UniteBoston

Nurturing Relational Connections Across Boston's Christian Community

Migrant Care and Solidarity

URGENT OPPORTUNITIES


Here is the list of current opportunities to support asylum seekers that is updated regularly from the many organizations that are using this document as a place to connect resources and needs. The most urgent need is physical space to shelter our new neighbors so those that are fleeing hardship and seeking safe shelter can have a warm place to sleep. Even one or two nights in your home or congregation building can make a difference! There are also a variety of volunteer and supply drive opportunities listed. Please take a look and share widely with your communities! 

Urgent Opportunities to Support Immigrants and Refugees
Boston Globe Article on Congregations Supporting Migrant Families

City and faith leaders have been developing a resource map to discover what services and resources are currently available to support our new neighbors. If you are the leader of a Boston church or faith-based nonprofit that is interested in helping with the migrant care crisis, please fill out this survey so we can add you to the resource map!

UniteBoston has compiled a “A Sanctuary for Strangers” campaign, which was a response to the urgent call from both the mayor and governor for churches to address the increasing number of migrants in Boston, a sanctuary city. As Christians, we recognized the migrant crisis as a pressing local issue that demanded our compassionate response.

The campaign title, “A Sanctuary for Strangers,” reflected the need for a safe and welcoming space for those who are displaced or seeking refuge. Scripture guides us to welcome one another as Christ has welcomed us (Romans 15:7) and to love the ‘stranger’ among us as ourselves, for we were once strangers (Leviticus 19:34; Deuteronomy 10:19). This call to hospitality echoed the teachings of Jesus, who urged us to care for “the least of these” (Matthew 25:40).

The campaign included featured articles focusing on the themes of “understand,” “believe,” and “act.” Additionally, the UniteBoston website offered resources for deeper learning and action, which could be tailored to meet the evolving needs of the migrant crisis.

The campaign continues, providing more opportunities for churches to host Migrant Sunday. To support churches in their response, a comprehensive preaching package is now available in English, Spanish, Portugese, and Haitian Creole complete with designs, multimedia content, sermon examples, and more.

Migrant Sunday

Here are some national commemorations around refugees and immigrants that you can come alongside as you recognize Migrant Sunday with your congregation to extend our hands in welcome and support of our new neighbors. We’re calling on churches in Boston to join us for Refugee Sunday on the following Sundays:

  • June 20 – World Refugee Day
  • September 28 – World Day of Migrants & Refugees
  • December 18 – International Migrant Day 

NOW AVAILABLE: PREACHING PACKAGE IN MULTIPLE LANGUAGES!

We want to help every church, big and small, to feel equipped to address the migrant crisis and mobilize their church to ACT. We have put together a full preaching package complete with designs, multimedia content, sermon examples, and more, to help churches recognize Migrant Sunday across Boston effectively.

Service Elements and SERMON RESOURCES

IN ENGLISH
EN ENSPAÑOL
EM PORTUGUÊS
AN KREYÒL
MIGRANT SUNDAY – SERMON RESOURCES

TAKE ACTION!

1. Forward this information to your pastor, encouraging them to join into the collective Migrant Sunday effort.

2. Share any articles, resources, or graphics on your social media channels from this page to broaden the movement of awareness, compassionate hearts, and action-taking to care for our new neighbors.

3. Email us. We’d be happy to hop on a coaching call to come alongside as you discern how to bring Migrant Sunday to your community. We’d also love to hear about any action steps you took and how it went!

4. Pray – Pray that the body of Christ would rise up in this pivotal moment to show self-giving love, care, and hospitality for our new neighbors. Pray for the coordination of various groups so that practical needs can be met, and our new neighbors will have what they need (including food, clothing, housing, and jobs) to thrive in our city. Pray that all people would be drawn closer to Jesus as we embody Christ’s call to care for “the least of these” (Mt. 25:40) during this Lenten season.

Join us in praying “for the Courage to Do Justice.” We offer up this prayer from the United Methodist Committee on Relief. Other immigrant-focused prayers are listed here and here.
O God, open our eyes that we might see the needs of refugees;
Open our ears that we may hear people’s cries for justice;
Open our hearts that we may assist sojourners near and far.
Show us where love, hope, and faith are needed.
Use us as ministers of your healing.
Let us not be afraid to protect the weak because of the anger of the strong, or to defend the poor because of the power of the rich.
Sustain us so that in these coming days we may be able to do some work of peace for you. Amen.

5. Celebrate – Join with us in celebrating these ways that local churches and organizations have participated in Migrant Sunday this year.

  • Incorporating Migrant Sunday with their Church: Pastor Melinda Priest from Awaken City Church, Pastor Devlin Scott from New City Church, Pastor Kat Hampson from Riverwalk Church, Anchor Bay Church in Beverly, Daniel Montanez from Mygration Christian Conference
  • Prayer for Migrant Sunday at their Church: M.D. Smith from Eagle Heights Cathedral – Revere, Pastor Valerie Copeland from Neighborhood Church of Dorchester
  • Raising Funds to Support New Neighbors: Pastor Dave Friedrich from the Church of the Cross
  • Launched a New Neighborhood Support Team: Rev. Kelly Fassett from Neighborhood Church of Dorchester, Benjamin Pierce from Cru Boston Metro

UNITEBOSTON’S FEATURED SERIES

UNDERSTAND

Amidst a backdrop of rising family homelessness in Massachusetts, the journey of John, a Haitian immigrant fleeing violence, encapsulates the harsh realities faced by many newcomers seeking shelter and opportunity. Arriving with his wife and daughter, John’s hope for a fresh start quickly dissolves as they find themselves stranded at Logan Airport, relegated to sleeping on the floor and enduring cramped conditions while waiting for shelter. Their ordeal underscores the strain on Massachusetts’ safety net, with overflow sites struggling to meet the needs of a burgeoning homeless population. As advocates decry the situation and state officials scramble for solutions, John’s story serves as a poignant reminder of the challenges confronting families without housing in the state, highlighting the urgent need for comprehensive support and resources.

