Letter Regarding ICE Raids

As many of you already know from various news outlets, ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) officers are planning raids across the U.S. are this weekend, the following ELCA links provide information on how to respond:

https://blogs.elca.org/advocacy/responding-to-our-sorrow-with-action/

And resources for those facing deportation:

https://www.elca.org/Resources/AMMPARO#ForSynodsAndCongregations.

I am aware of several Lutheran congregations in our synod who are afraid of what may or may not happen this weekend either in their church buildings or in the homes and apartments of their members.

I am asking all of the congregations of the New England Synod to do two things this weekend.

First, please include in your prayers this event. I trust you to formulate your own prayers, but I suggest that at its core this is all about fear. 

• ·     The fear that some Americans see in a changing society. 

• ·     The fear experienced by those newly arrived in this country who are targeted in these raids. 

• ·     The use of fear by those in power is a weapon of both political manipulation and the accumulation of power. 

• ·     Fear as something Jesus regularly addressed in his ministry. 

 Second, if you, your congregation or some of your community are holding vigils, participating in demonstrations or other forms of a civil action, please communicate them with one another, share them on our synod Facebook Page. We need people to be aware that this form of intimidation is not the way to address the policy matters of immigration. 

Finally, if you or your members are indeed subjected to a raid, let us know so we can respond as best we can to individual situations.

In Christ

Bishop James Hazelwood