Dear fellow Presbyterian Church USA members, ruling elders and teaching elders,
In the midst of so much national turmoil, we have been heartened this week that we have seen so many of you fighting for the cause of justice in our churches on behalf of immigrants and refugees around world. We write to you today as members of the PCUSA with a request for you to sign onto a petition from members of our denomination to stand up in one voice against the Executive Order suspending refugee resettlement.
It is our conviction that Jesus stood with the most vulnerable in his midst on account of his belief that God is alive in the world seeking to transform the situation. In our present circumstance as Christians it our calling and duty to stand up with the immigrant and the refugee. We believe the executive action issued this week titled “Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States” is unconscionable and goes against all that we stand for as Christians and as citizens of the United States of America.
Kathy Doan, a ruling elder at The New York Avenue Presbyterian Church, and Executive Director of the Capital Area Immigrants’ Rights Coalition, wrote the linked petition to our fellow Presbyterians in Congress to oppose the Executive order suspending refugee resettlement program and discriminating against Muslims. On Sunday morning January 29 many members of The New York Avenue Presbyterian Church signed onto the petition. It is being mailed on January 31.
However loud our members’ voices may be, as proud members, ruling elders, and teaching elders of the PCUSA, we believe we are the most effective when we speak together united as one body of Christ. We believe that it would be most impactful if members of the PCUSA around the country would also sign on to the petition.
Would you sign onto this petition? Would you share it with your friends and networks who are part of the PCUSA?
After you sign onto the petition, will you also contact your Congressional representative? To be connected to your representative in Congress or the Senate, call this number (202) 224-3121. You will need to call the line three times to be connected to your representative and two Senators.
Many thanks and blessings,
Roger J. Gench, Senior Pastor
Alice Tewell, Associate Pastor
Kathy Doan, Ruling Elder
Miriam Dewhurst, Clerk of Session
Ann Rose Davie, Parish Associate
Frances Taylor Gench, Parish Associate
Emily Rhodes Hunter, Parish Associate
Linda LeSourd Lader, Parish Associate
Matthew Schlageter, Parish Associate
Taylor Allison, NYAPC Member