P.S. “They are assets, they are not liabilities:” Check out this great article from the Boston Globe this week highlighting Pastor Keke and how he is supporting newly arrived Haitian families by coordinating donations, recruiting translators, and connecting individuals with services such as jobs and English classes. Way to go, Pastor Keke – Thank you for your leadership!

READ OUR FEATURE HERE
BOSTON GLOBE ARTICLE

BELIEVE

In an age of global migration and mass displacement, what is the responsibility of the Church to respond to the needs and realities of migrant and displaced communities? All too often, the narrative surrounding immigration is depicted within mainstream media as highly political and divisive. In evangelical and charismatic circles, many Christians are more likely to be influenced by what the media says about immigration than the Bible.

For our week on “Believe,” we are sharing piece entitled, “The Church: A Place of Belonging” which is a chapter from local author Daniel Montanez’ book entitled, “The Church and Migration: A Theological Vision for the People of God.” The book seeks to transform the narrative of immigration by approaching it from the larger lens of human migration. By exploring the theme of human migration throughout the grand narrative of Scripture, this resource sets forth a theological vision for understanding migration from a Biblical-theological perspective. This article highlights practical ways in which the Church can get involved in serving migrant and displaced communities.

READ OUR FEATURE HERE

P.S. Daniel’s book serves as an accessible and educational guide for pastors, church leaders, and parishioners to better understand what the Bible says about God’s heart towards people on the move and how these truths can be applied in our modern world. It is available for purchase in English and Spanish. 

ACT

We will equip participants with practical action steps they can take to play a role in welcoming, caring, and supporting migrants in their communities. Here is a story of faith leaders as they call for donations as migrant families continue to flood emergency shelters. The Melnea A. Cass Recreational Complex in Roxbury is already close to its 400-person limit, and Boston’s faith leaders are looking for help getting those families what they need.

You can volunteer your time and skills with IFSI to serve newly arrived Haitian families! Tutor, help teach ESL Classes, help fill out applications, donate clothing and supplies, and more. Learn More.

There is also work happening to develop a rapid response team – If you are a leader of a congregation or non-profit, please fill out this survey to understand what groups are already doing and what gaps, needs and opportunities exist.

READ OUR FEATURE HERE
HOW TO HELP MIGRANT FAMILIES

GO DEEPER:

If you want to watch one video on Immigration from a Christian perspective, this is it.
“America’s immigration policy has made the country a lot less white and Christian than it used to be. Is this diversity something to celebrate, or something to fear, resist, and, if possible, reverse? Skye Jethani talks about immigration policy, how it’s changed in the last century, how those policies have changed America, what role racism has played, and how Christians should think about immigration today.”
“Imagine this scene: Two young parents grab their toddler and whatever they can carry on their backs and flee the country. There was no safety for them in their homeland, so the only option was to seek foreign soil. This was the reality for Mary, Joseph, and a very young Jesus. When King Herod ordered all the male children 2 years old or younger to be killed, Mary and Joseph had no other option. They fled to Egypt. Jesus was a refugee.”
  • GBH News Story “The number of families in the emergency shelter system who entered as migrants is 3,623, as of Thursday. That’s about 48% of families in the system — the rest are unhoused residents.”
  • You can volunteer your time and skills with IFSI to serve newly arrived Haitian families! Tutor, help teach ESL Classes, help fill out applications, donate clothing and supplies, and more. Learn More.
  • Donations for families being sheltered at the Melnea A. Cass Recreation Complex in Roxbury are diapers and wipes (sizes 2-5 and pull-ups), menstrual pads, toothpaste & brushes, bath soap, shampoo & conditioner, body lotion, Vaseline or Aquaphor gel, and underwear & socks for men, women, and children. These items can be dropped off at the Pleasant Hill Missionary Baptist Church, 155 Humboldt Ave, Dorchester. Mon-Fri, 2-5pm, and Sat. 12-4pm. Clothing donations (new or gently used)
  • The city is seeking to develop a rapid response team – Faith leaders can fill out this survey to understand what groups are already doing and what gaps, needs and opportunities exist.
  • Support and Accompany Our New Neighbors by Volunteering at Melnea Cass. This could include: reading books to children, playing games, or just sitting and listening (Coordinated by the Massachusetts Council of Churches).
  • Cash donations are the most flexible and allow financial resources to go where they are most needed. We recommend donations be made to the Immigrant Family Services Institute. Direct link to donate here.

*Special thanks to friends and partners who have contributed to this page, including Daniel Montanez, founder of the Mygration Christian Conference, Sarah Blumenshine, Director of Intercultural Ministries at the Emmanuel Gospel Center, Pastor Melinda Priest who is pastoring Awaken City Church and also organizes Conversational English and Citizenship Classes with her Immigrant Connection Site. The Massachusetts Council of Churches has also put together a list of how Christians can come alongside these new neighbors.


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