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How are We to Treat Immigrants?

by Vicar Lisa Rygiel

A friend recently asked me to put together a Good Moral Character Letter for her daughter-in-law who is applying for U.S. citizenship. Although I was pleased to do so, I can only wish that this step would have been taken a year ago, when the climate for immigrants was more positive. I truly fear what her chances of success will be.

In the weeks since Donald Trump took office, Americans have witnessed a frenzy of arrests and deportations. During Donald Trump’s first week in office, he signed 10 executive orders on immigration and issued a slew of edicts to carry out promises of mass deportations and border security. Some actions were felt immediately, and others are being challenged in court. The Justice Department has fired 20 immigration judges as immigration courts deal with a reported backlog of about 4 million cases. Immigrants are even being transported to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. It is a scary time to be an immigrant in the US.

How are we, people bearing the image of God, to treat immigrants? There are several passages that speak to this question. The Bible emphasizes compassion, kindness, and fairness towards strangers and those who are foreign to a land. Here are a few key verses:

  1. Leviticus 19:33-34: "When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the Lord your God."
  2. Deuteronomy 10:19: "And you are to love those who are foreigners, for you yourselves were foreigners in Egypt."
  3. Exodus 22:21: "Do not mistreat or oppress a foreigner, for you were foreigners in Egypt."
  4. Matthew 25:35: "For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in."

These passages highlight the importance of empathy and hospitality towards immigrants. The Biblical teaching encourages individuals to remember their own history and to extend kindness and justice to those who come from different places. It speaks to the values of love, compassion, and fairness, urging believers to treat immigrants with respect and care.

Seventh Sunday after Epiphany – Feb. 23

10 a.m. Worship with Communion

Announcements

  • Souper Bowl of Caring: Throughout February Zion’s has accepted donations of canned goods or other non-perishable foods as well as monetary donations, to benefit the Trinidad Soup Kitchen. This coming Sunday is your last chance to donate. At worship, we will bless these gifts and deliver them to the Soup Kitchen.
  • Fellowship Time/Church Council: Join us after worship today in the Fellowship Hall for coffee and conversation.
  • 5-Loaves Volunteers Needed: Next Saturday, Zion’s will prepare and deliver lunches. We need volunteers to help with preparation on Friday and packaging and delivery on Saturday. If you can help either day, please let Terri Watson or Jo Moss know.
  • Children’s Choir: The Trinidad Music Association (TMA) children’s choir (ages 8-12) practice is at 3 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall. To participate or to get more information, contact choir director Vinnie Gumlich at 719-680-0851 or email music.association@gmail.com.
  • Newsletter Contributions: The deadline for contributing to the March newsletter is next Wednesday, Feb. 19. Let Jo Moss know if you have something to contribute or send your input to ZionsLuth@gmail.com.
  • Weekly Studies:
    • Zion’s weekly Bible Study continues today at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 19, with the continuation of The Bible from Scratch series, focusing onThe New Testament for Beginners. The class will be repeated at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 22. See the newsletter for more details. Note there will be NO Bible Study on February 26 or March 1 due to the scheduled arrival of Becky's first grandchild Lila.
    • A study of the life and legacy of Dietrich Bonhoeffer will NOT happen on February 23 or on Tuesday Feb 25 via zoon. The study will resume on March 2 with a soup luncheon at 12:30 p.m. followed by the study from 1 to 2 p.m., in the Fellowship Hall. The study repeats at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, March 3, via Zoom. Contact Becky McNeil for details.

E-formation –Seventh Sunday After Epiphany -- Feb. 23

On each standard Sunday of the year, we encounter the risen Christ: on this Sunday, both Jesus’ mandate for his followers to forgive their enemies and Jesus’ gift of forgiveness of us all, who cannot forgive as we hope to be forgiven.

Luke 6:27-38

The forgiveness from God that Luke stresses in his gospel has implications: we are to forgive others. Followers of Jesus are called into extraordinary ethics, not merely towards general goodness. The stark radicalism of these passages—love your enemies, offer the other cheek, give to everyone who begs, do not judge—has inspired some saints, such as Francis, and some movements, such as Christian pacifism, to adopt exceptional lifestyles that challenge the more ordinary life lived by most of us.

Genesis 45:3-11, 15

According to the Genesis narrative, Joseph is aided toward forgiving his brothers because he trusts that God had directed everything for the greater good. However, for many Christians, it is difficult to see the hand of God underneath the power of evil. Thus, this story might be helpful to some contemporary believers, but to others not. Over the centuries Christians have seen Joseph as a picture of Christ, who forgives everyone, even those who crucified him, and through whom God saves the people from certain death.

1 Corinthians 15:35-38, 42-50

Paul’s description of the resurrected body exemplifies the inability of human speech to articulate our faith in God’s new creation. Paul writes about the seed dying, which is not literally true. None of our language about eternal life can be literally accurate. Yet together we “look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come.”

Zion's Lutheran Church

A Reconciling in Christ Community
zionsluth@gmail.com
719-846-7785