World Communion of Reformed ChurchesWCRC Church News: Refugee responses from around the world
Our member churches continue to respond to the refugee crisis:
The Protestant churches in Germany (including WCRC members) have issued a statement on the situation, pointing out that this man-made crisis needs to be solved by people opening their hearts and welcoming the stranger through safe means—while at the same time addressing the underlying causes of the crisis.
The Rev Aaron Stevens, minister of St Columba’s Church of Scotland in Budapest, Hungary, gives a powerful account of this summer’s refugee crisis in the city and his church’s efforts to help.
The United Reformed Church (England) has shared a prayer of compassion for Syria.
Stuart McMillan, the Uniting Church in Australia‘s president, is seeking an abundance of generosity for refugees.
The United Church of Christ (in the U.S.) has called for more U.S. response to the crisis, noting that “the American government has allowed just 1,500 Syrians to resettle here—a fraction of the millions that have fled the country.”
The Reformed Church in America’s general secretary, Tom DeVries, stated, “As Christians, we are called to be a part of the solution to this crisis, not stand on the sidelines” and provided both examples and ways in which to become involved.
The Christian Reformed Church in North America is joining the effort to resettle additional refugees in the U.S. and Canada, noting that three things are badly needed: Advocating for the rights and needs of refugees, financial support for this ministry of advocacy and active sponsorship to resettle refugee families on the part of more CRC congregations.
The United Church of Canada offers three ways you can help Syrian refugees, one of which is prayer:
- Pray for the millions of Syrians facing conflict and displacement.
- Pray for the host communities in the region who welcome those seeking refuge from the conflict.
- Pray that regional governments and the international community will work together to address the current crisis, end the conflict, and help bring peace to Syria and the region.
Our sisters and brothers in the ACT Alliance, the Conference of European Churches, Eurodiaconia, EU-CORD and the Churches’ Comission for Migrants in Europe have called on the ministers of the EU Justice and Home Affairs Council for a unified, ambitious and rights-based refugee and migration policy.
Ekklesia has posted an overview article on how European churches and ecumenical organisations are responding to refugee crisis.
Photo credit: Fekete Dániel/HIA-Hungary/ACT Alliance
There are a lot of Reformed Churches in Switzerland working hard for welcoming refugees in the parishes. http://www.ref-ag.ch/informationen-medien/news/2015/09/MM_neue_Anlaufstelle_fuer_Asyl.php
And they engage for a warmer welcome with respect in political discussions http://www.ref-ag.ch/informationen-medien/news/2015/08/Aufstehen-gegen-Fremdenfeindlichkeit_Aufruf-22Sept15.php
But the Swiss Churches are not mentioned by the WCRC.