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...The Interfaith Immigration Coalition is urging supporters to organize a prayer vigil for comprehensive immigration reform during the period of February 13 through 22. During that time religious communities throughout the country are taking part in prayer vigils and services on behalf of immigrants and their families. In the past three weeks, nearly 70 vigils have been announced and more are being organized every day.
They ask supporters to pray for three concerns:
1) Protection for immigrants and their families,
2) Empowerment of the faith community to speak out on behalf of immigrants and their families, and
3) Moral courage for Congress to take the necessary leadership to see that just comprehensive immigration reform is passed.
They advise supporters to please consider contacting their area colleagues, local clergy council, or interfaith colleagues to organize a vigil. If that is not feasible, consider allocating prayer time for this during worship on one of the next two Sundays. They further recommend that supporters locate prayer vigils in their area on the IIC website. They recommend lay persons please ask their pastor to participate. Supporters can find our more about the IIC, access resources, and read their statements on immigration at www.interfaithimmigration.org.
With the new administration in the White House and a different configuration in the Congress, supporters have the opportunity to pray and work for human and comprehensive immigration reform in the U.S. Having dozens or even hundreds of prayer vigils across the country could send a powerful signal to the nation's political leadership that this is a deeply-felt moral issue around which religious voters are mobilized.
Attached are the following materials provided by the IIC that supporters may adapt for their local purposes.
1. Prayer Vigil Organizing Memo 2-2: an overview on the vigils, a sample letter of invitation to a Member of Congress,
and an organizing checklist.
2. Sample Vigil Program: sample vigil program & suggested readings.
3. Sample Press Materials 2-2: sample press advisory & release, op-ed and letter to the editor.
If a vigil or prayer during a worship service is organized, supporters are asked to be sure to list their action on the Interfaith Immigration Coalition website (www.interfaithimmigration.org), so that it can have as large an impact as possible. Adding such events to the calendar helps send a strong message to representatives in Congress that immigration reform is a central issue for people of faith and conscience all over the country. It also lets other immigrant advocates in the same or nearby town know how to get involved!
For further information or resources, supporters can contact the IIC's Prayer Vigil Coordinator, Yvette Schock at yschock@umc-gbcs.org or
(202) 488-5628.
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