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March 2021 Begin Again Recently, I heard someone describe Jesus as a social justice mover and shaker. I loved the descriptor. It brought to mind an opinion piece I read in The New York Times by Peter Wehner titled “The Forgotten Radicalism of Jesus Christ.” It is an essay on inclusion - how and why Jesus rejected the, “conventional religious and cultural thinking” of his time, shattering “barrier after barrier” to embrace those on the margins. Read the full newsletter here >> February 2021 Begin Again In addition to being the diocesan liaison to SJRAISE, I co-chair, with Deacon Steve Bentley, the Anti-Racism and Racial Reconciliation Commission. As our commission is in the "forming" stage of group life, we decided to read a book together as a follow up to the Waking Up White study the diocese did back in July. Deacon Steve suggested we read Begin Again by Eddie Glaude, Jr., and so for the last month or so as I've taken walks around the neighborhood, I've been intently listening to Glaude narrate his text. I found myself shaking my head, feeling frustrated and wondering "how do we fix the mess we created". Read the full newsletter here >> January 2021 By choosing to be silent you are choosing to be complacent The constant inflex of violence in the world today has desensitized us to the pain and destruction that is occurring all around us. Violence invades our computer screens, televisions sets, and radios. We are constantly being flooded with the sights and sounds of violence and have become unable or unwilling to feel the trauma of these events. Read the full newsletter here >> December 2020 3rd Annual Border Ministries Summit The Third Annual Border Ministries Summit met November Nov. 20-21. Hosted by the Diocese of San Diego and co-sponsored by Episcopal Migration Ministries and the Office of Global Partnerships of the Episcopal Church, the Zoom event brought together immigration advocates and those providing direct service to immigrants on both sides of the border. Despite the COVID-imposed restrictions of a Zoom conference, the presentations by Bishops south of the border, presentations and facilitation by the Global Immersion Project, and the first person accounts of the struggles of migrants made it a memorable, powerful event. Bishop David led a group of EDSJ participants to the event. Read the full newsletter here >> November 2020 Holy Welcome and Advocacy In just two weeks, we will vote on a resolution to declare the Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin to be a “Diocese of Holy Welcome and Advocacy for immigrants, asylum seekers and refugees.” Holy Welcome. Sound familiar, biblically speaking? Well, it should. Throughout the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament, we are taught that welcome and hospitality are necessary to be a people of God. For the desert people of ancient Egypt, welcoming the stranger – an “alien” - into one’s home, providing food and shelter, was a necessity to survival and a cultural expectation. One example is found in Leviticus 19:33-34, which says “When an alien resides with you in your land, you shall not oppress the alien. The alien who resides with you shall be to you as the citizen among you; you shall love the alien as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.” And from Hebrews 13:1-2, “Let mutual love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it.” Indeed, the hospitality we are expected to offer to strangers is analogous to the hospitality God shows us – providing us all things necessary for salvation through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. And, in the sending of the Holy Spirit as an Advocate for us! Read full newsletter here >> October 2020 Looking Back and Looking Forward Every year about this time, the EDSJ Immigration Commission meets for a day and a half planning meeting. Last year, we met in ECCO and after a very productive time left excited about the work we’d accomplished and the plans that we’d made for the coming year… 2020. So, you know how our, and your, and everyone’s plans were upended by the COVID virus. In this reflection we wanted to talk about some of the work we were able to complete, the improvisations we managed in the face of our drastically changed context, and what we see ahead for our work in the coming months as a result of this year’s planning meeting… via Zoom, of course! Read the full newsletter here >> September 2020 My first visit to a refugee camp occurred in February of 1984. I was with a delegation of Church World Service staff visiting programs for the displaced in Central America. The Mesa Grande camp in Honduras housed about 30,000 Salvadoran refugees who had fled the civil conflict in their country. Most of the people there were campesinos, rural folks, who had lost land, livelihood, and frequently family members in the brutal civil war. They were traumatized by the violence and struggling as best they could to refashion their lives with next to nothing. Read the full newsletter here >> August 2020 Into the Beautiful North A group from our parish has been reading together Luis Alberto Urrea’s novel Into the Beautiful