July 13, 2021 Julie Lustic
During the first half of 2017, members of Forest Hill engaged Session and the Trustees around welcoming refugees and supporting non-citizen immigrants who live in our communities. A dinner was held with US Together, an organization helping refugees. A meeting was also held with representatives from HOLA Ohio, an organization based in Painesville that helps immigrants facing deportation. Both Session and the Trustees supported these conversations.
After these meetings, a two-to-three-month process for the leadership of Forest Hill Church to decide to become a Sanctuary Church and possibly hosting one or more individuals who are facing deportation was proposed. This was to be part of the August 28 Session meeting agenda. However, Rev. Lentz received a phone call on August 5 from HOLA relating an immediate need to provide sanctuary for an individual facing deportation. This required this process to be fast-tracked. A special Session meeting was called for August 6.
The individual facing deportation was from the Akron area, had been in the U.S. for over 20 years, worked, and paid taxes. She was a homeowner. She had no criminal record. She had four US citizen children, ranging in age from 4 to 20. Her oldest daughter was studying at Kent State University. Years before, she had been given an order of deportation after a fraudulent attorney submitted a poorly done application for a green card, the process to begin a path to citizenship. She was given a stay of removal in 2011, which allowed her to stay and work in this country. This stay has been renewed annually at her check-ins with immigration. When she went for her 2017 annual check-in, immigration officials, without warning, put a GPS ankle monitor on her, telling her she needed to leave the country by September. This news devastated her family and many in the community.
At the August 6 meeting, Session reviewed what Sanctuary from a biblical, historical, and Presbyterian perspective is. Sanctuary is an ancient practice of providing refuge in sacred spaces from secular legal action. There are many scriptural references to provide sanctuary, including Leviticus: “The alien living among you must be treated as one of your native-born” and Matthew: “I was a stranger, and you invited me in.” In 2016, the PC(USA) General Assembly reaffirmed support for the ministry of sanctuary and the ethical obligations of congregations to defend a family’s integrity when faced with deportation. The General Assembly called on congregations to provide sanctuary in appropriate circumstances to express the scriptural call to love our neighbor.
During the Session discussion, the logistics for providing suitable living space and amenities and legal issues were reviewed. It wasn’t known if the woman threatened with deportation would be staying at the church alone or with all or some of her children. It was noted if we were to go forward that a good communications plan was needed for the congregation and the groups using the church and the community. The trustees reported that they had already investigated the location and cost to install a shower. Since the church has a full kitchen in the wing where the living quarters might be located, the woman could cook for herself, provided groceries were brought to her. It was discussed that someone would most likely need to stay with the woman at night, as we did for our Family Promise guests.
Following the lengthy discussion, it was moved that Forest Hill church provide Sanctuary for whatever length of time was needed to work out the woman’s legal status. The motion was seconded.
Since this was such a significant decision, Reverend Lentz asked for other references that would help us make this momentous decision. Some of those cited included: “Lord prepare me to be a Sanctuary,” “Give me your tired and your poor,” “Let the children come to me.”
After leading all in prayer, Reverend Lentz asked the Elders to vote either “Yes, I believe this is the will of God for FHC to take this action at this time” or “No, this is not part of God’s will for FHC at this time.”
The motion was unanimously approved.
Tags: Immigration Justice and Reform, Immigration Task Force, Task Force Activities, the immigrantJuly 11, 2021 Julie Lustic
Americanah by Chimimanda Ngozi Adichie is a work of fiction based on real life. There are several themes running throughout the novel: Race and Racism, Identity, Cultural Criticism, Romantic Love, Separation vs Connection. The characters are from Nigeria and are complex and well developed. They come to America and the reader struggles with them as they make their way through life. Many preconceived ideas regarding race in America from an African viewpoint are tested and challenged.
July 1, 2018 Peg Weissbrod
One evening last week Lisa Vahey told this story at the meeting of those who volunteer their time to be with Leonor, Adan and Louis Mario as they live with us in Sanctuary. She shared with us that often she takes Adan (who is four) to the Stone Oven on Lee for a cookie. So Adan and Lisa enter Stone Oven and apparently there are two tables filled with Forest Hill members and Adan goes right up and says hello, starts working the crowd as only he can. He knows people that Lisa doesn’t. And as she completed this story she became choked up and said: “Adan feels at home in this world, he feels welcomed!” Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: 1 Thessalonians 2:13, 2 Timothy 3: 16-17, anchor, biblical justification, biblical truths, borders, children, community, compassion, divine intention, Dr. Martin Luther King, due process, hope, imagination, Immigration Task Force, Isaiah, justice, oppression, reconciliation, separation, shore, status quo, the alien, the marginalized, the oppressed, the outcast, the poor, welcomeNovember 26, 2017 Peg Weissbrod
This passage from Matthew which we read on this Christ the King Sunday, the last Sunday of the liturgical year before we start Advent, is about Jesus – about what his kingdom of God demands, about how we are to serve Christ, and about how we are to be his people among the nations.
This passage took on a new and profound meaning for me last Monday. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: abused, challenge, compassion, compromise, displaced, equality, faithful, following God's call, forgotten, God's demand for justice and equity and compassion, gratitude, hungry, ICE, Immigration Task Force, imprisoned, inclusive, Kingdom of God, marginalized, Matthew 25: 31-46, naked, persecuted, political differences, politics, poor, powerless, stranger, structual racism, the least of usOctober 22, 2017 Peg Weissbrod
The last six weeks have been a revelation to me.
Six weeks ago, on Tuesday, Sept. 5 we welcomed Lenor Garcia into our church family. A stranger, an alien, and immigrant – we didn’t know her and she didn’t know us. And yet we opened our doors, and created a room and put in a shower and stood up to the powers that be and said: “You don’t separate a mother from her children.” Our faith won’t allow it. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: 2 Corinthians 9, abundance, change from the inside out, definition of church, Edwin Markham “Outwitted”, following Jesus, Immigration Task Force, J. Clif Christopher, our mission, power of the church, sanctuary, stewardship, the beloved community, Whose Offering Plate Is It?
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