another was war, another was to escape persecution, and another reason we saw was God called them to migrate. God needed them to help either back in their place of origin or in a foreign land. God called Moses to leave Midian and to go back to Egypt to lead his people out of Egypt. One can interpert that Ruth feels a calling to go to to Bethlehem with her mother-in-law Naomi. Ruth ultimately becomes an ancestor of King David, who is an ancestor of Joseph. One can also argue that God played a part in Daniel's migration. Maybe God didn't play a direct part in calling or asking Daniel to go to Babylon, but God was with Daniel in Babylon and protected him and Daniel was ultimately a witness to God's love and convent.
I was thinking about this on the way home from the Bible Study.
How has God called me to migrate? How has God been there for me when I was in a foreign land?
What is God's ultimate vision for the migrations that are happening today in the world? Here in this country? In our communities? In our churches? These answers might not be revealed to us, but we can start to look at migration as something positive and not negative. We can start to look at migrants/immigrants as people with value that can contribute to the society.
M. Daniel Carroll R. raises the question in his book Christians at the Border: Immigration, the Church, and the Bible, "Is God bringing millions of Hispanics to the United States to revitalize the Christian churches here and to present to those who do not yet believe the opportunity to turn to Christ in their search for a new life?" (p. 61). This is a powerful question. Is there divine intervention in the migration of people to this country?
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Monday, January 17, 2011
A Great Leader
We will always remember Martin Luther King Junior. He was a great leader, and prophet.
We will remember that he sought justice for all people.
Who are our leaders today? Who is seeking justice for all people today?
We still have a long way to go until there is justice for all people. We still have a long way to go until all people are treated equally.
Today, Hispanics/Latinos, along side other minorities and immigrants, are seeking justice.
The Pew Hispanic Center did a survey and asked Hispanics/Latinos: Who is the Most Important Latino Leader in the country today?
64% of the people surveyed said they did not know and 10% said no one.
How can the Untied Methodist Church be a beacon of Hope for Hispanics/Latinos and how can the United Methodist Church lead the way in the journey towards justice for all?
A great Hispanic leader, I see in the United Methodist Church, is Bishop Minerva G. Carcano. She is the first Hispanic woman to be elected to the episcopacy. She has been a leader who has spoken out against the injustices of our current immigration system and against the negative treatment towards Hispanics/Latinos.
I am so excited that Bishop Carcano will be coming to preach and teach at the Detroit Annual Conference. I am excited to hear her message.
May we continue to follow the lead of great leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. and Bishop Carcano in our journey towards justice for all. The journey that Jesus Christ calls us to take.
We will remember that he sought justice for all people.
Who are our leaders today? Who is seeking justice for all people today?
We still have a long way to go until there is justice for all people. We still have a long way to go until all people are treated equally.
Today, Hispanics/Latinos, along side other minorities and immigrants, are seeking justice.
The Pew Hispanic Center did a survey and asked Hispanics/Latinos: Who is the Most Important Latino Leader in the country today?
64% of the people surveyed said they did not know and 10% said no one.
How can the Untied Methodist Church be a beacon of Hope for Hispanics/Latinos and how can the United Methodist Church lead the way in the journey towards justice for all?
A great Hispanic leader, I see in the United Methodist Church, is Bishop Minerva G. Carcano. She is the first Hispanic woman to be elected to the episcopacy. She has been a leader who has spoken out against the injustices of our current immigration system and against the negative treatment towards Hispanics/Latinos.
I am so excited that Bishop Carcano will be coming to preach and teach at the Detroit Annual Conference. I am excited to hear her message.
May we continue to follow the lead of great leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. and Bishop Carcano in our journey towards justice for all. The journey that Jesus Christ calls us to take.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Made in the Image of God
The tragedy in Tucson, that took place a few weeks ago, has caused us to reflect on the words we use and how we treat one another. Politicians in particular are reflecting on how they talk about their opponents and how that is portrayed in the media and conveyed to the public. In my fundraising class that I am taking at EMU we learned that words and images can trigger responses in our brain and ultimately affect how we act and think about things and people.
"I prefer the word undocumented rather than illegal for several reasons. Illegal can carry a pejorative connotation, suggesting by definition that the person is guilty of some act, has few scruples, and is prone to civil disobedience. This is not the case with the overwhelming majority of Hispanic immigrants. Most would gladly regularize their status with the government, but the person system simply does not provide the appropriate avenues to do so."
Please let us all as Children of God love and respect each other in our actions and in our words.
What words do we use that can have an effect on what people think or do?
In the Bible class that I am facilitating about Immigration and the Bible, we talked about the word "illegal" or "illegal immigrant" and how the word "illegal" has a derogatory tone and can cause hatred towards immigrants.
