Immigration Ministry
On June 27, 2017, the Presbytery of Long Island adopted this resolution: “Whereas our Scriptures from both the Old and New Testaments consistently call the people of God to care for the vulnerable and oppressed in society and these same scriptures give special attention to a class of people who are described as alien foreigners or strangers in the land, that the Presbytery of Long Island affirm the efforts of its specific congregations who seek to shelter and support immigrants fleeing places of great danger as an authentic expression of God’s Kingdom work in the midst of the injustices of this world.” Setauket Presbyterian Church is committed to ongoing, concrete, and local initiatives that live out our call to walk alongside our immigrant neighbors:
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Identifying as a "sanctuary" church, standing ready to provide a space for physical sanctuary if needed by an individual or family facing an unjust deportation.
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Providing accompaniment to immigration-related court proceedings, where the presence of community members as witnesses and supporters in the courtroom makes a positive difference for an individual moving through the legal process.
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Launching the North Brookhaven Sanctuary Cluster, a rapid response network involving several congregations from different denominations that work together to provide Know Your Rights trainings, legal clinics, accompaniment, rapid response training, material support, and advocacy in our local communities.
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Offering an English Language Learners class taught by church members, as well as childcare for those attending the class.
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Contributing to the Long Island Jobs with Justice Solidarity Fund that provides financial assistance to the families of workers facing deportation.
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Using our Christian voice in public advocacy to raise awareness about the detainment of long-time residents of Long Island, the erosion of trust between law enforcement and local communities, and the dismantling of families seeking refuge in the United States.
Inspired by our work locally, in January 2020 a delegation from Setauket Presbyterian Church traveled to Agua Prieta, Mexico to partner with Frontera de Cristo for a week.
"Frontera de Cristo is a Presbyterian border ministry located in the sister cities of Agua Prieta, Sonora and Douglas, Arizona. As one of five binational ministry sites of Presbyterian Border Region Outreach, we work with churches, presbyteries, and secular organizations on both sides of the border to do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with God."
During our week in the borderlands we listened to stories of our migrant siblings, walked in the Sonoran desert, reflected on how our faith informs our understanding of borders, and so much more. You can learn more about Frontera de Cristo here: http://fronteradecristo.org/
Cafe Justo
One of the ministries Frontera de Cristo supports is Café Justo.
"Café Justo is a Grower owned Coffee Cooperative based in southern Chiapas Mexico, formed to address the poverty and migration from Mexico to the U.S.A."
We drank many cups of coffee during our week and many of us have continued to drink Café Justo coffee since our return!
