On February 6, Bishop Craig Loya wrote, in part, the following note to the people of the Episcopal Church in Minnesota:

“For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me. . .”
—Matthew 25:35

The clearest and most consistent moral imperative throughout all of scripture is the call to welcome the stranger. To confess God as Trinity is to affirm that God’s very heart is a movement of embrace in a world marked by exclusion. Our story is the story of how God made our spiritual ancestors a people through liberating love when they were living under the oppression of slavery in Egypt. The Christian faith is always about bearing in mind that when we were strangers to God, God embraced us as beloved family. The Christian life is about always extending that embrace to the world, wherever we are…

The end of federal funding for refugee services has had a devastating impact on our own Episcopal Migration Ministries, which has been a key part of our nation’s work of welcoming refugees for almost a century. Here in Minnesota, this will have an immediate and painful impact on families that have been served by EMM’s local affiliate, the Minnesota Council of Churches…

I am establishing a migrant support fund. I will be seeding this fund with an initial gift of $10,000, and I am asking every faith community in the diocese to consider designating the offering for the last Sunday after the Epiphany, March 2, to help build this fund. The situation is changing and unfolding too quickly to outline all this fund will be used for, but with the disruption in federal funding, and being aware of the incredible work being done by a number of our congregations at the grassroots, we know the need is already great, and will only continue to grow. I will also be reaching out to ecumenical colleagues in Minnesota to ask them to join us in whatever way they are able…

Grace and Peace,

The Rt. Rev. Craig W. Loya
X Bishop, The Episcopal Church in Minnesota

Bishop Loya included other ways in which we can respond to our present moment, including taking direct action and prayer. This Sunday, March 2, we will respond to Bishop Loya’s invitation by donating our loose plate offering, which will include cash or checks from you and is collected during the offertory, to the Bishop’s Migrant Support Fund. Please give generously.

O God, who embraced us with perfect love and made us your people when we were yet strangers to you: be present with all refugees, immigrants, and displaced people throughout the world; may they know the consolation of your presence, and the liberating power of your love. Then give us grace, we pray, to extend ever wider your embrace in a world of exclusion, until all your children are knit together as beloved family in the perfect love that is your very heart, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who was displaced among us, and who now lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. 

In gratitude,

Beth+