In his book Christians at the Border; Immigration, the Church, and the Bible, M. Daniel Carroll R., says,"I prefer the word undocumented rather than illegal for several reasons. Illegal can carry a pejorative connotation, suggesting by definition that the person is guilty of some act, has few scruples, and is prone to civil disobedience. This is not the case with the overwhelming majority of Hispanic immigrants. Most would gladly regularize their status with the government, but the person system simply does not provide the appropriate avenues to do so."
In the Bible class we read Genesis1:26-31 and talked about what it meant to be made in the image of God. We said that to be made in the image of God is to know that we all have value and that we should be treated with respect.
The National Commission on Religion and Race has actually started a campaign called Drop the I-Word, No Child of God is Illegal.
Check out this campaign and use the material that is part of at a Bible study.
Check out this campaign and use the material that is part of at a Bible study.
Please let us all as Children of God love and respect each other in our actions and in our words.
Monday, January 10, 2011
Everyday The Lord is Born
Below is the translation of a portion of the lyrics from the Spanish Hyman
Todos los días nace el Señor. We sung it this Sunday at church on my request. These lyrics mean a lot to me and help me remember why Jesus is born everyday and why it is important for Jesus to be our guide.
To bring freedom
The Lord is born
Breaking our chains
The Lord is born
In every person that is free
Everyday The Lord is born
To remove oppression
The Lord is born
To erase the injustice
The Lord is born
In every town that shouts
Everyday The Lord is born
To defeat poverty
The Lord is born
For the poor that suffer
The Lord is born
For the equality of people
Everyday The Lord is born
To bring us peace
The Lord is born
For this land that bleeds
The Lord is born
In every person that struggles
Everyday The Lord is born
What does it mean to you that everyday The Lord is born?
¿Qué significa para Usted que todos los días nace el Señor?
Todos los días nace el Señor. We sung it this Sunday at church on my request. These lyrics mean a lot to me and help me remember why Jesus is born everyday and why it is important for Jesus to be our guide.
To bring freedom
The Lord is born
Breaking our chains
The Lord is born
In every person that is free
Everyday The Lord is born
To remove oppression
The Lord is born
To erase the injustice
The Lord is born
In every town that shouts
Everyday The Lord is born
To defeat poverty
The Lord is born
For the poor that suffer
The Lord is born
For the equality of people
Everyday The Lord is born
To bring us peace
The Lord is born
For this land that bleeds
The Lord is born
In every person that struggles
Everyday The Lord is born
What does it mean to you that everyday The Lord is born?
¿Qué significa para Usted que todos los días nace el Señor?
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Who are our Immigrant Neighbors?
Today I started facilitating my Adult Bible study class at Dearborn First UMC on Immigration and the Bible. We are using the devotional guide Strangers in the Land by the Sojourners magazine based off of the book Christians at the Border by M. Daniel Carroll R.
To start the class we studied the Bible verse Luke 10: 25-37 and we answered the question:
Who are our immigrant neighbors?
Our Immigrant Neighbors are:
Our relatives
Our co-workers
Our next-door neighbors
Our friends
Service Workers in our homes and in our towns
Refugees
May we remember that we are all personally connected to our immigrant neighbors in some way.
May we remember that when our immigrant neighbors suffer, we suffer too.
May we remember to follow Jesus' example to love our immigrant neighbors.
Amen
To start the class we studied the Bible verse Luke 10: 25-37 and we answered the question:
Who are our immigrant neighbors?
Our Immigrant Neighbors are:
Our relatives
Our co-workers
Our next-door neighbors
Our friends
Church members in our churches
Business owners in our neighborhoodsService Workers in our homes and in our towns
Refugees
May we remember that we are all personally connected to our immigrant neighbors in some way.
May we remember that when our immigrant neighbors suffer, we suffer too.
May we remember to follow Jesus' example to love our immigrant neighbors.
Amen
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
A Beacon of Hope
Feliz año nuevo a todos ustedes. Happy New Year to all of you.
God is working in wonderful ways through out the Detroit Conference, especially in terms of Hispanic/Latino Ministries. Last year, four new Hispanic/Latino Ministries emerged.
In Port Hope, an ecumenical group came together and started providing English as A Second Language Classes to Hispanic women and children. Several of these women are now attending Sunday Morning Worship at Port Hope UMC with their families.
In Lincoln Park, several lay missioners from El Buen Pastor have formed a faith community that is meeting at Lincoln Park First UMC. This faith community meets once a week on Tuesdays evenings.
In Adrian, a Christmas gift give-away was held at Adrian First UMC. Toys were given out to around 90 children. More than 20 families attended the event. The vision is to start a faith community as well as other ministries in the Adrian area.
