New Immigrants Congregational Support
Proposed immigration legislation in Kentucky concerns PC(USA) leadership
On January 7, 2011, General Assembly Stated Clerk Gradye Parsons and General Assembly Mission Council Executive Director Linda Valentine sent a letter to the Kentucky Legislature strongly urging that it oppose Senate Bill 6 (SB6), proposed immigration legislation which they said “is counter to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and puts at risk not only members of our congregations but the people of the communities in which they serve.” They go on to cite the resolution adopted by the 219th General Assembly (2010), “which calls us to refrain from holding national meetings in states where laws exist that might subject our guests to harassment or intimidation.” Read the full text of their January 7 letter and join with us in advocating the opposition of SB6 as we are collectively “called to minister to, and be a house of worship for all God’s people.”
Welcoming Immigrants and Refugees
Watch this half-hour video from the Presbytery of Giddings-Lovejoy to see how international groups in the United States, presbyteries, local congregations and the office of New Immigrants Congregational Support joined their gifts and resources to organize worshiping communities among new immigrants and refugees.
Get the Racial Ethnic Torch
"The Racial Ethnic Torch" is a periodical published by Racial Ethnic Ministries since 1990, offering news, events and issues of concern to racial ethnic Presbyterians. The "Torch," which is published twice a year in summer and fall, serves as a tool to connect you to new resources and upcoming events, to equip you with information that will bolster your faith life and ministry and to inspire you as we share stories of racial ethnic Presbyterians in the church. To subscribe to the print edition, email Alejandra Sherman.
Download the Racial Ethnic Torch Fall 2011
New immigrant young adults have another opportunity to serve!
The PC (USA) Young Adult Volunteer (YAV) Program offers exciting opportunities in Christian service and learning for young adults (19 to 30 years of age). There are 16 sites in the United States and abroad where YAVs can learn and serve for one year. Volunteers work with a church or organization as well as develop Christian community and meet regularly for prayer and Bible study and participate in vocation discernment with other Young Adult Volunteers. Each year, the application deadline is January 20 for August placement. Learn more.
Theological Education for new immigrant lay leaders in the USA
New waves of immigrants from Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean, Middle East, and East Europe are coming to this nation as immigrants, refugees, asylum seekers, migrant workers, students and religious workers. In the case of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), the blessing of having new Presbyterians from abroad creates the need to provide different welcoming resources. One of those is this program of reformed theological education under a Presbyterian perspective, with and for the leadership of the new international communities of faith.
Program description
The Presbyterian Church office of New Immigrants Congregational Support, under the General Assembly Mission Council, and the Evangelical Seminary of Puerto Rico (ESPR), present their mission partnership with this dynamic, diverse and flexible reformed theological program for new immigrant Presbyterian lay-leaders. The office of New Immigrants Congregational Support ’s mission includes the formation of new immigrants by providing resources for Christian leadership development. The ESPR is a theological institution related to the PC(USA) through the General Assembly’s Committee on Theological Education. Together, both institutions are committed to run this plan as an intensive two-year program to be assessed for further extension as an inter-denominational and international project.
Continue readingMission and History
New Immigrants Congregational Support provides the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) with resources aimed at facilitating entry of new immigrants groups into the life of the denomination. It was organized in 1999, one year after the General Assembly's approval of the "Racial Ethnic and Immigrant Church Growth Strategy."
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The challenge is to intentionally facilitate communications and resources to assist middle governing bodies to reach out to and to welcome those Christian immigrant groups. At this time, the office only works with groups from the countries of Africa, South Asia (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh), Brazil, and English and French Caribbean. In the same goal area, Latino, Asian, Korean and Middle Eastern Congregational Enhancement offices serve their other respective international groups.
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