Immigration
Welcome to the immigration pages of the Desert Southwest Conference of The United Methodist Church!
Immigration will continue to be one of the major realities facing our church as we walk through the twenty-first century. But more than this, learning how to welcome the immigrant is a ministry into which God clearly calls us and to which the Bible points us at every turn. Throughout this century our churches in the United States will find themselves face to face with some monumental tasks like:
- understanding and confronting the causes of global migration and developing a theology of migration,
- re-thinking their ministries around rapid demographic changes,
- advocating for just and fair U.S. immigration laws, and
- engaging in ministry with the poor, more and more of whom will be immigrants or their immediate descendents
For the past two four-year periods or quadrennia, The United Methodist Church has declared its support for a comprehensive reform of U.S. immigration law, and it has called all its agencies, annual conferences, and local churches to become actively involved in this ministry. The reasons outlined in that resolution go to the heart of what it means for us to be United Methodist Christians in this century.
The overall work of our denomination in this regard is coordinated and directed by the denomination's Interagency Task Force on Immigration, chaired by Bishop Minerva Carcaño, who has been tasked by the Council on Bishops to coordinate the Council's ministry in the area of immigration. In collaboration with these General Conference declarations, the church's general agencies develop programs and resources to involve and aid the entire church in this ministry.
If you searched for this page, you may have been
- curious about The United Methodist Church's position on global migration and U.S. immigration reform,
- wanting to connect with national groups involved in the ministry of immigration reform,
- wanting to learn more about the issues and how they affect you,
- curious about what the Desert Southwest Conference is doing in this work , or
- needing help or ideas for engaging in ministry with the immigrant community in your parish.
If you can't find what you need here, or if you have designed something that is helpful, please contact Jim Perdue at jimperdue(at)desertsw.org. Blessings for your journey, your work, and your call!