North. It tells the story of nineteen-year old Nayeli and a small band of friends who leave their remote Mexican village – Tres Camarones (that’s right, Three Shrimps) – and embark on a journey to save it. The dust jacket describes the book well: “Filled with unforgettable characters and prose as radiant as the Sinaloan sun, Into the Beautiful North is the story of an irresistible young woman's quest to find herself on both sides of the fence.” Through the eyes and hopes – and even naiveté – of these young people, we encounter coyotes, opportunistic motel owners, and United States Border Patrol officers; we encounter also people who live among the trash heaps of Tijuana and those living the “dream” north of the border. Read full newsletter here >> July 2020 What we are called to do When I read in an article other week about 168 asylum seekers that the US sent back to El Salvador my heart broke to learn about their deaths. This is 168 needless deaths! We as a country sent them back knowing that it would cost them their life. I find myself wondering how we could in good conscience send them to their deaths. The only reason I can come up with is our own fear. We are living in a country that is focused on scarcity. We as a country are so afraid that if we let anyone into our country; to eat our food and take our jobs there will not be enough for us. The Bible and Jesus does not want us living this way. I have a friend who continually talks about an amazing God who will do things beyond our imagination. Sometimes this annoys me, yet if we believed in this amazing God, in the wonderful and amazing things he will do for us, there is no reason to live in fear of scarcity. Just as he provided for the Israelites in their wandering in the desert for 40 years, how much more will he do for us if we just trust him. Read full newsletter here >> June 2020 There is always something we can do In preschool our son was taught Stranger Danger – this led to interesting conversations in the grocery store. In line at the grocery store I’d begin talking with someone and Brendan would very loudly and accusingly say: “Do you know that person?” “ No.” and I’d hear: “Then that person is a stranger and it is dangerous to talk to that person. You should not do that.” It took a while to modify his view of others. I wonder in 2020 what this time of Pandemic will do to this world as far as our view of the stranger – the other- in our midst. Especially the marginalized, those who are most apt to be victims of this disease. When the message right now is to isolate in your home, do not let people in, they might carry the virus, it is dangerous. How do we see those essential workers who are not pictured as the heroes at the hospitals – those who work in the fields, who do the physical care for our elderly, who do manual labor and are getting sick? People who are different - color, language, culture, status and finance? This is a world of scarcity not enough PPE, or ventilators, or medication, or money for unemployment benefits for those who are not citizens, especially for those who are not documented. Read full newsletter here>> May 2020 Prayer in a time of pandemic Loving God, throughout the Scriptures you call us to “Fear not!”, but these are troubling times for the hardiest souls. Give us courage to face the challenges of this new threat to your human family. Give us prudence, to do the necessary things to protect ourselves and others. Give us the clarity of vision to learn from this disease the lesson we are too prone to forget, that we are all connected, regardless of race or nationality or political persuasion. We pray for those who are struggling with this disease, that their health may be restored. We pray for medical personnel and first responders caring for those in need, that they remain healthy and unflagging in their life-saving work. And we pray for all those economically impacted, that they may find the resources to maintain themselves and their families. We ask all this, trusting in your abiding love, a love that even death cannot defeat. Amen. Written by Deacon Tom Hampson, Diocese of San Joaquin Read full newsletter here >> April 2020 Prayer in a time of pandemic Loving God, throughout the Scriptures you call us to “Fear not!”, but these are troubling times for the hardiest souls. Give us courage to face the challenges of this new threat to your human family. Give us prudence, to do the necessary things to protect ourselves and others. Give us the clarity of vision to learn from this disease the lesson we are too prone to forget, that we are all connected, regardless of race or nationality or political persuasion. We pray for those who are struggling with this disease, that their health may be restored. We pray for medical personnel and first responders caring for those in need, that they remain healthy and unflagging in their life-saving work. And we pray for all those economically impacted, that they may find the resources to maintain themselves and their families. We ask all this, trusting in your abiding love, a love that even death cannot defeat. Amen. Written by Deacon Tom Hampson, Diocese of San Joaquin Read full newsletter here >> March 