We are encouraged to learn about residential and boarding schools, honor survivors, and remember those who never made it home from the schools in “Telling and Teaching the Truth: The Church’s Obligation to Education about the Ongoing Legacy of the Doctrine of Discovery” presented by the ELCA with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada, Anglican Church of Canada, and The Episcopal Church (September 2021). The open letter expressing commitment notes: “Our churches’ work to repudiate the Doctrine of Discovery begins with the costly work of telling the truth.” We are thankful for truth-telling from our guest blogger in this Native American Heritage Month.

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By guest blogger the Rev. Manuel Retamoza [about the author]

As both a member of the Cherokee nation and a first-generation Mexican American, news stories from the southern border in 2018 were more than just headlines for me.

Headlines were made when the news broke about the practice during the previous executive administration of separating immigrant children from their parents at the southern border. We all saw images and heard stories of children, even babies, being held in squalid conditions while being processed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. There was a public outcry against the dehumanizing practice of forcefully removing children from their parents, which led to protests on both sides of the border.

These stories tap into the deep, largely unacknowledged, pain that Indigenous peoples in the United States have carried for generations around the governmental and the church practice of forcefully removing Native American children to send them to residential boarding schools. The philosophy of one of these institutions, The Carlisle School in Pennsylvania, was “Kill the Indian, save the man.”

 

History Repeating

I was overwhelmed with empathy for these Central American (often also Indigenous) children, many of whom I met when I volunteered at a shelter here in San Diego, knowing that this is a repeat of our country’s history. Whether it was the separation of families at our border or with our Indigenous children who were taken from their communities to boarding schools, separating children from their families has been used to implement harm and family devastation for 500 years by those who colonized this land we call Turtle Island.

Recently I preached at the Vine Deloria Jr. Theological Symposium at Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago. We gathered around the theme “On Our Way to Truth and Healing.” In my sermon, I reflected on Jesus’ words in Mark 13: “Pray that it may not be in winter. For in those days there will be suffering, such as has not been from the beginning of the creation that God created until now, no, and never will be.” These words also describe my people, the Cherokee – gathered up like livestock – forced out of their homes with nothing but the clothes on their back, held in stockyard-like conditions as the U.S. military prepared to “escort” them 2,000+ miles to what is now Oklahoma. It was in winter when this happened, and many of our elders and children did not survive.

 

Truth of Indian Boarding Schools

A generation later, children would be taken from their families, only this time to Indian boarding schools. Many of these children never returned. Those who survived endured neglect and abuse by the adults entrusted to care for them. It is here where some of the worst atrocities against Native people took place because we were robbed not only of our children but our future. The goal was to kill and bury our story, our truth. The goal was erasure and elimination, but we are still here.

We can’t sit back and ignore the truth when it is presented to us. Truth once revealed must be struggled with, even the painful truths of what we have done and left undone as a church and as individuals. To not dig deep into the infection that is the atrocities done to Indigenous people is to allow it to continue to fester and prevent real healing. Ultimately, this denial hinders the work of the Holy Spirit in our church.

 

Need for God’s Grace

By telling the real story and allowing our people to tell their real story we invest in our future by not forgetting our past injustices and work toward healing for our future. It is in sharing the story, both the good and the bad, that we truly discover our need for God’s grace.

 

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MORE

Additional background is available from the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition:
“US Indian Boarding School History” and “For Churches.”

Use our Action Alert, “Indian Boarding School truth and healing needed,” to urge Congress to advance a new commission and study on the devastating legacy of Indian Boarding Schools and develop meaningful steps to heal moving forward.

In October 2021, the ELCA released “A Declaration of the [ELCA] to American Indian and Alaska Native People.” The declaration is a direct result of the social policy resolution, “Repudiation of the Doctrine of Discovery, which was passed by the 2016 ELCA Churchwide Assembly. In the declaration, the ELCA acknowledges the theological and Christian foundation of the Doctrine of Discovery, which has codified colonialism and religious intolerance as societal norms for more than 500 years. Direct links and more are available in an ELCA news release.

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: The Rev. Manuel Retamoza is senior pastor at St. Andrews Lutheran Church in San Diego, California. He also serves as vice president of the ELCA American Indian and Alaska Native Lutheran Association.

Jason Fisher, Champaign, IL

Warm-up Questions

•  Share about a situation that seemed like the end of the world to you, but looking back now, was a bit silly.
• What is your favorite apocalyptic novel or movie?
• What did that book or movie reveal about humanity, or about how you would respond in similar situations?

When Your Temple Crumbles

The apocalyptic movie 2012 came out with a startling trailer that featured a Buddhist monk high up in the Himalayan mountains ringing a warning bell, as an enormous wave of water was about to crash down on him and destroy humankind in a flood of biblical proportions. The movie itself was pretty silly in places, but revealed what was most important to a variety of people as they faced the end of their world. Sometimes things in our lives can feel like the end of the world, especially when what we have relied upon for so long is being challenged.

In his book, Silence the Power of Quiet in a World Full of Noise, Thich Nhat Hanh talks about two kinds of knots. The first knot is our notions, ideas, concepts, and knowledge. These things are not bad, but when we get stuck on them we miss out on the truth of life. If we don’t hold them loosely and someone challenges them, it can seem like the end of a world we have known and loved. The second knot is our afflictions, fears, anger, discrimination, despair, and arrogance. Thich Nhat Hanh believes that until these knots are undone we remain bound up and not truly free.

Thich Nhat Hanh writes; “These two knots, which are etched deeply into our brain and consciousness, bind us and push us to do things we don’t want to do; they make us say things we don’t want to say. So we’re not free. Any time we do things not from our desire but out of habitual fear or ingrained notions and ideas, we’re not free.”  

Discussion Questions

• What has you tied up in knots right now?  Is it some affliction, fear, anger, discrimination, despair, or arrogance?
• Have life experiences ever made you angry or biased? Share about those experiences.
• How can God, following Jesus, and being a part of the church help untie those knots?

First Sunday of Advent

Jeremiah 33:14-16

1 Thessalonians 3:9-13

Luke 21:25-36

(Text links are to Oremus Bible Browser. Oremus Bible Browser is not affiliated with or supported by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. You can find the calendar of readings for Year C at Lectionary Readings.)

For lectionary humor and insight, check the weekly comic Agnus Day.

Gospel Reflection

For many the season of Advent is a reminder of a time to prepare for the coming of dear, sweet, baby Jesus, not a time of distress, when people are fainting from fear. When we think of Advent we don’t typically think of apocalypse! The word apocalypse means “revelation.” So not only is apocalypse about the end of the world as we now experience it, but a revealing of a new world that God is creating. The season of Advent begins with a focus on Christ’s second coming, which can be terrifying for those who are unaware of God’s redemptive work and for those who cling to the things of this world.

