World Refugee Sunday
Church life in 2020 looks very different from the norm. But even though many of us are not yet meeting in a physical space together, there is still plenty we can do to bring awareness and advocate for our refugee & forcibly displaced friends with the upcoming World Refugee Sunday.
The UNHCR World Refugee Day is coming up on June 20. The Refugee Highway Partnership and the WEA (World Evangelical Alliance) come alongside this each year to designate the two Sundays on both sides, June 14 and 21, as World Refugee Sundays.
These are challenging days for all of us and no less for refugees - here and around the world. Let's make sure we don't forget them even as we try to address all of the pandemic issues we deal with in our own circles of responsibility.
RHPNA Leadership Team member James Grunau serving with the Journey Home Community in Vancouver, Canada shares a quote from a refugee claimant they interviewed recently:
No one helped me, no one reached me except the people from the church.
Would you be willing to take a bit of time in your service on either of those Sundays, or even another Sunday that is appropriate for your church calendar, to bring the refugee cause to your congregation? You might even appreciate the opportunity to have something special to focus on in these days of repetitive online events!
Here are a few ideas on how you might do that:
Include a focus on refugees during your personal or corporate prayer time. See a sample prayer here or incorporate these “surrender”, “generosity”, “mission” hand postures in prayer.
Read a Scripture passage that has to do with God caring for the stranger among us such as Deut. 10:17-18, 24:17-19 or Lev. 19:33-34.
Provide an opportunity for people to give to a refugee cause in your area.
See the Refugee Highway Partnership website for World Refugee Sunday resources such as a poster, children's activities, sermon outline
Invite someone knowledgable about refugees to speak during your online meeting. Reach out to us if you don’t know anyone.
Do you have any other ideas to share? What has worked well for you in the past, or what are you planning for 2020?
Catch our recent “connection call” Zoom chat focusing on planning for World Refugee Sunday