How do we have a healthy dialogue about immigration?
This small group program facilitates holy and healthy dialogue around immigration, a highly contentious topic that is nevertheless intricately linked with our Christian faith.
Faith and Immigration Justice facilitates holy and healthy dialogue around immigration, a highly contentious topic that is nevertheless intricately linked with our Christian faith.
Some of the questions explored in this program include “Why don’t people ‘get in line’ to become citizens the legal way?,” “Why do people migrate?”, “What does the Bible say about immigration?”, and “What’s going on with DACA?”. Participants walk away from this program better equipped to advocate for immigration policies that are just, effective, and compassionate, and to lead their communities in extending hospitality toward their immigrant neighbors.
According to the UNHCR (The UN’s refugee agency), there are 82.4 million forcibly displaced people worldwide. Needless to say, the scale of this issue is huge. This program focuses primarily on immigrants crossing our southern border, though the program certainly touches upon global migration and immigrants coming to the U.S. from non-Latin American countries. Ultimately, a deeper understanding of this particular slice of the issue will help your group to better understand migration in general, as well as motivate you to learn about — and learn from — immigrants from all countries and cultures.
In writing this program, we intentionally sought out resources from a variety of faith and political perspectives. Regardless of whether you consider yourself “conservative” or “progressive,” Catholic or Protestant, or if you don’t fit neatly into any of these categories, we hope that all group members will feel welcome in this program. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us if you have any further questions about program materials or the resources that JustFaith Ministries seeks to provide for your church or community.
Goals for Faith and Immigration Justice include:
Discern how our faith calls us to respond to the immigration debate happening in our nation and explore the reasons why people choose to come to the United States
Learn about basic immigration policy: participants learn how to answer the question “why don’t undocumented immigrants ‘just get in line’ for citizenship?”
Equip participants and groups to advocate for just, compassionate, and effective immigration policy and to welcome their immigrant neighbors within their own local communities
Faith and Immigration Justice consists of 8 2-hour sessions and an immersion experience.
Recommended group size is 8-14.Framework & Session Topics
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Session 1: Introduction to each other and to the theology of migration
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Session 2: History of Immigration to the U.S.
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Session 3: Simulation on current immigration policies and processes
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Session 4: “Why do people migrate?” (part one)
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Session 5: Guest speaker and “Why do people migrate?” (part two)
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Session 6: Current issues in migration
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Immersion Experience (to be determined by the group)
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Session 7: Advocating for change
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Session 8: Discerning individual and small group action steps
Sessions include:
Prayer and reflection
Discussion of reading
Videos & group activities
Spiritual practices
Integration of faith
Want to know more?
An overview, sample session, and program booklet are available for free download.
What you'll need for this program
There are two books used in Faith and Immigration Justice, available through the JustFaith Ministries bookstore.
Need help inviting people to your small group?
This program promotion kit contains sample social media posts, bulletin announcements, email invitations, and more.
We believe strongly in making our programs inclusive and available to everyone
There are two registration options:
Option 1: Participants in the group pay their own registration fees: Participants pay individually based on a sliding fee scale of $35, $55, or $75/person. (There is no charge for up to two facilitators.) A minimum of 8 participants is strongly recommended. Scholarships are available for individuals.
Option 2: A church/organization pays the registration fee for all participants: When the group is set up, a church or organization will automatically be billed a flat rate of $280, covering up to 8 participants. For groups with more than 8 participants, the organization will be invoiced an additional $35 for each extra participant when the group begins.
The registration fee includes:
- Comprehensive materials for each session
- Facilitation scripts, guidance, and training resources
- Retreat and immersion guidance
- Adaptations for virtual groups
- Direct access to program staff for support
Books are an additional cost and available for purchase in the bookstore.
To ensure our programs are not cost-prohibitive for anyone, all programs are offered on a sliding fee scale ranging from $35-$75.
We ask you to choose the registration fee tier that best aligns with your current financial situation. Paying on the higher end allows us to keep the program affordable for all.
If the $35 tier is difficult for you, please consider the program anyway. We ask that you decide what amount you can contribute as a commitment to the program, and send us an email at info@justfaith.org to learn about partial scholarship opportunities for the remainder amount.
What our program participants are saying
We as a group were called to act on our faith as a result of taking JustFaith Ministries’ program on migration. A couple nurses are learning the Spanish language. Others are greeting incoming refugees to Louisville at the airport. One volunteers at a tutoring center that we visited on our immersion experience (Doors to Hope). One continues to volunteer at La Casita. All in our group feel empowered and competent to speak the truths and facts of our immigrant neighbors to others in our community. All have an appreciation of the tireless efforts of an immigration lawyer from Louisville that was our guest speaker at session 5. As for me I will continue to facilitate JustFaith programs at my church.
Faith and Immigration Justice Overview, Sample Session, and Program Booklet
To get access to this program's overview, sample session and program booklet, complete the form below and you will receive an email with the downloadable materials.
Faith and Immigration Justice Promotion Kit
To get access to this program's promotional materials, complete the form below and you will receive an email with the downloads.