The three sections of the text—The Coming of the Son of Man, The Lesson of the Fig Tree, and Jesus’ Exhortation to Watch—are all meant to be words of encouragement to believers whose world has been rocked by disaster. 

The Coming of the Son of Man

This passage from Luke was probably written 10 to 20 years after the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem, which, to the Jewish followers of Jesus, would have seemed like the end of the world as they knew it. Jesus encouraged people to repent and follow his kingdom way. The message of Jesus to Jerusalem wasn’t accepted and the Temple was destroyed in their lifetime by the Romans.  In the verses right before this text Jesus says the destruction of the temple will be ansign that Jesus has won and reigns at the right hand of God in heaven. New Testament Scholar N.T. Wright says that, “this passage is about the vindication of Jesus and the rescue of his people from the system that has oppressed them.” So while the world is shaken, they are encouraged not to shake, but, instead, to stand firm and look up, because their redemption now draws near.

The Lesson of the Fig Tree

“Heaven and earth will pass away,” but the words of Jesus will not pass away. Some things are lasting and other things are everlasting. Seeing trees bud and bear leaves is a sign of new life in the spring. Jesus reminds his hearers that no matter how much their world seems to have changed, they should still look to those places where there is life and thus know God’s kingdom is near. Those who have not put their whole lives into God’s hands, but have instead trusted in lesser gods, will have a hard time seeing these small signs of life. They will be more concerned with what they have lost than with what God is bringing into the world.

The Exhortation to Watch

You can look around you today and find many examples of people who are frustrated with how COVID 19 has doomed their world.  They become angry, violent, and cynical. Jesus warns his disciples against this and tells them to guard their hearts. In crisis people may lose their faith in God and turn to a “let us eat and drink for tomorrow we die,” mentality. This kind of selfishness and cynicism sneaks up on believers slowly. It might begin with a smirk at someone else’s misfortune or with a subtle comment like, “who cares?” But it ultimately ends with faithlessness and hopelessness in the midst of the disasters which surround us.

Yet God’s love for us breaks through all chaos in the person of Jesus Christ, for whom we wait patiently. Theologian Fred Craddock writes that, “Amid painful and prolonged suffering, when there can be seen on the horizon of predictable history no relief from disaster, faith turns its face toward heaven, not only for a revelation of God’s will but also for a vision of the end of the present misery and the beginning of the age to come.” Patience is essential and we cannot let the world’s cares bog us down. Instead we are called to stay alert and stay awake, to hold onto hope and hang on, for our redemption draws near.

Now, in order for that to happen, we may need to let go of some of the notions or images of the world to which we hold. Some of our ideas about how the world works and how God works may need to die in order for God to reveal new life.

Discussion Questions

• What for you are “the worries of this life?”
• How can you become trapped by those things?
• What keeps your heart from being weighed down by these things?

Activity Suggestions

Creating an Advent Wreath is a traditional ritual this time of year. With these apocalyptic texts about destruction and world-shattering events in mind , make  an Advent Wreath out of things that have been destroyed. Visit a thrift store or collect things that have been discarded on the ground. Wrap or glue them together to form a wreath and four separate candle holders. Maybe, instead of using new candles, find some old ones at a thrift store and add them to your redeemed advent wreath. Maybe this activity will reveal something new to you about what God is doing during Advent.

Practice the Ignatian Examen in the evening as a way to ‘be on guard’ and to ‘stay alert at all times.’ Begin by lighting a candle from your Advent wreath and give thanks to God for the world. Think about where you felt God’s presence during the day. Then think back on times when your notions, ideas, concepts, or knowledge were challenged by someone else, how did that feel? Did afflictions, fears, anger, discrimination, despair, or arrogance get the better of you? If so, simply acknowledge it and give it to God. Make an intention to work on that area tomorrow. End your time of silence with gratitude towards God. Try to repeat the process each evening in Advent.

Closing Prayer

Great Redeemer, we ask that you would help us to guard our hearts during uncertain times. Grant us strength to resist hopelessness and cynicism. Help us to look towards Jesus Christ that we might stand boldly with confidence and joy. Amen

 

By Kathryn M. Lohre

On November 11, the ELCA Church Council approved revisions to “A Declaration of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) to the Jewish Community”* as an expression of this church’s continual opposition to rising antisemitism. The revisions specifically named the anti-Jewish “incitement to violence” that is far-too-often realized. We  think of Pittsburgh and Poway, but also the daily acts of violence experienced by our Jewish neighbors that go unnoticed, underreported, or ignored. The point is that antisemitism is not simply a harmful, derogatory idea about Judaism, but a disastrous and sometimes deadly force in the world against our Jewish neighbors that we need to guard against — in ourselves, in our church, and in the world around us. For this reason, the action taken by the Council included not only the revisions but a call for the church to enter into a time of study and reflection using the Declaration and other Lutheran-Jewish resources available from the Office of the Presiding Bishop.

By design, the Declaration provides a measure of accountability within the ELCA, and to this church’s Jewish partners. (One of our dear Jewish partners has a framed copy of the Declaration on her office wall!)  As Lutherans – through the Lutheran World Federation, our predecessor bodies, and the ELCA, we repudiate the troubling legacy of Luther and our complicity in the unique horrors of the Holocaust, and the ongoing scourge of anti-Jewish bias, bigotry, hatred, and violence. To be clear: this requires more than just declaring our intentions, but acts of daily repentance and renewal lived out in community, and through intentional relationships with our Jewish neighbors.

At the same time, the ELCA is living out its accountability with others. In September of this year, the Church Council adopted “A Declaration of the ELCA to American Indian and Alaska Native People” as a step in the implementation of the church’s 2016 Repudiation of the Doctrine of Discovery. The newest ELCA Declaration concludes with the acknowledgement that, “we understand that no document, no matter how carefully crafted, will accomplish the actions of truth and the work of justice as it relates to our American Indian and Alaska Native siblings. We also understand that what has developed over hundreds of years will take enduring commitment to address.” The church’s history – and its ongoing witness – cannot be made right simply by declaring it was wrong.

