Refugee Crisis Resources

Challenged to embrace a larger definition of "neighbor" in the midst of the global refugee crisis and US immigration challenges, Creekside UMC in Sutter Creek, CA, committed to learning and praying about different refugee groups during the Lenten season as a first step to engagement. They produced weekly bulletin inserts and 5 - to 8-minute worship segments with content that can easily be adapted for other times of year.

The resources are as follows:

• a newsletter article introducing the series, click here;
• an overview of the materials, click here;
• bulletin inserts for each week with brief background on a refugee group, 7 prayer suggestions
  • Week 1 Syria
  • Week 2 Afghanistan
  • Week 3 Somalia
  • Week 4 Myanmar
  • Week 5 Palestine
  • Week 6 Northern Triangle Countries
• 5- to 8-minute scripts of presentations ("Refugee Moments") for each week that augment the inserts, lifting up personal stories to humanize the crises
  • Refugee Moment Week 1 Syria
  • Refugee Moment Week 2 Afghanistan
  • Refugee Moment Week 3 Somalia
  • Refugee Moment Week 4 Myanmar
  • Refugee Moment Week 5 Palestine
  • Refugee Moment Week 6 Northern Triangle Countries.

The focus countries/areas are (1) Syria, (2) Afghanistan, (3) Somalia, (4) Myanmar, (5) Palestine, and (6) the Northern Triangle countries of Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador in Central America. The first three are the largest "source countries" for refugees worldwide under the care of the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR).