Like many congregations, my church struggles with how to welcome strangers into our midst. We have visitor cards and welcome badges and the greeters at every door, but we stop short of translating information into another language or specifically serving the large immigrant population in our city.
There are obstacles churches face when trying to find effective ways to welcome the stranger. During a recent discussion about immigration in an adult Sunday school class, one man stated passionately, "I don't want this church doing anything illegal or becoming one of those churches that harbors fugitives from the law."
While this man might have been more outspoken than most, he reflects the concerns and conflicted feelings many have about specifically reaching out to immigrants. After explaining that most immigrants are in this country legally, I also assured the man that U.S. law does not hold a church responsible for determining or reporting the immigration or visa status of anyone.
I suggested we simply consider ways to make our church more welcoming in general to the diverse population of our city. Here are five things any church can do:
1. Encourage Members of The Congregation to Highlight Their Ethnic Origin.
Make your church a place where people take pride in their heritage and share it. It's a way to get to know one another. Next time there's a potluck dinner, invite everyone to bring a dish that reflects their own nationality. Have each person include a place card that names the dish, country of origin along with their name. If there is time, have people briefly tell about their dish and their family story.
In your Bible study or small group, ask each person to share a story of their family and how they or their ancestors came to America.
Ask members of your congregation who are bilingual to wear a badge at church services identifying the language so visitors can feel comfortable speaking their own language. Whether the member learned the language at home or in school, it's a nice way to highlight the diverse abilities of the congregation.
2. Partner With a Refugee Resettlement Group in Your City.
Those who come to the U.S. as refugees are often fleeing war, persecution, or other difficult circumstances requiring them to uproot the entire family and find a new home. Many churches have members of the congregation help an immigrant family get acclimated to their new culture and environment. World Relief is the primary agency working with evangelical churches but depending on your community, another agency may be helping local churches assist with resettling refugees. Here is a list of the government accredited agencies:
- Church World Service
- Ethiopian Community Development Council
- Episcopal Migration Ministries
- Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society
- International Rescue Committee
- U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants
- Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services
- United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
- World Relief
3. Offer English Classes to Members of The Community.
Learning English is a high priority for many immigrants and those visiting the U.S. on a student or other temporary visa. Lack of language skills creates barriers for career advancement and is the primary reason why many legal permanent residents ("Green Card" holders) do not pursue citizenship. Immigrants who do speak English often need help with colloquialisms or when required to fill out forms or help their children register for school.
Teaching English as a Second Language classes are available online or through many community colleges. Although it's helpful to have some training, any help will be appreciated.
4. Teach or Tutor Citizenship Candidates.
Millions of legal permanent residents have never become U.S. citizens because they fear they cannot pass the language test or the citizenship test. Free DVDs and study guides are available.
Consider offering citizenship classes at your church. Even those who are already U.S. citizens can learn a great deal about the U.S. and the laws that govern this country. Teaching a six-week class at your church is a wonderful way to open doors to legal residents who long to become U.S. citizens. Attending the swearing-in ceremony for new citizens is very moving and a great way to support the new American citizens in your community.
5. Offer a Legal Aid Clinic.
Immigrants are often victimized by unscrupulous lawyers and criminals who prey on their fears and promise they will file forms but only take their money. Almost every new immigrant has a story about such an encounter.
Make your church a place where people can take pride in their heritage.
Simply finding trustworthy immigration attorneys in your area and offering a free clinic on a Saturday would be a help to many in your community who simply don't know where to turn. Lawyers in your congregation can help make contacts or you can contact one of the refugee resettlement agencies for direction.
Business people in the congregation might also offer basic information about finding work, filing taxes, and other skills necessary to become part of the work force.
These ministries to new refugees or immigrants are within the reach of most churches. As my friend Pam says about the outreach program that began a few years ago in her church: "Our church is so much richer now. God has brought the mission field to us, and our church has become a much more welcoming place for everyone."
Dale Hanson Bourke is the author of Immigration: Tough Questions, Direct Answers (IVP, 2014). She can be followed @DaleHBourke or DaleHansonBourke.com.
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