This brings me to the second part of the revisions recently adopted to “A Declaration of the ELCA to the Jewish Community.” The text adopted in 1994 began, “In the long history of Christianity there exists no more tragic development than the treatment accorded the Jewish people on the part of Christian believers.” The superlative in this original sentence unintentionally invites false comparisons – between the Holocaust perpetrated against the Jewish people and the genocide perpetrated against Indigenous People, between rising antisemitism and anti-Indigenous racism to name two examples. Instead, what we should be looking for are the deadly connections: the complicity of the church, the political and theological justification of sinful ideologies, the ongoing perpetration of bigotry, violence, and even death against those deemed inferior, unworthy, expendable, or less than human by the dominant (and dominating) culture. To this end it now reads, “In the long history of the church, the treatment accorded the Jewish people by Christians has been among our most grievous and shameful legacies.” These connections will help us see more clearly the truths we need to tell in order to heal, and the work we need to do to guard God’s vision of life abundant for all people and creation.

I give thanks to God for the courageous people, including the late Rev. Dr. Franklin Sherman, who was instrumental in the development of “A Declaration of the ELCA to the Jewish Community” in the 1990s, and to the late Rev. Dr. Gordon Straw, who challenged the church in 2018 to take seriously the church’s repudiation of the Doctrine of Discovery, including in the context of our Jewish relations. Even in blessed memory, they have helped us to see that sometimes even correctives need correcting.

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*Written by the ELCA Consultative Panel on Lutheran-Jewish Relations and adopted by the ELCA Church Council in 1994 “A Declaration of the ELCA to the Jewish Community” repudiates Luther’s anti-Judaic writings, opposes anti-Semitism, and expresses the ELCA’s desire to build right relationships with the Jewish community.

 

Kathryn Mary Lohre serves as Assistant to the Presiding Bishop and Executive for Ecumenical and Inter-Religious Relations & Theological Discernment for the ELCA

Following are updates shared from submissions of the Lutheran Office for World Community and state public policy offices (sppos) in the ELCA Advocacy Network this month. Full list and map of sppos available.

U.N. | Colorado | Minnesota | Texas | Washington

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U.N.

Lutheran Office for World Community (LOWC), United Nations, New York, N.Y. – ELCA.org/lowc

Dennis Frado, Director

The General Assembly’s Third Committee held its annual dialogues with special human rights mandate holders and others. Of particular interest were:

• The Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences, Reem Alsalem, spotlighted the gender related killing of women, also known as femicide. She urged countries to use the femicide watch initiative to gather data and report annually.
• The Chair of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, Gladys Acosta Vargas, underscored the distressing situation of women facing the threat of sexual violence in conflict, human trafficking, sex-based discrimination, socioeconomic injustices and humanitarian emergencies.
• Special Rapporteurs on internal displacement, human trafficking and modern slavery all issued warnings that the number of people forcibly displaced within their own countries due to conflict is now at the highest on record, at 48 million.
• Filippo Grandi, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, also appealed to governments for international solidarity. He reported that conflict continues to be the main driver of displacement and emphasized that “We must never forget that nobody wants to live with the anxiety of exile”. He also highlighted the reality of climate-related displacement.
• The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, sounded the alarm on femicide, enforced disappearances and discrimination against vulnerable groups which continues to flourish in addition to the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change crisis.
• The Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples highlighted the causes and consequences of urbanization and the racial discrimination, poverty, and stigmatization that Indigenous Peoples living in urban areas face. The Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, including its causes and consequences, presented on the role of organized criminal groups in contemporary forms of slavery, and the Chairperson of the Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent, stressed that “Systemic racism is a public health crisis, just as COVID 19 has become a racialized crisis”. She highlighted how people of African descent face racism and structural discrimination worldwide and underlined that “human rights are for everybody”.
• The Special Envoy of the Secretary General on Myanmar, reported “the overall situation in Myanmar continues to deteriorate sharply, with conflict intensifying in many parts of the country.  “Repression by the military has led to more than 1,180 deaths,”.  She further highlighted the challenges and heightened suffering of already vulnerable communities, especially the Rohingya and other ethnic and religious minorities.
• The Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, said that “increased attacks by the military junta have taken place against the backdrop of a grossly disproportionate response by the international community”.

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Colorado

Lutheran Advocacy Ministry Colorado (LAM-CO) – lam-co.org

Peter Severson, Director

ELECTION DAY RESULTS: Coloradans voted on three statewide ballot measures on Election Day, November 2, and all were defeated. LAM-CO opposed all three because we believe there are more just and equitable legislative pathways to accomplish some of these ideas.

We can increase the accountability of custodial spending, but we don’t need to require every dollar to go through an inefficient and cumbersome bureaucratic process in order to be spent.

We can boost tutoring and after-school learning opportunities, but we don’t need to create a separate program outside of the Department of Education, funded by vice taxes.

We can provide targeted relief to property tax-payers who most need it, but we don’t need an across-the-board cut that will hurt local services while benefiting the wealthiest property owners the most.

The results are below:

• Amendment 78, Legislative Authority for Spending State Money
  • YES: 43.6%
  • NO: 56.4%
• Proposition 119, Learning Enrichment and Academic Progress Program
  • YES: 45.6%
  • NO: 54.4%
• Proposition 120, Property Tax Assessment Rate Reduction
  • YES: 43.4%
  • NO: 56.6%

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Minnesota

Lutheran Advocacy – Minnesota (LA-MN) – lutheranadvocacymn.org

Tammy Walhof, Director

Lutheran Advocacy-Minnesota recently took part in the decision-making process for the 2022 policy agenda of Homes for All, a statewide coalition of 240+ endorsing organizations that advocates for housing stability for all Minnesotans. Tammy Walhof and Rachel Wyffles listened to 26 policy proposals over two days and scored each according to criteria that evaluated urgent need and effectiveness. LA-MN then participated in two sessions of discussion in which scored proposals were considered in the context of Homes for All’s five policy buckets: Build more, equitable access and fair treatment, housing stability/anti-displacement, preserve the homes we have, and wealth building. We had great discussions throughout the process, and we look forward to working towards these priorities in the 2022 legislative session! 

LA-MN is also contributing to discussions around clean energy with our environmental coalition partners as they decide on priorities for the 2022 legislative session. They are looking towards smaller, more project-based priorities for the 2022 session.  

Wyffles had the opportunity to speak to 110 youth from around the country who were gathered at the ELCA Youth Leadership Summit in Minneapolis. She spoke about what advocacy is, gave context for how advocacy is an integral part of Lutheran faith, and provided ideas for how to incorporate advocacy in youth ministry. The youth were an insightful and inspiring group, asking great questions and expressing enthusiasm for getting involved with the ELCA Advocacy Network in their own states. 

