By Bob Allen
The National Council of Churches, an ecumenical gathering of 37 member communions representing 45 million Americans, joined a call Sept. 14 urging President Obama to increase Syrian refugee resettlement in the United States.
The NCC endorsed a call by Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, the nation’s second-largest refugee resettlement agency, for the U.S. government to open its borders to 100,000 Syrian refugees this coming fiscal year.
The ministry website offers a template for emailing President Obama about accepting recommendations of the Refugee Council USA to increase the nation’s annual ceiling for refugee admissions in response to the largest forced migration since World War II.
“Our faith calls us to care for those in need,” a sample message reads. “As a nation that has proudly stood as a beacon of hope for those in need, we are defined by our commitment to compassion for the vulnerable and justice for all. We ask that you stand with people of faith in welcoming Syrian refugees into the United States.”
The NCC called upon churches in Europe, the U.S. and around the world “to join in resettling refugees in their cities, towns, and villages, welcoming the stranger as our faith demands.”
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