How Can Your Congregation Best Welcome the Stranger?
In this moment, there is a critical need for congregations to prayerfully discern and take action to support refugees and asylum seekers in the United States. EMMAUS: Congregational Discernment is LIRS’ invitation for congregations to consider how they can respond to the biblical call to welcome the stranger.
Through the three sessions of the Discernment Guide, faith communities will meet to pray, discuss, and discern how they can accompany refugees and migrants as they rebuild their lives.
How should my congregation use this guide?
- The Discernment Guide is meant for use in faith communities and can be adapted for large or small group settings. The three sessions of the Emmaus program may be conducted virtually or in-person.
- Congregations discerning through EMMAUS will receive access to the EMMAUS Resource Center with additional tools for working alongside refugees and migrants.
When should we begin discernment?
- Faith communities are invited to begin the discernment process when it works best for them. There are no liturgical restrictions.
- The three sessions of the Emmaus program are meant to be completed in sequential order, but can be spread over a period of time that works best for a congregation. Some congregations complete the program in 3 weeks, while others discern over a few months.
What are the goals of the program?
- Provide opportunity to learn about asylum and refugee resettlement processes
- Discern what roles a congregation is open to and called to fulfill
- Become part of a national network of congregations receiving support from LIRS and from one another
Visit the Emmaus Resource Center
Click the button below to visit the EMMAUS Resource Center for more ways congregations can get involved with LIRS.