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Texas

Texas Impact – texasimpact.org

Scott Atnip, Outreach Director

It has been a busy year in Texas with the Texas Legislature convening their regular 140 day legislative session followed by three special sessions, concluding in October. The third special session focused on redistricting, spending American Rescue Plan Act funds, anti-trans legislation, critical race theory and a failed attempt to ban vaccine requirements by statute. The work continues to equip and mobilize Texans of faith to help them understand what is happening in their Texas Legislature through ongoing programming, including the Weekly Witness podcast, Rapid Response Team and Legislative Engagement Groups.  

Plans are underway to host an election training to help congregations understand how the new voting laws will impact their communities and to share best practices for congregations to support local infrastructure. Texas Impact also sent a delegation to COP26 in Glasgow with plans to report back to Texas congregations.  

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Washington

Faith Action Network (FAN) – fanwa.org

Paul Benz and Elise DeGooyer, Co-Directors

FAN Annual Dinner We will host our annual fundraising celebration virtually on Sunday, November 21 to celebrate our 10th birthday, Rev. Paul Benz’s years of service, and our shared future. Advocates across the state will be joining us online, with the option to gather in small COVID-safe watch parties. You’re welcome to join from your state – register here to receive the event link: bit.ly/FANDinner2021

Statewide Policy With the help of our Economic Justice team leaders, FAN sent many advocates across the state to virtual Tax Town Halls led by the state Tax Structure Work Group to envision a new way forward for a fair taxation system in WA State. The Department of Revenue also hosted listening sessions on the implementation of the newly-funded Working Families Tax Credit, which FAN has advocated for in many sessions. The statewide eviction moratorium ended on October 31 despite calls for a continued extension by many organizations and individuals. We will continue to work with cities to extend their moratoriums and provide eviction prevention measures and rental assistance as families recover from the economic impacts of COVID-19.

Welcoming New Staff We welcomed two new staff to the FAN team – Elizabeth Dickinson is our Partnership Coordinator who will be working with our Network of Advocating Faith Communities, and Juli Prentice is our Outreach and Organizing Intern through Seattle University’s School of Theology and Ministry. We look forward to the fresh energy they will bring to our outreach and organizing!

from the ELCA advocacy office in Washington, D.C. – the Rev. Amy E. Reumann, Senior Director

Partial expanded content from Advocacy Connections: November 2021

HISTORIC FEDERAL BILLS  |  HOUSING STIMULUS FUNDING  |  GLOBAL COVID-19 VACCINATION  |  PATHWAY TO CITIZENSHIP  |  ISRAELI GOVERNMENT DECISION

 

HISTORIC FEDERAL BILLS:  The recently signed Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will make strong investments in our nation’s infrastructure and climate resilience and will increase economic opportunity in our communities. Measures in the Build Back Better budget reconciliation bill also contain potential for advancing common good including in the areas of in childcare, climate impacts childhood education, employment, food security, healthcare, housing and immigration, and our advocacy continues to emphasize ELCA priorities. Climate change provisions in the Build Back Better Act may total over $500 billion, only one of the areas ELCA advocacy staff continues to monitor.

 

HOUSING STIMULUS FUNDING:  In recently announced frameworks and bill text of the administration’s Build Back Better Initiative, roughly $150 billion of housing funding was publicly stated to be included – though negotiations are still ongoing as of early November. This initial allocation came as hundreds of Lutheran advocates called their lawmakers in support of such funding on an active housing action alert. The ELCA joined other interfaith partners in a message urging federal leaders to consider housing an essential priority last month.
In that same period, several lawmakers joined faith advocates and speakers dedicated to lifting up housing issues in a vigil on Capitol Hill as negotiators met in Delaware to finalize a compromise Build Back Better framework. Partners such as the National Low Income Housing Coalition state that the $150 billion would make a transformative difference to address access to housing, affordability, and homelessness in our communities if passed.

 

GLOBAL COVID-19 VACCINATION:  ELCA advocacy staff continue to advocate for COVID-19 vaccines access. Recently staff participated in dialogue with COVAX’s Vaccine Initiative representatives, who shared about the need to increase COVID-19 vaccines and other related resources to strengthen countries’ capacity to fight the pandemic. At the end of October, the Biden administration announced that it will defer its delivery of 33 million Moderna doses to give the African Union its spot in line to purchase the vaccines. The advocacy community has been asking wealthy countries like the U.S. to relinquish part of their pre-purchase spots so that low-income countries can have access to purchase vaccines. This will increase the number of available vaccines for purchase immediately and in the near term.

 

PATHWAY TO CITIZENSHIP:  As the reconciliation negotiations continue, the immigration provisions have become a major point of contention. Originally allocating $100 billion for immigration and a pathway to legal permanent residency, this allocation is mired by debate over specifics. Members overcame this impasse, eventually announcing consensus on proposals that would grant undocumented immigrants temporary work permits and protection from deportation, in addition to recapturing family and employment-based visas. While this effort would yield significant benefits to mixed status and immigrant families, the economy, and our society at large, it falls short of the proposed pathway to status. Negotiations are still ongoing, and few procedural hurdles remain, as the ELCA joins the interfaith community in holding out hope in advocating for a flexible pathway to earn citizenship.

 

ISRAELI GOVERNMENT DECISION:  The ELCA and 14 other faith-based organizations signed a letter calling on the Secretary of State to publicly oppose an Israeli government decision to designate six Palestinian human rights groups as “terrorist” organizations. They also asked him to call upon his Israeli counterpart “… for the immediate reversal of this action which runs directly counter to President Biden’s stated prioritization of human rights in the conduct of US foreign policy.”
In another update, Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) welcomed the Biden Administration’s opposition to Israel’s opening of construction tenders on October 24 for 1,355 new settlement units and their decision on October 27 to advance thousands of new settlement units, many of them deep in the occupied West Bank.

 

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Receive monthly Advocacy Connections directly by becoming part of the ELCA Advocacy network – http://elca.org/advocacy/signup , and learn more from elca.org/advocacy .

 

Amy Martinell, Sioux Falls, SD

Warm-up Questions

• Have you ever been blamed for something you didn’t do?  How did you feel?  How did you react?
• What news have you heard lately that made you feel good?

Signs of the Kingdom

On Halloween night in the UK three children stopped to trick or treat at the house of Brenda Burdon, 86.  Brenda apologized because she did not have any treats ready to give out.  The youth replied, “It’s OK, because sometimes making people happy and getting a nice big smile is reward enough.”

They then decided they wanted to spread a little more happiness.  They returned the next day with muffins and chocolates they had purchased for her, along with a ten pound note and a card which they had decorated with pumpkins and doodles that read, ““Thank you for being so kind. Hope your life gets better as you go on… “  Brenda Burdon’s grandson visited her later that day and said that “She was just lost in happiness that total strangers could leave such a wonderful impression” and that it had been the best Halloween of her life.

