One of the final actions taken by this year’s meeting of Diocesan Convention was to pass unanimously a resolution (text here (opens in a new tab)) affirming the work of the diocese’s Sanctuary Task Force — aka Sacred Resistance — and inviting the diocesan community to join in its action and advocacy for justice for refugees and immigrants.
Sacred Resistance has suggested several ways that Episcopalians may become involved in its work:
- Every Tuesday, take 5 – 10 minutes to call elected officials or take an online action regarding immigration policies. Current efforts — which are posted each week to the Sacred Resistance Facebook page — include opposing the public charge regulation (opens in a new tab) (which seeks to punish refugees and immigrants who use any government services) and defending the right to apply for asylum (opens in a new tab).
- Take part in public witness events, for which Sacred Resistance partners with other faith and justice-based organizations throughout the Los Angeles area. Upcoming actions include a Dec. 9 interfaith vigil at the Adelanto Detention Center (more information here (opens in a new tab)); and a Dec. 22 pilgrimage to the migrant caravan now camped in Tijuana. The pilgrimage group will include medical personnel, lawyers, and religious and civic leaders, and will deliver a large load of supplies to the migrants, who have been traveling mostly on foot for months in hopes of applying for asylum in the United States from persecution and violence in their home countries.(Contact the Rev. Frank Alton at falton@ladiocese.org for information).
- Support organizations that help migrants and asylum seekers, including Sacred Resistance* and IRIS (opens in a new tab) (Interfaith Refugee & Immigration Service); Immigrant Defenders Law Center (opens in a new tab); CARECEN (opens in a new tab); San Diego Rapid Response Network Migrant Shelter (opens in a new tab); and Matthew 25 Ministries (opens in a new tab).
Sacred Resistance is a social justice ministry and advocacy branch of the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles that was formed after Diocesan Convention voted in 2016 to be a Sanctuary Diocese. Sacred Resistance, a collaboration of lay and clergy Episcopalians across the diocese, encourages and equips congregations to address many justice issues, from immigrant and refugee rights to racial and economic justice. For more information contact Lia Williams at lwilliams@ladiocese.org.
* Sacred Resistance will soon be a choice on the diocesan donation website, www.edlagives.org.