OSJ Launches 'Immigrants Are a Blessing Not a Burden' Campaign

The Christian Reformed Church’s Office of Social Justice has launched a campaign titled Immigrants Are a Blessing Not a Burden as an attempt to re-focus the conversation in the U.S. about the topic of immigrants and refugees.

Kelsey Herbert, OSJ’s immigration coordinator, said many people in both in the CRC and U.S. strongly believe that immigrants are a blessing, not a burden.

“Unfortunately, those that believe the opposite are speaking louder,” said Herbert.

 “With this campaign, we want to empower people who are committed to the message that immigrants are a blessing to speak boldly and change the conversation when they hear immigrants being talked about as a burden."

Herbert says Scripture teaches this truth: immigrants are a blessing, not a burden (Matthew 25, Hebrews 13:2).

“Our own experience and truths about the economy and our communities teach us that immigrants are a blessing, too,” Herbert said.

Although this campaign comes out of the OSJ, “it's not our campaign,” says Herbert.

“It's everyone's campaign because the message resonates so deeply with people from many denominations, communities, and individuals.”

This campaign is only one of several resources that OSJ and other the CRCNA ministries have made available to address issues related to refugees and  immigration.

In  Canada, World Renew and the Christian Reformed Centre for Public Dialogue continue their advocacy on behalf of refugees and immigrants.

As part of this, World Renew and the Christian Reformed Centre for Public Dialogue, along with other ministries, are offering a new 90-minute interactive workshop titled Journey with Me that helps churches address ways to respond to immigration and refugees.

Also on this site, church members can find worship resources, book suggestions, children’s messages, sponsorship links, and other resources related to welcoming refugees.

There is also a new video, Journey with Refugees, that features stories and looks at resources available through the CRCNA in Canada.

“When we launched Journey with Me earlier this year, author Mary Jo Leddy spoke about the way that welcoming refugees had brought her neighbours closer together,” said Danielle Rowaan, the CRC’s justice and communications coordinator.

“She said, ‘It takes a good and just church to welcome a refugee, but it is also true that it takes a refugee to help build a good and just country.’ That’s been true in my own life, and I hope that’s a blessing that the whole CRC can experience through welcoming refugees and immigrants into our lives and communities.”