Discussion Questions

• What was the best Halloween of your life?
• When have you experienced being “lost in happiness”?
• When has a total stranger brought you joy?  When have you shared joy with a stranger?  What moved you to share kindness with the stranger?

Christ the King 

Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14

Revelation 1:4b-8

John 18:33-37

(Text links are to Oremus Bible Browser. Oremus Bible Browser is not affiliated with or supported by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. You can find the calendar of readings for Year B at Lectionary Readings.)

For lectionary humor and insight, check the weekly comic Agnus Day.

Gospel Reflection

The kingdom of God is like…

Our reading today comes during Jesus’ last hours before his death.  Jesus has been handed over to the Pilate, the Roman governor, by Caiaphas, the Jewish high priest.  They tell Pilate Jesus is a criminal whom they want put to death, but Pilate is not sure of what Jesus may be guilty. (John 18.29-31)  So Pilate questions Jesus, asking if he is the “King of the Jews.” This is a political rather than religious charge. Pilate does not care about the religious infighting, but he does care if there is a new political ruler rising to challenge Roman rule.  In his typical fashion, Jesus does not provide a clear answer to Pilate’s question.

When asked if he is King of the Jews, Jesus replies, “My kingdom is not from this world.”  Jesus has a kingdom, but it is not here on earth.  The world has proved they are not ready for Jesus’ kingdom of serving the lowly, forgiving sins, and loving your enemies.  Because the world is not ready, Jesus is standing before Pilate facing death.  Yet, this is not the end of the story.  Jesus rose from the dead and promises to return with his kingdom.

Now it’s up to us, the followers of Christ, to wonder: What is this kingdom not of this world?  What does Jesus’ reign look like?  How do we welcome Jesus’ reign into our lives and our world?  We live in waiting, waiting for Christ to return and for Christ’s kingdom to come to earth.  But as we wait, we see glimpses of Christ’s kingdom right now.  When we follow Christ by loving and serving others, we bring God’s kingdom to others.

I have a friend who loves to share on her social media when she sees the kingdom of heaven break into our world.  She posts “the kingdom of heaven is like…” and then shares stories of places she has seen Jesus’ kingdom.  These stories include a competitive runner who helps an opponent rather than going for the win, farmers who come together to harvest their neighbors’ crops after tragedy, and a couple who spent their flight helping an anxious teenager cope with turbulence.

So, when it came time to pick a current event for this Faith Lens, I didn’t do what I usually do.  I didn’t look for a prominent news story that was on my mind.  Instead, I looked for a story that would give us a glimpse of a kingdom not of this world.  It took a bit longer to find this type of story, butI think this story of kids taking time out of their trick-or-treating to share some joy with a stranger gives us a great picture of what the kingdom of God looks like.

Discussion Questions

• Pilate questions Jesus to get closer to the truth of his arrest.  Jesus proclaims “I came into the world to testify to the truth.”  Are Jesus and Pilate talking about the same kind of truth.  What truth does Jesus point to in your life?
• What do you imagine Jesus’ kingdom is like?  Share a time when you experienced Jesus’ kingdom on earth?
• As Jesus’ followers, how do we live in a way that helps others see the kingdom of God?

Activity Suggestions

Divide into groups and search newspapers or news websites for stories that show us what the kingdom of God is like.  Come back together and share the stories you have found.  Discuss if it was  easy or hard to find “good news” stories. What kind of news stories got the most attention?  Brainstorm ways to share the stories you have found so others may hear what the kingdom of God is like.

Closing Prayer

Jesus our Savior,  we ask that you reign in our lives.  Help us to cast aside all the other things we would like to make our king and turn our hearts to You.  Send us out to share Your love and serve our brothers and sisters.  Amen.

 

Issue 79 of Administration Matters

Invite a friend to subscribe to Administration Matters!

Over 13 years ago a group of staff at the ELCA churchwide organization got together with an idea. They wanted to offer church leaders a tool that would provide support in facilitating the management and administration of their congregations and ministries. So, Administration Matters was born.

Administration Matters addresses common, practical issues, including finance, governance, risk management, tax and legal concerns, and other topics of interest about day-to-day operations and management in church settings.

We hope you find its articles interesting and useful and ask that you share them with colleagues, partners in ministry, neighboring churches and congregation staff, inviting them to subscribe. Subscription is free, their names won’t be added to any other mailing lists, and they may unsubscribe at any time if they decide to opt out. Just forward this issue to their email address, and they can subscribe using this link. Thank you for being a loyal subscriber to Administration Matters.

“Stories of Faith in Action”

We are pleased to share with you the latest issue of “Stories of Faith in Action,” filled with inspiring stories from this past year. “Stories of Faith in Action” connects us as church and illustrates how, through your generosity, God is at work across the ELCA. It highlights how a portion of your offering, called Mission Support, advances the ministry of our church, helping the ELCA nurture Christian community, raise up leaders, serve our neighbors and strive for justice. Most importantly, it’s one way to thank you for your faithful generosity to your congregation, your synod and the churchwide organization ― by showing your offering at work. The magazine’s PDFs, flipbook and resources can be found at ELCA.org/SOFIA.

How to report the clergy housing allowance

The housing allowance is an important tax advantage for clergy. However, your congregation must officially designate the amount in writing each year, before compensation is earned, that might be used for housing expenses. As you look ahead to 2022, be sure to take action to document this amount. >More

Keeping up with a changing cybersecurity landscape

Your organization works tirelessly to achieve its mission, often with limited staff and resources. It’s important to consider how a strong technology strategy and security can help you achieve your goals. It is critical to stay current in order to keep your information secure. >More

IRS requirement for churches — Form 8822-B

In a July 30, 2021, news release, the IRS issued a call for entities with an Employer Identification Number (EIN) to ensure that the IRS has the entity’s current “responsible party” on file. The IRS believes maintaining current responsible party contact information is critical to its efforts to fight identity theft and other fraud related to EINs. >More

Dell Technology Discount Program

Buy directly from Dell and enjoy great discounts, monthly and limited time specials, discounted ground shipping, and 24-hour hardware tech support. Take advantage of everyday specials on systems, laptops, software, printers, scanners and other peripherals, and receive a discount of up to 12% on selected Dell desktop and notebook systems.

Upcoming membership sales events:
• MPP Early Access — Nov. 15, 2021
• Black Friday Week — Nov. 22-27, 2021
• Cyber Monday offers start Nov. 28, 2021.

To place an order or obtain product info, visit Dell’s Membership Purchase Program website at www.dell.com/mpp/ELCA or email Jarrett_Parsons@Dell.com. Please use the ELCA Member ID GS74878907 when emailing.