In Pontiac, Grace and Peace Community UMC hired a part-time Hispanic/Latino Ministry Coordinator, who is working on promoting many of their existing ministries to the Hispanic/Latino Community in the area, as well as developing new ministries, such as a Spanish Language Bible Study.
Another ministry emerged last year for the immigrant community as a whole, which includes, but is not limited to the Hispanic/Latino immigrant population. Dearborn First UMC hosted their first legal immigration clinic in January 2010. Dearborn First UMC is working with Justice for Our Neighbors-Southeastern Michigan to provide free high-quality immigration legal services, education and advocacy to the vast immigration population in Wayne County and in Southeast Michigan.
This past year brought many difficulties for the Hispanic/Latino population in our communities and this year will also bring more challenges, but God is working through our churches and our leaders to bring continued hope. The vision for our Conference is for more churches to open their doors to the Hispanic/Latino community, so that we can continue to be a beacon of Hope for the Hispanic/Latino community.
We all know the reality. Unfortunately in this country, there is has been more and more animosity towards the Hispanic/Latino community especially the Hispanic/Latino immigrant community. We were hoping that the Dream Act would pass, but that was not the plan at this time. This year new will bring more struggles for the Hispanic/Latino immigrant community. More states are proposing bills similar to the Arizona Bill and many states are also proposing bills that would deny birthright to children of undocumented immigrants.
Regardless of your political stance, we as Christians must open our eyes to the reality that the country is becoming an unwelcoming place for Hispanic/Latinos, especially Hispanic/Latino immigrants. My own husband, who is a Mexican immigrant, can testify to that. He is a lawful permanent resident, he is documented and has a right to work and live here, but he doesn’t always feel welcomed here. He has experienced discrimination and people asking him if he is here legally.
While our country is becoming more of an unwelcoming place for Hispanics/Latinos, we have a different vision for our churches. The vision is that we will continue to welcome the Hispanic/Latino population into our churches and we will continue to reach out and be in ministry with the Hispanic/Latino community. As leaders we will continue to do all we can do make that vision a reality for God is calling us to do so.
God is working in wonderful ways through out the Detroit Conference, especially in terms of Hispanic/Latino Ministries. Last year, four new Hispanic/Latino Ministries emerged.
In Port Hope, an ecumenical group came together and started providing English as A Second Language Classes to Hispanic women and children. Several of these women are now attending Sunday Morning Worship at Port Hope UMC with their families.
In Lincoln Park, several lay missioners from El Buen Pastor have formed a faith community that is meeting at Lincoln Park First UMC. This faith community meets once a week on Tuesdays evenings.In Adrian, a Christmas gift give-away was held at Adrian First UMC. Toys were given out to around 90 children. More than 20 families attended the event. The vision is to start a faith community as well as other ministries in the Adrian area.
In Pontiac, Grace and Peace Community UMC hired a part-time Hispanic/Latino Ministry Coordinator, who is working on promoting many of their existing ministries to the Hispanic/Latino Community in the area, as well as developing new ministries, such as a Spanish Language Bible Study.
Another ministry emerged last year for the immigrant community as a whole, which includes, but is not limited to the Hispanic/Latino immigrant population. Dearborn First UMC hosted their first legal immigration clinic in January 2010. Dearborn First UMC is working with Justice for Our Neighbors-Southeastern Michigan to provide free high-quality immigration legal services, education and advocacy to the vast immigration population in Wayne County and in Southeast Michigan.
This past year brought many difficulties for the Hispanic/Latino population in our communities and this year will also bring more challenges, but God is working through our churches and our leaders to bring continued hope. The vision for our Conference is for more churches to open their doors to the Hispanic/Latino community, so that we can continue to be a beacon of Hope for the Hispanic/Latino community.
We all know the reality. Unfortunately in this country, there is has been more and more animosity towards the Hispanic/Latino community especially the Hispanic/Latino immigrant community. We were hoping that the Dream Act would pass, but that was not the plan at this time. This year new will bring more struggles for the Hispanic/Latino immigrant community. More states are proposing bills similar to the Arizona Bill and many states are also proposing bills that would deny birthright to children of undocumented immigrants.
Regardless of your political stance, we as Christians must open our eyes to the reality that the country is becoming an unwelcoming place for Hispanic/Latinos, especially Hispanic/Latino immigrants. My own husband, who is a Mexican immigrant, can testify to that. He is a lawful permanent resident, he is documented and has a right to work and live here, but he doesn’t always feel welcomed here. He has experienced discrimination and people asking him if he is here legally.
While our country is becoming more of an unwelcoming place for Hispanics/Latinos, we have a different vision for our churches. The vision is that we will continue to welcome the Hispanic/Latino population into our churches and we will continue to reach out and be in ministry with the Hispanic/Latino community. As leaders we will continue to do all we can do make that vision a reality for God is calling us to do so.
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