Read the full issue of this week’s newsletter here: The Weekly Liberal March 2.

Rev. Justin Schroeder writes:

On February 19, at a congregational meeting, we voted 221-0 to reaffirm our status as a Sanctuary Church, willing to house members of our larger community at risk of deportation. This vote reflects our public commitment to take a moral and religious stand, as we declare that no human being is illegal, and that as people of faith and moral conscience, we will not stay silent as families and communities are torn apart. This vote is but one part of our larger journey of education and action.

This Sunday, March 5, at 1 p.m., our Sanctuary and Resistance Team is holding another panel discussion about Immigration and Refugee issues. I would encourage you to attend, and also to sign up for the Church’s racial justice workshop, next offered April 22 and 29 from 9-11:30 a.m. Understanding race, racism, and whiteness is a critical component of being a Sanctuary Church and doing immigration justice work. If you’re interested in supporting our Sanctuary and Resistance Team, please email: resistance@firstuniv.org.

It was a joy to welcome Imam Makram El-Amin as our guest speaker last Sunday (Makram is the Imam at Masjid An-Nur – Mosque of Light – at 1729 North Lyndale Ave.) He and I have been building our relationship over the past year, and we were overwhelmed and overjoyed by the response that our two communities find a way to “do a good work” together. We’ll be meeting soon to figure out next steps and we’ll keep you informed. Please be patient with us, as we’re excited to build a long term, sustainable relationship between our two faith communities. We want to be thoughtful and intentional as we move forward.

I’ll see you in church!

Rev. Justin Schroeder

P.S. – I hope you are among the 600+ people who have registered for our Capital Campaign Kickoff Party on March 11!