Annual report covers

Annual report covers are now available online for congregations that are preparing for their annual meetings. The document includes a letter from Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton, a hymn and litany and a story about how change and creativity have helped shape congregations this past year. The digital covers are available as pages or as spreads and can be found at ELCA.org/SOFIA#relevantresources.

 

 

Heather Hansen, San Antonio, TX

Warm-up Questions

What were you doing in 2020 when you first heard you would be out of school for an extra week because of a virus making people ill all over the world?  How did you feel at that moment?  When did your feelings change about COVID-19?

Birth Pains

It’s hard not to discuss COVID-19 in just about every area of life these days.  In fact, it seems to be a new conversation starter, just like,  “How about this weather?”  Now it’s, “Have you have COVID?” or “Have you had your shots?”  “Are you getting the booster?”

When COVID first became a thing, I remember thinking, “Well here’s another thing that people are going to go crazy about…we just need to wash our hands and be careful, the way we were with swine flu.”  When school was cancelled,  my kids were super excited for the extra week of spring break.  Then, school was cancelled for another week and people all over the world began reporting alarming numbers of sick and dead.  Finally came the point at which I knew it was serious…the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo was cancelled, quickly followed by Fiesta in San Antonio. The Houston Livestock show is a million, probably billion, dollar event.  So, at that point, I began to feel the birth pangs of what would be a long year and a half of labor, so to speak, that’s still not  over.  Or maybe it is, and we just don’t recognize what life looks like with something new?

The pain of childbirth is great, but it doesn’t start out that way.  For people who give birth  without being induced, the pain starts slowly with larger cramping or contractions than usual.  You ask yourself, “Was this different?” The answer is, “Oh yes.”  Though you are scared, you also rejoice because this little person inside of you, who has grown terribly uncomfortable, is finally coming out!  Then, the contractions get closer together and eventually become much more painful.  Finally, the pain becomes unlike most other pains a person experiences…unless they pass a kidney stone.  It’s agony,  yet necessary for new birth.

I wanted to have my children naturally, without any pain relievers such as an epidural.  Some women have very good reasons for choosing these aids, but they were not for me.  I took classes designed to help me work through the pain and thought I was ready.  But I wasn’t.  The pain came and lasted longer than expected.  Those assisting the birth encouraged me to ease the pain, instead of helping me work through it.  When you are in that much pain, it’s hard to stay committed to what you wanted, so I chose the spinal block.  In the end, the epidural caused many difficulties and I wished I’d chosen what I knew was best for me.  With the second child I vowed I would deliver with no epidural, even though there were many voices telling me once again, “It’s OK Heather, just get the epidural…most people do…you’ll feel so much better.”  But this time, I knew what I truly wanted.  Fortunately for me, I had a nurse with a strong steady voice who stayed with me through the pain.

As with childbirth, the pains of COVID came subtly at first.  Perhaps they were even joyful, because we had some time of rest and recreation which we don’t normally observe.  But then, the pain became worse.  Our lives started filling with disappointments, illnesses, deaths, depression, and anxiety.  We struggled with turmoil and division in our country and culture.  It was easy to listen to voices that led us astray and to think only of ourselves.  And, the pain grew stronger, the longer the pandemic lasted.

Are we finished with COVID-19 yet?  Has new birth finally come?  Or are we still working through the pain, waiting for final delivery?

Discussion Questions

1. What do you think?  Are we finished with COVID-19 yet or are we still working through the pain?
2. What has been most painful about living in a pandemic?
3. Do you think comparing the pain of the pandemic to childbirth is a good comparison?  Why or why not?
4. When has pain caused you to listen to the influence of voices you would normally not listen to?

Twenty-fifth Sunday after Pentecost

Daniel 12:1-3

Hebrews 10:11-14 [15-18] 19-25

Mark 13:1-8

(Text links are to Oremus Bible Browser. Oremus Bible Browser is not affiliated with or supported by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. You can find the calendar of readings for Year B at Lectionary Readings.)

For lectionary humor and insight, check the weekly comic Agnus Day.

Gospel Reflection

When you  research Mark 13, you find that this chapter is sometimes referred to as “a little apocalypse.”  What starts out in verse 1 as exclamations from the disciples about the greatness of the temple, quickly turns into a chapter fraught with destruction, war, and admonitions from Jesus to be prepared and ready.  Jesus declares that even this great temple will crumble completely to the ground.  In 13:8, Jesus tells the disciples that “this is but the beginning of the birth pangs.”

One of the questions I ask myself when I read the Bible is,“What does this passage have to say to me about what’s going on in the world right now?”  Therefore, when I read this passage in Mark a few weeks ago, especially the words Jesus speaks about birth pangs, I immediately thought of COVID-19.  

Jesus spends all of Mark 13, after the disciples exclaim how great the temple is, describing something not so great after all.  The destruction of the temple, which is often seen as a sign of  Jesus’ death, is only the birth pangs.  Jesus also warns the disciples to be ready for many voices which will lead them astray.  He describes the pain that they will encounter, perhaps trying to prepare them.  But, as I think about birth, COVID-19, and all the hard painful things that happen in life, can we ever be fully ready for how they feel?

I wish I’d had  a voice to lead me through a natural delivery the first time I gave birth to a child.  I wish we could have seen how much pain COVID would bring, and how much we needed a strong voice guiding us through the myriad of other, less helpful voices.  And, I bet  the disciples wished they could hear the guiding voice of Jesus in person when they faced great persecution and trial after Jesus ascended into heaven.

Sometimes it’s hard to imagine how pain and suffering will end in the same kind of joy and new birth that having a baby brings.  Even though having a baby or getting a COVID shot seem to be an end to the pain, we may find we still don’t understand and still have the pain.  When I first brought home my oldest child, I set her car seat down on the floor, looked at my husband and said, “What are we supposed to do now?” 

We may be unsure about what comes next. The good news is that Jesus prepares us if we listen.  Later in chapter 13, Jesus says listen to my voice and don’t be swayed by others.  Even when we are in great pain, the voice of Jesus is there, guiding us to new life.  So, when the birth pangs come, be ready for the pain and dig into how Jesus prepares us, but also be ready to listen and learn.  Jesus does bring new life.

Discussion Questions

• How do you feel when you hear Jesus say that everything will be destroyed?
• What things in your life have you felt were destroyed and brought pain?
• What helped you get through that pain to a new life?
• What does new life look like after something painful has happened?  Give some examples of new life born from hurt or pain.

