Standing in Faith, Acting in Love
Dear Beloved of El Camino Real,
First, let me thank you for all that you are doing to care faithfully for people in your local communities and in larger social areas. As we experience the overwhelming number of Executive Orders and actions taken that affect many federal agencies, it is not unexpected for the prevailing feelings on our local level to be of deep uncertainty and even helplessness.
Uncertainty is not new to the lives of the faithful. We know from Scripture that Jesus and his followers lived in very uncertain times. However, helplessness in the face of so many problematic issues can lead to a culture of passivity. What am I to do? What can I do? Scripture gives us clear guidelines: we are to love the Lord our God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength, and we are to love our neighbor as ourselves. There is no commandment greater than these (Mark 12:30-31).
People who are near and dear to us here in our diocese are directly affected by threats of deportation and separation from people they love: family members, neighbors, and church communities. First-hand information tells us what is true: people are being targeted in public areas, including right on our church sidewalks, by ICE, as well as seized from their homes. It is our understanding that those we know of are not the violent criminals being talked about, but normal people who left untenable situations in their countries of origin to find new lives in a place they thought would guarantee their safety. Additionally, people who formerly had protected status in this country currently find that status in question. No matter your thoughts about immigration in general, these actions affect our clergy families, staff families, and parish families. We likely all know someone who is threatened, although we may not immediately realize it.
An additional consequence of these threats is that people who have come to us in the past for help with the basics of life—food, shelter, clothing—are afraid to come to the very places, our churches and entities, where that help can be obtained. This fear is understandable: our faith communities may not be places right now where everyone can feel safe.
We who are not experiencing these same threats can be helpful in ways that are legally and morally right. By stepping into places of anxiety, we can help our immigrant neighbors to know their rights and gain some control over their lives. Although Episcopal Migration Ministries is no longer funded through grants from the federal government, they continue to serve with limited staff. Their website HERE is filled with valuable resources that help people to know their rights and know what documentation they need to have to protect their families in case of separation. We can help people to obtain and complete those documents. Additionally, our Social Justice Committee will soon provide access to materials on their website. You will find a link to their website HERE.
Our Baptismal Covenant (BCP p. 305) requires that we serve in the times and places in which we live. More than merely a set of guidelines, our covenant calls us to live prophetically, convicted by our shortcomings, and compelled by the gospel message to serve God and our neighbor.
May we do so with God’s help.
Faithfully,
Fourth Bishop of the Diocese of El Camino Real
English 
Spanish 
Chinese