Immigration Workshop Offers Skills for Engagement

Bill Mefford, Director of Civil and Human Rights for the General Board of Church and Society, will conduct a workshop on immigration at Hillsboro UMC on Saturday, May 1 – from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. The workshop is for individuals and churches ready to move beyond “justice ministries that consist of institutional statements and education…” to engagement, advocacy, and authentic relationships with immigrants. The training will focus on church-based organizing to help churches become more involved in advocating for and working with immigrants by addressing the following:

• A theological basis for engaging in advocacy and justice-oriented ministries
• How justice and mercy can and are meant to work together to serve people in need
• How you can organize individuals, churches and ministries that provide direct ministries around specific issues of immigration
• The importance of identifying allies within and outside of the faith community
• How to create events that are worshipful in nature, but politically significant and that help foster movement towards social change
• How training participants can work together on specific events and campaigns that are local and national, that are contextual for people of faith, and that are politically significant.
• The means of political advocacy that are most effective
• The political “state-of-play” concerning immigration and poverty

There will be a $15 registration fee which will cover the costs of the workshop and lunch. DEADLINE FOR REGISTRATION IS APRIL 15. To register, contact Ron Whitlatch, Director of Hispanic/Latino Ministries, at 503-941-5215 or ronwhitlatch(at)gmail(dot)com.