Activity Suggestions

Watch a video of the Twin Towers in New York City collapsing.  Discuss the destruction, death and pain that came from that event.  Then discuss the following questions:

• What new birth came out of 9/11?
• Where do you think God was/is in that tragedy?
• What do you think got people through the pain of 9/11 and how can that help us today?
• What does “new life” look like to you, from a faith point of view?

Closing Prayer

Holy God, we sometimes struggle to see pain until it is upon us.  We see joy in the beginnings of birth pangs, but then realize the fullness pain once we are in the middle of it.  Guide us in these times to hear your voice and to respond to your will, even though it’s easy to go astray.  Continue to prepare us for the hard times as we read your witness in scripture and comfort us through it all.  Amen.

 

WEBINAR VIDEO  |  SITUATION UPDATE  |  LUTHERAN DISASTER RESPONSE ACTIVITY  |  DIRECT INVOLVEMENT OPPORTUNITIES  |  ADVOCACY  |  POISED FOR WELCOME

Across the United States, places of worship and people of faith are key partners in assisting refugees, asylum seekers and others in need of hospitality. Support from ELCA members and congregations has swelled with an outpouring of concern, prayers and offers of assistance for our Afghan neighbors following the end of the United States’ long war in Afghanistan. As ELCA and through Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS), we can continue to offer our support.

The following is an overview of what’s been happening, how Lutherans are stepping up to provide accompaniment, and where you can engage further by advocating for legal protections for new arrivals.

 

WEBINAR VIDEO: “Walking Beside Our Afghan Neighbors”

*NEW* The webinar, “Walking Beside Our Afghan Neighbors,” provided great insights from key Lutheran leaders, including a congregation leader involved in resettlement, a Lutheran social service organization, ELCA advocacy staff and LIRS policy leadership. View the archive of the one-hour session, originally presented Nov. 18, 2021. View from the ELCA Vimeo page at https://vimeo.com/648669699 (program begins at 1 minute 20 seconds).

 

SITUATION UPDATE

According to recent government figures, the United States is on pace to resettle around 75,000+ Afghans in the coming weeks. The U.S. government has evacuated tens of thousands of men, women and children from Afghanistan in recent months and plans to continue evacuation and resettlement operations through 2022.¹

 

Humanitarian Concerns

In Afghanistan, the situation continues to deteriorate, especially for many women and girls. Having gained access to education, employment, and political opportunities, the prospects for women’s rights under the Taliban government look grim.² Additionally, Afghanistan is contending with a humanitarian crisis. Most recent aid has gone towards staving off food insecurity and the collapse of the public health system and economy.³ Oftentimes, it is women and children who suffer the most during periods of prolonged conflict.

The international community and faith communities have continued to urge protection of civilians, including women and girls, academics, journalists, human rights defenders, and members of ethnic, religious, and other minority group from attacks. The U.S. government has resumed the evacuation of some former U.S.-affiliated Afghans—mostly visa applicants left behind in the hasty operation, while excluding others still at risk.

 

Humanitarian Parole

During the evacuation operations, many Afghans were admitted to the United States under temporary humanitarian parole status. Humanitarian parole, unlike U.S. refugee status or Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) status, expires after two-years, offers limited benefits, and has no direct path to lawful permanent residency (i.e. a “green card”). Afghans with this status face an uncertain future once they arrive.

Fortunately, as a part of the stop-gap funding bill recently passed by Congress and signed by the president on Sept. 30, lawmakers authorized Afghans admitted with parole to receive the same benefits as refugees, an ID and/or driver’s license.

 

Resettlement Processing

After being processed and rigorously screened on military bases, these individuals and families are referred to resettlement agencies before continuing to their next destination. Operation Allies Welcome was created to coordinate their arrival, assistance, and resettlement with the help of resettlement agencies like LIRS through its affiliates.

Acknowledging unmet need, the government launched the private Sponsor Circle Program, created to enable groups to sponsor and assist Afghans directly. This program would operate parallel to the existing framework of private resettlement agencies long supported by the American public and faith-based organizations.

 

LUTHERAN DISASTER RESPONSE ACTIVITY

Lutheran Disaster Response (LDR) has been reaching out to synods, congregations and affiliates who are taking an active role in welcoming Afghan families. Support for volunteers and interpreters is critical, as are housing assistance, health and wellness care, and fostering community belonging. LDR is in partnership with LIRS and Church World Service (CWS), the lead organizations in resettling Afghan families.

• Find a situation and response update from Lutheran Disaster Response – “Afghan Humanitarian Crisis“
• With prayer and directions to give and connect, learn more from LDR blog post – “Situation Report: Afghanistan Humanitarian Crisis“

 

DIRECT INVOLVEMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Local connections, for example your area Lutheran Social Service (LSS) location, are a great first place to find out what needs you can help meet in your immediate community.

• The Refugee Council USA has posted a map that pinpoints local resettlement agencies, including LSS affiliates, which may direct you to volunteer opportunities.
• A more detailed state-by-state is available in the Reception & Placement Affiliate Directory (May 2021) and can help direct you to local opportunities.

LIRS continues to advocate for evacuation of Afghans and their families to give them a place of safety on U.S. soil. “Since we launched our Afghanistan-focused volunteer portal, LIRS and our partners have received more than 45,000 volunteer applications.” Applications to volunteer with LIRS are still open. Their team is hard at work connecting groups and individuals with opportunities to “help with airport pick-ups, apartment set-ups, English lessons, and other critical services,” states the LIRS “How to Help Afghan Refugees” page.

• Use the LIRS sign up portal on LIRSconnect to share your availability.
• Additional prayer, education and action steps can be found on the “How to Help Afghan Refugees” page.

Church World Service (CWS) has a new opportunity for remote placement of Afghan refugees for congregations that are more than 100 miles from a local resettlement office.

• Discover more about Afghan Placement and Assistance (APA) Program community partners from CWS.

 

A Resettlement Story shared by Lutheran Services Iowa (LSI) staff member

“’Home’ and ‘welcome’ are two concepts that have been central to Lutheran Services Iowa since our founding in 1864. With hearts full of prayer for vulnerable individuals remaining in Afghanistan, we are proud to open our arms to resettle those arriving in Iowa. As a resettlement partner of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, LSI is prepared to resettle 525 Afghans and other refugees in Des Moines, Sioux City, and other areas of the state in the coming months. To support current resettlement needs, LSI is actively recruiting Pashto and Dari interpreters, training volunteers, soliciting financial and in-kind donations, and hiring additional staff. LSI is working with property owners, employers, community partners, and faith leaders to meet individuals’ needs not only when they arrive at the airport, but in the months and years after. LSI has a broad array of post-resettlement services, such as financial literacy, small business development, family wellness, English classes, and more designed to ensure newcomers to our community thrive. [We’re responding] to the love of Jesus Christ through compassionate service.”

