Lutheran (ELCA) Ping!
Alleluia! Christ is Risen!
Posted on 04/27/2009 2:16:27 PM PDT by lightman
ELCA NEWS SERVICE April 27, 2009
Lutherans, Others to Mark May 12 Anniversary of Iowa Immigration Raid
09-098-SH
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- As the one-year anniversary of a massive raid at a meatpacking plant nears, spiritual leaders in the northeastern Iowa town of Postville are urging Americans to press for comprehensive immigration reform.
They're also calling on individuals and communities to wear or display red ribbons across the country on May 12, the anniversary of the raid in Postville at Agriprocessors, once the nation's largest producer of kosher meat.
"Immigration raids are foolish. They traumatize families and children. They break families apart. We need a policy that treats people with dignity and justice," said the Rev. Steven P. Brackett, pastor of St. Paul Lutheran Church, Postville.
St. Paul is a congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), the nation's largest Lutheran denomination.
Postville churches also will "sound a call for justice" by ringing their bells at 10 a.m., the time the raids began. Bells will toll 389 times at St. Paul Lutheran Church in remembrance of those arrested and their families, largely Guatemalan and Mexican nationals.
The 389 names will be read aloud during an interfaith prayer service later in the day at St. Bridget Catholic Church, followed by procession to the plant. Lutheran and Catholic bishops, as well as a rabbi, plan to participate.
"We will pray that something positive comes out of what happened at Agriprocessors -- that some of the hearts and damage done to people will be healed," Brackett said.
Many of the illegal immigrants arrested were imprisoned for several months and then deported. Others are still being detained, including dozens of women wearing tracking devices, waiting for court hearings and caring for their children. Because they are not allowed to work, donations from religious communities are helping to pay their living expenses, Brackett said.
The plant and several of its leaders face numerous counts of violating immigration and other laws. In addition, there are thousands of charges accusing them of hiring and exploiting minors, forcing some to handle dangerous equipment.
During the prayer service, two statements from Postville detainees will be read. "I came to this country because I have a son with asthma," one statement reads. "I could hardly provide for food and clothing, let alone extra medicine in Mexico. … I saw the necessity to cross into the United States in order to keep him alive."
The Rev. Steven L. Ullestad, bishop of the ELCA Northeastern Iowa Synod, Waverly, plans to speak about the trauma and grief of Postville's Jewish and Christian communities in the aftermath of the raids.
"Our children, the children of all faiths and from all parts of the world, have experienced terror in a way that others outside of this community cannot imagine," the bishop's reflection states.
A copy of the May 12 prayer service is posted in English, Spanish and some Hebrew at the Web site http://www.postvillestbridget.org for use or adaptation around the country.
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org http://www.elca.org/news
I NEVER expected something solely in support of illegal immigration!
Alleluia! Christ is Risen!
Well, then, May 12th will be a day to wear nothing red, be it ribbons or otherwise...
Those wacky Lutherans! I’m surprised his comments didn’t include 15 different recipes using the same three ingredients: red jello, whipped cream, and a banana.
I agree with that pastor, that we need immigration reform. Congress & Obama should triple the fines, for employers who hire illegal aliens. That would usually deter the illegal hiring, and the money that is collected, from those fines, should be used to hire more border patrol agents and to build a brick wall, along the Mexican border.
I daily wear a red, pro-republican plastic bracelet that states, “Think Red.”
“The Welfare State is foolish. It traumatizes families and children. It breaks families apart. We need a policy that treats people with dignity and justice,”
Is that better?
MUCH better!
Oh, we need immigration reform, but not what that pastor would prefer. And that’s why no red on May 12th. I don’t want to be thought of as being pro-illegal (or pro-ELCA for that matter...).
how can total stupidity be so rampant,,,I think you could protest Mexico for failing as a country,you could protest people risking their lives and their families to sneak into a country,but to protest illegals being arrested is totally ignorant,what a bunch of BS,it has nothing to do with compassion on families,why don’t we just do away with borders,gee,everyone swarm into America,,then we can all scrounge around and be on the same level,poor,starving,no jobs,no health care,in a country run by tyrants,,wow how happy a land we will have.
What an utter embarrassment it is to have, or more properly have had, association with dolts like this.
take your left wing claptrap and shove it rev
Most immigrants came legally,why should the hispanics not to have obay our laws ?
how can total stupidity be so rampant,,,I think you could protest Mexico for failing as a country,you could protest people risking their lives and their families to sneak into a country,but to protest illegals being arrested is totally ignorant,what a bunch of BS,it has nothing to do with compassion on families,why don’t we just do away with borders,gee,everyone swarm into America,,then we can all scrounge around and be on the same level,poor,starving,no jobs,no health care,in a country run by tyrants,,wow how happy a land we will have.
No, allowing illegal immigration is foolish.
They traumatize families and children.
Oh, my aching heart! Those families and children wouldn't be at risk if they weren't criminals.
They break families apart.
Then maybe they should stay together ... in Mexico.
We need a policy that treats people with dignity and justice
We have one. It's called "the law." And maybe the illegals need to have a policy that treats American laws as sovereign mandates instead of optional nuisances.
Jesus told people to “Render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s and render unto God what is God’s.” I think that means that Jesus wants us to obey the laws. All Christian pastors should tell illegals to return to their native countries and come to the U.S., legally.
You’re right. On May 12, I’ll ensure that I won’t wear my red bracelet.
I’ve said before: the church I grew up in isn’t even recognizable anymore...
hh
Extreme
Leftist
Church
in
America
NOT the LCMS!
May 12th is in the 4th week of Holy Pascha in the Orthodox calendar—the 5th week of Pascha in the Western (Lutheran, Roman Catholic, etc.) calendar.
Celebrate Pascha throughout the season, including May 12th. Wear white.
Christ is Risen!!!!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.