Democratic-led cities across America are being assaulted by masked men. These federal agents under the purview of the Department of Homeland Security — some Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and some Customs and Border Protection agents — are carrying out…
The Charlotte Pentecostals inverting the slogans of Christian nationalism
I was in Charlotte and attended several protests against the presence of ICE in the city. One I went to was made up of largely left-leaning white protesters, which you would see at many Indivisible or No Kings rallies. These…
The chaos of Charlotte and the call to radical neighborliness
There is a force even greater than masked men with guns, and that is neighbors remembering we belong to one another.
Let’s get this one thing clear
When I talk with conservative friends about immigration in America, the line I most often hear justifying President Donald Trump’s deportation bonanza is that all these people are criminals by virtue of being here without authorization. This reminds me of…
When activists need to be silent
To everything there is a season, Ecclesiastes says, including a time to be silent and a time to speak. That’s sage advice in our present moment, as recent conversations with two friends illustrate. I’m one of the lucky ones who…
More people are moving to my city, but fewer are going to church
It’s like I don’t recognize my own neighborhood. It happened overnight. Who are we? Where are we going? What are we becoming? And … what’s next? I have been a pastor for two decades, and so much has changed in…
How to help immigrants in detention
Some of the ways that individuals and congregations can help are to learn about the issues of immigration and advocate for humane, compassionate, and sensible public policies and laws which impact the immigrant community.
Awakening to injustice: a church goes on a pilgrimage to follow immigrants’ journey from undocumented to detained
Nearly 20 people arrived early in the morning at Myers Park Baptist Church to embark on this sacred pilgrimage to listen, learn and discern how God is calling them as individuals and us as a Church to seek justice for America’s immigrants.
Photo Gallery: Awakening to Immigrant Justice
Myers Park Baptist Church in Charlotte, N.C. embarked on a sacred pilgrimage to listen, learn and discern how God is calling them as individuals and as a Church to seek justice for America’s immigrants. The group followed the route to Georgia many undocumented immigrants in North Carolina must follow after being detained.
Video: Awakening to Immigrant Justice
“By placing our feet on sacred grounds which are off our well-beaten paths, we hope to expand our listening and learning. Moving beyond head to heart, beyond words to feelings, we yearn to gain a fuller understanding of our systems of immigration.”
Decades of life with the ‘Lost Boys’ from South Sudan: Charlotte church loves their neighbors as themselves
Martha Kearse knew the young men were out of their element as soon as she saw them milling in bewilderment at the grocery store’s vast array of options. Very tall, very thin and very confused, they stood out like flies in a glass of milk. Kearse suspected they were some of the Lost Boys of South Sudan that she’d seen featured on the TV news magazine 60 Minutes.
Photo Gallery: Lost Boys in photos
All photos taken in this photo gallery of the Lost Boys are by Norman Jameson. [Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”16″ gal_title=”Lost Boys of Sudan: St. John’s Baptist Charlotte”] In this ‘Welcoming the Stranger’ series, we learn what happens when one…