 

ADVOCACY

Thank you to the hundreds of Lutherans and friends who used the “Safety for Our At-Risk Neighbors in Afghanistan” Action Alert from the ELCA Advocacy Action Center, urging a strong federal response to support Afghan neighbors at risk! The customizable way to reach out to your member of congress is still active.

• Use the Action Alert to express your priorities as we “urge the administration and Congress to commit to providing refuge for those at-risk and expand and expedite their access to the United States resettlement program.”

 

Afghan Adjustment Act Needed

Again, we are called to be leaders in society in both offering hospitality and advocating for the newcomer. Congress should come together to acknowledge the humanity of our Afghan neighbors and realize the hope of a future free from harm. Congress can simultaneously prioritize a future for Afghans in Afghanistan, evacuate those who are still at risk, and pass legal protections for new arrivals.

An uncertain legal limbo awaits Afghans who fled their war-torn country unless Congress takes urgent action to introduce and pass an Afghan Adjustment Act. An Afghan Adjustment Act would allow humanitarian parolees, here in the United States, to adjust their status, providing long-term stability and security for themselves and families. Congress has authorized similar legal pathways for Cuban and South Asian refugees. The ELCA is monitoring developments and advocating for urgent, compassionate responsiveness to our Afghan neighbors.

 

POISED FOR WELCOME

People of faith are uniquely poised to advocate for a welcome that lives up to the biblical call to love our neighbor, and we are a church that “holds power accountable, advocates justice, stands with those who are poor and vulnerable, provides sanctuary, and meets human needs” (from the ELCA social statement For Peace in God’s World). In the decade after the fall of Saigon in 1975, Lutheran congregations sponsored over 50,000 refugees from Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.⁴ We are here, as Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton articulated in her “Supporting Afghanistan” video, for the long welcome.

Again, we hear God’s call to accompany one another while speaking up for a generous policy of welcome. We will walk with our Afghan neighbors as they arrive, as they are resettled, and as they continue to become part of our communities. And we will advocate with and for our neighbors in this moment of need.

 

---

ENDNOTES

1  The administration is seeking $6.4 billion for the ongoing effort to resettle Afghans who were evacuated during the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
2  More in “What Will Peace Talks Bode for Afghan Women?” (International Crisis Group, 4/6/20)
3  Additional information is available in “Donors pledge $1bn in aid for Afghanistan as UN warns of crisis” (Al Jazeera article, 9/13/21)
4  Find this statistic and more in the ELCA social message “Immigration.”

I see that the focus is on the limited and highly restricted avenues for applying. That’s a powerful indictment of our “system” and will be revealing to many who believe it’s a much more straightforward process than it actually is, or who think the rules from decades ago, like marry a citizen and become a citizen automatically, still apply. I wish the section on applying for adult family members had also mentioned that the wait time can approach three decades, and the sponsoring family member must still be alive when approval is finally granted. Rosa and I thought about sponsoring her son, Armando. At the time, I was almost 60. What were the odds I’d still be alive at 90, or that he’d want to come to the U.S. for the first time when he was 64?

 

Another part of the “why” is the sheer number of ways to apply, each with its own stupefying set of criteria around who can and can’t use that avenue, documentation required, etc. I recently attended a seminar on immigration put on by CLINIC. I had some idea going in about the complexity of picking the right avenue and what the ramifications of each option might be, but I quickly learned it’s a lot worse. For example, someone who crossed the border at an immigration checkpoint and wasn’t asked to show a passport or visa actually entered the country legally. That one sticks with me, but even with extensive notes, I couldn’t correctly answer half the questions they posed about hypothetical scenarios.

 

In any case, I think finding the “right way” to apply is less than half the mental and emotional battle. An understanding of what likely comes next could, and maybe should, be a bigger factor in an immigrant’s decision about whether to try to apply the “right way.”

 

One factor is the fear of being “in the system.” Undocumented immigrants living and working in the U.S. are, to varying extents and at times entirely, unknown to “the system.” These immigrants may believe the risk of being deported, including being banned from returning for as long as the rest of their life, goes up if the system knows too much about them. In my ESL class, I have students who won’t get the COVID vaccine, not because they’re anti-vaxxers, but for fear of being “in the system.” An undocumented immigrant who’s been here without incident for many years makes a strong case with family members and friends for choosing to remain undocumented.

 

Another factor has to be cost. I know you know, but application fees are steep and the odds of success go way down without a lawyer. We tried to apply for a lifting of restrictions on our own and were denied (after over 6 months in process). When a lawyer got involved, however, Rosa was magically and quickly approved, despite minimal changes to the application itself (some folks in our congregation wrote letters attesting to our relationship and another member notarized them). Our lawyer told us he had no idea why we were rejected based on what we had originally submitted. His theory was just that someone at USCIS had a bad day. I think there’s more to it than just having a bad day. The process and rules for approving changes in status are secret and aren’t required to be applied uniformly across all applications. It also wouldn’t surprise me if agents were given objectives for denying a certain percentage of applications, but since it’s all a secret, conspiracy theories like mine will prevail.

 

Applying can also require multiple in-person trips back to the applicant’s country for documents related to their birth, marriages, divorces, where they received vaccinations, criminal background checks, etc. In Rosa’s case, that meant traveling to both El Salvador and Nicaragua (three times), only to find on her return, for example, that her certified vaccination records from Nicaragua weren’t acceptable. We then paid to have her re-vaccinated. Her doctor literally said it was “stupid” – it’s hard to disagree. One also hass to pay a certified translator to translate every document into English. And for many, aside from the costs involved, traveling to their home country puts a successful return to the U.S. at risk.

 

Last but not least, for immigrants who hired a coyote to get them to the U.S., even those who arrived alive, hoped for asylum, and immediately surrendered to border patrol, they have already spent their family’s life savings and likely secured a significant amount of money from loan sharks. They have no more money to spend.

 

Rosa had and was able to convert her tourist visa, but complying fully with the letter of the law cost us over $17,000 all in – fees, lawyer, travel, unnecessary vaccinations, translations, apostille seals, etc. When it came to getting her U.S. citizenship, we were very fortunate that Rosa had enrolled in English classes at Journey House. Their Citizenship class, for which Journey House charges nothing, included a scholarship to pay the application fee.

 

Bottom line, $17,000+ was a lot of money for us. For immigrants who are aware of the potential costs, not to mention the booby traps and limited opportunities, I’m sure it looks easier and safer not to do so.