Read the full issue of this week’s newsletter here: The Weekly Liberal October 17

In this week’s newsletter, Rev. Justin writes:

Our faith invites us to live a life of humility, courage, and bravery, as we act to create a more just world. This looks like attending Immigration Court, to be moral witnesses to what is unfolding, sharing information about the proceedings with Advocates for Human Rights. This looks like building houses with Habitat for Humanity. This looks like fundraising and giving a $750 stipend to immigrant families impacted by detention or deportation. And this looks like being a part of the Congregational Asylum Sponsorship and Support Team of First Universalist (CASST).

This team, with church support, has been sponsoring an asylum seeker since the spring of 2019. Without a sponsor, many asylum seekers are imprisoned/detained for the duration of their case, and often deported. Sponsorship can literally save someone’s life. Church members are currently serving as hosts, opening their home to the asylum seeker; members and friends are offering legal, financial, language, emotional, spiritual, and psychological support as the asylum case moves forward. Members of the CASST shared reflections on this effort in a July service.This ministry has profoundly impacted me. In the face of the injustices and inhumanity at our Southern Border, sponsorship is something concrete and meaningful that we can do.

From the beginning, the vision was always bigger than just sponsoring one asylum seeker; the vision was to have this ministry take root in the congregation, for others to listen deeply to where love was calling them next, and have a second team emerge, in order to sponsor a second asylum seeker. A second team is forming, and you’re invited to be a part of this work, supporting either team. We need you! We need your kindness, your “yes,” your commitment to be in this life-changing, heartbreaking, heartmending work. We believe we have the capacity for the church to support two asylees, but we need to grow our teams. Are you feeling called to host an asylee? Be a back up host? Do you speak Spanish? Can you give rides? Take someone shopping? All of this and so much more is needed. And if you can’t give time, please consider a financial donation to support these efforts.

If you’re interested in learning more and joining the team, please reach out to church member, Laura Schlatter, CASST Coordinator, at firstucasst [at] gmail.com or contact me at justin [at] firstuniv.org . 

Together, with humility, courage, and bravery, we can create a more just world. 

I’ll see you in church,
Justin