We Are An Immigrant Welcoming Church

Fauntleroy Church has been named an Immigrant Welcoming Church by the national United Church of Christ.  Alki UCC, which has been working with us, is working towards this designation also.  Together, we will be celebrating that honor beginning with a film “Which Way Home” Dec. 6 at 6:30 p.m. at Alki.  What does it take to become an Immigrant Welcoming Church? Here is how Fauntleroy Church became an Immigrant Welcoming Church.  It likely involved you.

It begins with our church services.  How many times has a prayer, a song, a mission moment, or a sermon raised the issue of immigration?  It may have been about the three asylum seeking families we have been aiding, the recent mission trip to Guatemala or the wider challenges of immigration. Michael Ramos of the Church Council of Greater Seattle gave the sermon one Sunday in a program organized by the Worship Ministry that was dedicated to immigration.

The news of our immigration work continues in both newsletters and after church service programs.

Perhaps you attended the trivia night last January or the burgers and bingo event in the spring.  Both were fundraisers to aid our immigrant programs.  We have two funds to assist our asylees with housing and legal expenses and many of you have contributed.

The Second Time Sale has offered donations to the asylee families.  The Advent Giving Tree program has made donations annually.  Many church members bought Peruvian food Sundays through the Rico Peru program established by one of our asylees.  The Christmas Tree Festival last year featured a Peruvian Christmas Tree.

Church governance has been significantly involved including Church Council, Finance Ministry. Parish Life, Worship, Facilities and Christian Education.  So has the Homelessness Task Force.

Eighteen months ago the Outreach Mission was closed by church members with the goal of incorporating missional threads into the entire fabric of Fauntleroy Church.  Immigration is one of those designated threads.

In the next six months the Immigration Task Force, working at times with Alki Church, hopes to sponsor programs that celebrate our role as an Immigrant Welcoming Church.  One of our goals is to celebrate that all our families at one time were immigrants, that this is a nation of refugees, and we proudly are continuing that tradition.  Ultimately both Fauntleroy and Alki plan to develop covenants expressing our commitments to immigration issues.

The Immigration Task Force is always open to anyone interested in helping.  Please contact Bob Wyss or Dianne Sprague.

Volunteer to Help Support our Immigrant Neighbors

Do you have a couple of hours a week to help refugee and immigrant individuals, families, and/or youth and children in need? The Immigration Task Force is exploring a partnership with Neighborhood House, which is based in the High Point Neighborhood Center. Potential volunteer opportunities include conversational English, teaching or tutoring ESL, and making it possible for ESL students to attend classes at Neighborhood House by helping with childcare at their facility and offering rides to classes. Or come up with your own idea on how to help The 15-year-old neighborhood center is a gathering place that offers Head Start programs, youth tutoring and enhancement programs, Seattle Housing Authority’s Job Connection program, English tutoring for refugees and other services. High Point has been described as a vibrant mixed-income neighborhood with an emphasis on environmental sustainability featuring many parks and community gardens. It has a rich mixture of refugees including many from East Africa and Somalia. The Immigration Task Force in just in the early stages of exploring how it could help and it would appreciate assistance from anyone interested in the reward that comes from helping others. To learn more, reach out to Ev Eldridge.

Immigration Task Force Moving Forward

Last December the members of our church backed a plan by the Immigration Task Force towards housing individuals seeking asylum from violence in their home country. A lot has happened since then.

Besides the arrival of Covid-19 there are far fewer immigrants in the country seeking asylum.  Plus, our plans to house these individuals either in empty space in the parsonage or other housing have encountered understandable delays. Still, while the unfolding drama of immigration may be changing the plight of many millions has not disappeared.

Recognizing the challenge, the Immigration Task Force is gearing up again this fall and is seeking help from anyone who wishes to volunteer.  Clayton and Stevi Hamill skillfully guided the task force during its first two years and recently decided to step down as co-chairs.  We have agreed to take over, although it will be difficult to live up to the standards set by Clayton and Stevi. The entire church owes its thanks for their work.

The Immigration Task Force has begun looking at a series of activities, from advocacy training, letter writing, education programs ranging from book talks to film series, and other possibilities.  In addition, the Task Force will continue to plug away at finding housing options for immigrants in need.

If you would like to join us, the task force meets monthly.  Speaking for all taskforce members, thank you Fauntleroy Church for all of the support you have already provided.

Bob Wyss and Dianne Sprague.