2020 WHAT CAN WE DO TO SUPPORT THE IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY? By James Mendez One of my favorite verses of scripture is Micah 6:8. While there are many different translations of the verse, the following is from the New International Version (NIV): “And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” Both the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament are clear what it means to “To act justly and to love mercy” when it comes to treatment of immigrants. As Episcopalian Christians we are called to love one another and to welcome the immigrant. Read full newsletter here >> February 2020 HOLY SPIRIT 1, BORDER WALL 0 by Dean Ryan Newman On Wednesday, a portion of the newly installed US Border Wall toppled over in high winds landing on trees on the Mexican side of the border. Officials indicated that the concrete supports had not yet properly cured. Ultimately, the border wall was unable to withstand the gusty conditions. Thankfully, there were no injuries or property damage. A little over three years ago, the “building of a border wall” became the signature campaign promise “To Make America Great Again.” Hundreds of millions of dollars are being spent to construct 450 miles of wall separating the United States and Mexico. The project has faced significant opposition and experienced numerous setbacks. Despite the challenges, it was announced earlier this month that the 100-mile mark had been reached. Read the full newsletter here >> January 2020 A New Year’s Resolution for Immigration This year, I pray for the Year of the Lord’s Favor for immigrants and refugees. The past years have seen the erosion of policies and practices of a nation that once boldly proclaimed on its Statue of Liberty, “give me your poor, your weary, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free…” Instead immigrants seeking a better life are arrested and deported without due process, families are torn apart and punished for bringing their children with them, refugees are denied entrance into the US to plead their cases, and circumstances granted asylum are dwindling into nothingness. And I pray for the year of the Lord’s favor. On December 16 a group of about 70 of the faithful from Bakersfield and other locations throughout the Diocese of San Joaquin re-enacted the journey of Mary and Joseph seeking shelter to birth their child, Jesus. This Posada journeyed to several stations in Bakersfield, including the Mesa Verde Detention Center, where we were chased away after prayers and singing. Although other locations in Bakersfield– a few restaurants, and the Center for Sexuality and Gender Diversity, turned away the holy family, their rejection was scripted – and they did offer the hospitality of pan dulce. At the detention center, however, the shooing away was earnest: we, like the immigrants in this country were not welcomed. No light was to be shown on conditions there, on the private prison system created in response to the overwhelming number of would-be immigrants now held under detention. Read the full newsletter here >> December 2019 Welcome to the first installment of the SJRAISE monthly newsletter! Our goal - to provide you and your congregation with timely and useful resources for your efforts to stand with immigrants in our Diocese and beyond. In this and future issues, look for news, educational materials, worship resources, calls to action, and potential allies in this important work. While the struggle to defend the rights of immigrants can be daunting, there is a wide community of folks in the church and beyond who are engaged in the work with you. You are not alone! We hope this newsletter and that community make your efforts easier! Several of us from the SJRAISE team were privileged to participate in the Second Annual Border Ministries Summit, Nov. 21-23, in Tucson, Arizona. It gave us an inspiring glimpse of that wider community. Hosted by the Episcopal Diocese of Arizona, the ecumenical meeting gathered two hundred activists from along the United States/Mexico border and beyond. There were groups involved in many forms of direct service to immigrants, both in the U.S. and in Mexico, others were engaged in political advocacy, seeking a more just and humane U.S. immigration policy. Others were engaged in education on the issue. And some were doing all three. Read the full newsletter here >> May 2018 The Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin Immigration Task Force Update You may recall that at our last Diocesan Convention in October 2017, the delegates unanimously approved a Resolution to establish a Task Force on Immigration. The mandate of the Task Force is to further the Diocese's ministry in supporting migrants through the following activities:
Northern Deanery Lyn Morlan Wil Colon Edward Dondi Amy Larsen Tom Hampson (co-chair) Central Deanery Jim Mendez Jim McDonald Nancy Key (co-chair) Southern Deanery Jan Dunlap Since January of this year, the Task Force has met monthly, alternating between face-to-face meetings in Fresno and conference calls. Read more ... Ways to help Immigration Task Force: click here. 
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